Statement on the Midterm Elections in the County of Los Angeles

Last week, Transparencia Electoral deployed an Electoral Mission in the United States for the Midterm Elections that were held on Tuesday, November 8th. The delegation was comprised of 40 observers from 6 Latin American countries, most of whom hold positions in electoral management bodies at the national or subnational level, or who specialize in elections, participated in a two-day agenda in Los Angeles County, the largest in the United States (with more than 10 million residents).

On Monday, November 7th, the delegation was received by two of the five members of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles. Supervisor Hilda Solis, who represents the County’s First District, presented Transparencia Electoral with an award for promoting free and fair elections in the Americas.

On the other hand, Holly J. Mitchell, representative of the Second District and current Chair of the Board of Supervisors, held an encounter with the group and shared her concerns about the state of democracy, disinformation, free speech and the electoral system in the United States. She thanked the group for being in Los Angeles and congratulated Dean Logan, the Registrar-Recorder of the County of Los Angeles, for the work he and his office have been doing to promote voting there.

Logan also held a meeting on November 7th, the day before the election, at the VSAP Operations Center in Whittier, California, and explained the logistical details of the election process in the County.

During election day, the group visited three voting centers and was able to observe a well-organized election, with correctly implemented processes that respond to the needs of voters. On a visit to the Beverly Hills City Hall, which served as a popular polling station, they were received by Huma Ahmed, the City Clerk of Beverly Hills, in charge of the elections in the city.

The County of Los Angeles has demonstrated its commitment to democratic principles by offering voters more opportunities and methods to cast their ballot, and by providing advanced, easy-to-use voting technology.

The County of Los Angeles’ Voting System for All People (VSAP), which has been in use in this jurisdiction since 2020, protects the secrecy of the vote, regardless of disabilities, through state-of-the-art electoral technology. In addition to vote-by-mail, the County implements in-person early voting and voters are able to vote from any of the official polling stations.

The process went smoothly showing that the County has easily adapted to its innovative electoral system. The path towards modernization has allowed the Registrar-Recorder’s office to be inclusive and efficient in their tasks as an electoral management body.

Los Angeles has become a global benchmark for electoral modernization for organizations and experts dedicated to promoting fair and transparent elections. Their significant investment in technology, the inclusion of different actors in the discussion on the implementation of new voting mechanisms, accompanied by changes in state and local processes, has allowed them to have a system that guarantees the participation of all voters without exception.

Transparencia Electoral extends a recognition to the County authorities and to the people who turned out to vote in this transcendental election.