Photo courtesy of Francisco Diaz.
Photo courtesy of Francisco Diaz.

This column was written by Assistant County Clerk-Recorder Francisco Diaz. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. BenitoLink invites all community members to share their ideas and opinions. By registering as a BenitoLink user in the top right corner of our home page and agreeing to follow our Terms of Use, you can write counter opinions or share your insights on current issues.

The Elections Office held a Voter’s Choice Act Kickoff Celebration on Saturday, April 2nd at the Veteran’s Memorial Building. This was a family event with food, music, raffles, face painting, and general family activities.

Families and friends gathered to celebrate San Benito County being one of 28 counties approved to adopt the Voter’s Choice Act voting model. Compared to the traditional polling place model, there are more locations to get a replacement ballot, more accessible voting machines, and more language and assistance at the newly introduced Vote Centers.

The neighboring counties of Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Merced, Kings, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, and Tuolumne apply this voting model.

There were over 100 people in attendance. The event was a success, and it was in no small measure, due to smiling families. Families came eager to meet their superheroes, like Captain America, Spider-Man, and Uncle Sam.

It meant a lot to elections staff that so many families, friends, and neighbors came to celebrate this momentous occasion. The support from the community made this event a great success and the children’s enthusiasm and positive spirit helped make our event both productive and fun.

The Elections Office would like to thank its community partners for their contribution and support. They play an integral role in ensuring that the Elections Office meets its commitment to public outreach and engagement. Their time, talents and efforts were very much needed and are much appreciated.

Special thanks to Michelle LeeAnn Leonard and Felicia Bisceglia from San Benito County Chamber of Commerce, San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, City of Hollister, Fire Department, Youth Alliance, and the Hollister Veterans Memorial Staff.

Francisco Diaz is the Assistant County Clerk-Recorder for the County of San Benito and serves on the Board of Chamberlain's Youth Services and Community Services Development Corporation. Francisco is the...