Title
Adopt the ordinance amending Chapter 1.10 of the Monterey County Ordinance Code authorizing and requiring electronic filing of campaign disclosure statements, reports, and other documents with the Registrar of Voters of Monterey County.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Adopt the ordinance amending Chapter 1.10 of the Monterey County Ordinance Code authorizing and requiring electronic filing of campaign disclosure statements, reports, and other documents with the Registrar of Voters of Monterey County.
SUMMARY:
The Registrar of Voters is the local filing officer for Monterey County for campaign statements, reports, and other documents which elected officers, candidates, and committees are required to file under the California Political Reform Act. The proposed ordinance authorizes and, with few exceptions, requires electronic filing of these documents. Electronic filing offers many advantages to the filer, the Registrar of Voters, and the public when compared to paper filings. Paper filings typically contain errors caused by miscalculations, omissions of required data, or placing data on wrong schedules of the form. Electronic filing and its built in validation significantly improves the quality of the filings. This means the Registrar of Voters almost entirely eliminates amendment letters to be sent to filers who make common mistakes found with paper. This reduces additional work for both the filer and the Registrar of Voters. For the public, electronic filings are instantly shown in redacted form upon filing and advanced searches can be immediately made by the public to look at data across all filings thereby increasing transparency. Public access to campaign disclosure information is a vital and integral component of a fully informed electorate. Transparency in campaign financing is critical to maintain public trust and support of the political process. Adoption of the ordinance by the Board of Superviso...
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