Board of Elections

Agenda - Regular Meeting Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections & Voter Registration April 13, 2021 @ 4:30pm Due to COVID-19 precautions, this meeting will be livestreamed. Bylaws of the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections and Voter Registration (bit.ly/accboerbylaws) A. Reading of the Board Member Oath of Office (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-70) “I do swear (or affirm) that I will as a member of the board of elections duly attend all ensuing primaries and elections during the continuance thereof, that I will to the best of my ability prevent any fraud, deceit, or abuse in carrying on the same, that I will make a true and perfect return of such primaries and elections, and that I will at all times truly, impartially, and faithfully perform my duties in accordance with Georgia laws to the best of my judgment and ability.” B. Adopt Agenda C. Approve Minutes from March 9, 2021, regular meeting; from March 23, 2021, special called meeting; and from April 9, 2021 D. Public Comment Written comment may be emailed to the board members or delivered to the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections office before the start of the meeting. Willa Fambrough, Chairperson (willa.fambrough@accgov.com) Rocky Raffle, Vice Chairperson (rocky.raffle@accgov.com) Adam Shirley, Secretary (adam.shirley@accgov.com) Ann Till, Member (patricia.till@accgov.com) Hank Qadir, Member (hunaid.qadir@accgov.com) E. Director’s Report F. Executive Session G. Old Business 1. Discussion of voter education (tabled until budget approved) a. Providing voters with basic information about elected offices b. Informing citizens how new laws affect their election activities ● Voters ● Voter registration groups ● People who assist voters waiting in line 2. GIS update 3. Discussion of desired qualities of voting locations 4. Meeting videos difficult to access  5. Request from Secretary of State’s office for original absentee ballot envelope for specific voter (tabled from April 9 meeting) 6. Any help needed with processing the audit requested by the Secretary of State H. New Business 1. Discussion of concerns raised at March special meeting about the duties of the superintendent (relating to O.C.G.A.§ 21-2-70) (See Appendix A) 2. Election administration with respect to newly-enacted legislation a. Provisions for state takeover of local elections b. New process for verification of authenticity of absentee ballot application and absentee ballot envelope ● No signature check c. Shorter turnaround time between general election and runoff d. Update on changes to provisional balloting e. How best to educate UOCAVA voters about ranked-choice voting ● Who will notify these voters? 3. Budget with respect to newly-enacted legislation a. New costs arising from Dominion support shifting to local budget instead of state (extended warranties) b. Changed requirements for absentee ballot paper I. Announcements 1. May Regular Meeting a. May 11, 2021 @ 4:30pm J. Adjourn Appendix A: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-70. § 21-2-70. Powers and duties of superintendents Effective: July 1, 2011 Currentness Each superintendent within his or her county or municipality shall exercise all the powers granted to him or her by this chapter and shall perform all the duties imposed upon him or her by this chapter, which shall include the following: (1) To receive and act upon all petitions presented by electors, the board of registrars, or the county executive committee of a political party for the division, redivision, alteration, change, or consolidation of precincts; (2) To receive and determine the sufficiency of nomination petitions of candidates filing notice of their candidacy with him or her in accordance with this chapter; (3) To prepare and publish, in the manner provided by this chapter, all notices and advertisements, in connection with the conduct of elections, which may be required by law, and to transmit immediately to the Secretary of State a copy of any publication in which a call for a special primary, election, or runoff is issued; (4) To select and equip polling places for use in primaries and elections in accordance with this chapter; (5) To purchase, except voting machines, preserve, store, and maintain election equipment of all kinds, including voting booths and ballot boxes and to procure ballots and all other supplies for primaries and elections; (6) To appoint poll officers and other officers to serve in primaries and elections in accordance with this chapter; (7) To make and issue such rules, regulations, and instructions, consistent with law, including the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Election Board, as he or she may deem necessary for the guidance of poll officers, custodians, and electors in primaries and elections; (8) To instruct poll officers and others in their duties, calling them together in meetings whenever deemed advisable, and to inspect systematically and thoroughly the conduct of primaries and elections in the several precincts of his or her county to the end that primaries and elections may be honestly, efficiently, and uniformly conducted; (9) To receive from poll officers the returns of all primaries and elections, to canvass and compute the same, and to certify the results thereof to such authorities as may be prescribed by law; (10) To announce publicly, by posting in his or her office, the results of all primaries and elections held in his or her county or municipality; (11) In any general election at which a proposal to amend the Constitution or to provide for a new Constitution is submitted to the electors for ratification, the election superintendent shall provide copies of the summary of such proposal prepared pursuant to Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution as provided in this paragraph. A reasonable number of copies of such summary shall be conspicuously available in each polling place; (12) To prepare annually a budget estimate of his or her expenses under this chapter, in which shall be set forth an itemized list of expenditures for the preceding two years and an itemized estimate of the amount of money necessary to be appropriated for the ensuing year and to submit the same at the time and in the manner and form other budget estimates of his or her county or municipality are now or may hereafter be required to be filed; (13) To conduct all elections in such manner as to guarantee the secrecy of the ballot and to perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law; (14) To become certified by satisfactorily completing a certification program as set forth in Code Section 21-2-101; and (15)(A) In the case of a judge of the probate court serving as the election superintendent, such person shall take an oath in the following form upon assuming the duties of election superintendent which shall apply to all primaries and elections conducted by such person throughout such person's tenure as election superintendent: I, __________, do swear (or affirm) that I will as superintendent duly attend all ensuing primaries and elections during the continuance thereof, that I will to the best of my ability prevent any fraud, deceit, or abuse in carrying on the same, that I will make a true and perfect return of such primaries and elections, and that I will at all times truly, impartially, and faithfully perform my duties in accordance with Georgia laws to the best of my judgment and ability. (B) In the case of a board of elections, each member of the board shall take an oath in the following form upon becoming a member of the board which shall apply to all primaries and elections conducted by the board throughout such person's tenure on the board: I, __________, do swear (or affirm) that I will as a member of the board of elections duly attend all ensuing primaries and elections during the continuance thereof, that I will to the best of my ability prevent any fraud, deceit, or abuse in carrying on the same, that I will make a true and perfect return of such primaries and elections, and that I will at all times truly, impartially, and faithfully perform my duties in accordance with Georgia laws to the best of my judgment and ability. (C) In the case of an election supervisor or designee for a board of elections or board of elections and registration, the election supervisor or designee shall take an oath in the following form upon being appointed as an election supervisor or designee of the board which shall apply to all primaries and elections conducted by the board throughout such person's tenure: I, __________, do swear (or affirm) that I will duly attend all ensuing primaries and elections during the continuance thereof, that I will to the best of my ability prevent any fraud, deceit, or abuse in carrying on the same, that I will make a true and perfect return of such primaries and elections, and that I will at all times truly, impartially, and faithfully perform my duties in accordance with Georgia laws to the best of my judgment and ability. (D) Each judge of the probate court serving as an election superintendent, each member of a board of elections or board of elections and registration, and each election supervisor or designee for a board of elections or board of elections and registration serving on July 1, 2011, shall take the appropriate oath as set forth in this Code section which shall apply to all primaries and elections conducted throughout such person's tenure in that position. Credits Laws 1964, Ex. Sess., p. 26, § 1; Laws 1970, p. 347, § 4; Laws 1981, p. 1718, § 1; Laws 1982, p. 1512, § 5; Laws 1997, p. 590, § 4; Laws 1998, p. 295, § 1; Laws 1999, p. 21, § 1; Laws 2003, Act 209, § 5, eff. July 1, 2003; Laws 2008, Act 706, § 3, eff. July 1, 2008; Laws 2008, Act 718, § 3, eff. July 1, 2008; Laws 2011, Act 240, § 1, eff. July 1, 2011. Formerly Code 1933, § 34-401. Ga. Code Ann., § 21-2-70, GA ST § 21-2-70 The statutes and Constitution are current through Laws 2021, Act 4. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details. The statutes are subject to changes by the Georgia Code Commission.