STOCKTON – San Joaquin County residents and members of the media are invited to observe a state mandated Public Logic & Accuracy Test (L&A) of the voting system taking place on Friday, October 28, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. in the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Office located at 44 N. San Joaquin St., Suite 350, Stockton, CA. As an L&A observer, participants also become a member of the Election Observer Panel. The L&A Test will specifically examine supplemental ballots cast for the Stockton East Water District (SEWD) races.

The supplemental ballots were distributed to voters who live in the SEWD boundaries when a ballot error was identified which affects two contests for SEWD Directors in the November 8, 2022 General Election.

The full L&A test is intended to exercise all aspects of the tabulation programming. It will test all offices and measures including undervote and overvote capabilities. It will also check the reporting functions of the system. If any errors are found with the system or the system programming during the test, they must be corrected and the test performed again. Once the system has satisfactorily counted the test deck, the programming will be approved for ballot counting.

Public testing is accomplished by providing L&A test ballots to Election Observer Panel participants who will mark their choices on the ballot. The completed test ballots will then be tabulated through the voting system and set aside so that the Panel can hand count the completed ballots first and then compare them against the ballots that were processed through the voting system.

“Similar to the public L&A Test that was conducted on October 7 which examined official General Election ballots, this second test is just as important so that voters know that the programming has been done accurately and the machine is operating correctly while counting the new supplemental ballots. We encourage anyone from the public to come observe the process,” said San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters, Olivia Hale.

Hale noted as a reminder that all eligible voters who reside within the SEWD should have received a separate supplemental ballot, which correctly presents both affected contests. The separate supplemental ballot outer envelope will be distinct from the November 8, 2022, General Election ballot outer envelope. The supplemental ballot was delivered in an envelope stamped with “SUPPLEMENTAL BALLOT.” The return envelope for the separate supplemental ballot will be yellow in color. Only the separate supplemental ballot shall be placed in the yellow return envelope. These instructions are also included in the voter's ballot materials.

To ensure accuracy, SEWD votes cast on the original November 8, 2022 General Election ballots will be voided. SEWD votes cast on the separate supplemental ballots will be counted for these contests instead. Please note that all other votes cast on all original November 8, 2022, General Election ballots will be counted as normal.

Any San Joaquin County resident can be part of the Election Observer Panel. In addition to the public L&A test, Panel members can also observe the processing of Vote-by-Mail ballots at the ROV office which began October 10. They may also visit one or more polling places on Election Day and can visit the ballot counting center to observe the tabulation of ballots on election night after 8:00 p.m. at the ROV warehouse located at 7585 S. Longe St., Suite 112, Stockton, CA. They can also observe the official canvass of the election which occurs November 10 - December 8.

To RSVP for the October 28th event or learn more about the Election Observer Panel, contact Eric Diaz at (209) 468-3194 or ediaz@sjgov.org. RSVPs must be received by October 27, 2022. For any questions regarding the supplemental ballots, contact 209-468-8683.

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