ASSISTANT COUNTY CLERK

Job Specifications

Class Code:	BR8
Analyst:	JES

Date Originated:	3/23
Date Revised:

County of Santa Cruz

DEFINITION

Under general direction, assists the County Clerk, to plan and direct all activities associated with conducting state, federal, local, and special district elections at multiple locations; to plan and direct the delivery of Clerk Services at multiple locations including special events, and to maintain and secure official documents and records consistent with state and federal mandates. Acts for the County Clerk in their absence. Perform other duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This single position classification is the chief assistant to the County Clerk and is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the County Clerk/Elections Department. This includes oversight of complex elections and County Clerk functions, at multiple locations. This class is distinguished from the higher class of County Clerk in that the latter is an elected department head and is responsible for policy direction and the overall administration of the department. This class is distinguished from the next lower-level class of Program Coordinator in that the former performs highly responsible and difficult tasks requiring authoritative interpretation of complex rules and regulations mandated by federal, state, and local government codes. A high degree of integrity is required of the incumbent in working with the media, public agencies, candidates, elected officials, and the public, as is the recognition that errors and omissions may have a significant legal impact to the department and to the County.

TYPICAL TASKS

Oversees the planning, coordination, and administration of voter registration activities as well as all federal, state, county, school, and special district elections.
Creates the task calendar for all elections, makes staff assignments, and monitors the timely completion of tasks to meet federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
Oversees ballot creation and layout, coordinates language translation of multiple ballot types and the County Voter Information Guides.
Oversees the Vote by Mail Program, including maintenance of the voter roll, verifying signatures on ballot envelopes and petitions, processing ballot requests and returns, and ensuring the secure collection of ballots from County drop boxes at multiple locations.
Oversees establishing multiple Vote Centers, including equipping Vote Centers, and the recruitment and training of Vote Center Election Officers for early and Election Day voting.
Serves as the filing officer for the Fair Political Practices Commission and supervises all candidate filing procedures, candidate training sessions, and campaign disclosures to conform to federal and state mandates and supervises the issuance and return of all oaths for elected and appointed office holders.
Directs the programming and testing of ballot-counting equipment for each election.
Supervises Clerk Services such as issuing marriage licenses, conducting weddings, processing passport applications and fictitious business name statements, and administering oaths and certifications.
Directs continuous improvement of department functions and activities, ensuring an effective, efficient, and modern office.
Directs all Clerk and Election procedures and practices are documented and up to date including all post-election canvass and certification procedures.
Provides direct supervision of all employees and develop a plan for all to complete a multiple course training program so they achieve California Professional Election Administration certification status.
Selects, assigns, directs, reviews, and evaluates the work of subordinate staff.
Maintains the secure custody of records under the County Clerk's authority, ensuring compliance with established government codes, policies, procedures, and records retention schedules and direct efforts to digitize and index prior year records, and all records going forward.
Prepares the annual budget request and estimates for review by others, monitors compliance, and prepares all required fiscal reports.
Coordinates strategic initiatives and measurable objectives and monitor progress.
Forecasts staffing needs for each election cycle and coordinates the recruitment and on-boarding of Extra Help Election Workers.
Coordinates Information Services Department resources and other technical resources to meet departmental needs.
Drafts for review, distributes, and posts press releases, bulletins, prepares, and files legal notices and directs the department’s presence on social media.
Makes presentations to various public groups and individuals.
Serves as the County Clerk in their absence.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Thorough knowledge of:

California Election and Government Codes, current practices and procedures and the evolving policy and legal framework that mandates voter registration, elections, referenda, initiatives, recalls, candidate filing, campaign finance, and conflict of interest disclosures.
Principles and application of automated data systems for the management of election activities related to registration, ballot development, and vote count.
Practices and procedures for issuing licenses, fictitious business statements, professional registrations and administering oaths.
Principles of local government budgeting and fiscal controls, database and spreadsheet creation, and basic accounting procedures.

Working knowledge of:

Principles and practices of supervision, evaluation, training, and general personnel knowledge, including organizational controls.
Accepted modern office practices in document processing, management, digitizing, filing, and mailing.
Principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and leadership.

Ability to:

Analyze and interpret complex federal, state, and local government regulations, court decisions and directives that govern the work of the County Clerk/Elections Department and explain them to subordinate employees, extra help employees, volunteers, candidates, and the public.
Plan, and set work priorities, develop and track workplans to meet critical deadlines and follow up on assignments with minimal direction.
Analyze problems encountered in areas of responsibility, evaluate alternatives, and make sound recommendations.
Plan, organize, assign, supervise, and review the work of subordinate staff.
Plan for, recruit, train and deploy extra help employees during peak workload.
Exercise initiative, ingenuity, and sound judgement to solve difficult administrative and personnel problems.
Maintain detailed records and prepare concise administrative and technical reports.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with elected officials, the public, staff, and personnel of other agencies.
Evaluate and develop improvements for the effective and efficient delivery of internal and external customer services
Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Process a variety of legal forms and documents in accordance with strict requirements.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of education and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and abilities, is qualifying, unless otherwise specified. A typical way to obtain these would be:

Equivalent to completion of four years of college credits plus four years of increasingly responsible experience which will provide knowledge and abilities listed above. Two of the four years must have been in an administrative leadership capacity.

The equivalent of two years of college credits plus six years' experience in a managerial role or an administrative, or supervisory position in a County department that conducts elections or in the State of California Elections Division of the Secretary of State's Office.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/CONDITIONS:

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License and suitable transportation.
Incumbent must be able to work long hours, nights, and weekends as needed to meet operational demands.

Bargaining Unit: 06

EEOC Job Category: 01

Occupational Grouping: 85

Worker's Comp Code: 0053