* *** BOE_SUGGESTIONS_2009-04-25 TXT - 25 Apr 2009  17:28:43 - JKNAUTH


          Main Comments Other Than "Pollworker Manual" Updates
          ==== ======== ===== ==== =========== ======= =======

Below are some key items not related to just updating the Pollworker
Manual text.  Probably they all require changes to be made by the State
BOE.  Please forward this information to the appropriate place.  The
dates below refer to the files linked to from the "2008" section of
http://nbtha.org/WakeBOE/WakeBOE_TOC.htm.  More details can be found in
those files.


Poll Books
---- -----

1) As it stands now, prior to election day, precinct officials must
   manually highlight certain pollbook labels to make the printed
   "Verify Registration Information", "ID Required", and "Absentee"
   markings more visible.  This is a labor intensive and error prone
   procedure.  The printer could easily do this automatically for such
   flags when creating the poll books, e.g., by using a reverse
   background print (bold white text on a black background), or some
   similar eyecatcher.  [See 5/9/08, 4b; 10/7/08, B9.]

2) On the right-side (removable) labels, there is no explicit indication
   of "Verify Registration Information" (except for a blank Ballot Style
   Issued field) or of "ID Required".  The planned technique is to have
   the precinct officials manually write on the labels a "V" and/or an
   "ID Required".  Instead the printer should supply this automatically
   when the poll books are created, maybe using a big reverse background
   "V" and/or "ID" on the removable labels.  (I don't know if it is
   possible to have both exceptions simultaneously.)  [See 5/9/08, 4a.]


Laptop PC
------ --

1) Display the 12-digit voter registration number as three groups of
   4-digit numbers, e.g., 3986 2005 3865, to make it easier to read and
   transcribe to the yellow ATV form.  This is just a display
   consideration and would not affect the database.  [See 5/9/08, 7e;
   10/26/08, H4.]

2) Keep a short history list for both name searches and street searches
   so the full text does not have to be re-entered if the search result
   needs to be re-displayed.  For example, keep a list of the last five
   name searches and the last five address searches.  Clicking on an
   entry would re-display the previous search result.  [See 5/9/08, 7d.]

3) Have the polling place directory on the PC.  Best of all, provide a
   way to display the relevant entry by clicking a button when a name or
   street search completes to show the polling place name and directions
   for the found precinct.  [See 5/9/08, 1g.]

4) Correct the slowdown problem that sometimes occurs on the laptop,
   e.g., it can make backspacing take a very long time.  [See 11/7/08
   Hardware 6.]


Other Hardware
---- -------

1) Program the M100 scanner to detect a special mark on provisional
   ballots (manually put there by PTOs) and then immediately reject any
   inserted provisional ballot identified by that mark.  [See 5/9/08,
   3d and many earlier documents from me over the years.]

2) Solve the curbside speaker problems.  Actually, I thought the remote
   bell was good enough.  [See 11/7/08, Hardware 4.]


Forms
-----

1) Correct the ATV Section A problem about the misuse of "UNA" and the
   Section D problem of not providing a way to specify party and desired
   ballot.  [See 5/9/08, 5a, 5b, B6, and B15.]

2) Print something like the curbside flow chart.  [See
   http://nbtha.org/WakeBOE/curbside-2008-V2.htm and 5/9/08, 9a.]  This
   chart will have to be updated when item 1 above is fixed.  Note the
   current chart already addresses a flow problem which needs to be
   corrected in the Pollworker Manual.  [See 10/7/08, B14.]

3) Use a lighter shade of blue for highlighting PTO fields on the
   Provisional Envelope.  The current color makes handwriting very hard
   to read.  [See 5/9/08, 3a.]


Procedures
----------

1) Ensure that the provisional labels are unique before they are
   distributed to the precincts.  We really dodged a bullet in the last
   election.  [See 11/7/08, Hardware 5.]

2) Try to have a more accurate packaging of ballots.  On 11/4/08 a third
   of our opened packs did not contain exactly 100 ballots.  This did
   not seem to be the case in previous years.  [See 11/7/08, Hardware 3
   and 10/7/08, A10.]

3) Before an election, in addition to the "please register" public
   service announcements, have a "please update your registration
   information if you have moved or changed your name".  Note that with
   the current economy, *many* address changes are taking place.  [See
   5/9/08, 1a.]

4) Investigate and correct why so many "DMV registered" voters were not
   in the poll books.  The last-minute registration rush could account
   for some, but many people said they had registered via the DMV months
   ago.  [See 5/9/08, 1b; 11/7/08 Procedures 6 and 9.]

Jeff Knauth
jknauth@nc.rr.com
Wake County, NC
Precinct 01-43