* *** COMMENTS_2016-06-07_ELECTION_DOCUMENTS TXT - 21 May 2016 21:51:44 - JKNAUTH Below are my comments on the documents recently published on the BOE website for the 6/7/16 election. I was happy to see that the photo ID material, etc. had been integrated into the main documents; that looks good. As usual the more important comments are flagged with "========". I may have more comments when I get the hardcopy documents to read. I did not repeat here the items I have previously noted in http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/BOE_Wish_List.txt I wish the BOE PO Training Materials page were reorganized to place the Wake County documents first vs. the NC Voting Site Station Guide, Election Official Resource Guide, etc., which are misleading. ######################################################################## 5/21/16 update: Now that I have the hardcopy documents, I was able to do a better review and have added some comments at the end of this file. See after the "$$$$$$$$$$$$" lines below. ######################################################################## Primary Election Manual (4/29/16) ------- -------- ------ Page 22: Gray Supply Bin --> Gray Bin Page 32: Was it intentional to no longer point out the ATV checkboxes for a UNA voter's ballot choice? Page 34: Under Federal ID Law: of the last four --> or the last four Page 34: Shouldn't the RT officials simply be told to ignore the "ID" ======== designation? The words in the manual are correct, but it takes a while to get to the bottom line that either a present or absent "ID" on an ATV has exactly the same result at the RT. Page 36: Second balloon on the right to be consistent with the balloon above: Elizabeth Bennet --> Bennet, Elizabeth Page 36: Last balloon on the right: reigstered --> registered Page 38: I assume all NC tribal ID cards have an explicit printed expiration date, so the words here (and on page 37) do not have to say anything about what to do if there is no such date (vs. the federal tribal ID cards). Page 39: The age-70 chart is not available on the website to review. ======== If it is the same as in the March election, I had previously made comments on that document and provided an alternative: http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Expiration_Date_Checking.pdf Page 43: Delete step 2 which asks someone with "ID Exempt" printed on ======== their ATV to show an acceptable form of photo ID. Also it would conflict with the previously stated order of verifying the photo ID before detaching the ATV. I assume the step 2 inclusion was just a typo. Page 44: Hopefully the November Help Referral Form will finally add a "Name Is Not the Same" checkbox instead of requiring the "Other" checkbox to be used. Page 47: In the "V" procedure, delete step 3. There is no ballot ======== style to mark over for a "V" ATV. Page 48: Check "Not in Pollbook" on the Help Referral Form. ======== Pages 46-50: Page 48 shows the Election Day box checked, but this is not mentioned on any of the other pages. Page 54: Is it a good idea to say "People who want to register to vote may complete a voter registration form at the Registration Table." Definitely we would not want to have this happen if there are long lines at the RT. In our polling place, if such a voter appears, either the CJ of the HT people will give the voter the form and steer them to some out-of-the-way place if they want to fill out the form on site. Our RT is so cluttered with all the other stuff that is required to be at that table that we do not keep Voter Registration forms, Deceased Voter forms, etc. there vs. what the QG says. Page 56: See the BT QG comment (below) for this image. Add ATV ======== skipped-number handling for Jurisdiction Dispute as is described for Spoiled Ballots. Page 59 does document it correctly. Page 59: In some class (CJ class?) for the March election we were told ======== that the BT officials could mark the UNA ballot choice box on an ATV if the RT failed to do this. I have never seen that documented. Is it true? If so, the CJ should still be notified to get with the RT people and warn them not to make that mistake again. Page 66: Does not the age-70 exception apply for photo IDs at ======== curbside? I assume it does. See my comments under "List of Acceptable IDs for Curbside Voters (On Back of Curbside Shield)" in http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Comments_on_Voter_ID_Class_Material.txt Page 72: That caution on the "Show Removed Voters" checkbox is a ======== surprise. I had not heard of this problem before, but I guess someone hit it. It reinforces my strong suggestion that SOSA for election day polling sites be simplified vs. the full set of SOSA functions, most of which are only for early voting sites. Page 77: Party Dispute, bullet 1: Why ask for a photo ID in this step since it will be done as part of the provisional envelope process? Contrast with the Jurisdiction Dispute steps on the same page. Page 83, 87, etc. There is a lot of emphasis that the voter must be ======== told the exact day by which they must appear at the BOE office, the day BEFORE canvass day, and that this date will be on a sign at the HT. However in the past the sign we were given had the date of the CANVASS DAY, not the day before. Has this sign been changed? Page 84: Second paragraph: "the the" --> "then the". Page 84, 85: This is probably just poor wording on the "Reasonable ======== Impediment Declaration" (RID) form, but I want to be sure. The text on page 84 and the example on page 85 show the "Last four digits of SSN" box checked under "Proof of Identity" and that seems to be considered adequate proof. Since everyone must supply that data in Section B, that would seem to question the need for all the section C "Proof of Identity" checkboxes. (Maybe someone does not have a SSN?) Also, the "Proof of Identity" paragraph says the supplied proof must show the voters name and address, which the SSN certainly does not (unless maybe this means a Social Security card is presented?). Anyway, if the page 84 example is guaranteed to be correct, then we will ignored the RID form ambiguities, which the SBOE needs to fix. Also, the RID form shown in the manual (for which the above comments were made) is not the same as the SBOE form on your website. Which is the right one? Moreover, the one now on the website has form number "NCSBOE 2015.12", but its content differs from the one linked to in March, which also had form number "NCSBOE 2015.12". We do know the SBOE changes content without changing form numbers (revision dates) -- definitely not good. Is that what has happened here? Page 90: The HT ID list is not available for review on the BOE ======== website. If it is the same as in March, my questions then still apply, e.g., on expiration dates. See http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Help_Table_and_Curbside_Questions.txt Page 93: You should note that the HT people should not forget to check ======== the last-minute absentee voter list as well as the laptop to ensure the voter has not already voted. Page 92 has it right. Page 97: Third item: What precinct number should be written on the ======== envelope and the ballot?: There is no mention here of the 30-day requirement, which can affect what is considered to be the current residence address. Presumably if the HT person followed the provisional envelope instructions and called the Help Line, the right marking directions would be given. Chief Judge Pocket Guide (5/2/16) ----- ----- ------ ----- Page 7: Bullet 8: make polling place --> make the polling place Page 8: Interchange bullets 5 and 6 under Tabulator since the date, time, and precinct number are at the top of the tape; all the zero checking comes after that. Page 8: Rework bullets 2 and 3 under Interior to improve the order: * Get the Monday Night Absentee List from the BOE if you did not print it the night before. * Have the RT officials mark the pollbooks with pink As for the voters on the list, if you did not do that marking the night before. * Give a copy of the list to the HT officials and add the Monday Night Absentee List to the absentee list previously posted on the wall. Page 10: Under Observe at Help Table: attatching --> attaching Page 15: Gray supply bin --> Gray bin Page 19: If there is a ballot jam when there are many voters in poll booths, and in line for the tabulator, and moving around in places in between, good luck trying to match the ATV count with the ATV count + the rest. It can be VERY HARD to do. Registration Table QG (4/29/16) ------------ ----- -- Page 2: Why are metal rings still listed for the RT? That's a holdover from when the Photo ID warning slips were collected in 2015 and 2014. Page 2: Re the pink A marking: For 19-09, I access the BOE website the night before and do the pollbook marking then. Other people might just print the list and have the RT people mark the list Monday before poll opening, as the RT QG documents. (I prefer to get as much done as possible the day before since there is so much that must be done on election day.) Uncovered by the new QG are those people who do not get the list Monday night (no Internet access?). They may need to wait for the BOE phone call Tuesday morning. Ballot Table QG (4/29/16) ------ ----- -- Page 1: Need rubber bands at the BT for ATV bundling. Page 1: "Barcode scanners" in a bottom checkbox, but "Barcode Scanner" in one at the top. Do any precincts get more than one scanner? Page 2: Under Spoiled Ballots there is a bullet "If number skipped, assign to the next voter's ATV." There needs to be a similar bullet in the Jurisdiction Dispute block. Help Table QG (4/29/16) ---- ----- -- Page 1: Last block: I wonder how many people will go to their old precinct to get their ATV to bring it back to their new precinct. For them I count waiting in three RT lines and three HT lines (plus two extra car trips) before finally being sent to the BT. This is one time where filling out a provisional envelope looks really appealing. Page 2: Monday Setup, bullet 2: Need to call the coordinator as one of the phone tests. Page 2: HT needs paperclips (lots of them). Page 3: In the bottom left block there is "ID Printed on ATV*". What is the "*" for? If there is some footnote, I couldn't find it. Page 3: Mid-page right block: Try to determine why mail did not work for a "SAME" case. The manual has some good suggestions. Page 3: "Different Precinct" block: Tell the voter to go to the RT in the new precinct (so the RT official can tell them to go to the HT). Voter Assistance QG (4/29/16) ----- ---------- -- No comments All Officials QG (4/29/16) --- --------- -- No comments Laptop QG (1/16/16) ------ -- This document is assumed to be unchanged. (I depend on the revision date.) See my http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/2016_Documentation_Comments_for_March_Primary_2016-01-23.txt comments on the 1/16/16 Laptop QG. Provisional Envelope (UNDATED, NO FORM VERSION ID!) ----------- -------- 1) Front, top right corner: (something I had raised years ago and forgot about) Shouldn't the "before Election Day" be "before General Election Day"? 2) Front, reason 1: It would be a lot less confusing if the (3) part had some explicit note that this option applied ONLY for Early Voting Sites, not for the polling place they are at on election day. We don't want people wasting time trying to demand an absentee ballot request form at our precinct on election day and having to explain that we don't have one and it would be too late to use it anyway. 3) Front, middle left yellow box Select the reason for voting provisionally -> Select the reason(s) for voting provisionally The manual specifies that more than one should be checked if there are multiple reasons. 4) Front, in blue box near bottom: ID provided: --> Valid Photo ID Provided: 5) Back, top -- first line under C" ID-related -> identification-related (these issues are not just for "ID" marked on ATV) Help Referral Form (NCSBOE 2015.12 -- which is apparently incorrect ---- -------- ---- since there are multiple published documents with the same form number, but different content) 1) "Voting Site" should be "Precinct Number". 2) For the next iteration of the HR form, they should edit it to clarify that section C applies to both name and/or photo resemblance, since it could apply to either or both. Maybe "C: Evaluation of Reasonable Resemblance of Photo ID" -> "C: Evaluation of Reasonable Resemblance of Photo ID -- Image and/or Name". 3) See Manual page 84 comment above about using SSN. 4) Form should tell the voter to PRINT when entering data. Reasonable Impediment Declaration Form (NCSBOE 2015.12) ---------- ---------- ----------- ---- 1) "Location Voted" should be "Precinct Number". 2) Form should tell the voter to PRINT when entering data. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Additional comments added on 5/21/16 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Primary Election Manual (4/29/16) ------- -------- ------ Page 37: Possibly note here that a 20-day temporary driving certificate is not a valid photo ID and reference page 84. Page 39: You have to struggle some with the combined text to see that an ID is invalid if it is out-of-state, and passes the 90-day test, and is expired, and fails the age-70 test; but is valid if it is out-of-state, and passes the 90-day test, and is expired, and does pass the age-70 test. I'm assuming http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Expiration_Date_Checking_June_2016.pdf is accurate. Right? Page 39: First paragraph under item 2: "the voter was 70 when the ID ======= expired" -> "the ID expired on or after the voter's 70th birthday". This change covers the case where the voter did not get a license until after their 70th birthday and it subsequently expired; then more than four years passed (for an NC DMV ID) and finally the voter tried to use this as a photo ID. Per the SBOE document, this should be a valid ID since the ID expired on or after the day the voter reached age 70. Page 52: Add public BOE phone number: (919) 856-6240 Page 52: Third chevron bullet: Rework sentence to put "or mailed and postmarked on Election Day" before "and received within 3 days..." Page 53: "X" the "Nonpartisan" checkbox. Page 65: Item 6: "voter's address" -> "voter's information" because ======= there could be other mismatches than just address between the Affidavit and ATV, e.g., name and party affiliation. Page 67: Third "DO NOT": Although the Greeter must not say the "voter should leave", the Greeter should be able to say the "voter can leave" as a suggestion. Page 68: Might it not be helpful to mark an abandoned ballot as both "spoiled and abandoned". I don't know what sort of post-election processing is done with the material in the spoiled bag. Page 87: Under the first option where the voter leaves the polling ======= place from the HT to get an ID, then returns to the polling place later: Since the ATV has been detached and marked-up and an HRF created, there are some paperwork things to consider here. Presumably when the voter leaves, the ATV gets spoiled and the HRF gets sent to the CJ. When the voter returns (hopefully now with a good photo ID), the first stop will be at the RT since EVERYONE goes there first. That will result in another HRF ("not in pollbook") and then a trip to the HT where a provisional ballot will be required since there is now no ATV available, e.g., to go to the BT or to another precinct. (The provisional blue box explanation should be very interesting.) Or is the spoiled ATV to be retrieved and unspoiled? Which is it? "Call the Help Line." Hope they have thought of this. Page 89: Same "spoiled ATV" problem as on page 87. ======= Help Table QG (4/29/16) ---- ----- -- Flow Chart #1: Box that was added in lower right corner: I had trouble parsing this. I assume there is a "Voters with ID Printed on the ATV" list. Is that the HT "HAVA" list that is not currently posted on the BOE website? I don't have a copy to review. ======================================================================== Based on the 4/29/16 BOE documents, I have put together a summary of the current Registration Table and Help Table processing (at least my understanding of them). These are reworks/simplifications of the summaries I had done in March. Registration Table: http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Registration_Table_Process_2016-06-07.txt Help Table: http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Help_Table_Process_2016-06-07.txt Expiration Date Checking: http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Expiration_Date_Checking_June_2016.pdf Jeff Knauth