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The San Benito County Elections Department has refurbished a specialized trailer for use in this election to reach voters who might have difficulties registering to vote or getting to the polls or drop-off boxes. The trailer can also be dispatched on election day to any location where an emergency might delay timely voting.
“It is completely self-powered and self-sustained,” said County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters Francisco Diaz. “We can deploy this anywhere in the county, and it can have enough power and connectivity to run by itself.”
According to Diaz, similar trailers are being used in neighboring counties. While the Monterey County trailer cost taxpayers $250,000 and the Santa Cruz County trailer came in at $175,000, Diaz said that San Benito’s should come in at under $21,000.
“We are trying to keep it as inexpensive as possible,” he said. “We got the trailer used and are configuring as much of it ourselves as we can.”
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Francisco Diaz inside the mobile voting trailer. Photo by Robert Eliason.Diaz said the trailer is being dispatched to underserved areas such as Aromas, Tres Pinos and Dunneville. He is also making arrangements for the trailer to be sent to Jovenes de Antaño so that it will be available to the senior population.
Diaz said that the mobile voting trailer will be an important backup in case of any unexpected problems.
“With everything we do, there is a lot of preparation, anticipation and redundancies,” he said, “but you can never prepare for the unknown. There’s always something that can go wrong.
The trailer is equipped with video surveillance and will be locked and sealed when not in use. An on-board computer system will keep the trailer connected to the elections office at all times, allowing for real-time tracking of the status of every ballot, whether it has been handed out, cast, damaged or voided.
“It will constantly communicate with the office,” Diaz said. “And when the trailer returns, it will be audited to be sure its contents match our records.”
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Francisco Diaz and the mobile voting trailer. Photo by Robert Eliason.
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?fit=300%2C127&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?fit=780%2C330&ssl=1″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516-1024×433.jpg?resize=780%2C330&ssl=1″ alt=”Francisco Diaz and the mobile voting trailer. Photo by Robert Eliason.” class=”wp-image-111051″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=1024%2C433&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=300%2C127&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=768%2C324&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=1536%2C649&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=2048%2C865&ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=1200%2C507&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=1568%2C662&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=2000%2C845&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=400%2C169&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?resize=706%2C298&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516.jpg?w=2340&ssl=1 2340w, https://i0.wp.com/benitolink.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Photo-Oct-11-2024-12-56-13-PM-scaled-e1729135843516-1024×433.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>
Another change in this election is that polling places will be monitored by Level 1 Private Security to prevent any potential unrest or disruptions that might impact the public’s right to vote.
“We are preparing for what we call ‘disgruntled voters,’” Diaz said. “We’ve had minor instances in the past where there have been issues with people, and we’ve been able to remove them from the facility ourselves. This year, we want to be preventive and prepared.”
This year could also be the last election held at the office on 1601 Lana Way in Hollister, where it moved after a fire damaged the previous location. Diaz said the lack of funding for the warehouse-like space and public pressure for the office to be based downtown could see the operation returning to the remodeled 440 5th Street location as soon as the next election.
“We have discussed it with county planning and other individuals,” he said. “If we do return, it would be to the downstairs floor because the second-floor office wasn’t truly accessible to people with wheelchairs.”
Diaz said he prefers to remain on Lana Way, which is more spacious than the previous office and has enhanced security measures, but he understands the reasons for returning.
“If people want to see us back in town,” he said, “that alone is a good reason for us to return. It might make more financial sense for us to return if the Board of Supervisors can’t allocate the resources to stay here.
Mobile voting locations are posted to the San Benito County Elections Office website.
Vote Center locations:
St. Benedict Catholic Church – 1200 Fairview Rd, Hollister
San Juan Bautista Community Center – 10 San Jose St, San Juan Bautista
San Benito County Elections Department – 1601 Lana Way, Hollister
Abundant Life Church – 790 Bolsa Rd, Hollister,
Hours: Nov. 2-4, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Nov. 5 – 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Community Foundation Building, San Andreas Conference Room – 440 San Benito St, Hollister
Hours: Nov. 5 – 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Ballot drop box locations:
Aromas Fire Station – 492 Carpenteria Rd, Aromas
San Benito County Library – 449 5th St, Hollister
San Benito County Elections Department – 1601 Lana Way, Hollister
San Benito County FoodBank – 1133 San Felipe Rd, Hollister
Hollister Fire Station #2 – 2240 Valley View Rd, Hollister
Ridgemark office parking lot – 100 Ridgemark Dr, Hollister
True Value Hardware – 1264 4th St, Hollister
Windmill Market – 301 The Alameda, San Juan Bautista
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