Humboldt County Clerk Details Election Turnout, Ballot Security Measures, and Counting Timeline

Stock photo of ballots in the box. [Photo by Andrew Scully]

“Turnout was significantly higher than the primary,” Cervantes noted, adding that while turnout didn’t reach the record-breaking levels of 2020, it was “close to twice as high” as this year’s earlier primary election.

Cervantes emphasized that the role of the elections office is to count ballots and provide accurate results, not to declare winners. “We don’t call elections in the sense that we don’t call winners and losers,” he explained, noting that election officials have up to 30 days to certify the results and that much of the ballot counting happens after Election Day. Although media outlets might declare winners based on projections, election officials focus solely on counting every eligible vote, verifying each, and publishing results as they become available.

On election night, Humboldt County’s posted results reflect ballots received before the Friday prior to the election, including vote-by-mail and early voting ballots. However, a large batch of approximately 34,000 ballots, submitted between Saturday and Election Day, is now being processed. Cervantes explained, “From here on out, we’re in the canvas period,” as his office counts these ballots and prepares weekly updates. According to Cervantes, the process of verifying and counting every ballot means additional results will be posted each Friday until all the eligible votes are counted.

To ensure accuracy, all mail-in ballots go through several verification steps, including signature checks. “We check each signature on a vote-by-mail envelope and match it to the file on the voter’s registration,” Cervantes said. “If the signature doesn’t match, additional reviews and extra steps are taken to make sure we get ahold of the voter to cure that issue.”

This year, voters in Humboldt County experienced issues with the state-run ballot-tracking system, BallotTrax, which failed to notify some voters of their ballot’s progress through the stages. Cervantes acknowledged the challenges, noting that Humboldt County has limited control over this state-contracted system: “It was a rough go-around with [BallotTrax] this time,” he said. While BallotTrax is intended to keep voters updated on the status of their ballots, technical issues prevented some notifications from being sent. “Usually, a voter would receive four notifications over the time that they’re voting,” Cervantes said, including alerts when the ballot is mailed, in transit back, received, and counted. However, for many Humboldt voters, the system only sent two notifications, typically when the ballot was mailed out and then again when it was finally counted. Cervantes clarified that this issue does not reflect any delay or problem in the county’s ballot counting process but rather a technical hiccup in the state-contracted tracking system. He reassured voters that all ballots received are being processed as usual, regardless of whether they see these updates in real time, and voters will still receive final confirmation once their ballots are counted.

Though security concerns plague elections, Cervantes emphasized that “we don’t use any third-party vendors” or volunteers in the ballot handling process; instead, the county relies solely on county employees, including supervisors and members of the Sheriff’s Department, to securely manage ballot collection. “This year, the supervisors were kind enough to go out into their districts and be there at 7:45, prior to the polls closing, ready to close those ballot box[es] at eight on the dot, and then to bring them into our office,” Cervantes explained. Supervisors like Bushnell and Madrone even traveled to more remote areas, such as Garberville and Willow Creek, to ensure ballots were securely retrieved.

While some voters expect immediate results, Cervantes explained that a thorough, secure process takes time. “Elections are the sort of thing that you really only have one shot to do right,” he remarked. By law, his office performs a 1% manual audit of ballots to verify machine accuracy.

For those curious about the counting process or interested in election work, Cervantes welcomed community involvement: “When we hire election workers, we see it as a two-fold opportunity: one to get help in doing this work [and two,] it …allows the community … to see firsthand the levels we go to do things transparently, efficiently and accessibly.”

The first post-election results were posted yesterday, Friday, November 8. Cervantes expects the majority of the unprocessed ballots to be counted by the second post-election results are posted on November 15, with final certification expected by early December.

Press release from the Humboldt County Elections Office:

November 08, 2024 Elections Office Releases First Post-Election Results Update and Begins Canvass Process With 2,539 additional ballots counted, the Humboldt County Elections Office provides an update on the canvass process which ensures every vote is accurately verified and included. The Humboldt County Elections Office has released its first post-election results update following Election Day, adding 2,539 ballots to the total count, bringing the total to 33,956 out of the county’s 84,741 registered voters. Along with these updates, the Elections Office has officially begun the canvass period, a detailed review process that confirms the accuracy and integrity of the final election results. Running through Tuesday, Dec. 3, the canvass includes verification of all received ballots, including vote-by-mail, provisional and conditional ballots, to ensure every valid vote is counted before certification of the election. The Elections Office has approximately 31,499 unprocessed ballots as of today, Friday, Nov. 8. Ballot Type Unprocessed Ballots Provisional 2,004 Vote-By-Mail 29,461 Ballots from Voting Locations 34 Nearly all of these remaining ballots arrived on or after the Friday before Election Day, reflecting the trend of ballots being submitted close to or on Election Day. Of the 31,499 ballots that remain to be processed, 57 of the vote-by-mail ballots were received today, Friday, Nov. 8 and were postmarked on or before Election Day. Under California law, vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day can be counted if they arrive within seven days after Election Day. Each mail-in ballot undergoes a careful signature verification process, with two election officials reviewing and comparing the signature on the ballot envelope to the voter’s registration record. If any discrepancies arise, voters are given the opportunity to resolve or “cure” the issue to ensure their vote is counted. All valid vote-by-mail ballots will be counted regardless of the outcome or closeness of any race if they are postmarked by Tuesday, Nov. 5 and arrive by Tuesday, Nov. 12. Canvass Process Ensures Accuracy and Transparency As part of the canvass process, Humboldt County election officials conduct a manual tally to verify the accuracy of machine counts. Required by California’s Election Code, this step involves a hand count of at least one percent of ballots to confirm that electronic results align with the actual votes cast. This process identifies any discrepancies, reinforces the reliability of reported results and strengthens public trust in the electoral process. Additionally, Humboldt County’s large college student population impacts the election process. Many students register locally, often close to Election Day, resulting in a higher number of provisional ballots. Provisional ballots are used when voter registration details require further confirmation. By processing these ballots after Election Day, officials ensure that all eligible votes are accurately included, while validating voter records with care. The Humboldt County Office of Elections will continue providing updates each Friday to keep the public informed on ongoing progress. Final certification of the election results is expected by Tuesday, Dec. 3. Through each step of this process, the Humboldt County Office of Elections is committed to delivering a thorough, accurate election outcome that reflects the voice of its voters. For more information on the results of the election, please visit the Elections Results webpage or call 707-445-7481. About the Humboldt County Office of Elections The Humboldt County Office of Elections is dedicated to conducting fair, accurate and transparent elections, ensuring the voice of the community is heard and that electoral integrity is maintained. The Elections Office is committed to upholding the democratic process, providing reliable information and maintaining an open line of communication with the public. For more information, visit humboldtgov.org/elections.