Board of Registrars

Draft Minutes Board of Registrars’ Meeting June 6, 2012 City Clerk’s Conference Room, City Hall Present: Kathryn Fogal, Chair; Michael Popovich, and Carol Cordero. Also present: Paul R. Bergeron, City Clerk, recorded. 1. The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. 2. The City Clerk explained to the Registrars that the documents contained in the meeting packet would be referred to during the course of the meeting. 3. First item of business was consideration of the minutes of the Board of Registrars’ meeting of January 5, 2012. C. Cordero asked about the change of location for the Ward 4 polling place for the Presidential Primary Election. The City Clerk explained that construction was underway at Ledge Street School back in January, and the gym – where voting was usually held – was being used for temporary classrooms. The polling location was moved to Millette Manor and two classrooms were set aside for voting: one was used for voter registration and voter check-in, the second classroom contained the voting booths and ballot box. M. Popovich moved to accept the minutes as presented. Seconded by K. Fogal. Motion passed, 3 – 0. 4. Next item of business was the acceptance of deletions, additions and corrections to the checklist. Change reports for the period beginning January 5, 2012 and ending June 4, 2012 and for June 5, 2012 were available for viewing. Discussion followed relative to the volume and types of changes to the checklist that occurred since the Board last met. M. Popovich moved to accept the reports of deletions, additions and corrections to the checklist. Seconded by C. Cordero. Motion passed, 3 – 0. 5. The City Clerk stated that there were two applications that he wished to put before the Board for action: a. The first was an application to be added to the checklist from Michael Garcia. The Clerk explained that this application was received just that morning, and that the application was completed by a person who was previously registered in Keene and now resided in Nashua, and who wanted to file as a candidate for State Representative. M. Popovich asked if his name was included in the change report of voters that the Board had just acted upon. The City Clerk said it did not as the list was generated after last night’s voter registration session ended at 7:30 pm and this application was submitted just this morning. M. Popovich stated that 1 Draft notice had been published that the last day to change party affiliation was June 5th, that the Board of Registrars would meet on June 6th, and that the filing period would begin on June 6th. He said that if someone wanted to run for office, he should know the rules. K. Fogal stated that the application was submitted prior to the time the Registrars met and asked the Clerk about the individual’s party affiliation. The Clerk answered that his party affiliation did not change. K. Fogal moved to accept the voter registration application and add Michael Garcia’s name to the checklist. C. Cordero seconded. Motion passed, 2 – 1. b. The second application was submitted by M.S. (Name withheld for confidentiality reasons.) Mr. S. did not provide his Nashua residence address on the voter registration form. Instead, he provided the address of an office located in downtown Nashua and claimed that he did so because he was on the “witness protection program.” The City Clerk provided a copy of a letter he sent to Mr. S., in-care-of the office address the applicant had provided, which explained that the Clerk needed the voter’s actual residence in order to add the name to the checklist. The Clerk also provided a copy of RSA 7:46, Chapter 265, Laws of 2000, which provides information about the attorney general’s confidential voter program, and directed Mr. S. to contact the attorney general’s office for further information if he wanted to pursue keeping his address confidential. Discussion followed. K. Fogal moved to reject this application for addition to the voter checklist unless the Clerk’s Office or Board of Registrars received notice from the attorney general’s office that Mr. S. was a participant in the attorney general’s confidentiality program. Seconded by C. Cordero. Motion passed, 3 – 0. 6. Next item of business was consideration of conducting a poll of Board members, or scheduling a special meeting of the Board of Registrars, should there be individuals who wanted to file for office but could not do so because they failed to register to vote in Nashua before the Board of Registrars met on June 6th or who otherwise failed to make the necessary changes to their voter registration that would enable them to file for office. Discussion followed. M. Popovich moved to not conduct a poll or schedule a special meeting for this purpose. C. Cordero seconded. Motion passed, 2 – 1. 7. Under other business, the Board discussed its fall meeting schedule and tentatively set its next meeting for Thursday, September 6th at 10:00 am and its meeting prior to the State General Election for Thursday, November 1st at 10:00 a.m. 8. There being no other business to come before the Board of Registrars, the meeting adjourned at 10:40 a.m. 2