Electoral Board

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA City of Fredericksburg OFFICE OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS Executive Plaza, 601 Caroline Street, Suite 500-A, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 TELEPHONE: (540) 372-1030 DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS & (540) 372-1031 GENERAL REGISTRAR FAX: (540) 373-8381 Marc C. Hoffman ELECTORAL BOARD E-MAIL: mhoffman@fredericksburgva.gov Rene Rodriguez,Chairperson WEB: www.fredericksburgva.gov Aaron Markel, Vice Chairperson Cathie Fisher Braman, Secretary FINAL MINUTES – ELECTORAL BOARD JULY 13, 2017 – 4:30 PM Secretary Braman called the Fredericksburg Electoral Board meeting to order on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 4:41 p.m. in the office of the Director of Elections. Present were Vice-Chair Markel, Secretary Braman, Director of Elections, Marc Hoffman, and Kenneth Lecky, Owner of Liberty Town Arts, and Chair Rodriguez. Per the Agenda the following was discussed: *Director Hoffman has spoken to Gary Fox, who will be visiting the office. *Director Hoffman is checking with Ben Franklin Printing regarding ballots and Vice Chair Markel wants to make sure they can put in the “timing marks” *All AutoMarks are now working properly. They will soon need to be replaced. Director Hoffman will call Richmond to find out if we are required to have Automarks at each Precinct. Due to the change of date and time of the meeting Director Hoffman had to leave early so he discussed his report at this time: REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS “The June Primary was held successfully. Conversations with EB, GR staff, Officers, of Election, Public, and ELECT were largely positive. However, there are areas that need improvement & focus: 1) Parking/Accessibility at Precinct 101 and 301. 2) CAP preparation and supplies. 3) Accuracy of and How-to printing of Pollbooks & Absentee Ballot report. 4) Election night data entry at the GR office. SOR needs to include # of provisional ballots. Page 2. 5) Checklist/Pop-up/Materials review & efficiencies. 6) Voting location/Equipment delivery communications/access & expectations. 7) EPB failures & solutions. GR Office focus: Marisol Corral an intern from Open Hands & GR & staff are undertaking/continuing a 360-degree review of all office functions/materials and processes. This has resulted in reorganization of GR office, 3rd floor election equipment room, and digital records of GR. The entire review and actions are directed to the simplification of processes to create better outcomes related to statutory responsibilities. 3rd floor: Is being prepared as secure storage and permanent testing location for voting equipment, storage and packing space for supplies, and storage of precinct materials in an organized/accessible manner. 5th floor: Voting equipment room is being prepared in an organized manner to secure and make easily accessible materials related to Elections. EPB’s, Ballot cases, Election Day boxes, etc. The preparation of elections, equipment, testing, materials, documents and the GR duties of registration, education, records management, public service are all being positively impacted by the elimination of extraneous materials and processes and expansion and simplification of processes and practices. At the end of the fiscal year, two new routers were purchased. August 1 there will be a 2% raise for the General Registrar and the Electoral Board. NCOA – checks voter addresses to make sure people are on the rolls accurately. Department of Elections will be publishing Electoral Board Job Descriptions. It is not known when the new Virginia Law Books will be published. Chair Rodriguez asked that the Director post any upcoming Elections and Offices that will be open for that Election” Discussion followed on the Advocate software for the EPB’s. As of July 1 the State Department of Election will not pay for this support. It will be up to the local Electoral Boards. Since Fredericksburg will have to replace the current EPB’s in the next two years, Chair Rodriguez would like to examine the software available. Page 3. Vice Chair Markel said we have two choices: to stay with Advocate for a cost of $35 per machine for 1 year – with our current 16 machines. Or we can go with the State for the software. Chair Rodriguez made a motion to sign the contract with Advocate for one year, seconded by Secretary Braman. Approved by unanimous vote. Director of Elections Hoffman will invite ballot printers to the EB August meeting for discussions. Ben Franklin and PrintElect will be invited. If Gary Fox cannot attend this meeting the EB will set aside a time when he can be in Fredericksburg and meet with the Board. For EPB software we will look into PolliPad. The Security Plan will be voted on at the August meeting. EB will read the changes Vice Chair Markel put in before the meeting. The Executive Building will be under construction for the next few months as the Visitor’s Center moves into the first floor. Chair Rodriguez is concerned about the curbside voting during this construction. Director Hoffman will talk to Public Works about this and bring an answer to the next meeting. Motion was made by Secretary Braman to accept Dana Herlong and Mary Lou Wilcox to serve as Officers of Election. Vice Chair Markel seconded. Approved by unanimous vote. Director Hoffman was directed to add the number of provisional votes to the SOR. Discussion followed about the Officers of Election and it was voted to have the Secretary keep the relationship with the Officers and report to the Board. It was decided that the effective way to contact Officers would be by email. Chair Rodriguez made a motion at 6 p.m. to go into Closed Session to discuss personnel issues. Seconded by Vice Chair Markel. Approved unanimously. Chair Rodriguez made a motion at 6:15 p.m. to go back into Open Session after the discussion of personnel issues. Approved unanimously. Recap of the Primary Election. Incident Reports: Precinct 101: No Federal Election Posters (they were in the Pop-up) *Discuss Pop-up in next training. School Assembly caused traffic problems. Complaints about the long walk (Officers suggested the votes Page 4.  vote curbside. Chairs were put along the walkway. Voter had a problem getting to the door to the Election room because a teacher refused to move her students who were writing with chalk on the walkway. Confusion on the actual room in which to vote. Sign was placed on the gym door while Assembly was going on. Director Hoffman will be asked to send a letter to all Precincts addressing the days of the next Elections (2017 and 2018) Copies should go to the Superintendent and the School Board. Vice Chair Markel made a motion to send a letter to Dr. Gordon asking him to have the sidewalk at Hugh Mercer fixed. Secretary Braman seconded. It was voted to send the letter and copy the Superintendent and the School Board. Approved by unanimous vote. Precinct 201: Some Officer of Election badges expiring. (EB will issue new badges to all. No roped off area for political parties and their tables. Ask Director Hoffman to put this in the letter to Community Center. Area needs to be cleared and roped off. One outside sign left in wrong place. Precinct 301: Missing envelopes 3 and 5. At 5 a.m. EPB password didn’t work. It was case sensitive. Voters complained about the long walk to the voting room. Voters couldn’t see which door to enter with the congestion of cars during morning and afternoon drop off and pick up. Curbside voting signs not visible from the door. At the opening and closing of school voters could not reach the Poll/handicap parking. Chief was told the EB would have someone in the parking lot instructing people not to park in voter spaces. This was not said by EB since precincts were short on Officers. Not enough electrical outlets. Chief too far away from Officers. Banker’s boxes will be added to the supplies going to the precincts. Training will include information on proper login procedures. An extra Officer will be added to the precinct to watch for curbside voting and parking. Page 5.  Extra extension cords will be brought to precinct. Signs will have water put in the bottoms. Modify checklist to put “Voter Only” signs in the parking lot. Precinct 401: Need “No Parking” signs in front of the church. At least 4. Director Hoffman will contact Public Works for this. Precinct 402: No air conditioning. Director Hoffman to contact the Quartermaster of the VFW to have the heat in the winter and air in the summer for future Elections. CAP: More training and attention to supplies needed. Precincts should count their unused ballots and enter on the ballot form. All checklists and procedures need to be updated. EPB closing procedure needs to be studied before the next Election. Director of Elections Hoffman will be asked to have 3 ballot summary reports. Meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cathie Fisher Braman Secretary __________________ Chair Rodriguez ________________________ Vice Chair Markel ________________________ Secretary Braman