On Tuesday, January 7, 2020, the Orange County Registrar of Voters will be conducting a mock election to showcase the features of Vote Centers and the County’s new voting system.

The public is invited to attend and learn about the benefits of Orange County’s transition to Vote Centers, such as being able to register to vote, cast an in-person ballot, obtain replacement ballots and more. In addition, voters will be able to cast a mock ballot on the new voting system.

They key benefits of the transition to Vote Centers include:

• There will now be 188 fully staffed Vote Centers. Voters can choose to vote in-person at any location starting February 22, 2020.
• Election Day now lasts 11 days. Voters voting in the March Presidential Primary election will be able to vote at any Orange County Vote Center anytime between February 22 and March 3, 2020 
• Every voter will now receive a vote-by-mail ballot. Voters will be able to save time and vote at home with multiple options for returning their ballot. Ballots will begin mailing on February 3, 2020.
• There will be 110 secure ballot drop box locations throughout Orange County. Voters will be able to deposit their ballot into a secure drop box between February 3 and March 3, 2020.

WHAT

Mock election open to the public showcasing the full benefits and set up of Orange County’s new Vote Centers and an opportunity to cast a mock ballot on the new voting system.

WHERE

• Mission Viejo City Hall, Saddleback Room, 200 Civic Center, Mission Viejo
• Orange County Registrar of Voters, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C, Santa Ana

WHEN

Tuesday, January 7, 2020 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m

ADDITIONAL INFO

On behalf of the Orange County Health Improvement Partnership (HIP), the OC Health Care Agency announces the availability of the 2020-22 Orange County Health Improvement Plan for public review and comment through January 20, 2020. The plan lays out assessments, goals, objectives and strategies for six priority areas over the next three years.

The health of the Orange County (OC) community continues to fare well compared to other California counties. The County Health Rankings ranks OC the 5th healthiest county in California. Despite that, there are some troubling trends that impact local communities.

The following are a few findings from the Orange County Health Improvement Plan: 

• Babies born just miles apart in OC can face up to a 7-year difference in life expectancy.
• OC’s older adult population will nearly double by 2040 when almost 1 in 4 residents will be 65 or older.
• 1 in 5 OC adults is obese and more than 50% are overweight.
• Mirroring national trends, rates of Sexually Transmitted Infections have increased dramatically over the past 10 years.

The HIP identified that improving health in OC requires a close look at the conditions that create health inequities. To that end, two of the six focus areas in this plan address overall system issues: Social Determinants of Health, and Access and System Navigation. The remaining four areas highlight health topics identified as the most pressing to work on in the next three years: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Mental Health and Substance Use; Older Adult Health; and Sexual Health.
 
The HIP consists of more than 35 public and private sector organizations that work together through a countywide initiative called Orange County’s Healthier Together to improve the health of everyone who lives, works and plays in Orange County.

The new year has arrived and our friends at OC Waste & Recycling would like to encourage residents to make recycling right their new year’s resolution. Need some motivation? Legislation is changing with new statewide recycling goals, so let’s work together to achieve them. In addition to recycling items such as paper and plastic, composting is another way to go green this new year.

Click here or on the image below for more ideas on how to make a “Green Resolution.”

Click the image above for more info.

Library patrons are now able to apply for an eCard online with OC Public Libraries. By registering for an eCard, library cardholders will receive instant access to a world of online resources, which include eBooks and eAudiobooks. This new service aims to provide greater access to library resources and makes signing up for a card fast and easy.

OC Public Libraries eCard holders will have immediate access to over 40,000 eBooks and over 29,000 eAudiobooks, perfect for enjoying while on work commutes, in the waiting room, during lunch breaks, or even on vacations and weekend trips!

Those who wish to have full service library cards can simply visit any of the 32 branches and convert their eCard into a full-service card. 

Click the image above to enlarge.