Registrar of Voters Needs Temporary Workers

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The March 2020 Primary Presidential Election is coming up soon and the Registrar of Voters still needs hundreds of temporary employees. 

If you have family members or friends who may be interested in working in a temporary, full-time job, the Registrar is holding a hiring hall from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 at its office at 5600 Overland Ave. in Kearny Mesa.  

The Registrar is recruiting for a variety of clerical and customer service jobs. Training is provided and pay starts at $14.25 an hour. Employees will work daytime hours and could start in late February. 

Job interviews will be conducted at the hiring hall. Applicants should bring their identification.  

Another hiring hall will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the same hours and location.

For more information, email Rov-Hr@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Consider CECO on Giving Tuesday

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Giving Tuesday encourages donations to charitable organizations, and while there are many wonderful causes to contribute to, one nonprofit to consider is our very own San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization.

CECO donates all the money it collects to community organizations and employees in need. This year alone, CECO awarded $139,622 in grants to 88 local nonprofit programs located throughout the San Diego region. All funds come from employees like you.

Here are three simple ways to give to CECO: become a biweekly contributor for as little as $2 per pay period or increase your current biweekly contribution by $1; make a one-time donation with cash, by check or PayPal Giving Fund; or make CECO your nonprofit of choice when you shop at Amazon Smile.

Learn more about CECO.

Pet of the Week - Sunshine

Meet Sunshine (Tag #N491). A 2-year-old cat looking for a forever home. Sunshine will brighten up any day! She loves human attention and will be your shadow. She enjoys lots of petting, will go nuts for a laser pointer, gets along well with others, and talks up a storm.

Meet Sunshine (Tag #N491). She is a 2-year-old cat looking for a forever home.

Sunshine will brighten up any day! She loves human attention and will be your shadow. She enjoys being pet, loves to play with a laser pointers, gets along well with others and talks up a storm. So let’s get her adopted!

You can see Sunshine at the Department of Animal Services’ shelter in Carlsbad or visit sddac.com to give another animal their furever home.

InTouch – Sharing Our Favorite Things

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You know when you enjoy something so much how you just want to share it with everyone? Oprah Winfrey says that thrill is what got her started on her famous Favorite Things list, which has turned into a holiday staple.

Each thing we’re enthusiastic about is a piece of what makes us who we are. Tell others about our favorite this or that, and you’re sharing little bits of yourself. The more you share, the fuller the picture someone gets.

So as we head into the holidays, I want to borrow from Oprah’s tradition, but use the idea to learn more about a few people you and I work with. I’ve asked them each to share a short list of favorites. Some of the things could be actual gifts you put on your own shopping list. But the real value in, for example, a favorite book is the way it stirs you emotionally or changes your outlook. It’s the experience the thing gives us that we want to pass along to others. Those are the real gifts I’m after.

I’ll add mine as well, and maybe you’d enjoy trying the same with others you know. But here are some department leaders’ favorites:

 

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Kathy Flannery, Planning & Development Services

  • Favorite book, this year: The Girl With Seven Names. All time: To Kill A Mockingbird

  • Favorite San Diego restaurant: Rocky’s in Crown Point

  • Favorite place to watch sunset: Calumet Park in Bird Rock

  • Favorite charity: The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank

  • Favorite sports team: New York Rangers

  • Favorite way to spend day off:  Hiking at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

  • Favorite radio station: NPR

  • Favorite dessert: My mom’s blueberry pie

 

Andrew Strong, CAO Chief of Staff

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  • Favorite movie, this year: Avengers Endgame. All time: Back to the Future

  • Favorite album, all time: Michael Jackson – Off the Wall

  • Favorite TV show: Grey's Anatomy

  • Favorite place to watch sunset:  Sunset Cliffs

  • Favorite tech gadget: Galaxy S3 Smartwatch

  • Favorite sports team: College – LSU – Geaux Tigers/Professional – New Orleans Saints – Who Dat?!

  • Favorite way to spend day off: Hanging out with my family

  • Favorite dessert: Chocolate chip cookies

 

Migell Acosta, County Library

Favorite movie: Downton Abbey because I’m a fan of the TV series and it was a lovely wrap-up. Special mention to Always Be My Maybe, a Netflix movie and charming RomCom. Bladerunner is my all-time favorite.

Favorite book: Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts, by Annie Duke. This title represents a useful example of the principles of behavioral economics and decision-making under risk. Available for free from the Library’s eBook collection at SDebooks.org. My favorite all-time is a science fiction work called Neromancer by William Gibson, the first author to coin the phrase “cyberpunk” and other sci-fi elements still popular in film.

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Favorite magazine: I love Sunset Magazine. That’s one of 61 magazine titles available for free (digital editions) from the Library’s collection called Flipster. Find it on SDCL.org.

Favorite podcast: Masters in Business by Barry Ritholz from Bloomberg Radio. This is a big picture podcast. For example, Ash Carter, for Secretary of Defense, discusses the challenges of weapon system procurement in the Pentagon and what that teaches about leadership.

Favorite website: SDCL.org of course! Free eBooks, eMagazines, place a hold on any book/Blu-Ray and so much more!

Favorite County park: Santa Ysabel County Preserve is my favorite so far, but I have many more to still visit.

 

Claudia Silva, Office of Ethics and Compliance

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  • Favorite movie, this year: Ford v Ferrari. All time: oooh, so many . . . Shawshank Redemption, What Dreams May Come, Schindler’s List, Star Wars (the very first one released in 1977)

  • Favorite album, this year: BeyoncĂ© – Homecoming: The Live Album. All time:  Tears for Fears – Songs from the Big Chair.

  • Favorite book, this year: 2019 Complete Ethics and Compliance Manual. All time: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

  • Favorite charity: Girl Scouts San Diego

  • Favorite sports team: NY Yankees

  • Favorite magazine: Real Simple

  • Favorite website: Sephora

  • Favorite dessert:  flan

 

Andy Pease, Health and Human Services Agency

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  • Favorite movie, this year/all time: Chariots of Fire

  • Favorite album, this year/all time: Beatles – Greatest Hits

  • Favorite TV show: Game of Thrones

  • Favorite San Diego restaurant: Village Vino

  • Favorite tech gadget: Kindle

  • Favorite charity: American Red Cross

  • Favorite sports team: Chargers

  • Favorite podcast: Conan O’Brien

  • Favorite dessert:  chocolate chip cookies with a cold glass of milk

 

Angela Bartosik, Public Defender

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  • Favorite movie, all time: “12 Angry Men”

  • Favorite album, all time: anything by Billy Joel

  • Favorite book, this year: “The Woman’s Hour” (about women’s suffrage, by Elaine Weiss – I’m currently reading it)

  • Favorite TV show: Big Bang Theory

  • Favorite place to watch sunset: Sunset Cliffs

  • Favorite charity: Veterans Village of San Diego

  • Favorite sports team: Two-way tie: U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen and San Diego Padres

  • Favorite exercise activity: kayaking

 

Mike Barnett, Sheriff’s Department

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  • Favorite book, this year: Gen. Stanley McChrystal's “Team of Teams.”

  • Favorite book, all time: John Steinbeck's “The Grapes of Wrath.”

  • Favorite San Diego restaurant: Rubio's Coastal Grill. I've been a loyal customer since 1986.

  • Favorite sports team: San Diego Padres.

  • Favorite magazine: “National Review.”

  • Favorite dessert: One scoop of any flavor ice cream, as long as it is vanilla.

  • Favorite County park: Waterfront Park because it has great views and the Maritime Museum and the U.S.S. Midway are both right there.

  • Favorite exercise activity: Keeping up with my children. I am occasionally successful.

 

Kim Giardina, Child Welfare Services

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  • Favorite movie, all time: “Oklahoma”

  • Favorite San Diego restaurant: Prep Kitchen – Del Mar

  • Favorite tech gadget: Google Home

  • Favorite charity: Movember

  • Favorite sports team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Favorite way to spend day off:  Rock climbing with my family

  • Favorite magazine: “Zoonooz”

  • Favorite podcast: “Ear Hustle”

  • Favorite dessert:  Chocolate eclairs

 

OK, Helen here again. Lots of interesting things to check out in there. As promised, here are a few of mine.

  • Favorite movie, this year. “Judy”

  • Favorite book, all time: “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah

  • Favorite San Diego restaurant: Yanni’s

  • Favorite place to watch sunset:  Waterfront Park

  • Favorite sports team: World Series Champs Washington Nationals!

  • Favorite way to spend day off:  Beach

  • Favorite podcast:  “Witness” (short, first-person accounts of historical events!)

  • Favorite dessert:  Anything with chocolate

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Hearing the variety of faves is a window into how unique each of us is. You’d never see two of these lists turn out the same, and that’s only a handful of topics – pretty surface-level stuff at that. Dig deeper and things get way more complex.

It’s a good reminder, as we deal with co-workers and customers, of how multifaceted each individual is. We see some sides but not others, and there is always more to their story. Deepening that understanding builds goodwill toward others, which is what this season is all about.

There wasn’t a category for it on the list, but one of my favorite things will always be watching the phenomenal work you all do on behalf of the people we serve. I’m so grateful all year long that I get to witness your creativity and dedication. Talk about a gift! Thank you for your efforts, and I hope your holidays are filled with the love and warmth of family and friends.

See you in 2020!

 

Registrar Holds Mock Election to Prepare for Real Thing

Registrar of Voter employees take part in mock election.

Registrar of Voter employees take part in mock election.

The holidays are crazy enough but add preparing for a March election and the Registrar of Voters is beyond busy. Among other preparations, the ROV even conducted a mock election last week.

Holding elections isn’t anything new but the next one on March 3 will see a new voting system, new accessible ballot marking devices and satellite locations.

The mock election gets the learning curve out of the way. ROV employees spent several days running through scenarios they’ll face in the presidential primary. They practiced how to use the new ballot devices with pretend voters, who were also staffers. They experienced the process from both sides to be fully prepared for Election Day.

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If you’re one of the many employees who volunteer at the polls, you’ll see a new ballot marking device set aside for voters with disabilities. A volunteer will insert a card to bring up the ballot for that poll and from there, the touch screen allows the voter to make their choices, review them, print the ballot, put it inside a secrecy folder or envelope and take it to the ballot box.

The ballot marking devices also provide more flexibility. Because they offer all of the ballot variations, including the different ballot types, political parties and required languages, everyone who votes at the Registrar of Voters and at the satellite locations will use the new devices.

Ever work as an election night warrior? 360 employees from various departments would work into the wee hours feeding ballots one by one into machines to tally the vote.

Large ballot counting machine can count 500 ballots in three minutes.

Large ballot counting machine can count 500 ballots in three minutes.

“Now only 168 employees will be required in the warehouse to count ballots. These new ballot counting machines can count a stack of 500 17-inch ballots in seven minutes,” said Departmental Operations Chief Andrew McDonald. “Larger machines housed in an interior office can count 500 17-inch ballots in three minutes. This used to take a human 40 minutes to scan the same box by hand.”

This doesn’t mean that the Registrar of Voters won’t need hundreds of seasonal election workers for the election. Far from the case. They need over 1,000 seasonal workers to help them conduct the election and they are recruiting. If you have family or friends who are looking for a seasonal gig, refer them to the Registrar of Voters.

Exciting changes for the ROV but the clock is still ticking: less than 100 days and counting. The ROV is working hard to get ready, and voters need to as well. 

“Presidential primaries can be perplexing because political parties decide who can vote on their presidential candidates. This dynamic only happens every four years, so it is crucial for everyone to understand that their choices may be limited unless they act now,” said Registrar of Voters Michael Vu. “Several political parties are opening up their presidential candidates to nonpartisan voters. Other than that, everyone else is limited to the political party they are registered with unless they re-register.”

Vu says voters need to learn the primary election rules, verify their registration and do it now. The ROV recently sent mailers to 1.8 million registered voters with that message.

You can help. If you want to vote for president, check your party status and see if you must make any changes. Sooner rather than later helps both you and the Registrar. And finally, spread the word!


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This story came to us from an employee’s suggestion. Suggest a story.

 


Pet of the Week - Spock

Meet Spock (Tag #5017). A 1-year-old German shepherd looking for a forever home.

Spock will definitely steal your heart. He has a very sweet and calm personality. He gets his name from a unique feature involving one of his paws, but that doesn't stop him one bit! He loves to run, play, make new friends, and loves human attention. So let’s get him adopted!

You can see Spock at the Department of Animal Services’ shelter in Carlsbad or visit sddac.com to give another animal their furever home.

'Access Denied' Wins Softball Tournament

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Team “Access Denied” won the 3rd annual Employee Wellness Intramural Softball Tournament at 4S Ranch Sports Park this weekend.

Twenty-one teams played in the friendly competition, which promotes camaraderie, teamwork and physical activity.

Congratulations to Access Denied for clinching the championship!

  • Joel Franco, Eligibility Operations

  • Imelda Lopez, Program Integrity

  • Marco Rivera Coudurier, Access

  • Ricardo Perez, Access

  • Ramon Ramirez II, Access

  • Casey Bartolomucci, Access

  • Jesse Sesate, Access

  • Jocelyn Estrada, Access

  • Lourdes Sanchez Botello, Access

  • Claudia Gasca, Family Resource Center South

  • Lorri Castro, Access

  • David Navarro, Pesticide Regulation



Friday Photo: Vivid Sunsets

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Both Cristi Page, staff development coordinator with the Department of Public Works, and Becky Greene, principal accountant with the Auditor & Controller, captured the colorful sunset at the County Operations Center on Monday.

Share your fabulous photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it. Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. One image will be posted to InSite every Friday.

See the Friday Photo gallery.

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