Registrar of Voters

The ideal candidate brings either two years of full-time experience as an Assistant Registrar of Voters in the County or four years of full-time, responsible managerial or administrative experience in a public agency, preferably with recent election management responsibilities. A bachelor’s degree in a related field from an accredited institution may substitute two (2) years of managerial or administrative experience. The successful candidate exercises sound executive judgment in election administration and demonstrates the organizational and political acumen necessary to guide ROV programs and services. Preference will be given to candidates with a strong understanding of election administration principles, election technologies, voting procedures, and federal and state election laws.

The County Registrar of Voters department is charged with administering elections in Alameda County. Core responsibilities include registering eligible voters, preparing and mailing ballots, recruiting and training elections workers, setting up polling stations/vote centers, and conducting local, state and federal elections in a fair, accurate, and efficient manner, while working in conjunction with the Secretary of State and the many levels of government (including cities, school boards and other local districts) that place matters on the ballot. Examples of other duties include processing candidate nominating petitions and other candidate services, establishing/updating voting precincts, tabulating and certifying election results, and conducting outreach to encourage broad voter participation across the County’s diverse communities.

The Role: Key Responsibilities

The ROV serves as the County’s chief election administration executive and department head, appointed by the Board of Supervisors to lead all aspects of voter registration and election operations. The role provides strategic direction, oversight, and accountability for the planning, conduct, and certification of elections; the management of voting systems and technology; the integrity of voter records; and the implementation of evolving State and Federal election laws. With responsibility for year-round operational readiness, the ROV directs a multifaceted organization that oversees ballot design and production, precinct and mapping systems, vote tabulation, public information, petition verification, and large-scale staffing for election events, ensuring accessible, transparent, accurate, and timely election services for all Alameda County voters.

Executive Leadership & Governance

• Provide vision, strategic direction, and operational excellence in all election functions.
• Lead a year-round team of 50 permanent staff and up to 1,500+ temporary workers during major elections.
• Collaborate effectively with the Board, Elections Commission, cities, school districts, and community partners.

Election Operations & Technology

• Oversee Vote-by-Mail processing, Central Count operations, and secure tabulation workflows.
• Maintain chain-of-custody and asset-tracking systems using modern, technology-supported methods.
• Implement ranked-choice voting and youth voting effectively where authorized.
• Ensure all voting systems are secure, accurate, tested, and fully compliant.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

• Serve as the County expert in California Election Code, federal requirements, signature verification, and voter-roll maintenance.
• Implement new legislative mandates, including expanded electronic signature-cure processes and updated privacy/security protocols.

Transparency, Communications & Public Engagement

• Lead efforts to build trust through livestreams, public observation, multilingual outreach, and rapid response to misinformation.
• Expand civic education, particularly around Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV), Youth Voting and ballot processes.

Fiscal Management & Human Resources (HR) Leadership

• Manage a budget of over $32 million, forecast variable election costs, and pursue reimbursement.
• Oversee large-scale workforce recruitment and multilingual staffing to meet community needs.