Board OKs Five-Year Contract with New Voter Guide Printer

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – The Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved the Riverside County Office of the Registrar of Voters’ five-year contract with a Hayward-based printing firm to manage the preparation and distribution of voter information guides countywide. In a 5-0 vote, the board authorized the registrar’s office to enter into the $15 million compact with Consolidated Printers Inc., extending to Dec. 31, 2028. "The services will allow for the registrar of voters to continue to meet the needs of our growing county voting population in accordance with election codes," according to a statement posted to the board’s agenda. There were 1.31 million registered voters in the county as of the November 2022 general election. County voter information guides are typically mailed out 40 days prior to an election and contain details on ballot measures and candidates. Electronic versions are also made available via the registrar’s web portal, http://www.voteinfo.net. According to election officials, Consolidated Printers has been the county’s choice going back to its first contract in 2013. Officials said that when a request for bids on a new contract was sent out in August, only Consolidated Printers and another vendor, Toppan Merrill, submitted requests for consideration. Consolidated Printers provided a bid package that was nearly 50% lower than the other firm’s, according to the county. Almost two-thirds of the costs associated with the new contract will be covered by state reimbursements, as well as payments from municipalities for election services, according to the registrar’s office. The agency earlier this month changed to a new vendor, ProVote Solutions, for ballot printing services. The board signed off on that contract despite protests from the prior provider, Runbeck Election Services, whose representatives said they were penalized for speaking openly during an audit of the Office of the Registrar of Voters. That audit, which cited deficiencies impacting operations throughout the agency, was among factors that led to the resignation at the end of September of former Registrar of Voters Rebecca Spencer. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.