The Fresno County Elections Office are holding several public meetings to inform voters of some new changes coming to the March 2020 primary election.

On Wednesday, Brandi Orth, county clerk and registrar of voters held the first meeting at Woodward Park Regional Library.

Orth explained to a few people who attended the meeting about the changes that they would be noticing.

“We’re making it extremely easy for everyone,” she said.

In March, Fresno County Supervisors directed the elections office to implement the Voters Choice Act, which was signed by former Governor Jerry Brown in 2016. The new law expanded early voting and funding to help counties implement a new election system.

Orth said the vote polling model will change to a vote center model.

“In the polling place model, a voter has one specific day to vote, at one specific location for a total of 13 hours. In the voter’s choice model, we’ll have 50 vote centers across the county, voters will have up to 11 days to vote,” Orth said.

The vote centers would be open on weekends and holidays.

The elections office would also place more than 30 ballot drop-off boxes around the county.

Orth said people who forget their ballot at home will also be able to get one at any vote center.

“The idea is that now you can go to any vote center on any of those days and cast your ballot and we will have the technology to provide you with your specific ballot at that vote center,” she said.

The $3 million upgrade will bring in new voting equipment that will add an extra layer of protection against voter fraud.

Here is a list of public meetings being held around Fresno County.

Meeting Date: July 19, 2019
Meeting Time: 1:00pm
Meeting Location: The Fresno Center
4879 E Kings Canyon Rd.
Fresno CA, 93727

Meeting Date: July 22, 2019
Meeting Time: 1:30pm
Meeting Location: West Fresno Regional Center, Rm 207
142 E California Ave
Fresno CA, 93706

Meeting Date: July 23, 2019
Meeting Time: 5:30pm
Meeting Location: Kerman Community Center
15101 W Kearney Blvd.
Kerman CA, 93630

Meeting Date: July 25, 2019
Meeting Time: 1:00pm
Meeting Location: Sanger Women’s Club
1602 7th Street
Sanger CA, 93657

Meeting Date: August 1, 2019
Meeting Time: 5:30pm
Meeting Location: Clovis Senior Center
850 4th Street
Clovis CA, 93612