Cristy Jayne Edwards, Registrar of Voters, would like to assure all of our voters that Colusa County is steadfastly committed to upholding the integrity of its election process, and ensuring that every vote is counted accurately and securely. Our office is responsible for coordinating all election cycles and contests of cities; school and community college districts; general and special districts;  agencies and authorities (water, parks and recreation, community services, irrigation, fire, public utilities, levees, reclamation, resource conservation, and zone council); Assembly, Senate, Congressional, and Board of Equalization (BOE) Districts; Governor; Superior Court Judges; County Offices; Central Committees; Shared Districts; Presidential Elections; State Elections; Recall Elections; Writs of Mandate; Propositions; special state legislative elections; local vacancies; petitions; referenda; and special parcel tax and bond measures.

Please take a moment to WATCH THIS video on ELECTION SECURITY to learn more about our local election process.

All ballots cast in any election conducted by the Registrars office will be counted centrally at the Colusa County Elections Office, Clerk-Recorder Registrar of Voters, Hall of Records, 546 Jay Street, Suite 200, Colusa, CA 95932. The counting process is done under the Registrars supervision, by background checked staff, in an alarmed facility, under surveillance cameras, and is open to the public. By implementing stringent security measures, transparent procedures, and rigorous auditing practices, the county guarantees a fair and trustworthy electoral system.

Continuous efforts are made to update election procedures, educate voters, train election staff, and adopt cutting-edge technology to safeguard against any form of tampering or fraud.  Colusa County's dedication to election integrity reflects its unwavering commitment to democratic principles and the trust of its citizens.

TRACK YOUR BALLOT

Voters are able to receive notifications about the status of their ballot by registering with the California Secretary of State. This is an easy and convenient way to track your ballot through its entire life cycle. Through this notification process you will be notified when your ballot is received by County officials. 

MAIL-IN BALLOTS

80 percent of registered voters in Colusa County are permanently registered to vote by mail. Participating in mail-in voting is easy and cost-free to voters. Simply fill out your ballot, sign it, seal it, and drop it off. All signatures are verified upon return of the ballot, and if the signature doesn't match, we will call you and ask you to verify your ballot. 

BALLOT RETURN All ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on election day or postmarked by election day in order to be counted. You can return your ballot postage free in the following ways:

 In the mail, postage free. 

• In our secure drop drive through box, located in the alley next to the Colusa Police station at 260 6th St., Colusa CA for 30 days.
• In person at 546 Jay St., Ste #200, Colusa CA  95932 for 30 Days, or Education Village 499 Margurite St., Williams CA  95987 on Election Day Only.
• At any polling location or vote center in California.

DROP BOXES

The drive through drop box , is one of the most secure measures for ballot return.   The drive-thru drop box is not only convenient, it is also an extremely secure way to return your ballot.  

• Colusa County has a strict chain of command to obtain and record ballots deposited into local drop boxes.  There are always two background checked and fingerprinted election staff members at all times, obtaining the ballots, and then the ballots are checked in by a third staff member.
• The drop boxes are extremely secure.
• Ballots come directly to the Colusa County Elections Department, not through postal processing facilities.

SECURE VOTING

Colusa County takes the safety and security of our elections very seriously, which is why we have several security measures in place to ensure all our elections are secured. 

• Only elections employees handle ballots and they must undergo a background check and be fingerprinted. 
• All mail ballots are paper, and are issued in an envelope with a unique barcode.  This prevents anyone from attempting to vote twice. 
• Colusa County DOES NOT use electronic tabulating devices – we tabulate paper ballots only.
• Every single ballot undergoes signature verification by one of our elections staff members.  If we have any questions or concerns about your signature, we will call you or mail you a notice to verify. 
• The State of California utilizes a special tint and watermark that changes for each election, making it nearly impossible to replicate a fake ballot.
• Each month the County receives a list from the Secretary of State with a list of all deceased or ineligible voters in the county.  
• Before the election, the elections office tests over 15,000 ballots in the ballot machines to ensure accuracy.  All machines came back with 100% accuracy for all 15,000 ballots. 
• Colusa County voting programming and tabulating equipment is NEVER CONNECTED to the internet.