Alameda County is committed to providing secure and reliable information on our websites. We want you to trust that our websites are the "official" websites of Alameda County. This is the primary reason why we are transitioning our websites to .GOV domain names.
Our websites will gradually transition from "acgov.org" to "alamedacountyca.gov". In the meantime, you will see "official" Alameda County websites with both domain names.
What is .GOV?
The .GOV domain name indicates that a website is owned by an official US government organization. The DotGov program examines each request for a .gov domain name to ensure it is from a genuine US-based government or public sector organization.
Why .GOV?
Trust
You are more likely to trust the information on a .GOV website because it has been vetted and approved by a government agency. This is especially important in regard to election results.
Authority
A .GOV website is considered an authoritative source of information, which can increase the website's visibility and ranking in search engines.
Identification
Using a .GOV domain shows we are official.
Credibility
All branches of the United States federal government use a .GOV domain. Information such as Census statistics, Congressional hearings, and Supreme Court rulings would be included in sites with this domain.
Legally Required
California State Assembly Bill No. 1637 requires all local government agencies to use a .GOV domain name no later than January 1, 2029.
When is this happening?
The transition of all our websites to .GOV domain names will be a long process. We have already launched our first .GOV website with more to come. The transition will also include our employees' official email addresses.