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4 <br />programmed for preferential voting and absentee ballots can be printed in a <br />column format to allow voters to indicate preferences. This could be done <br />so long as the preferential election is the only election contest on the ballot <br />and there are no other elections being conducted by the county at the same <br />time. <br />The report further recommends that "early voting" be utilized in these <br />elections. Please be advised that there would be no early voting program if <br />the election were conducted by mail. There is no reason for such a program <br />when every voter has a ballot mailed to his or her residence or mailing <br />address. <br />2. ELIMINATE OAKLAND' S MARCH NOMINATION ELECTION BY <br />CONSOLIDATING ALL ELECTIONS FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICE <br />DURING THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION USING A <br />SYSTEM OF PREFERENTIAL VOTING. <br />Again, I must remind you that there are no laws, regulations or rules in the <br />State of California detailing how preferential elections are conducted. Until <br />there are State laws that establish and regulate this type of election, the <br />Registrar of Voters cannot conduct this type of election. <br />From a technical and administrative perspective, the new voting system <br />being considered by the County requires that it be capable of conducting <br />elections using a preferential voting process. However, there is no <br />requirement that the system be capable of conducting a preferential election <br />consolidated with a regular election. While it may be technically possible, it <br />presents significant problems for programming, administration and voter <br />confusion, which are described below: <br />A. Two types of logic on touchscreen ballots <br />An election held under the scenario described in the Task Force report <br />would require a voting system to utilize two types of logic to tabulate <br />ballots. The majority of the contests on the ballot would be counted <br />using an accumulation of votes to determine the winner by plurality or <br />majority. Then the system would have to switch logic when the Oakland <br />contests appear in order to count and distribute preferences. None of the <br />election system vendors have been able to assure me that this is possible. <br />R. �w <br />