Sonoma County is taking steps to ensure the integrity of its elections.
The Board of Supervisors this week approved the creation of a standalone Registrar of Voters department, separating it from the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor’s office. The board also authorized a compensation package of roughly $350,000 for the new department head, including salary and benefits.
The separation comes after years of combining the Registrar of Voters with the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor, a move made in 2001. Increased demands on the elections office, due to state legislative changes and the heightened focus on election security, prompted the change.
The new office will be staffed by current elections personnel. The Clerk-Recorder-Assessor position will remain an elected office.
