Strengthening Public Service: Accomplishments and Priorities Ahead

Over the past four years, Elaina Cano has focused on modernizing the Clerk-Recorder’s Office, improving transparency, and strengthening public trust—while ensuring elections are conducted securely, accurately, and professionally. Her leadership has delivered measurable results and positioned San Luis Obispo County to meet the evolving needs of voters and residents.

Key Accomplishments

Improved Communication and Public Transparency 

One of the accomplishments Elaina is most proud of is strengthening communication and public trust by securing a dedicated Public Information Officer for the Clerk-Recorder’s Office—ensuring clear, accurate, and timely information reaches the public, especially during elections. This expanded outreach effort has earned recognition and praise from Registrars of Voters and election administrators across California.

Under Elaina’s leadership, the office significantly broadened community engagement, with a strong focus on reaching Latino residents, students, first-time voters, and veterans. 

 Veteran Poll Worker Recognition
Our office received the Veteran Poll Worker Recognition Bronze Award, recognizing that 15% of San Luis Obispo County poll workers are veterans and members of military families. San Luis Obispo County is among the first counties to earn this recognition, awarded through the Vet the Vote initiative to jurisdictions that actively engage veterans in election service. 

This effort reflects my deep respect for those who have served — a value shaped by Elaina's own family as the granddaughter, daughter-in-law, and niece of veterans.  

Outreach efforts included:

• Extensive engagement with the Latino community to expand access to election information, language support, and Clerk-Recorder services.
• Launching the County’s first-ever friendly high school voter pre-registration competition to encourage early and lifelong civic participation.
• Introducing the first “I Voted” sticker contest, engaging students across San Luis Obispo County in grades 3–6 and 7–12 in the democratic process.
• Establishing the County’s first Student Election Ambassador Program, empowering high school students to educate their peers, promote civic involvement, and reinforce the message that "your vote is your voice."
• Expanding digital outreach and transparency through innovative efforts, including live Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions on Reddit and increased engagement across social media platforms.
   

In July 2025, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office achieved record-breaking social media engagement following its first-ever viral Facebook post highlighting the popular Express Marriage service. The post reached more than 402,000 people, generated 852 reactions and 71 shares, and achieved a 9.41% engagement rate—demonstrating the effectiveness of proactive, accessible public communication.

Enhanced Vote-by-Mail Signature Verification 

Elaina obtained a new mail ballot verification system to strengthen the integrity and efficiency of vote-by-mail processing. This advanced technology improves the accuracy and consistency of signature verification, supports election staff with robust review tools, and ensures ballots are processed securely and promptly—helping maintain voter confidence while meeting all legal requirements.

Proven Election Leadership and High Voter Engagement 

During her tenure, Elaina has successfully conducted six elections, encompassing hundreds of contests and candidates. San Luis Obispo County has consistently ranked among the counties with the highest voter turnout in California—reflecting both strong civic engagement and well-run elections that voters trust.

Modernized Records Management for Long-Term Security 

Elaina led the transition of the Clerk-Recorder’s records from an aging, outdated server to a secure, cloud-based system. This modernization ensures greater data security, improved disaster recovery, enhanced accessibility, and long-term preservation of public records—protecting vital documents while improving service to residents.

Priorities for the Next Four Years

Looking ahead, Elaina is focused on continuing to modernize services, strengthen security, and enhance public confidence in both elections and public records.

Property Fraud Notification System She plans to implement a fraud notification system that alerts property owners whenever activity occurs related to their property—adding an important layer of protection against deed fraud and identity theft.

Ensuring Compliance with AB 1466 Elaina will oversee the required updates to public records systems to remove obsolete or unlawful language in compliance with AB 1466, ensuring records reflect current legal standards while maintaining historical integrity.

Strengthening Election Security Elaina will continue identifying and implementing additional security measures to ensure San Luis Obispo County elections remain safe, secure, and resilient against evolving threats.

Evaluating the Vote Center Model Elaina will evaluate the potential benefits and impacts of transitioning to the Vote Center model, carefully assessing whether it would improve voter access, efficiency, and service while meeting the unique needs of San Luis Obispo County.