Election Observer Tours available starting Tuesday at Registrar’s Office

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) - Beginning Tuesday and continuing to the day of the primary election, Riverside County residents interested in seeing how the Office of the Registrar of Voters processes vote-by-mail ballots and coordinates other tasks are welcome to have a look.

"Election Observer Tours'' start Tuesday and thereafter will be held every Tuesday and Thursday until June 2, according to officials.   

"We invite community members to engage with the democratic process and learn how their votes are counted,'' Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco said. "Together, let's ensure a fair, accurate and transparent election for all."

Check Out: Local election officials demonstrate voting accuracy ahead of primary

The tours, which will facilitate a maximum of 20 people at a time, will be held at the agency's headquarters at 2720 Gateway Drive in Riverside, generally from 11 a.m. to noon, or 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Office of the Registrar of Voters has been a lightning rod of debate for the past two decades, struggling to counter accusations of negligent chain-of-custody policies, inaccurate voter rolls and unsecured electronic ballot tabulations.

The office has also contended with re-occurring red ink on its budget and from time to time has been called out for laggard vote counts, running sometimes weeks after election day.

Tinoco is the fourth registrar at the helm since 2006. He has made transparency one of his priorities during election cycles, starting in 2024.   

For more information on observer tours, residents were asked to make reservations by calling 951-486 7200.   

Information regarding where to vote early and other considerations can be found at https://voteinfo.net.