A look behind the scenes at voting in Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
With questions about election integrity on the minds of many voters, The Sentinel interviewed local Election Inspector Margie Miramontes at the Citrus Heights Community Center voting center.

Miramontes and her husband, Larry, have run the local vote center for many years, with their location previously described by a county spokesperson as “by far, the most patriotic” in Sacramento County.

On Saturday, Margie Miramontes shared the process of how ballots are counted and protected throughout early voting and on Election Day. She said the process begins with personnel at the vote center verifying the name and address of individuals who walk in to vote so that they are given the correct ballot based on where they live.

Providing identification is not required, but a person’s name must be in the database showing that they have registered to vote in order to receive the ballot.  Individuals can also fill out a conditional registration form and register to vote before filling out a ballot.

Related: Meet the election inspector couple in charge of this Citrus Heights vote center

Miramontes said in-person voters have the option to fill out a paper ballot or fill out a ballot on a touchscreen. Once a person fills out a ballot on a touchscreen machine, it’s printed out, sealed in an envelope, signed, and turned into a large blue bag, like all other paper ballots. The touchscreen machines offer the opportunity for people with disabilities like visual impairment or shaky hands to vote easier.

Any ballots that are printed with accidental errors or ballots where a voter makes a mistake must be “spoiled” by a staff member and shown to the voter with “spoiled” written across the ballot. Spoiled ballots are also collected at the end of the day and sealed in an envelope.

Both mail-in ballots that are dropped off and in-person ballots that are filled out on site are in sealed, signed envelopes, and placed through a slot into bags that are locked with locks that have a unique identifying number. When the locks are placed on ballot bags, staff records the lock numbers in a secure log, noting details such as the date, time, and person responsible. This log creates a traceable record of every lock’s initial condition. Each bag must also be manned by one volunteer at all times while the voting center is open, Miramontes said.

Every night, all sealed ballot envelopes must be counted, and the number, and the signatures, must match the number of people who have registered in person that day. The numbers of conditional ballots also must match the number of signatures registered that day.

All voting materials and electronic equipment are securely locked up, lock identifiers are logged, and the Citrus Heights Community Center alarm is set every night before staff leaves, Miramontes said.

When ballot bags are taken to Sacramento County Voter Registration representatives, those representatives check the lock identifiers against the logged numbers. If the numbers match and locks show no signs of tampering, it verifies that the bags remained secure from the time of sealing to the hand-off.

Want to see what happens to ballots once they reach the county’s elections office? Click here to see prior story.

Miramontes said on Saturday that she’s seen an increase in in-person voter turnout this election compared to the last election. Miramontes and her husband Larry Miramontes have been working at voting centers during elections since 2001.

“In past elections, seeing 20 people come in was a good day,” Miramontes said, referring to those who came in to vote early before Election Day. This year, Miramontes said last Friday there were 130 in-person voters, and every day since they’ve opened, there have been over 100 voters coming to vote in-person, except for the first Sunday the center opened, when there were roughly 60. Miramontes also added that the drop-in ballot bags have been filled with envelopes every day that they’ve been open.

Miramontes said she encourages those who vote in-person to come prepared, with a “cheat sheet” to help the voting process go smoother and faster for both the voter and staff.

Voting locations are open until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Find the closest voting location to you from The Sentinel’s compiled list of locations in Citrus Heights. The first results will begin to post at 8:15 p.m., according to Sacramento County.

All members of the public are allowed to observe the vote counting process at the Department of Voter Registration and Elections office, located at 7000 65th St. in Sacramento. Those interested in observing the process can learn more at the county’s website.