2018 Session
Course One: From Idea to Ballot - Candidates in the Running
March 28, 2018
In addition to an overview of the Election Academy, students will learn the fundamentals of candidate filing, including contests on the ballot and requirements specific to being candidates in those contests. This class will cover many areas of campaign finance, including filing requirements, deadlines, and legal regulations. Students will also expand their knowledge of candidate statements and ballot designation rules and regulations.
Course Two: Ballot Blueprint
April 4, 2018
This class will walk students through the process of building a ballot, from start to finish. Students will learn about ballot types, random draw, rotations, translations, recording and producing the audio ballot, and the development of the sample ballot. Students will also have the opportunity to create their own ballot using the Orange County Registrar of Voters’ ballot generation software.
Course Three: Protecting Your Vote
April 11, 2018
This class will focus on the timely and critical issue surrounding security in elections. Students will learn how the Orange County Registrar of Voters protects the integrity of the ballot, from physical protections to advanced network safeguards. This class will also explore how the cybersecurity risk continues to grow and evolve, how we partner with local and national threat assessment centers and how data is analyzed. Students will also gain valuable insight into our partnerships with law enforcement and gain an understanding of how a complex protection plan is executed.
Course Four: Connecting With Voters
April 18, 2018
Students will learn about the tools available for staying in touch and obtaining information, including the ocvote.gov website and various social networking platforms. This class will also cover the ways that candidates and campaigns can gather and use information that is available at the Orange County Registrar of Voters, such as maps and the voter file. The remainder of the class will focus on the numerous facets of Election Day, and students will walk away with an understanding of the complexity and size of Orange County's operations. The class will focus on Election Day logistics and the various components of the County’s voting System. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a modified poll worker training class, which includes setting up a poll site and processing voters.
Course Five: Making it Count
April 25, 2018
This class will cover the myriad of activities that occur after the polls have closed on Election Night. Students will learn about election logistics, the process of closing a poll site, the handling of voting equipment and supplies, and how the office receives and processes ballots. Students will participate in a mock election where they will process ballots and assist in counting votes.
Course Six: It's Official: Certified and Accurate
May 2, 2018
This class will walk students through the post-Election Day activities that lead up to the certification of election results. Students will learn about the various state-mandated audits and regulations, how provisional ballots are handled, the rights and responsibilities of election observers, the recount process, and election billing. Students will participate in a demonstration of a post election audit.