District Election Issue for Trustee Area 4

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As you are likely aware, the college is working with Santa Clara County to address a mapping discrepancy affecting 1,238 voters in Trustee Area 4. We have been working with the County since last week and throughout the weekend to ensure that every voter has the opportunity to participate fully in this election.

The discrepancy involves an update made in April 2022 when the district boundary lines were updated. The mapping discrepancy originated with the District's contracted professional redistricting consultant, National Demographics Corporation (NDC), not full-time District personnel. While we will conduct a comprehensive review of this vendor and our oversight processes, our priority now is this election cycle.

The affected addresses are located in Santa Clara County precincts 4954 and 4980. This area, in Gilroy, is bordered by Santa Teresa Boulevard to the west, Mantelli Drive to the north, Kern Avenue to the east, and First Street to the south. The closest voting center to the affected area is Gilroy First Baptist Church at 8455 Wren Ave.

Below are the key points I have provided to our Board of Trustees this weekend to keep them informed as we receive information from the County.

Key Points:

Correction letters were issued by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Office to all affected voters. Those letters were delivered to affected voters over the weekend.
Voters who already cast ballots can still vote in the correct trustee area contest.
Voter Impact: Approximately 900 voters who have not yet voted received the complete set of three ballot cards. Approximately 300+ voters have already voted and are being contacted by county staff via mail, phone, and email to visit a vote center.
The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters is providing support at (408) 299-VOTE (8683).

Communication Guidelines:

Voter Inquiries: Any voter inquiries regarding incorrect ballots should be directed to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Office. This will ensure consistent and accurate information.
Public and Media Inquiries: Please refer all public and media inquiries to my office. A unified approach to communication will help maintain clarity and consistency. As this is a sensitive matter, it is imperative that we speak with one voice and that all questions come through one central point.

Please know that since we learned about this issue, we have been working diligently with the county. Our priority has been to ensure that no voter or candidate is disenfranchised due to this mapping error. Feel free to reach out with any concerns you may have, and I will do my best to answer them as we work through this situation.

Kind Regards,
Dr. Pedro Avila
Superintendent/President
5055 Santa Teresa Boulevard | Gilroy, CA 95020
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