Election Administration Plan

EAP

Election Administration Plan Update

Use Your Voice for Voter's Choice

The Registrar of Voters wants Orange County voters to provide their feedback on how we conduct elections and how we might improve access to voting. In 2025, we are reviewing and updating our Election Administration Plan (EAP), including voter education and outreach, Vote Centers and Ballot Drop Boxes, language and accessibility services, security and contingency plans.

We invite the community to review the EAP and provide feedback.

What is the Election Administration Plan (EAP)?

The Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) voting model was implemented in Orange County in 2020, offering voters greater flexibility and convenience when casting their ballots. The EAP is the guiding document for how voting in elections is administered under the VCA. It provides the County’s plans for Vote Center and Ballot Drop Box selection, voter education and outreach, language and accessible services, and security and contingency plans.

The EAP does not address how ballots are processed after they are cast, how the election canvass is conducted, or how the public is accommodated to observe ballot processing. These activities are regulated by State laws and Registrar of Voters’ procedures.

The current EAP, covering 2021–2025, was approved by the California Secretary of State in 2021. The EAP update is an opportunity to consider public feedback as we review our current plan and propose updates that will be applied during the next four years of Orange County elections.

2025 EAP Update Process

The Orange County Registrar of Voters is committed to developing an EAP that is inclusive and collaborative through a series of community workshops and public input. During the EAP update process, Orange County voters will have an opportunity to provide feedback on how we administer voting in elections, how we educate the community about voting, and how we might improve access to voting.

We invite you to share your insight during the EAP review and update process!
Your input is important and what we hear from you and the community will be used to prepare an updated Election Administration Plan for the County. In addition to public feedback, there are other items we must consider when updating the plan.

Community: Gather community insight and input
Budget: Remain good stewards of public funds
Best Practices: Innovate and follow effective procedures
Data: Make data-driven decision based on trends and analysis
Laws: Comply with all Federal, State and County laws

 

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Election Administration Plan (EAP)?

The Election Administration Plan is the guiding outline to implement the Voter’s Choice Act model of voting in Orange County that is updated every four years. It explains how voters can receive and return ballots, vote in person, and access services like language assistance and accessible voting. The EAP is developed with public input and must be approved by the California Secretary of State. The 2021-2025 EAP can be viewed at: ocvote.gov/eap

Why is Orange County updating its EAP in 2025?

The Voter’s Choice Act requires a county elections official to review and consider revising its EAP within two years of the adoption of its first EAP and then every four years thereafter. The Orange County Registrar of Voters adopted the County’s first EAP in 2019 and an EAP Update in 2021. Another review of the EAP is required in 2025.

What public outreach is required when a county updates its EAP?

Pursuant to California Elections Code section 4005(a)(10)(G), a county elections official must:

  • Notice and post a draft EAP Update for a public review and comment period of at least 14 days
  • Hold a noticed public hearing to accept public comments on the draft EAP Update (Notice must be posted at least 10 days before the hearing on the websites of the Registrar of Voters and the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors)
  • Consider public comments and draft an amended EAP Update
  • Notice and post the amended draft EAP Update for a public review and comment period for at least 14 days
How can I get involved in the EAP Update process?

You may attend one of our community workshops to provide feedback or you may submit your feedback by using our online Public Input Form. Workshops will be held throughout Orange County starting in the month of July. For specific dates and times of each workshop, view our All Workshop Flyer (link coming soon).

 

To receive email updates about the EAP, You can sign up for our Interested Parties email list to receive updates including community meeting announcements.

What part of the EAP will the public be providing input on?

The Registrar of Voters is collecting feedback on the EAP with a focus on the following topics:

  • Voting locations (Ballot Drop Boxes and Vote Centers)
  • Accessibility
  • Language Access
  • Voter Outreach and Education
  • Security and Contingency Plans

The EAP does not address requiring identification to vote, how ballots are processed after they are cast, how the election canvass is conducted, or how the public is accommodated to observer ballot processing. These activities are regulated by State Laws and Registrar of Voter’s procedures.

I have additional feedback to provide, where can I submit my feedback?

Submit your feedback for public comment in the Get Involved Tab by completing a Public Input Form. Even if you cannot attend a community workshop, we encourage you to read the current EAP and provide feedback concerning the EAP for review during development.

I am part of an organization and interested in hosting a small group meeting with the Registrar of Voters about the EAP, who do I contact?

Interested groups can complete a Meeting Request Form in the Get Involved Tab to initiate the process. Please provide a date, time, and location and our office will follow up.

What is the public hearing?

The public hearing is a requirement of the Voter’s Choice Act. During the meeting, the Registrar of Voters’ Office will provide an update on the Election Administration Plan. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for September 2025. Check back later for additional information.

Who approves the EAP update?

The EAP plan update is adopted by the Registrar of Voters and then submitted to the California Secretary of State for approval of the education and outreach provisions of the EAP in accordance with the Voter’s Choice Act and pursuant to Elections Code Section 4005(a)(10)(I)(i).

I have major concerns about Elections in general, is this the best place for me to voice my concerns?

While we appreciate your interest in the election process, the scope of the EAP workshops is to update our existing plan and collect feedback from the community pertaining to topics within the current EAP. If you have other election related concerns, outside of the scope of the EAP, please email us at [email protected], call us at (714) 567-7600, or visit our general FAQ page to learn more: FAQs | OC Vote.

Can Orange County opt-out of the Voter’s Choice Act and transition back to neighborhood polling places?

The Voter’s Choice Act is discretionary and was approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2019 for administering all future elections.

The Voter’s Choice Act is not up for renewal in Orange County and there are no provisions in statute regarding reverting back to polling places. A majority of the Board of Supervisors could direct at any time that future elections be conducted using the traditional polling place election model.

What’s the difference between Voter’s Choice Act (Vote Centers) and neighborhood polling places?

In addition to improving access to voting, Vote Centers:

  • Provide additional services to voters not available at polling places, including the ability to issue a replacement Vote-By-Mail (VBM) ballot
  • Improve voter convenience by providing in-person voting for up 11 days at any Vote Center rather than assigning a voter to one polling place open for only one day
  • Improve protections against voter fraud by requiring the sharing of real-time voter data between all Vote Centers and the Registrar of Voters (using countywide electronic poll books rather than paper rosters)
  • Use facilities for Vote Centers that are better suited for voting, allowing Registrar of Voters office to find larger, accessible facilities that are more physically secure than polling place locations
  • Employ skilled county employees that go through extensive training
Are Ballot Drop Boxes necessary?

Are Ballot Drop Boxes necessary

  • Voter’s Choice Act counties need at least one Ballot Drop Box for every 15,000 voters on the 88th day before the election
  • Polling Place counties need at least one Ballot Drop Box for every 30,000 voters on the 88th day before Election Day

Get Involved

We Want to Hear From You!

There are many ways to get involved with Orange County’s Election Administration Plan (EAP) Update process. You can participate by attending one of our community workshops, requesting a small group feedback session, or providing your feedback online. Your input is important!


Community Workshops

The Registrar of Voters will conduct a series of community workshops and meetings throughout the county, all designed to help shape the future of voting in Orange County. Workshops will provide an overview of the EAP update process and serve as an opportunity to gather community feedback.


Small Group Feedback

We are offering the opportunity for community organizations to request a meeting with staff from the Registrar of Voters to discuss the current EAP and provide feedback. These meetings are approximately one hour and best suited for small groups of no more than 10 persons.

To request a small group meeting, please fill out and submit the form below.

Meeting Request Form

Event Request Form


Election Administration Plan (EAP) Public Comments

The Public Input form allows you to provide feedback to the Orange County Registrar of Voters regarding specific areas covered in the EAP. Each comment will be reviewed and considered by the Orange County Registrar of Voters as the EAP is updated.

Public Input Form
 

If you would like to send a comment letter, please email [email protected].

Resources

Get More Information

2021-2025 Final Election Administration Plan


Previous Election Administration Plans
View previous Election Administration Plans

Community Engagement Calendar for all Outreach Events


MAPS


Click here for the Vote Center & Ballot Drop Box Mapping Tool

Review community maps that include layers based on criteria that the Voter’s Choice Act requires the Registrar of Voters consider.

  • Access to public transportation
  • Communities with historically low vote by mail usage
  • Communities with low rates of household vehicle ownership
  • Geographically isolated populations
  • Language minority communities
  • Low-income communities
  • Population centers
  • Traffic congestion and patterns
  • Unregistered eligible voters
  • Voters with disabilities
 

The community maps also include a layer with existing ballot drop box locations and past vote center locations.

 

Not all highest need neighborhoods have a public facility that meets the size, accessibility and parking requirements for a Vote Center. In those cases, the Registrar of Voters secures the nearest acceptable and available facility.

Contact Us

Use Your Voice for Voter's Choice

Office Hours

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday,
except holidays
(We are open during the lunch hour)

Telephone Numbers

Main telephone number:
714-567-7600

Toll Free:
888-OCVOTES (888-628-6837)

Fax number:
714-567-7556

Vote-by-mail ballot application return fax:
714-567-7556

Military/Overseas fax:
714-567-5100

Physical Address

1300 South Grand Avenue,
Building C
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(At the corner of Grand Avenue & McFadden)

E-Mail
[email protected]

Mailing Address

Registrar of Voters
P.O. Box 11298
Santa Ana, CA 92711-1298

 

You can sign up for our Interested Parties email list to receive updates including community meeting announcements