Information provided by the San Benito County Elections Department
On January 17, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved the Elections Department Ballot Drop Box Ride Along Program as part of the Election Department’s Voter Outreach.
“This is a highly anticipated and first-of-its-kind service for the voters of San Benito County,” said Francisco Diaz, County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters.
The program takes inspiration from the widely used law enforcement ride-along programs that take place throughout the State of California. This program was retrofitted for an election specific action: ballot drop box pickup. Participants of the program may observe, ask questions, and experience the daily procedures election staff take as they collect Vote-by-Mail ballots at all official drop boxes.
“Frankly, I’m surprised no other county has considered doing this before,” said Diaz. “It’s a great idea to have citizens participate in the ride-along and witness, first-hand, how election officials do their job.”
As part of this initiative, the department permits citizens to ride with election officials in county vehicles, thereby increasing staff awareness of community concerns while also educating citizens on election protocols. The ride-along is available to residents of San Benito County.
“The residents of San Benito County have asked for more transparency, the ride-along program is a good start,” Diaz said. This is the final iteration of a two-year-old pilot program that was initiated during the 2021 Gubernatorial Recall Election.
The ride-along has been embraced by local central political committees and election observer groups. More than 30 people participated in the initial pilot phase.
The elections staff would like to encourage more people to participate in the ride-along.
For more information regarding the Ride Along Program, call the Elections Department at (831) 636-4016.