* *** COMMENTS_ON_2025-09-10_DOCUMENTS TXT - 14 Sep 2025 15:49:47 - JGKNAUTH I have now reviewed the "9/10/25" documents that are on the PO website. (I'll be able to review the Manual better once I get a hardcopy.) At the top below are my comments on the new material. That is followed by my still-applicable comments on the material carried over from prior versions of the documents. The page numbers have stayed the same For my prior comments, I have deleted all the typo items that have been fixed in the 9/10/25 versions and updated one link to match that file's current internet location. I also removed the "$$$$$$$$" flags since essentially all of the remaining old comments are now important ones (not typos). I added a few updates to the comments, mostly from BOE Staff feedback, flagging them <[like this]>. More background information and links to detailed writeups with my rationale are still at https://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/TEMPORARY/Actions_Summary.htm as they have been since last November. ######################################################################## #################### Comments on the New Material #################### ######################################################################## Election Day Manual 2025v.1 -------- --- ------ Page 38: Item 3: their pollbook aloud => their pollbook label aloud Page 41: Is NC SBOE 2024.07 the latest form? Is it correct that SB 391 is not applicable, i.e., extending the drivers license expiration date beyond what this form had previously allowed? Is this because the moratorium does not apply when the license is used for ID purposes; it is only valid for certifying the holder's driving privilege? (My understanding.) Or is it somehow that Federal rules override state rules for a HAVA process? We need to be prepared to answer if a voter starts questioning why their expired license is no good. Be sure to address this in the classes. Page 72: "P" is missing in the bottom left chart. Pages 77 and 84: Has it been decided how the provisional envelope should be marked for the unfortunate voter who has a "T" on their ATV? See my thoughts below in the prior Manual Page 84 comment. Page 81: Shouldn't the HT section say much more about the new Unreported Move process? Flowchart #2 has some overview information, but even the Glossary (page 105) has more (but not all) the needed information. The "What's New section" on page 13 and the RT section with the ATV picture on pages 33 and 36 say more in the Manual about unreported moves than the HT section. For example, we had discussed having the called HT check the VRN given by the calling HT to reduce the number of mistakes. I'm really concerned about HT Officials making mistakes, particularly when they will probably have to interrupt RT processing to access pollbooks and may feel rushed. Page 84: This list of reasons no longer matches the list on the Provisional Envelope, starting with reason #6. I assume the envelope has the right list. Right? Chief Judge Pocket Guide 2025.v.1 ----- ----- ------ ----- -------- Page 32: Thanks for fixing the orange box label numbering. Registration Table Quick Guide 2025.v.1 ------------ ----- ----- ----- Page 1, second checkbox: signson => signs on Ballot Table Quick Guide 2025.v.2 ------ ----- ----- ----- The footer says "2026 Primary Election", not "2025 Municipal Election". Help Table Quick Guide 2025.v.1 ---- ----- ----- ----- Flow Chart #1, column 2, block 9: accetable => acceptable Provisional Ballot Envelope 2025.v.1 ----------- ------ -------- Reason 6: What is "Proof of Residence (IPR only)"? "Notice to DL/SSN Provisional Voters" Form 2025.08 ------- -- ------ ----------- ------- ---- Page 2, next to last paragraph: "document must be unexpired" I assume this is correct for a drivers license as well, despite SB 391 confusion. See Manual page 41 comment above. ######################################################################## ####### Prior (Still Applicable) Comments on Previous Versions ####### ######################################################################## ======================================================================== * *** COMMENTS_ON_MANUAL_MAY_DRAFT TXT - 2 Jun 2025 00:02:15 - JGKNAUTH (Above is the timestamp from my file that had the comments below.) ======================================================================== Election Day Manual 2025v.1 -------- --- ------ ------- Page 10: I still think this level of detail should be in the CJPG rather than the Manual. Only a short paragraph is needed here, not (some of) the details of what CJs and Js do. Here is what I propose for that page 10 paragraph: "The Tabulator may encounter ballot jams or stop accepting ballots if the Counted Ballots Bin becomes too full. To prevent this from happening, after every 1,500 voters the bin must be emptied and the ballots in it must be securely stored. Before starting this process the Chief Judge will announce to the voters what is about to take place and that the Tabulator will be temporarily unavailable. Voters must wait a short time before they can cast their ballots. When the emptying and storing process completes, the Chief Judge will announce that voters can resume casting their ballots." Page 38: As is well known by know, I have a problem with the current documentation about when the label is peeled from the pollbook and stuck on the ATV. Switch items 4 and 5 and fix the item numbering and circled numbers on pages 38 and 39. This is covered in much more detail in my current comments on the RTQG May draft and with the rationale I documented often in emails last year. Page 75: Under Option 1: If the voter passes the Photo ID check, you immediately let them sign and go the the Ballot Table. But there might be other things wrong that need checking and ATV modification by the BT Official, e.g., wrong address, wrong name, etc. The voter should not be allowed to proceed until all the possible exceptions are dealt with. This section should definitely say this. I made this comment on last year's Manual. Page 75: Under Option 1: If the ATV is spoiled at the end of the day, say explicitly that it should be put in the BT's Spoiled bag. It is partly said in (last year's) PIDQG flowchart. Pages 81-83: Somewhere in here it should say exactly when the Photo ID check should be done. When I asked last year, I was told it should be done after the voter has filled out all the yellow fields. This is needed to provide some of information for the check, e.g., the name. However don't jump the gun and start intermingling the two processes. See also below a repeat of my strong recommendation for another checkbox on the Provisional Envelope for the sometimes-required Photo ID check (voters without an ATV). Page 84: If a "T" voter shows up from the RT, ATV in hand, the Help Line gets called. It's certainly possible that the voter will be allowed to vote provisionally. What reason should be marked on the envelope? It's sort of a "Voter has already voted" case, but not a true "A". The Voter Search will not say "THIS VOTER HAS ALREADY VOTED", the item 6 text. What the Manual has as an explanation is not what the Provisional Envelope says. Here are possibilities for a reason choice: <[9/14/25 update: The reasons list has been changed since my original comment, so the numbering I noted above no longer applies. However there is still no explicit "T" reason; I assume the Other reason and its field will be used for a "T" report.]> 1) Use the existing "Voter Already Voted" reason and hope the HT Official provides a good explanation elsewhere and attaches the ATV with the pink "T". 2) Use the "Other" reason and have the HT Official put "T on ATV" (or something similar) in that small field. 3) Create a new "T on ATV (Transferred)" reason. Explanation: Some scoundrel impersonated you and voted in your name in another precinct. Or, more likely, Unfortunately an Official at the called precinct marked a "T" on the wrong ATV. Voter, if you had reported your move in the first place, none of this would not have happened. (The Provisional Envelope probably won't provide either of those explanations, but the HT Officials can think them.) Adding a new reason, e.g., "T on ATV", is probably the best. Provisional Envelope: (I don't have a draft to review yet, but since we are on the subject of Provisional Envelopes.) The above items make me think there needs to be some rework of the Provisional Envelope at some point soon. I hereby reassert my strong recommendation that a Provisional Envelope checkbox is needed (at the start of the list on page 2) to say "Do a Photo ID check if the voter did not have an ATV", or something like that. Photo ID Checks are normally done at the RT, but are not done there when the voter's label is not in the pollbook. In that case the Photo ID check must be done at the HT. The signal to the HT is that the voter arrives at the HT with no ATV, so has not been checked so far and must get the Photo ID check done at the HT. However the HTQG documents this with nearly invisible footnote callouts in Flow Chart #2. The only-occasionally-required Photo ID check might easily be overlooked. See my current comments on the May HTQG. <[9/14/25 update: As noted above, the Provisional Envelope was changed again for this election -- the second or third time it has changed since I originally proposed the checkbox described above.]> Page 107: The last sentence: >>typo<< "Tape the boxes shut or secure fold the flaps." => "Tape the boxes shut or securely fold the flaps." ======================================================================== * *** COMMENTS_ON_2025-07-08_CJPG_AND_PIDQG TXT - 8 Jul 2025 23:50:47 - JGKNAUTH (Above is the timestamp from my file that had the comments below.) ======================================================================== Photo ID Quick Guide 2025.v.3 ----- -- ----- ----- Page 1: The text at the top of the page should be edited. It tells only part of the story. It shouldn't repeat some of the details of what the voter has already gone thru (per the Manual and RTQG) before getting to this point, but leaving out some important things. Keeping this PIDQG text as is just exposes you to having the PIDQG get out of sync with the other (main) documentation, as in fact had previously occurred. The PIDQG should focus JUST on Photo ID processing. I think the whole "Voting Process" text should be only: "After the voter's pollbook label has been found (see Manual, Section 4, Registration Table), ask the voter for a photo ID and verify it using the guidelines below. If you believe the voter's Photo ID does not meet all the requirements or the voter does not have a Photo ID, mark the "No ID" and "Photo ID" boxes on the ATV and send the voter to the Help Table with the ATV. The voter does not sign the ATV and you do not initial it." You really need to provide those ATV box marking details here if you are sending the voter to the HT via this document, as you do. Page 4: For the first right-side cell in the FAQ, as is well known by now, my strong recommendation is to ALWAYS send the forgetful voter to the Help Table for the reasons I listed last year in https://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/TEMPORARY/Forgetful_Voters_and_Label_Attachment_Order.htm and which proved well-founded in that election at 19-19. See the postmortem https://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Postmortem_2024-11-05.htm Note also the ATV marking problems for the 5/29/25 (current?) RTQG flowchart that I detailed in my 6/2/25 comments, https://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/Comments_on_QG_May_Drafts.txt That flowchart tries to allow forgetful voters to go outside from the RT. (Then come back where?) To allow this, the flowchart does a late attachment of the label and that can cause some voters to be sent to the HT with an improperly marked ATV. I documented the exact flows for the problems, but never received any feedback on those flowchart comments. Does the Staff disagree with what I documented? Chief Judge Pocket Guide 2025.v.1 ----- ----- ------ ----- Page 10: Bullet 11 (the Last-Minute Absentee item). There is still no mention of possible (likely) PC use to make hardcopies of these lists. And still no mention that a copy is needed for the HT in addition to the copy mentioned to add to the Absentee List. Additionally, consider if either path is followed thru C3 B3, but goes to C3 B4 instead of C2 B5. If the label has been attached, e.g., because of C3 B1, the voter can be sent to the Help Table with only SOME of the appropriate exception boxes checked even though more should have been, e.g., "wrong address". So the HT would have to (hopefully) rediscover these things that might need ATV section C work. Pages 2 and 3, Registration Table Flowchart: HTML/CSS flowchart Even with the above simplifications and bug fixes, the flowchart would still be complicated and could be difficult for an under-pressure RT Official to follow. In contrast, see https://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/RT_Flowchart.htm , which has a more linear flow and emphasizes the Perfect Scenario path. The logic in that flowchart still applies as it did last year. For this year the only changes needed seem to be: Add "T on the label" in three places, paralleling where "A on the label" appears now. <[9/14/25 update: Now have added "P" as well as "T".]> As I have commented before, it is very easy to convert my HTML file (which the BOE Staff can edit) into a PDF file to put in your documents: Just have the browser "print" to a PDF file. (Firefox: "Destination" > "Save to pdf" or Edge: "Printer" > "Save to pdf". Ditto for any other competent browser). Such browsers and the Adobe Acrobat program allow things like orientation, scale (size), and margins to be adjusted to match whatever your printed document requires. The HTML files also allow colors to be adjusted so two views are available from the same file, e.g., a colored one for a display and a black and white one for printing on a B/W-only printer. It also allows what text is displayed to be different from what text is printed. As I have offered before, I'm willing to teach BOE Staff members some basic HTML/CSS if they don't already know it, so they can easily edit such files or create their own. Last year I had put together a web page along those lines: https://jgkhome.name/HTML_CSS/HTML-CSS_Fundamentals.htm Everyone responsible for document creation really should have some HTML/CSS capability in their toolkit. It's one of the best things I have ever learned. Pages 2 and 3, Registration Table Flowchart: HTML/CSS flowchart card Is there any 2025 plan to create a card or page like this one? https://jgkhome.name/WakeBOE/RT_Procedure_SMALL.htm . I heard from both Laura and Spencer that they loved it and would look into having one in 2025. At our polling place in 2024, we used this at our Monday Setup meeting to warn of some RT processing gotchas. Then on Election Day the RT Officials kept it handy as private notes if they needed a quick reminder. It is really much easier for an RT Official to follow than the current RTQG flowchart, especially for the RT processing most voters require. <[9/14/25 update: BOE Staff replied that because of all the recent Legislative changes, they did not have time to do this for this election.]> Page 2, Registration Table Flowchart: Easy to miss footnote callout: Here I have my usual comment about the nearly invisible footnote callout for footnote 1 in column 2 block 2. Instead of a callout, just add text saying something like , "See Note 1 below." You have a lot of room. Help Table Quick Guide 2025.v.1 ---- ----- ----- ----- Page 1: Under "Monday Setup", checkbox 3: "sign on the table" => "signs on the table" Page 4: As noted for past years' documents, the footnote callouts are so tiny they are very easy to miss. Since they are the only place saying a photo ID must be done, that's not good. I propose the following: 1) Delete all four of the tiny callouts to footnote 1, including the one in the "Unreported Move" block. 2) In the "Unreported Move" block, add a new 3 note saying "Do a photo ID check". Renumber the following notes. 3) In the three "footnotes", delete note 1 and renumber the rest. They would no longer be footnotes since there would be no callouts to any of them. 4) To the Provisional Envelope, add a checkbox to do a photo ID check if a voter has no ATV. I have proposed this often before. It seems a MUCH more reliable way to ensure the photo ID check is done rather than depending on the nearly invisible footnote callouts in Flow Chart #2. Page 4, block 7, "Call the Precinct..." I like the idea of now calling the other precinct and creating an ATV instead of going thru the long provisional process and creating yet one more envelope to process after Election Day. However this means the HT at the other precinct now has to answer the phone and then do a pollbook lookup for the name read to them over the phone. In the past, the BOE Staff has expressed concern about adding HT work, e.g., my strong recommendation that the HT handles all the "I forgot my ID" voters, not just some of them. This "remote lookup" for an unreported move is definitely more HT work for the called HT. It's far more than the very few "I forgot my ID, but got all the way to the RT" voters would require. There definitely will be far more "I didn't report my move." voters than "I forgot my ID." voters. Some Things To Consider ---- ------ -- -------- 1) Does the calling HT get put in line behind the work currently in process at the called HT? This could leave both phones offhook for possibly a long time as well as hold up other things at the calling HT while waiting for the called HT to free up. Or does the calling HT get priority and interrupt the called HT processing that is underway? This might cause the called HT Officials to lose track of what they had been doing, to say nothing about what the HT-voters at the called HT might feel about being put "on hold". (HT Muzak anyone?) The remote pollbook lookup might take several minutes or more, especially if the RT has the relevant pollbook(s) tied up. <[9/14/25 update: The BOE Staff replied that the Officials should decide how to proceed based on what's going on at the time, rather than having the Staff write something to dictate how the Officials should work. That sounds appropriate.]> 2) The called Officials will need to be extra careful doing the pollbook lookup since they will not have the voter to interact with in person. I definitely predict some pink "T"s marked on the wrong ATVs, leading to future trips to the HT when the true label owners come in to vote and then have to vote provisionally. <[9/14/25 update: I subsequently proposed that the calling HT Official should read the voter's VRN to the called Official so that Official could doublecheck that the right label would be found and marked. The BOE Staff said this was being considered.]> 3) With the previous Provisional Envelope Unreported Move process, when the BOE Staff examines those envelopes after the election, don't they do some sort of check to see if the voter really moved to where the voter claimed? If the claimed move is not validated, does the BOE cast the ballot anyway or do they NOT cast the ballot? With the new "T" process, that checking capability before ballot casting is lost. I could see some shenanigans possible. The liars could be caught later if the voter's ATV C section is checked, but that would not un-cast the ballot the liar had cast. <[9/14/25 update: The BOE Staff replied that there was no additional checking for this beyond the normal post-canvass sending a new voter card to the voter at their supposed new address. There's no way to uncast a liar's ballot at that point.]> 4) I assume a list of precinct phone numbers will now be on the HT laptop and/or in the HT Binder. Also, in the HTQG you should emphasize (bold highlight or justifying text?) the added importance of turning on the phone and setting up the volume -- checkbox 4 under "Tuesday Before Opening the Polls". I once had an HT Official (not one of my normal ones) who didn't do this. The BOE Help Line finally had to call me on my personal cell phone to ask me to find out why the HT was not answering the phone. The new proposal makes quick and reliable phone answering much more critical. <[9/14/25 update: No answer on this one.]> 5) Having two active HT Officials as a rule would seem appropriate to support this work. In fact we do always try to have two at our polling place with a third as a backup. Nevertheless, this new "T" approach seems worthwhile to try in an attempt cut down on provisional processing during and after the election. We'll learn from experience what matters in the considerations listed above. Voter Assistance Quick Guide 2025.v.1 ----- ---------- ----- ----- Page 2: The last Q/A on the page should be moved up to just below the "Voter Assistance Rules" figures, if not somehow combined with the figure on the right. Maybe just strike out the "including an Election Official" from the figure on the left and then move the "May Precinct Officials provide..." to be the first Q/A. As it stands, the left and right boxes leave hanging the "Can a Precinct Official assist in all cases?" until you get all the way down to the bottom of the page. I had commented on this last year. <[9/14/25 update: Unchanged]> ========================================================================