Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan launched a new online feature recently that allows Los Angeles County voters to verify their voter registration status.

Individuals may now log on to www.lavote.net and click on the Voter Registration Status button in the Announcements section of the home page. The next window asks for the person’s last name, birth date, house number and zip code. The system then searches the RR/CC voter registration database and notifies the individual whether or not they are currently registered. If registered, the voter is provided links to find their polling location, download an electronic copy of their sample ballot, complete an online request for a vote by mail ballot or check the status of an existing ballot request.

This exciting new web service allows voters to enter a few key pieces of information, click and view their registration status, Logan said. We think this is a valuable tool, not only for the upcoming Presidential General Election but for all future elections.

Logan noted that voters who recently registered should check the site periodically as new registrations are being entered every day. He said On average, we are collecting and entering nearly 20,000 registrations daily and this will continue until after the close of registration next week. Although there is a slight lag time from when the RR/CC receives a form and when it appears online, the voter registration database is refreshed every day, adding all registration information input from the day before.

Los Angeles County voter registration totals hit record highs recently and follow national trends that show scores of younger voters signing up, many for the first time. A recent analysis of voter registrations in Los Angeles County showed that of the 346,000 new registrants, some 50 percent were between the ages of 18 and 29.

The new online registration status function is expected to ease the sharp increase in phone calls and e-mails the RR/CC is receiving daily. A majority of callers are individuals checking their registration status and calls have more than doubled from any previous General Election. Despite the heavy volume, Logan reassured new registrants that all valid registration applications would be entered in time for the November election. Our staff is working round the clock, seven days a week to enter registrations and to answer voting inquiries. Our mission is to assure all voters receive efficient and accurate service and we will be ready to do so on November 4.

The registration lookup function is one of many new services added to the RR/CC web site this year. Voters can also check their polling place location, their vote by mail application and ballot status, or they can apply for a vote by mail ballot.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced several extended weekend closures beginning Saturday, October 25 on the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) from the Artesia Freeway (State Route 91) to the Glenn Anderson Freeway (I-105). The work is part of the Long Life Pavement Rehabilitation Project from the San Diego Freeway (I-405) to Firestone Boulevard.

The work involves rehabilitating aging pavement and providing the roadway with several decades of service life, improved pavement performance and a smoother ride for the traveling public. Roadway widening will occur where possible to provide standard lanes and shoulders, widening the Compton Creek Bridge and Atlantic Avenue undercrossings, and overlaying nine miles of the existing pavement with 10″ inches of Long Life Asphalt Concrete.

A series of up to seven extended weekend closures from Saturday overnight to Monday morning are planned through the end of 2008. The first two closures are scheduled as follows:

Full freeway closure on northbound and southbound I-710 from the Artesia Freeway (SR-91) to the Glenn Anderson Freeway (I-105):

– Saturday, October 25, 12:01 a.m. to 7 a.m.

– Sunday, October 26, 11:00 p.m. to Monday, October 27, 5:00 a.m.

– Saturday, November 1, 12:01 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

– Sunday, November 2, 11:00 p.m. to Monday, November 3, 5:00 a.m.

– All SR-91 and I-105 connectors to southbound I-710 will be closed.

Beginning Saturday 7:00 a.m. until Sunday 11:00 p.m., a reduced number of lanes will be available to motorists: two lanes for northbound traffic and three lanes for southbound traffic. Speeds will be reduced to 45 mph. Oversized loads are not permitted during these times due to narrower lane widths. Motorists can expect delays. To decrease delay time, motorists are advised to use alternate routes around the project area. Signed detours will be available. All closures are weather permitting, as paving requires temperatures above 50 degrees and dry conditions.

Department of Health Services with Los Angeles Unified School District and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

DHS System-Wide Pharmaceutical Management

Department of Health Services

Information Technology Shared Services (ITSS)

Internal Services Department with Chief Information Office

Language & Culture Resource Center/Video Medical Interpretation Project

Department of Health Services – Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center

Lease Transfer Fee: An Innovative Partnership

Department of Beaches and Harbors

Multidisciplinary Assessment Team (MAT)

Department of Children and Family Services with Department of Mental Health

Patient Visit Redesign in Ambulatory Care Clinic

Department of Health Services – Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center

Pico Rivera Station Vandalism Enforcement Team

Board of Supervisors First District, with Sheriff’s Department, County Counsel, Office of the District Attorney, Probation Department, Department of Public Works, and City of Pico Rivera

Wireless Traffic Management – It’s the Real Thing

Department of Public Works

Women’s Reintegration Services

Sheriff’s Department with Department of Mental Health, Department of Public Social Services, Department of Children and Family Services, and Child Support Services Department

With only a few days remaining before the close of voter registration for the November 4th Presidential General Election, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan reported that voter registrations reached an all time high this week, breaking the record set in 2002 when registration rolls exceeded four million registered voters for the first time in Los Angeles County history.

We reached a milestone this week with 4,149,229 registrants on file and that number will continue to increase before the October 20th close of registration. Los Angeles County has the highest number of registered voters in any county elections jurisdiction in the country. These numbers signal an historical interest in the 2008 Presidential Election, said Logan.

The previous record was set during the 2002 Gubernatorial Primary when registrations totaled 4,142,514. Registration statistics for the 2004 Presidential Election showed 3,901,106 registered voters in the County and participation in that election reached 79.10 percent.

Los Angeles County Voter Profile

As of today, 51 percent of all voters in Los Angeles County are registered as Democrats, 25 percent are registered as Republicans, and 20 percent registered with the option to decline to state a party preference. The percentage of registered Democrats has remained consistent since the 2004 Presidential Primary, while the percentage of Republican registrants has decreased by two percent and the percentage of voters choosing to decline to state a party choice has increased by three percent in the past four years.

Daily voter registration activity since June 7th, the opening of registration after the June 6th Statewide Direct Primary, shows that registrations for the November election have outpaced those of every election since 1950, when records were first kept. Current average daily registrations are over three times what they were during the 2002 election, when the previous record high was established.

New Voter Profile

50 percent of voters who have registered since June of this year are between the ages of 18 and 25; 30 percent are between the ages of 30 and 49; and 14 percent are between the ages of 50 and 64. 54 percent of all new voters are female, while 46 percent are male.

56.8 percent of all newly registered voters have registered with the Democratic Party, 15.2 with the Republican Party and 27.9 percent have declined to state a party preference. These percentages follow closely with the youngest age cohort of new registrants. Of those newly registered voters between the ages of 18 and 29, 56 percent registered with the Democratic Party while 14.5 percent registered with the Republican Party and 29 percent declined to state a party preference.

Los Angeles County is the largest election jurisdiction in the United States and has more registered voters than 30 states. It has 4,394 voting precincts and employs over 25,000 poll workers in each countywide election. The RR/CC has conducted ten elections since 2007 including the February 2008 Presidential Primary, the June 2008 Statewide Direct Primary, a uniform district election and several local special elections.

With the phenomenal interest in the election, Logan predicted, voters may experience longer lines or wait times at polling places than in past elections. Where possible, voters are encouraged to vote at mid-day when lines are likely to be shorter. Additionally Logan cautions that election night results reporting could be slow due to the unprecedented number of ballots. We want to emphasize accuracy and efficiency over expediency and we will work as long as it takes to properly gather and tally all the votes cast, he said.

Los Angeles County Supervisors Don Knabe and Zev Yaroslavsky began the process of creating a permanent Rainy Day Fund today to combat potential financial shortfalls the County may face in the future.

Today’s motion directs the County’s Chief Executive Officer to examine how a Rainy Day Fund would be structured, including transferring three-percent of the County’s annual fund balance into the Rainy Day Fund, how these new reserve funds would be spent, and the maximum size the fund would have to reach before any excesses could be spent for one-time purposes. In the past, the County has created temporary rainy day funds on as-needed basis and as surpluses have been available.

At today’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors, staff members updated the Board on the County’s current budget health and the potential impacts the national economic slowdown could have on County coffers in the next several years. Today, the financial health of Los Angeles County is very strong.

Despite the current financial strength, the County is facing looming financial challenges which add to the need and relevance of an on-going Rainy Day Fund. These challenges include the State budget causing $129 million in funding reductions to the County, the Department of Health Services facing an increasing budget deficit over the next several years, and an estimated structural deficit of $181 million in the County’s operating budget by next year.

Our County is in solid financial shape today, but we are facing a number of budget uncertainties in the next few years, said Supervisor Knabe. The best time to prepare for future budget shortfalls is when times are still good. That is exactly what we are doing today by calling for the creation of a permanent Rainy Day Fund.

Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan announced that polling location address information and images of sample ballot pages for the November 4, 2008 Presidential General Election are now available online at www.lavote.net. We are happy to offer this interactive service to Los Angeles County residents, Logan said. We are committed to providing accurate and efficient information and we encourage everyone to visit our web site or to call us with any questions.

Voters may access their polling location and sample ballot information at www.lavote.net by clicking on Locate Polling Place or View Sample Ballot from the Online Services box located on the right margin of the home page. Our website includes a wide range of voter information and educational materials to assist voters as they prepare to cast ballots in the November 4, 2008 Presidential Election, Logan added.

Voters must provide their house number and street name, which the system matches to the corresponding polling location and sample ballot information. The voter’s polling location address is displayed and a View Sample Ballot link appears, enabling the voter to access their sample ballot, including images of the official ballot pages, candidate statements, ballot measure, analyses and arguments that are applicable to their ballot. In addition to English, online information is also available in Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Tagalog/Filipino. There are 706 different ballot combinations for the November 4th Election. These combinations consist of Federal, State and local contests as well as ballot measures that apply to local jurisdictions throughout Los Angeles County.

A voter may also call the RR/CC Office at (800) 815-2666 and use the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone system to obtain automated polling location address information. The IVR system prompts the voter to use the telephone key pad to select digits corresponding to the voter’s zip code, street address and numeric birth date. The IVR then accesses the voter registration file seeking a match for the data provided. If a match is located, an automated voice recites the polling location address to the voter. If a match is not found, the caller is transferred to a live operator for assistance.

The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has partnered with Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center to celebrate the re-opening of the newly expanded Kids in the Dependency System (KIDS) Clinic. An open house at the KIDS Clinic will be held on Monday, September 29, 2008, from 9 to 11 a.m. at 1000 West Carson Street, Building N-26C, in Torrance.

The KIDS Clinic is operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS). The KIDS Clinic, along with five other Medical Hubs in the County, provides mental health, forensic and medical screenings for children who are under the care of DCFS or at risk of entering the foster care system. By working in cooperation with other County departments, the complex medical and mental health concerns of children in the child welfare system are addressed through these Hubs.

The KIDS Clinic has received numerous community donations of funds, services and supplies to decorate and make it kid-friendly, as many of the children have incurred physical or emotional trauma. Among the donors to be honored at the open house will be Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe.

"The South Bay area has the highest caseloads of children and families involved in foster care in Los Angeles County. Identifying potential problems these children are experiencing – particularly mental health issues – must be done as quickly as possible. Expansion of this clinic will go a long way to helping us meet this critical need," said Supervisor Knabe.

Created in July 2006, Medical Hubs are designed to increase the safety of children, service families more effectively and decrease the re-entry of children into the foster care system with the standardization and coordination of high quality initial examinations. The Hubs facilitate streamlined information sharing with other County department’s to ensure timely and complete follow-up for the children. Through the Medical Hub Program, the capacity exists to provide medical assessments and mental health screenings 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additional Medical Hubs are located at High Desert Health System, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Valleycare Olive View – UCLA Medical Center, MLK Jr. Multi-Service Ambulatory Care Center, and at the L.A. County/ USC Medical Center Violence Intervention Program.

"The Medical Hubs provide the children with a high level of medical assessment and care, as well as mental health screening in order to determine the best plan for their future. Through the medical hubs, we are better able to provide information that will assist in the best placement for a child entering foster care, as well as a more stable plan to keep families together," said DCFS Medical Director Dr. Charles Sophy.

Discover Marina del Rey Day 2008, an annual day of family fun and activities, will take place Sunday, October 12, 11 am to 4 pm, in Burton Chace Park, 13650 Mindanao Way, Marina del Rey. The popular event is presented by Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water and sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe and the Department of Beaches and Harbors. As in past years, there’s something for everyone, including some of the event’s most popular offerings, such as the air-sea rescue demonstration in the Marina’s main channel by the United States Coast Guard and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the inflatable games for children. Among other special events returning this year are the Bob Baker Marionettes, that will present performances throughout the day, preceded by Children’s Storytime by the Lloyd Taber-Marina del Rey Library. The Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation will offer unique arts and crafts workshops and Beaches and Harbors’ W.A.T.E.R. Youth Program will offer leisure kayaking from noon to 3 pm in the main channel for visitors ages 6 and up. A train on wheels will take boys and girls on a ride throughout Chace Park.
From 1:00 to 3:00 pm, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission will present a concert in the park with the sensational Orquesta Charangoa band playing traditional Cuban dance music. They will be preceded from 12:30 to 1 pm by the Venice High School choral group, the Allegros.
Though the event is presented free to the public, those who want to use the inflatable games pay $5 for a wristband, which also includes access to hair braiding and painting booths, snack carts and a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. Throughout the day, a variety of exhibitor booths will offer vital information on health, safety and the environment. Parking for the day is available at $5 in Los Angeles County Lot 4, near the park, at 13500 Mindanao Way.