California - Contra Costa County Clerk Recorder Elections Department
Program Title
Certified Election Observer Program
Program Summary
In a continuum of programs to combat misinformation, election skepticism, and public mistrust of elections, the Contra Costa County Elections Division added a new program to its outreach menu in 2022 with the goal of bringing the public up close and personal into the elections process. While tours and public access have always been widely available at the office, leadership saw a new potential appetite for more in-depth and informational opportunities to learn about elections in our county. In June of 2022, staff piloted the first Certified Election Observer (CEO) Program, giving constituents an intensive, guided, multi-day,'behind the scenes" tour of the entire elections process in Contra Costa County. The members of the public who participated in our first two cohorts became ardent fans of the department and well-equipped ambassadors to spread the word about the work of our election team.