Democracy in Action: Poll Observer Findings and Recommendations from California’s 2024 General Election

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During the November 2024 general elections, California Common Cause and the Asian Law Caucus led one of the largest nonpartisan election observer programs in California. We ran our program with support from the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Southern California. Our organizations worked together to train nonpartisan volunteers and observe polling sites in 34 counties across Northern, Central, and Southern California. In total, our program recruited more than 520 volunteer observers and monitored over 1,400 polling sites across the state.

This report identifies ways in which California counties can continue to improve the in-person voting experience, particularly for voters with disabilities and voters who speak non-English languages. For example, observers in San Francisco county found that reference ballot translations in Burmese were consistently inaccurate, noting that the characters were grammatically switched and did not translate properly. 

Other recommendations include:

• Increase the number of poll workers and check-in stations at polling sites with historically high voter traffic. In particular, consider adding more polling sites at college campuses and finding spaces that can accommodate larger numbers of voters. 
• In VCA counties, encourage voters to cast their ballots early and consider expanding early voting hours to allow more voters to cast their ballot earlier and spread out voter traffic.
• Install “Vote Here” banners and directional signs that are clearly visible outside every polling site, especially at large buildings or multi-building facilities. Ensure that addresses listed online and in voter information guides accurately reflect the entrance locations of each polling site. 
• Avoid selecting polling sites that require voters to present an ID to access the premises, or ensure that venues adjust their ID protocols during elections so that voters do not get turned away. 
• Strengthen poll worker training on voter ID requirements and conditional/same-day voter registration procedures.

Democracy in Action: Poll Observer Findings and Recommendations from California’s 2024 General Election shows how counties are already taking meaningful steps to improve voting access, and where there’s still critical work to be done. For example, SB 266, a bill that would provide in-language votable ballots, would give California an opportunity to ensure that every eligible voter can fully participate in our democracy. By acting on these recommendations and passing legislation like SB 266, California can take meaningful steps to ensure every voter, regardless of background, has a fair and accessible path to the ballot box.

Previous Reports:

Democracy in Action: Highlights from March 2024 Poll Monitoring

Voices of Democracy: Highlights from November 2022 Poll Monitoring

Voices of Democracy: Highlights from June 2022 Poll Monitoring

Voices of Democracy: The State of Language Access in California’s 2016 Elections

For further information, please contact california@commoncause.org or pollmonitor@asianlawcaucus.org.