FAQs for Community Facilities District No. 2 of the County of Santa Cruz (Lompico Water) All-Mail Ballot Election - February 24, 2015

How many registered voters are there in Community Facilities District No. 2 of the County of Santa Cruz (Lompico Water) (“CFD”) ?

There are 720 registered voters as of January 29, 2015

What is the last day to register to vote?

February 9, 2015. You can obtain a voter registration card at post offices, libraries, city halls, Zayante Fire Station, or by calling 831-454-2060. You can also register to vote online at www.votescount.com

How is this election being conducted?

The election is being conducted as an all-mail ballot election pursuant to the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982 (Government Code Section 53311, et.al.) Section 53326 allows the special election to be held on any date that is at least 90 days, but not more than 180 days, following the adoption of the resolution of formation.

Who gets to vote?

Pursuant to Government Code Section 53326 registered voters who live within the CFD are eligible to vote on the measure.

When will ballots be mailed out?

The official ballot and voter information pamphlet were mailed to voters on January 26, 2015. Ballot mailings will continue to all new registered voters up to the close of registration on February 9.

How do I make sure my ballot will count?

1. Vote your ballot by making one line to connect the head and tail of the arrow pointing to your choice.
2. Remove the top stub from the ballot where it is perforated.
3. Place the voted ballot in the green ballot return envelope.
4. Sign your name by the X. Your signature will be compared to the signature we have on file for you from your voter registration card. Therefore, DO NOT let someone else sign your name for you.
5. Date the envelope.
6. Seal the envelope.
7. Return it on time – 8 p.m. Election Day – see below.

How do I return my vote-by-mail ballot?

You have many options for returning your ballot:

1. Mail it back no later than Tuesday, February 24. Under a new California law, ballots that are postmarked no later than Election Day AND received in the mail by the county elections official no later than the Friday after the Election may be counted. Voters are encouraged to mail early. There is no guarantee that ballots mailed on Tuesday will arrive by the Friday deadline.
   
   
2. Drive up and Drop it off in the white box in front of the County Government Center at 701 Ocean Street, Room 210, Santa Cruz. The box is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, until 8 p.m., Tuesday, February 24.
   
   
3. Deliver it in person to one of the locations below:

• Santa Cruz County Elections: 701 Ocean St., Room 210, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. Ph: 831-454-2060.
• Scotts Valley City Clerk’s Office: 1 Civic Center Dr., during regular business hours. Ph: 831-440-5600.
• On Election Day, we will have two locations open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for voters to return their ballot, get assistance, or obtain a second ballot if they have lost or damaged their first ballot:
  - Santa Cruz County Elections: 701 Ocean St., Room 210. Ph: 831-454-2060.
  - Zayante Fire Station: 7700 East Zayante Rd., Felton. Ph: 831-335-5100.

What do I do if I need assistance?

Call us at 831-454-2060 and accommodations will be made, including delivering a ballot to your home, assisting you with marking your ballot, and returning it to the Elections Department. Please call prior to Election Day so there will be sufficient time to provide assistance.

What if I lose my ballot or never receive my ballot?

To obtain a second ballot, you may call the Elections Office at 831-454-2060 or email us at 2ndballot@votescount.com and a second ballot will be mailed to you if there is sufficient time. If there is not time to mail it, you may come to the Santa Cruz County Elections Department and obtain a second ballot in person or on Election Day, you may also go to the Zayante Fire Station and vote a provisional ballot.

What is a provisional ballot?

Provisional ballots are issued to voters whose eligibility to vote cannot be determined at the time they show up to vote.

Provisional ballots are researched after the election and if the voter’s eligibility is confirmed, the ballot is counted.

Voters who attempt to re-register through DMV, but the registration did not go through, there is process to register to vote and vote using the court system. Paperwork will be available at the Santa Cruz County Elections Department for this process as well as Zayante Fire Station on Election Day.

When will results be available?

Semi-Official Election Night results will be posted online at www.votescount.com on Tuesday, February 24 at approximately 10 p.m.

Election results WILL NOT BE FINAL on Election Night.

We will begin our canvass and audit of the vote on Wednesday, February 25, and any ballots received in the mail by Friday at 5 p.m. will be added to the vote count.

It is anticipated that final, certified results will be available by Monday, March 2, 2015.

Final results will be posted online at www.votescount.com

What happens after the vote count is final?

The elections official shall prepare a certified statement of results of the votes cast upon completion of the canvass and submit it to the County Board of Supervisors pursuant to Elections Code Section 15372.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to adopt the Resolution Declaring the Results of the Election on Tuesday, March 17.

What if I want to request a recount?

Within five (5) days after the completion of the official canvass, any voter may request a recount by filing a written request with the Elections Official to recount the votes cast.

The petitioning voter shall, before commencement of each day’s recount, deposit such sum as the official requires to cover the costs.

“Completion of the canvass” shall be presumed to be the time when the elections official signs the certified statement of vote. (See Elections Code Sections 15620, 15622, 15624)

What if I want to contest the election?

Any elector of a county, city, or of any political subdivision of either may contest any election held therein for any of the following grounds:

a) That the precinct board or any member thereof was guilty of malconduct.

b) That the person who has been declared elected to an office was not, at the time of the election, eligible to that office.

c) That the defendant has given to any elector or member of a precinct board any bribe or reward, or has offered any bribe or reward for the purpose of procuring his election, or has committed any other offense against the elective franchise defined in Division18 (commencing with Section 18000).

d) That illegal votes were cast.

e) That eligible voters who attempted to vote in accordance with the laws of the state were denied their right to vote.

f) That the precinct board in conducting the election or in canvassing the returns, made errors sufficient to change the result of the election as to any person who has been declared elected.

g) That there was an error in the vote-counting programs or summation of ballot counts.

The contestant shall verify the statement of contest, as provided by Section 446 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and shall file it within the following times after the declaration of the result of the election by the body canvassing the returns thereof:

a) In cases other than cases of a tie, where the contest is brought on any of the grounds mentioned in subdivision (c) of Section 16100, six months.

b) In all cases of tie, 20 days.

c) In cases involving presidential electors, 10 days.

d) In all other cases, 30 days.

(See Elections Code Sections 16100 and 16401.)