Logo courtesy of Yolo County

WOODLAND, CA (MPG) - Yolo County Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters Jesse Salinas, who currently serves as president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials (CACEO), has been recognized at the national level for his role in pioneering a collaborative governance model now being shared as a best practice for state associations across the country.

The Coalition of Election Association Leaders (CEAL), a project of the national Election Center, has published “A Shared Services Governance Model” — a case study profiling how three California statewide associations came together to build a shared administrative support structure that strengthens each organization while improving efficiency and reducing duplicative costs: The California Assessors' Association (CAA); The County Recorders' Association of California (CRAC); and the The California Association of Clerks and Election Officials (CACEO).

Together, these three associations represent the same combination of responsibilities that Yolo County delivers under one roof through its Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/Elections (ACE) office.

“This is what good government looks like — leaders from different organizations setting aside silos to build something stronger together," said Salinas. “The model we developed in California shows that collaboration and innovation aren't just buzzwords. They produce real results for our members and, ultimately, for the residents and voters we serve.”

Salinas presented the model on April 14 at the Election Center's April Workshop in Chicago, joining CEAL Director Pam Anderson and Marin County Registrar of Voters Natalie Adona, who serves as Secretary of CACEO, on a panel attended by association leaders from across the country. The case study is now being distributed nationally as a guide for states exploring similar approaches.

The recognition comes as CEAL launches two new annual honors — the CEAL Busy Bee Award and the CEAL Seal of Innovation — both designed to recognize associations advancing the field through engagement and innovative practice. Inaugural recipients will be announced at the 2027 April Workshop.

“Yolo County has long been a place where innovation and integrity go hand in hand,” Salinas added. “Being part of work that's now informing leaders nationwide is a tremendous honor for our team and for our partner associations.”

The full case study is available at https://electioncenter.org/ceal/.

The Yolo County Elections Office encourages residents to connect with Yolo County ACE – Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/Elections on Facebook: @YoloACE, Instagram: @YoloCoACE, Threads: @YoloCoACE, YouTube: @Yolo County ACE, TikTok: @yolocoace and X:@YoloCoACE to receive the most up to date information.