DATE:
April 21, 2026
18
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ESTABLISHING A PROCESS FOR CONDUCTING COUNTY POLLING ACTIVITIES (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
Members of County government periodically conduct polling activities to gauge public opinion and specifically, levels of support and opposition, to matters that may be considered by the Board of Supervisors and the public. Polling can be a valuable tool to understand public sentiment on policy issues and the information it provides can prove helpful in determining whether there is sufficient public interest in moving forward to place an initiative before County voters.
As a public agency entrusted with using taxpayer resources to deliver on the needs of our constituents, we must ensure that all taxpayer funded polling activities are conducted in an unbiased manner and that no methods - such as "push polling" - are used to influence voter opinions. It is equally important to confirm that public funds are used in compliance with all applicable laws and are not applied, intentionally or unintentionally, for campaign or political purposes.
To strengthen transparency and legal compliance, I recommend that the Board direct the Chief Administrative Officer to work with County Counsel to develop and implement a strategy and process governing the use of County funds for polling and related activities. This process should require County Counsel to review and approve proposed polling questions before they are used as well as the scope of work and compensation terms for any polling firms retained by members of County government. It should also ensure public access to the information used to poll County residents, the polling results and polling consultant contracting details.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
SUPERVISOR JOEL ANDERSON
Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to work with County Counsel to develop and implement a strategy and process governing the use of County funds for polling and related activiti...
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