How Orange County Officials Plan To Safeguard Tuesday's Election

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Tuesday is the last day that voters can cast their ballots, and in Orange County, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County Sheriff's Department promise to safeguard the sanctity of every vote cast in the 2020 General Election.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has a dedicated team of prosecutors and investigators who are specifically trained in election law violations, including election fraud.

This team includes:

• 13 attorneys from the OCDA Special Prosecutions who have been specifically trained on protocols and procedures for election issue response.
• 25 District Attorney Investigators, one analyst and one District Attorney Investigative Aide

“Your vote is your voice,”Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a prepared statement. “The power of one vote should not be underestimated, and it is our responsibility as prosecutors to ensure that every vote – and every – voice counts."

Every step has been taken safeguard the Nov. 2020 election and provide Orange County residents with the peace of mind that their voice will be heard when they cast their ballot – whether it is by mail, at a ballot box, or by voting in person.

According to Spitzer, "anyone who chooses to violate any section of the election code in Orange County and interfere with the sanctity of the election will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

The Orange County District Attorney team is working with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the California Secretary of State, the California Attorney General, the Orange County Registrar of Voters, the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center as well as local law enforcement to protect everyone’s right to vote free of intimidation.

The OCDA team is in direct contact with the Registrar of Voters and will be dispatched to address election related issues if needed.

The District Attorney Mobile Command Post will also be stationed at the Registrar of Voters on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, and members of the OCDA team are available 24/7 for election related issues and questions.

That team has conducted training for the Registrar of Voters staff as well as Orange County law enforcement on how to recognize potential election fraud. OCDA prosecutors are available 24/7 to provide assistance to the Registrar of Voters and local law enforcement regarding election law violations.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters has a list of official ballot drop boxes.

If a ballot drop box is not on the list, it is not an official government drop box.

Residents who suspect election fraud are encouraged to call the Orange County District Attorney Election Fraud Hotline at 714-501-4593. Residents can also report suspected election fraud by emailing 2020.election@da.ocgov.com

Do you feel your vote is safe? Let us know in comments or by emailing your voting experience to your Patch Editor.