(CONTRA COSTA) --- Contra Costa County chooses to withhold election ballot information from the public.
In the last week, Chirag Kathrani, publisher of OpGov.News has traveled to Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and Almeda Counties in order to ensure the public’s vote remains transparent.
But he did not find it.
Rather, he found contradictions in available data, with Santa Clara County providing far more election data than Contra Costa, as seen below.
(Photo: Contra Costa County Elections Results Page of Clarity Software)
(Photo: Santa Clara County Elections Results Page of Clarity Software)
The above comparison shows Contra Costa Clarity Software leaving out key precinct-level information that Santa Clara provides freely, a disturbing notion to say the least, which is why Kathrani began an email exchange with officials, questioning why.
When Kathrani pointed out the obvious discrepancy, the officials' explanation shifted, as seen in the Assistant Registrar's official response below.
In addition to the email exchange, Kathrani has traveled to each location, detailing his experience along the way, beginning with how ballots are received and stored before being transported to a rented stadium near the Clerk-Recorder's office, where temporary workers separate envelopes from ballots.
Kathrani points out that the County Clerk-Recorder — who was herself on the ballot — moved freely through all counting areas during this period, while candidates and official observers were barred from the same space.
(Photo: Contra Costa County Elections ballot count seen from afar, obstructing view of tablets)
That in and of itself presents a blatant conflict of interest. Allowing the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder to witness what the public cannot breeds distrust from the get-go.
In that same "sacred” space only officials can enter, a separate team gathers to manually verify that signatures on ballot envelopes match the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records.
Next, Kathrani saw that the ballot tabulation takes place on the second floor of the Clerk-Recorder's office, which has changed dramatically since COVID. Before COVID, observers could stand alongside poll workers throughout ballot separation and tabulation, gaining direct visibility into how results were being produced.
That access no longer exists.
When Kathrani asked how the tabulation machines are configured, he was told the only opportunity to find out is during the 1% manual recount — and even then, observers cannot get close enough to watch.
That is why he sent a precinct data request to officials on June 5, submitting a formal request to Candidate Services, which allows any candidate or member of the public to verify how votes were distributed across the district.
As of June 11, with counting substantially complete, precinct-level results remain unavailable to candidates and the public, prompting the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to ask, "Have you ever wondered what happens to your ballot after you get your I Voted Sticker?"
Kathrani did ask that question, but he got no answers.
Transparency in elections is not a courtesy — it is the foundation of public trust, as inferred by the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission, reporting, “election results are a true and accurate accounting of all votes cast in a particular election.”
(Photo: U.S. Elections Assistance Commission website)
When observers cannot observe, and data from neighboring counties that are published freely is withheld in Contra Costa County, that “true and accurate accounting” is difficult to maintain.
While much public debate focuses on mail-in ballots, there are equally important questions about how votes are actually processed and tabulated once they arrive.
While Kathrani raised concerns about the questionable AD16 primary turnout, he still accepted defeat but has made it clear he will not cease fighting for voter transparency and a fair Democratic system in the upcoming General Election.
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