Recorder reports digitization progress, fraud-prevention steps and election readiness

Recorder Donna briefed the board on two parallel priorities: preserving access to historical documents through scanning, and protecting property owners and election integrity from suspected fraudulent recordings and evolving security threats.

Records and fraud prevention: Donna said a recent grant-funded book-scanning program has moved from 99,000 pages scanned to 127,810 pages and 267 books, and the recorders office is working with the assessor and treasurer on suspicious recorded documents. "We are statutorily not an investigative office but we have run across what is an increasingly large problem in property ownership is this fraudulent activity," she said, describing a mix of outreach, notification and partnerships to reduce risk.

Election services and outreach: Donna described voter services outreach including a mobile trailer used at chapter houses and rural sites, expanded early-voting locations, and an online voting program for military and overseas voters. She said the office is monitoring USPS service changes in rural areas that can affect mailed ballots and payment postmarks and that the office is focused on physical and cyber resilience heading into the primary.

Budget implications: The recorder reiterated a request for one-time funds for the statewide primary and for increased mailing/printing costs tied to the changed primary schedule; she said staffing for voter services is at full complement for early voting and that translation and Native outreach support has been added.