* *** COMMENTS_2018-11-06_ELECTION_DOCUMENTS TXT - 26 Sep 2018 22:33:06 - JKNAUTH Comments on 11/6/18 Election Documents -------- -- ------- -------- --------- Below is some input you can use for the 2019 version of the documents. Also, there are some things that probably should be addressed for 11/2018 via FAQs, Late-Breaking News, emails, etc., as appropriate. 2018 General Election Day Manual (11/2018) ---- ------- -------- --- ------ Page 8: Multiple times we were told in the CJ class that for this election the bin should be emptied after only 300 ballots vs. the 400-500 specified in the Manual. Probably this change should be re-emphasized via a Late-Breaking News item, FAQ, or whatever. In past elections with the 17" ballot, I have not seen a problem with the 400-500 number (maybe because I like to periodically joggle the steel ballot box to try to knock down ballot mountains). However in this election we will do our first empty at 300 ballots, as directed, to see how things are working. Page 48: See Ballot Table Quick Guide comment below. Page 64: As noted in comments about this area in previous elections: * Step 5: "Sign Section B of the ATV." -> "Sign and date Section B of the ATV." * To get around the "Who has the pen?" problem, take multiple pens to curbside, which is a good idea anyway in case a bad pen is encountered. Further details (mainly related to primary elections) were in my 2/22/18 email to Amanda Kulawik. Chief Judge Pocket Guide (Version 11-2018) ----- ----- ------ ----- Page 9: Now that the Pocket Guide is no longer so space constrained, maybe you can add a sub-bullet under the Tabulator bullet something like: * Set up the Tabulator using the instructions from the "Tabulator User Guide" found in the pocket on the back of the steel ballot bin. Aside: Why isn't the "Tabulator User Guide" on the PO website? Aside: It would also be good to have some AutoMARK instructions on the PO website. Years ago AutoMARK documentation used to be in the PO Manual. Removal of all that from the Manual was a good idea, but it would be helpful to have the information available on the PO website. Page 13: For the error recovery procedure for "Diverter not found", it would be helpful to note what happens on a *successful* reboot. The messages that come up are not what you get on the first boot, which was confusing when this happened to us in the last election. Ditto dealing with the extra tape that got printed on the reboot, which then had to be specially handled. For more details on that incident, see the Hardware section of http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Postmortem_2018-05-08.txt Page 13: The printer cartridge error description has been removed. Was this because of the page title of "Tabulator..." instead of "Hardware..."? I have encountered the printer cartridge error at least twice. It occurred presumably because the cartridge was jostled loose while the AutoMARK was being moved from storage to the polling place. It's easier to debug and fix than some of the other errors listed on this page, but I guess falls into the category of "call the Help Line" and wait for someone to answer -- unfortunately it was a very LONG wait on multiple occasions during the last election. Page 19: Was it intentional in the Emergency Bin section to remove the "Close and lock the bin" bullet? I know the bin will need to be reopened later so the three judges can agree it is empty, but that's pretty far down the road (bottom of page 22). It seems neater and less hazardous to close the hanging door and get it out of the way during all the intermediate processing with the Tabulator. Ballot Table Quick Guide (Version 11/2018) ------ ----- ----- ----- Page 2: Last block on the lower right: Spoiled Ballots: Type 2 is now short one step. The Manual, on the bottom of page 52, has added step 7 to notify the HT so they can record that this voter has already received a ballot. Manual page 48 is also affected. All Officials Quick Guide (Version 11/2018) --- --------- ----- ----- Page 1: There is a "Name(s):" line at the top of the AOQG. Who is supposed to sign this? Does this mean every one of the officials must sign since all really do get fully involved during setup/takedown? If so, that seems to be real waste of precious time, not much of which is available at this point. I think that AOQG line should be eliminated. I had pointed this out after the last election in http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Saturday_Pickup_Comments.txt. For the 11/6/18 election I have asked one of the non-judges to coordinate the Packing Up tasks while the three judges are doing all the other things that only they can do at this time. If the AOQG Name(s) line is kept, I think the only one who needs to sign it is the Packing Up coordinator. Page 1: In the 5/2018 version of the AOQG I had pointed out that the "Tuesday Before Opening the Polls" section was missing any mention of the "No Campaigning Zone" signs. They must be set out Tuesday morning since they are brought in after Monday setup. Only the A-frames are mentioned. That problem was not corrected in the 11/2018 version of the AOQG. The Packing Up section does mention the signs. Add a bullet: "Place the "No Campaigning Zone" signs outside. Voter Assistance Quick Guide (Version 11/2018) ----- ---------- ----- ----- Page 7: Monday Setup Instructions for the curbside alert system indicate that only the bell button is taken outside for testing. We need to take the whole system outside, including the stand. Everything will be brought back inside Monday night. Temporarily taking the stand outside Monday night seems to be in line with bullet 3 on page 1. (That bullet could do with some editing for the "used using".) Taking the stand, etc., outside at Monday setup is so those who will set up curbside Tuesday morning can see how everything should be placed -- stand, cones, signs, etc. Since I usually am not readily available early Tuesday morning to show how to do this at that time, we need to get the layout understood Monday night by the officials who will be doing the setup Tuesday morning before the polls open. Laptop User Guide (Version 11/2018) ------ ---- ----- Pages 3 and 4: Page 3 says voters and observers should not be allowed to view laptop screens. Certainly that is appropriate for screens showing user data. However what about the driving instructions and jurisdiction maps listed on page 4? Shouldn't an HT official be able to show those to a voter? Page 5: Under "How To Use the Voter Search Screen": The text still says the Tab key instead of the mouse should be used to more efficiently move from field to field. Is that really true? I have asked this many times, but don't think I have ever gotten an answer. (If you did answer, please remind me.) I don't know if my previous comments were overlooked or if there is a real reason for using the Tab key. I always used the mouse with SOSA, way back when I first raised this question on your SOSA document. I don't know if the VAST User Guide just carried over such (possibly inaccurate) text from the SOSA document, or if the statement is actually true for VAST. Gray Bin Supplies Inventory (8/30/18 -- on website) ---- --- -------- --------- Page 6: Third row says there will be 50-100 "Ballo" items in the Help Table Kit. Maybe Provisional Envelopes? I didn't see the envelopes listed elsewhere and the 50-100 count sounds about right. ======================================================================== Some miscellaneous questions: 1) Will we get two wheelchair-accessible booths this election as in May? I'm just trying to figure out how to arrange things. 2) Your FAQs as of 9/26/18 say only one provisional booth should be set up. However what if we have two officials working at the HT? Processing two voters simultaneously has certainly been allowed in the past. It is unambiguously still allowed per the top item on page 84 of the Manual, which directly contradicts the FAQ. I have often had need for the HT to process two voters simultaneously when we have many voters waiting for HT service. In that case, it is proper to have two provisional booths -- one for each provisional voter in process. We play it by ear to see when to convert/move a normal booth to the provisional area or vice versa, depending on current needs. I assume we will still be getting a large number of booths at SCES; we had 17 last May. Undoubtedly with the long ballot and large voter turnout expected in November, voting booths will be at a premium at every polling place. Fortunately, the SCES Media Center has a large number of tables and chairs in the back area, behind where we set up our normal booths. I plan to use as many of those as we can, probably providing another 10-20 voting "booths" back there, although space will be tight and privacy less than with a standard booth. (Past voters did not seem to care much about that once they saw they could vote right away instead of having to wait a long time for a booth.) See http://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Sanford_Creek_Elementary_Layout.pdf My concern with limiting things to just one provisional booth is that given the long ballot and the normal lengthy provisional processing time, it may easily take more than 20 minutes for each provisional voter -- not good if there are a lot of people in line at the HT. I want to be able to double the HT processing power if that area starts to get overwhelmed. We will have four officials with HT training, so should have the right people available to put two at the HT when needed. The FAQ mentioned above should not state that only one provisional booth is allowed, but instead should leave the number to the CJ's discretion based on the current circumstances. 3) Gary had emailed me last May that there would be a new Reconciliation Form and you would send it to me for review. I never received any new form. It looks like the form in the 11/2018 Manual and on the PO website are essentially the same as 1/31/18 version used in May. Did I miss anything? Jeff Knauth Precinct 19-19