Budget and Oversight of Public Elections Committee

2009 2008 2007 2006 

AGENDA

 

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

5:00 P.M.

City Hall, Room 421

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

 

Order of Business:

 

1.                  Call to Order, Flag Salute and Roll Call.

 

2.                  Public comment on items appearing or not appearing on the agenda that are within the jurisdiction of the Budget and Oversight of Public Elections Committee.

 

3.         Discussion and possible action to recommend that the full Elections Commission approve the Election Plan for the November 7, 2006 Consolidated General Election.

 

4.         Discussion and possible action to recommend that the full Elections Commission approve the Waiver Allowing City Employees to Assist the Department of Elections with the November 7, 2006 Consolidated General Election.

 

5.       Discussion and possible action to advise the Elections Commission on holding hearings and receiving public input and recommendations, at the soonest possible date, regarding voting equipment for future elections and the possible use of funds provided under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

 

6.         Discussion and possible action concerning impacts of current and/or proposed changes to Federal, State or Municipal elections codes and mandates upon operations of the Department of Elections or understanding of the elections process by voters.  [Commissioner Gleason] (This item is a recurring and continuing agenda item for the BOPEC Committee.)

 

7.         Discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the Budget and Oversight of Public Elections Committee meeting of August 2, 2006.

 

8.         Public Comment on any issue within the general jurisdiction of the Budget and Oversight of Public Elections Committee.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

 

 

Disability Access

The Elections Commission meeting will be held in Room 048, City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA. The Commission meeting room is wheelchair accessible. The closest accessible BART station is the Civic Center Station at United Nations Plaza and Market Street. Accessible MUNI lines serving this location are: #42 Downtown Loop, and #71 Haight/Noriega and the F Line to Market and Van Ness and the Metro Stations at Van Ness and Market and at Civic Center. For information about MUNI accessible services call (415) 923-6142. There is accessible curbside parking adjacent to City Hall on Grove Street and Van Ness Avenue and in the vicinity of the Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue adjacent to Davies Hall and the War Memorial Complex.

The following services are available on request 48 hours prior to the meeting; except for Monday meetings, for which the deadline shall be 4:00 p.m. of the last business day of the preceding week: For American sign language interpreters or the use of a reader during a meeting, a sound enhancement system, and/or alternative formats of the agenda and minutes, please contact The Elections Office at (415) 554- 4375 or our TDD at (415) 554-4386 to make arrangements for the accommodation. Late requests will be honored, if possible.

In order to assist the City's efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products.  Please help the City accommodate these individuals. Individuals with chemical sensitivity or related disabilities should call our accessibility hotline at (415) 554-6060.

Know your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)

Government's duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils, and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people's business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people's review. For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, Donna Hall, Clerk, City Hall, Room 409, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4683 at Phone No.: (415) 554-7724; Fax No.: (415) 554-7854; E-mail: [email protected] Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can be obtained from the Clerk of the Sunshine Task Force, the San Francisco Public Library and on the City's website at  www.ci.sf.ca.us.

Materials contained in the Commission packets for meetings are available for inspection at the Elections Department, City Hall Room 48, in the Commission's Public Binder, no later than 72 hours prior to meetings.

The ringing of and use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices.

Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements

Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code §2.100] to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the Ethics Commission at 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900, San Francisco, CA 94102; telephone (415) 581-2300, fax (415) 581-2317; web site at http://www.sfethics.org/.

 

 

 

 

 

PACKET ATTACHMENTS FOR THIS MEETING:

 

Election Plan

City and County of San Francisco

 

Consolidated General Election

November 7, 2006

Introduction

The San Francisco Department of Elections (DOE) must:

“…Conduct all public federal, state, district and municipal elections in the City and County…[This includes] voter registration; the nomination and filing process for candidates to City and County offices; the preparation and distribution of voter information materials; ballots, precinct operations and vote count; the prevention of fraud in such elections; and the recount of ballots in cases of challenge or fraud.”

(San Francisco Charter, sec. 13.104)

Organizing and running an election in the City and County of San Francisco requires staffing of 561 polling places.  Sites must be located and precinct workers recruited and trained for each precinct.  Voter information pamphlets and sample ballots must be prepared and distributed.  Absentee ballots must be sent to voters who have requested them or who are registered as permanent Absentee voters.  Additionally, in advance of the election, voting machines must be tested, and Deputy Sheriffs must be assigned and coordinated to pick up voted ballots for transport to the holding facility after the polls close.  Ballots and equipment must be transported to each site and assembled.  Poll workers are to arrive by 6:00 a.m. to set up the polling place, then at 7:00 a.m. start to process voters as they arrive.  The pollworkers are to post and update a list of voters registered in the precinct who have voted on an hourly basis.  Once the polls close at 8:00 p.m., the poll workers must print two receipt tapes that indicate all votes cast with the Optech Eagle. 

At the close of Election Day, inspectors are to remove the Memory pack from the Optech Eagle and place it along with one receipt tape, into a special bag.  A Parking and Traffic Control Officer retrieves it and transports it to an uplink facility.  Inspectors must post the second receipt outside the polling place.  Voted ballots must be removed from the Optech Eagle scanner and Red Box and readied for transport to a holding facility.  Pollworkers are to reconcile the number of unused ballots remaining with the number delivered to the precinct and the number used with the Ballot Card Statement (BCS). A copy of the BCS must be posted outside polling place along with the Optech Eagle receipt.  Pollworkers must take down the voting booths and ready the equipment and supplies for later pick up.

Provisional and Absentee ballots that have been dropped off at a polling place are delivered to the DOE office in City Hall.  Department staff are to process all Provisional and Absentee ballots to determine whether it is to be accepted or challenged.  Challenged ballots are neither opened nor counted whereas accepted ballots are opened, extracted and prepared for tabulation.  California election law allows 28 days following an election for the election official to conduct the official canvass and certify the election results.

Between elections, DOE must conduct voter file maintenance of the following to ensure the voter rolls are current and as accurate as possible.  This maintenance includes:

·          Purging of deceased individuals;

·          Purging of duplicate registrations;

·          Purging of individuals in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony;

·          Purging of voters who have moved out of county; and

·          Cross-checking our files with those of the Secretary of State.

         I.      Governing of Election

The upcoming election shall be governed in accordance with:

• California Election Code;
• San Francisco Municipal Elections Code and applicable Charter Amendments;
• United States Voting Rights Acts (1965)
• United States Help America Vote Act (2002)
• United States Americans With Disabilities Act (1990);
• Previously established administrative procedures which the San Francisco Department of Elections and the Director of Elections deem to be best practices.

All operations of the upcoming election shall be in accordance with one, some or all of the above listed guidelines, except for any new procedures or practices which are not covered by any of the above guidelines, but which could affect the security of ballots or confuse a voter’s understanding or perception of the conduct of the election such as the introduction of any new voting equipment or procedures.

      II.      New Equipment

Beginning January 1, 2006, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA, 2002) requires all polling places throughout the country to provide equipment that allows voters with, but not limited to, sight and mobility impairments to vote independently and privately.  To meet this requirement, the DOE has purchased the AutoMARK from Elections Systems and Software (ES&S).  The AutoMARK, often referred to as a “ballot-marking” machine is not a tabulator and does not count votes or record any information from the ballot, but simply assists voters in marking their selection on paper ballots. The Department will tally votes from the Eagle and AutoMARK independently of one another; voted AutoMARK ballots will be secured and brought back to City Hall on election night and will be tallied using a central count machine. 

   III.      New Practices

- AutoMARK Cards Re-made onto Eagle Cards

At the polling places, voters will place their voted AutoMARK ballots in to the same box as Absentee voters place their voted absentee ballots.  AutoMARK ballots are to be “Remade” and processed at the Central Count location at City Hall using the IV-C machines.  The ballots will be sorted by precinct number and processed by the IV-C machine.  A transport log is to be completed when ballots are moved from one processing room to another to ensure the chain of custody.  During the ballot count, any ballot that cannot be processed by the IV-C is set aside for remake, similar to the way Absentee Optech Eagle and Provisional ballots are processed for remake.

-Sheriff’s Deputies to retrieve PCM-CIA Cards

The Deputies from the Sheriff’s Department will assist the Department of Elections with the retrieval of the PCM-CIA cards at the polling places on Election Night.  After the polls close the Deputy Sheriffs travel prearranged routes and retrieve the PCM-CIA from the polling places.  The Deputy Sheriffs will remove the PCM-CIA cards from the Optech Eagle and places it into a special plastic container and seal it. After completing routes that consist of no more than ten stops, the Deputy Sheriffs will transport the PCM-CIA cards to the Processing Center at Pier 29. At the Processing Center, the cards will be accounted for and transfer to City Hall.  The Deputy Sheriffs also pick up paper ballots and other election materials from the poll places and deliver to the Processing Center.

    IV.      Election Summary

1.         Offices and Local Ordinances and Charter Amendment To Be Voted On

The following state and local elective offices will be in contention:

Federal and State Offices

Governor;Lieutenant Governor;Secretary of State; Controller; Treasurer; Attorney General; Insurance Commissioner; Member, State Board of Equalization, District 1; U.S. Senator; U.S. Representative to Congress; Districts 8 and 12; State Senator, District 8;  Member, State Assembly, Districts 12 and 13.

Judicial Offices

Two Associate Justices of the Supreme Court; Presiding Justice, Court Of Appeal, District 1, Division 1;  Associate Justice, Court Of Appeal, District 1, Division 1;  Associate Justice, Court Of Appeal, District 1, Division 2, two seats; Presiding Justice, Court Of Appeal, District 1, Division 3; Associate Justice, Court Of Appeal District 1, Division 3; Presiding Justice, Court Of Appeal, District 1, Division 4; Associate Justice, Court Of Appeal, District 1, Division 4, two seats; Presiding Justice, Court Of Appeal, District 1, Division 5

District Offices

BART Director, District 8

School District and College District Offices

Three members of the Board of Education for the San Francisco Unified School District, and three members of the Community College Board

City and County Offices

Assessor-Recorder; Public Defender; Member, Board of Supervisors, Districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10.

Bond Measures

A - School Bonds

Charter Amendments

B - Allowing Members of Boards and Commissions to Participate in Meetings by Teleconference due to Pregnancy and Related Conditions; Adoption of Parental Leave Policies

C - Setting Salaries of Certain Local Elected Officials

Local Ordinances

D - Disclosure of Private Information

E - Parking Tax Ordinance

F - Paid Sick Leave Ordinance

G - Limitations on Formula Retail Stores

H - Relocation Assistance for No Fault Tenant Removal

 Declarations of Policy

I - Adopting a Policy that the Mayor Appear Monthly at a Board of Supervisors Meeting

J - Adopting a Policy Calling for the Impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney

K - Adopting a Policy Relating to the Housing Needs of Seniors and Disabled Adults

2.                  Voter Registration numbers: As of  September 8, 2006

 

3.                  Number of precincts: 580

Of the 580 precincts, 19 are mail-in only.

4.         Number of pollworkers required: Approximately 2,500

For the November 7, 2006 Consolidated General Election the DOE will staff each polling place with four (4) pollworkers: one (1) Inspector and three (3) Clerks. In addition to the approximately 2,500 pollworkers assigned to the precincts, the DOE will recruit 140 stand-by pollworkers, who will be stationed at City Hall and dispatched as needed on Election Day.

It is the DOE’s plan to expand our services to voters who need language assistance on Election Day and exceed the 3% standard imposed by California Elections Code, Chapter 4, Article 1, Section 12303 (b)-(c).  We will place Chinese- and Spanish-speaking pollworkers at precincts as follows:

·          At least one bilingual pollworker in every precinct where 10 or more registered voters have requested election material in Chinese or Spanish;

·          At least two bilingual pollworkers in every precinct where 75 or more registered voters have requested election material in Chinese or Spanish; and

·          Three to four bilingual pollworkers in every precinct where 120 or more registered voters have requested election material in Chinese or Spanish.  

In addition to the aforementioned bilingual pollworkers, the Department further targets precincts that may require language assistance by placing Chinese- and Spanish-speaking pollworkers in every precinct where 25 or more registered voters were born in Chinese- and Spanish-speaking countries. 

In summary:

• 340 precincts (61% of 561 polling places) will be staffed with Chinese-speaking pollworkers (450 pollworkers total); and
• 105 precincts (19% of 561 polling places) will be staffed with Spanish-speaking pollworkers (105 pollworkers total).

5.         Voting equipment to be used: At precincts, the Optech Eagle and AutoMARK machines will be used.  At City Hall, and the Optech IV-C will be used.

6.         Number of Permanent Absentee Voters: 128,056 as of September 8, 2006.:

7.         Ballots:

• There will be forty-one ballot types, based on the combinations of Congressional, State Senate and State Assembly, BART and Supervisorial districts that comprise San Francisco and the rotations of candidate names required by California Elections Code;
• Each voter will receive five ballot cards; and
• The ballots will be trilingual: English, Chinese and Spanish.

8.         Voter Information Pamphlet and Sample Ballot:

• English Voter Information Pamphlets will be mailed beginning in early October.  Although the legal mailing deadline for this election is 21 days before the election (October 17^th), we plan to complete the mailing by October 10^th, 28 days prior to the election.  (Normally, our target date is 29 days prior to the election, but October 9^th is a legal holiday).

       V.      Critical Dates and Deadlines

• Candidate Filing Deadlines

-         Signatures in Lieu of Filing Fee: July 27, 2006

-         Nomination Period: August 11, 2006

-         Statement of Write-in Candidacy: October 24, 2006

• Write-in Candidate deadlines: October 24, 2006
• Ballot argument deadlines:

-         Proponent/Opponent Arguments: August 18, 2006 by Noon

-         Rebuttal to Proponent/Opponent Arguments: August 22, 2006 by Noon

-         Paid Ballot: August 23, 2006 by Noon

• Public Inspection period of Candidate Qualification Statements: August 12 – August 22, 2006 by Noon
• Public Inspection period of Ballot Designations: August 12 – August 22, 2006 by Noon
• Public Inspection period of Ballot Digests, Financial Analyses and Ballot Questions: August 15 – August 25, 2006 by Noon
• Public Inspection Period of Proponent and Opponent Ballot Arguments for District Bond Measure: August 18 – August 28, 2006 by 2:00 p.m.
• Public Inspection period of Proponent and Opponent Arguments: August 22 – September 4, 2006 by Noon
• Public Inspection period of Rebuttal Arguments: August 24 – September 4, 2006 by Noon
• Public Inspection period of Paid Arguments: August 25 – September 4, 2006 by Noon
• Special Circumstance Extended Public Inspection period for Candidate Qualification Statements and Ballot Designations: August 16 – August 26, 2006 by Noon
• Begin mailing ballots for overseas voters: September 8, 2006
• First day for Early Voting: October 10, 2006 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Early voting on weekends begin October 28^th and 29^th, 2006 and November 4^th and 5^th 2006 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• First day for mailing Absentee ballots: October 10, 2006
• Deadline for Voter Registration: October 23, 2006
• Last day to mail Voter Information Pamphlet: October 28, 2006 but mailings can begin as early as 40 days prior to November 7, 2006
• Last day to request Absentee ballot be mailed: October 31, 2006
• First day processing Absentee ballots: October 31, 2006
• Election Day: November 7, 2006 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• First day of processing Provisional ballots: November 8, 2006
• Deadline for Certification of Election: December 5, 2006

VI.       Security and Distribution of Ballots Before and On Election Day

1.         Absentee Optech Eagle Ballots/Absentee Generic Optech Eagle Ballots/Absentee Generic AutoMARK Ballots

• Location of fulfillment of unvoted Absentee ballots

-         Unvoted Absentee ballots will be secured in Brooks Hall located in the basement of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, prior to delivery to the Evans Street post office. 

-         Unvoted Absentee generic Optech Eagle and generic AutoMARK ballots will be secured in Room 59 at City Hall.

·          The Department will send Optech Eagle ballots for voters requesting a ballot by mail

·          Permanent Absentee ballots: Oct 10, 2006

-         Follow-up Absentee ballot requests would immediately follow the mailing of Permanent Absentee ballots.

·          Location of secured, returned, voted Absentee ballots

-         All early voted ballots will be secured in City Hall.

2.         Precinct Optech Eagle and AutoMARK Ballots/Precinct Generic and Precinct AutoMARK Generic Ballots

Unvoted Optech Eagle, precinct AutoMARK, precinct generic and precinct AutoMARK generic ballots are staged and distributed to polling place inspectors at 240 Van Ness Avenue, one block south of City Hall.  Precinct Optech Optech Eagle and AutoMARK ballots will be distributed to the polling place inspectors upon their completion of training classes beginning Wednesday, November 1, 2006 through Saturday, November 4, 2006. If inspectors cannot pick up their ballots after training class, the Department will deliver the cards to their residence.

3.         Securing Voted Ballots During Election Day

For this election, there will be no mid-day pick up of voted ballots.  The bins attached to the Optech Optech Eagle optical scan machines contain internal barriers which separate ballots that have votes for write-in candidates. 

VII      Transporting and Securing Precinct Ballots and Vote-Recording Devices after the Polls Close on Election Day

1.         Vote-Recording Devices

·          Optech Eagle Memory Packs (or similar device)

·          Locations of Central Ballot Count uplinks

The Optech Eagle contains a memory device or “Memory Pack” which records how ballots were voted and PCM-CIA cards record how RCV ballots were voted.

The Department of Parking and Traffic’s Parking Control Officers (PCO’s) will assist the Department of Elections with the retrieval of the Memory packs at the polling places on Election Night.  After the polls close and two receipt tapes indicating all votes cast in the Optech Eagle are printed, the inspector removes the Memory pack from the Optech Eagle and places it into a special anti-static bag, and then seals that bag. The PCO’s travel prearranged routes and retrieve the Memory packs from the polling places.  After completing routes that consist of no more than ten stops, the PCOs will transport the Memory packs to “uplink sites”; uplink sites are essentially modem centers.  The Memory packs are placed into modems that transmit the Memory pack data to the Department of Elections’ computer room in City Hall. 

The Deputies from the Sheriff’s Department will assist the Department of Elections with the retrieval of the PCM-CIA cards at the polling places on Election Night.  After the polls close the Deputy Sheriffs travel prearranged routes and retrieve the PCM-CIA cards from the polling places.  The Deputy Sheriffs will remove the PCM-CIA cards from the Optech Eagle and places it into a special plastic container and seal it. After completing routes that consist of no more than ten stops, the Deputy Sheriffs will transport the PCM-CIA cards to the Processing Center at Pier 29. At the Processing Center, the cards will be accounted for and transfer to City Hall.  The Deputy Sheriffs also pick up paper ballots and other election materials from the poll places and deliver to the Processing Center.

2.         Paper Ballots

Once the polls close, Deputies from the Sheriff’s Department transport the Optech Eagle voted, unvoted, Provisional, Absentee and, AutoMARK ballots and the Rosters of Voters from the polling places to the Department of Elections’ Processing Center at Pier 29.  At the Processing Center DOE staff collect the bags containing Optech Eagle Absentee, AutoMARK and Provisional ballots and rosters.  These items will be delivered to City Hall the next morning, Wednesday, , November 8 2006, under Deputy Sheriff escort. Since the AutoMARK cards are not processed at the polls, these ballots will be processed at the Central Count location at City Hall.

VIII.    Ballot Processing

1.         Absentee Optech Eagle Ballots

In San Francisco, an Absentee ballot is placed into the return envelope, which the Absentee voter must sign.  The envelope also has a label with the voter’s name and address printed on it.  Upon receipt at DOE, the signature on the Absentee ballot envelope is compared to the voter’s signature on the affidavit of registration on file (Cal. Elec. Code Sec. 3019), and the voter is noted in the computerized database as having voted.  Properly submitted ballots are then sorted by precinct.

Bins of sorted Absentee ballots are then opened by a worker who slides the envelope through a slicing machine, extracts the ballot and places them in stacks.  Throughout this period, the side of the envelope with the voter’s identifying information is kept facing downward so as to protect the voter’s privacy.  Extracted ballots are then delivered to the Central Count location in City Hall.

If a voter’s Absentee ballot is received more than approximately ten (10) days prior to the election, the polling place Roster will reflect this.  If the voter has requested an Absentee ballot, this too will be noted in the roster and the voter will have to surrender the Absentee ballot before being allowed to vote, or the voter will have to cast a Provisional ballot.

·          The Department of Elections begins processing Absentee ballots beginning October 10, 2006.

-         For this election, Absentee ballots are to be processed at the Central Count location at City Hall using the IV-C machine.  After the ballots are verified, the Ballot Distribution division receives the accepted ballots.  The ballot envelopes are then sorted by precinct number, opened, and extracted in Room 59 in City Hall.  Once the ballots are removed, they are prepared for counting in the DOE Computer Room; header cards are placed between each precinct and log sheets are completed for each box of voted ballots.  When ballots are moved from Room 59 to the Computer Room, a transport log is used to ensure the chain of custody.  During ballot counting, any ballot that cannot be processed by the IV-C machine is set aside for manual review and remake if required.  The IV-C machines also separate write-in ballots which will require manual review and tally. 

During the canvass process, any auxiliary bin ballots are also reviewed.  Once the Canvass Board determines that the auxiliary bin ballots have not been counted by the Optech Eagle on Election Day at the polls, the ballots are transported to the Central Count location at City Hall.  They are then processed through the IV-C machine, similar to the way Absentee and Provisional ballots are counted.

·          Date to begin processing precinct (Election Day) delivered Absentee and AutoMARK ballots: November 8, 2006.

-         At the polling places, voters will place their voted AutoMARK ballots in to the same box as Absentee voters place their voted absentee ballots.  AutoMARK ballots are to be “Remade” and processed at the Central Count location at City Hall using the IV-C machines.  The ballots will be sorted by precinct number and processed by the IV-C machine.  A transport log is to be completed when ballots are moved from one processing room to another to ensure the chain of custody.  During the ballot count, any ballot that cannot be processed by the IV-C is set aside for remake, similar to the way Absentee Optech Eagle and Provisional ballots are processed for remake.

2.         Precinct Ballots

·          Procedure for processing ballots and precinct Vote-Recording devices at uplink sites (Central Ballot Count locations)

On Election Night there will be “Optech Eagle” Memory packs for “uploading” at seven (7) uplink sites.  Results from these Memory packs will be transmitted to City Hall for tabulation and reporting.

The Department of Election’s uplink sites are located at:

·          Central Police Station                                              

·          Richmond Police Station                                         

·          City Hall – McAllister Entrance                                 

·          Mission Police Station                                             

·          Bay View Police Station                                          

·          Ingleside Police Station                                           

·          Taraval Police Station                                              

Uplink Sites are operational on Election Day from approximately 7:00 – 11 p.m.  From 8:15 - 10:00 p.m.: all Memory packs will be delivered to the Uplink Sites for transmission to the DOE Computer Room in City Hall.  On completion of the Memory pack via the Smart Pack Reader (SPR) unit, all Memory packs and other equipment will be returned to City Hall.

Election Day Uplink Timeline*:

* Actual times may vary.

3.         Provisional Ballots

Forty-one different ballot types will be used in San Francisco in this election, owing to the various boundaries and intersections of Congressional districts, state assembly districts, and state senate, BART and Supervisorial districts.  As addressed elsewhere in this document, if a voter votes outside of their assigned polling place, any contest(s) for which they are not eligible to vote, based on their registration, will not be counted.

Provisional envelopes contain the ballots of voters whose names did not appear on the roster of the polling place at which they voted. 

Provisional ballots require individual adjudication in which a DOE employee compares the signature on the pink envelope to the voter’s signature on the affidavit of registration on file. This process is performed by using Data Information Management System (DIMS) to identify the voter and determine whether the voter is registered and which ballot type the voter should have voted according to the voter’s current residential address.  The DIMS database is programmed to compare whether the ballot type issued and the ballot type the voter is entitled to vote with is the same, in which case the candidates and measures will be counted for the entire ballot.  The “Help America Vote Act” (HAVA) and California Election Code Section 14310 (3)(b) states, “If the ballot cast by the voter contains candidates or measures on which the voter would not have been entitled to vote in his or her assigned precinct, the elections official shall count only the votes for the candidates and measures on which the voter was entitled to vote in his or her assigned precinct.”  Provisional ballots are challenged and will not be counted for the following reasons:

·          Identity of the voter cannot be determined;

·          Envelope is not signed;

·          Envelope is not sealed;

·          No residential address provided;

·          Signature does not compare or match to the voter registration on file;

·          No ballot is enclosed; and/or

·          The signature is printed.

4.         Damaged and Remake Ballots

Under certain circumstances, when a ballot is lawfully cast but unreadable by the vote counting equipment, the Department of Elections must "remake" the ballot so it can be read and processed by the equipment.  For example, ballots that are torn, bent, folded, dirty, damp or damaged must be remade.  The remade ballot must reflect the voter's intent insofar as the voter's intent can be determined from the defective ballot. 

California Elections Code Section 15210 requires the Department to remake ballots when the voter used a pencil or pen that cannot be read by the vote counting equipment, or when the voter marked a sample or photocopied ballot rather than an actual ballot.  Under certain circumstances, voters are permitted to use sample ballots and photocopied ballots when actual ballots are not readily available. 

In general, precinct ballots (ballots cast at the polling place) are not remade.  Precinct ballots are usually in good condition.  In addition, the optical scan "Optech Eagle" machines used at the polling place usually detect problematic marks on the ballot, and inform the voter of the problem.  The voter then has an opportunity to correct the problem before finally casting the ballot.  For these reasons, most remakes are Absentee ballots and Provisional ballots (which are cast at the polling place but not inserted in the Optech Eagle machine).  However, occasionally, precinct ballots (such as those ballots that are deposited in an Optech Eagle machine auxiliary bin) are also subject to remake.  The auxiliary bin is a compartment used to collect ballots when the Optech Eagle machine is temporarily out of order.

The original, unreadable ballot is called the "original."  The duplicate ballot is called the "remake."

The remake process, like all aspects of ballot processing, is open to public

Common Situations for Remaking a Ballot

The following is a list of the most common situations in which the Department of Elections remakes ballots:

·          A portion of the ballot card is torn off;

·          The ballot card is ripped;

·          The ballot card is bent, folded, creased or wrinkled;

·          The ballot card is damp, dirty or sticky;

·          The ballot card has ink smudges, eraser marks or eraser holes;

·          The ballot has stray marks that could interfere with the ability of the equipment to count votes cast on the ballot; and/or

·          The voter used a pencil or pen that cannot be detected by the vote counting equipment. 

The Department of Elections determines when it is necessary to remake a ballot. 

What are Examples of Incorrectly-Marked Ballots that are Not Remade?

The following are examples of incorrectly marked ballots that are not remade by the Department of Elections (California Elections Codes § 15342 and 15208).  These are votes that are not cast according to State law and for that reason the votes are invalid and may not be counted. 

·          The voter marked the ballot with a sticker or stamp to indicate the name of a write-in candidate;

·          The voter wrote in the name of a qualified write-in candidate but failed to connect the head and tail or the arrow pointing to the space for write-in candidates; and/or

·          The voter marked or signed the ballot so that the ballot can be identified by others as the voter's ballot.

What is the Process for Remaking Ballots?

All Absentee and Provisional ballots (and any precinct ballot cards that were not inserted in and processed by an Optech Eagle machine at the polling place) are processed using the IV-C machine.  AutoMARK cards are processed using the M650 machine at the Central Count location.  If the Central Count IV-C machine or M650 machine segregates a ballot for any reason, the ballot must be reviewed by a Remake Team to determine whether a remake is necessary.

Each Remake Team consists of four members – two Screeners, and two Markers.  Working together, the two Screeners review each ballot to determine whether a remake is necessary. 

A ballot card must be remade if:

·          The ballot card is torn;

·          The ballot card is ripped;

·          The ballot card is bent, folded, creased or wrinkled;

·          The ballot card is damp, dirty or sticky;

·          The ballot card has ink smudges;

·          The ballot card has a stray mark in the "read path”;

·          The ballot card has eraser marks or eraser holes;

·          The voter used a pencil or pen that cannot be detected by the vote counting equipment; and/or

·          The voter failed to mark the ballot by connecting the head and tail of the arrow (as directed in the voting instructions) but instead used an incorrect mark, and used the same incorrect mark for every contest. 

Examples of incorrect marks are:

·          The voter circled the candidate's name;

·          The voter circled part or all of the arrow;

·          The voter underlined part or all of the arrow;

·          The voter made an "X" through the arrow;

·          The voter used the space provided for write-in candidates for each contest to write in the name of a candidate whose name is actually printed on the ballot;

·          The voter marked the ballot by connecting the head and tail of the arrow next to the name of a single candidate, and in addition used the space provided for write-in candidates for the contest to write in the name of the same candidate and/or

·          The voter marked the ballot by connecting the head and tail of the arrow next to the name of a single candidate, and connected the arrow next to the name of another candidate for the same office but then crossed out that mark.

If the Screeners have any questions about whether a ballot must be remade, they should address their questions to the Department of Elections manager supervising the remake process (the "Manager").  If a question cannot be resolved by reviewing this guide, the question must be resolved by the Manager in consultation with the Director of Elections.

The remade ballot must reflect the voter's intent.  The two Screeners, again working together, must determine the voter's intent from the original ballot.  If the Screeners have any questions about the determination of voter intent, they should address their questions to the Department of Elections Manager supervising the remake process.  The question must be resolved by the Manager in consultation with the Director of Elections.

If the two Screeners determine that a remake is necessary and that the voter's intent is clear, the Remake Team should obtain a blank ballot that is the correct ballot type for remaking the ballot. 

Working together, the two Markers must duplicate the votes cast on the original ballot on the remake ballot.  The remake must reflect the intent of the voter, as determined by the Screeners.  The Markers use ballot pens provided by the voting system vendor to ensure that the marks can be read by the vote count equipment.

The Markers must code both the original ballot and the remake with the following information:

·          “AV” to indicate that the original was an Absentee ballot;

·          “PV” to indicate that the original was a Provisional ballot;

·          “AutoMARK” to indicate that the original was an AutoMARK ballot;

·          Precinct number;

·          Initials of the person marking the remake;

·          Date the remake was made; and

·          Number of the remake ballot in sequence number.

For example:  For an Absentee ballot, precinct number 3254, remade by MM on 11/02, where the remake was the first remake in a sequence starting with the number 001 (and continuing with 002, 003, etc…), both the original and remake would include the following coding:

                                       AV 3254    MM 11/02   001                                                                                                                        

Finally, the markers must stamp "Original" on the original ballot and “Remake” on the duplicate ballot. 

When is the Remake Process Completed?

The remake process continues until all ballots have been examined and, if necessary, remade.  The remakes are then counted and tabulated by precinct by the IV-C equipment.  All ballots must be processed, counted and tabulated within 28 days of the election.

5.         Write-In Votes for both the Optech Eagle and AutoMARK

 

Throughout the write-in process, the procedures for Precinct Optech Eagle Ballots, Precinct AutoMARK Ballots, Absentee/Mail Ballots, Provisional Ballots and Auxiliary Bin Ballots are similar, but the cards are counted and stored separately.

 

1. After confirming that all cards with write-ins have been received (by comparing physical card counts for each precinct with the Optech Eagle, IV-C counts), segregate the non-RCV and RCV ballot cards by precinct and follow the procedures for each type of card.

 

Non-RCV Ballot Cards with Write-In Votes

 

a.       Teams of two screeners separate cards with valid write-in votes from those with no valid write-in votes.  Any overvotes or write-in votes that are not for certified write-in candidates for that contests (or candidates listed on the ballot) are stamped “VOID” in red ink across the write‑in name(s).

 

2. After all of the non-RCV ballot cards with write-in votes have been reviewed and separated, cards with no valid write-in votes are set aside for storage and a tally of votes for qualified write-in candidates is begun.  This tally will be recorded on the Unofficial Tally Sheet for Write-Ins with the appropriate box checked (“Precinct Optech Eagle Ballots,” etc.).

 

3. Each recording team will consist of four people: the Caller, the Observer, and two Recorders.  In addition, a Monitor will oversee the workflow.

 

4. For each card, the Caller will read aloud the precinct number, the card number (if applicable), the contest that contains a valid write-in vote, and the contents of the name field.  The Observer, who sits close enough to the caller to be able to read the ballot, will ensure that the Caller is correct.  Each Recorder will look for the candidate’s name on an Unofficial Tally Sheet for Write-Ins.  This sheet lists only qualified write-in candidates (certified write-in candidates plus candidates whose names appear on the ballot) for each contest.  Each recorder will write the corresponding precinct number on the tally sheet, in the first available slot next to the candidate’s name.

 

5. This process will continue until each contest with a valid write-in vote has been recorded.

 

6. Continue until all ballot cards with write-in votes have been processed.

 

7. Each Recorder will then enter the total number of votes for each qualified write-in candidate for each contest.  There will now be two identical, simultaneously generated Unofficial Tally Sheets for Write-Ins, one from each Recorder.

 

8. If the two Unofficial Tally Sheets do not match, the ballot cards will be reviewed until the cause for the discrepancy is determined and the discrepancy is resolved.

 

9. The Absentee / mail, Provisional, and auxiliary bin ballot cards are processed following the same procedures as the precinct Optech Eagle ballots, with one exception:

 

In the event of an overvote in which a candidate listed on the ballot is selected and the same candidate is also indicated as a write-in vote, this should be accepted as a valid write-in vote for that candidate, rather than treated as an overvote.  The reason for this difference in handling is that a voter who has voted via a mailed ballot or voted Provisionally or using the auxiliary bin has not been given the opportunity to correct the overvote; the duplicate vote for the same candidate must be interpreted as intent to select that candidate.

 

This exception does not apply to AutoMARK ballots, as the machine will not allow overvotes. (Note: Although, the machine does not allow overvoting on any contest, an AutoMARK ballot card can still contain an overvote if a voter manually marks the ballot using a ballot marker instead of the AutoMARK.)

·          Once all ballot cards with write-in votes have been processed, the results are recorded on the Unofficial Tally Sheets for Write-Ins for Precinct Optech Eagle Ballots, Precinct AutoMARK Ballots, Absentee/Mail Ballots, Provisional Ballots and Auxiliary Bin Ballots will be reviewed and tallied by DOE Management Information for reporting purposes.

 

RCV Ballot Cards with Write-In Votes

 

1. Sort the ballot cards by precinct number.

 

2. Segregate cards according to the voters’ write-in choices for all RCV contests on the ballot card.

 

Beginning with the first precinct in the first district to be reviewed, a team of two screeners will review each ballot card, checking each contest and each choice with a write-in vote. Keeping the ballots in precinct order, they will create four stacks, grouping ballot cards with write-in choices for:

 

1.      Only certified write-in candidates (from certified write-in list)

For one or more contests or choices, the voter has completed the arrow next to the space for write-in candidates and written in the name of a candidate who appears on the certified write-in list for that contest and precinct.

2.      Only candidates whose names appear on the ballot

For one or more contests or choices, the voter has completed the arrow next to the space for write-in candidates and written in the name of a candidate listed on the ballot for that contest and precinct.

3.      Only invalid candidates or blanks

For one or more contests or choices, the voter has completed the arrow next to the space for write-in candidates and has written in something other than the name of a candidate who appears on the certified write-in list or on the ballot, or has left the write-in area blank

4.      Any combination of the above

The voter has made more than one RCV write-in choice, either for the same contest or for different contests.  The voter’s choices include a combination of valid candidate names (listed on the certified write-in list or on the ballot) and/or invalid candidate names.

Keep in mind that the groupings should be determined based on all write-in choices on the entire ballot card (all contests and choices).  Overvoted ballot cards should also be categorized according to the above criteria.

3. A team of two screeners will separate the ballot cards in each of the above categories into two groups:  those that require remakes and those that are ready for processing.  Remakes are generally required if a voter has written in an invalid candidate or a candidate listed on the ballot.  Ballot cards that are ready for processing will be reviewed by another team of two screeners, then collected in a container for transfer to the City Hall computer room, to be processed by the IV-C machine. 

 

1.      Only certified write-in candidates (from certified write-in list)

 

a)      Write-in is the only vote for that choice (no overvote):

Ballot card is ready for processing; no remake is necessary (unless another write-in choice requires a remake).

b)      Write-in is not the only vote for that choice (overvote):

The voter’s intent cannot be determined.  The ballot card would have been initially rejected by the Eagle machine at the polling place, allowing the voter the option to spoil and replace the overvoted ballot card.  Ballot card is ready for processing; no remake is necessary (unless another write-in choice requires a remake).

2.      Only candidates whose names appear on the ballot

 

a)      Write-in is the only vote for that choice (no overvote):

The ballot card must be remade, with the candidate’s name selected from the ballot list rather than written in. Other choices without write-in votes and other contests are recreated exactly as on the original ballot.  Refer to Remake Procedure below

b)      Write-in is not the only vote for that choice (overvote):

The voter’s intent cannot be determined.  The ballot card would have been initially rejected by the Eagle machine at the polling place, allowing the voter the option to spoil and replace the overvoted ballot card.  Ballot card is ready for processing; no remake is necessary (unless another write-in choice requires a remake).

3.      Only invalid candidates or blanks

 

a)      Write-in is the only vote for that choice (no overvote):

The ballot card must be remade, with the choice that included the write-in skipped, and other choices without write-in votes and other contests recreated exactly as on the original ballot.  Refer to Remake Procedure below.

b)      Write-in is not the only vote for that choice (overvote):

The voter’s intent cannot be determined.  The ballot card would have been initially rejected by the Eagle machine at the polling place, allowing the voter the option to spoil and replace the overvoted ballot card.  Ballot card is ready for processing; no remake is necessary (unless another write-in choice requires a remake).

 

4.      Any combination of the above

 

A supervisor will review these ballot cards and advise staff of further actions to be taken, using the procedures above as guidelines.

 

Remade ballots and original ballots that are ready for processing will be boxed and transferred with a Sheriff escort to City Hall to be processed using the IV-C system.

IX.       Election Results Reporting

1.         Reporting Results on Election Night After the Close of Polls

After the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Night, election results from the precincts will be released as they become available.  Results will be issued in the following formats: a continuous screen display in the North Light Court of City Hall, on SFGTV, Channel 25 and on the Department’s website.

2.                  Updates: Reporting of Results after Election Day

An updated results report will be made available at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8, 2006.  Because San Francisco typically has a large number of Provisional and Absentee ballots to process after Election Day, the Department does not expect to complete this processing until two weeks or more after Election Day. The Department will make final election results available within 28 days of the election, in accordance with state law.

3.         Final Report and Certification of Election Results

·          Canvass Procedures

California State law requires an official canvass, which is an internal audit of the election to ensure the accuracy and validity of the results. This entails numerous manual processes that verify the accuracy of the computer count, including a hand tally of ballots cast in 1% of the precincts. California election law allows 28-days following an election for the election official to conduct the official canvass and certify the election results. The official Canvass is open to the public.  California Elections Code § 15301 requires the official canvass to begin no later than the Thursday following Election Day.

Official canvass tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

a)   Inspection of all materials and supplies returned by poll workers;

b)   A reconciliation of the number of signatures on the roster with the number of ballots recorded on the ballot statement;

c)   In the event of a discrepancy in the reconciliation required by subdivision (b), the number of ballots received from each polling place shall be reconciled with the number of ballots cast, as indicated on the ballot statement;

d)   A reconciliation of the number of ballots counted, spoiled, canceled, or invalidated due to identifying marks, overvotes, or as otherwise provided by statute, with the number of votes recorded, including Absentee and Provisional ballots, by the vote counting system;

e)   Processing and counting any valid Absentee and Provisional ballots not included in the semifinal official canvass;

f)    Counting any valid write-in votes;

g)   Reproducing any damaged ballots, if necessary; and

h)      Reporting final results to the governing board and the Secretary of State, as required.

Voter Outreach and Education

 

The Department of Elections is obligated to comply with the Federal, state, and local mandates regarding voter outreach and education.  The Department has met these obligations in the past and will continue to meet these obligations in the future through the Voter Outreach and Education Program.

 

The November 7, 2006 Outreach and Education Program will maintain objectives from the November 2005 and June 2006education plans as well as criteria governed by California’s Elections Code and Code of Regulations, the Voting Rights Act, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), provisions of 42 USC 1973 relating to access for the elderly and disabled, and San Francisco’s Equal Access to Services ordinance. The November program will also include specific topics related to new citizen registration and voter identification requirements, ranked-choice voting, federally mandated accessible voting systems, and San Francisco’s “Your Right to Vote: A Guide for Ex-Offenders” that was developed and distributed for the first time in 2005.

 

This program will: identify, register, and educate qualified electors, especially those located in low-voter turnout neighborhoods; provide an accurate understanding of election laws and voting procedures, including ranked-choice voting citywide and with a slight focus in Supervisorial Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10; provide hands-on presentations on the new accessible voting system called the “AutoMARK” and educate voters on the stricter regulations for first-time voters and identification requirements that are particular to HAVA; and increase public awareness and participation in the election process including awareness about ballot contests, absentee voting, becoming a pollworker, and services for limited English-speaking voters, the elderly and the disabled.

 

Staffing

For the November 7, 2006 Consolidated General Election, the Voter Outreach and Education Division will be staffed with Outreach Coordinators who speak the following languages:

·         Two (2) English;

·         Two (2) English/Mandarin/Cantonese;

·         One (1) English/Spanish; and

·         One (1) English/Russian

 

Brochures

The Voter Outreach and Education division will continue to distribute multiple brochures such as  “Guide to Voting in San Francisco”, “Multilingual Voter Services”, “Your Right To Vote: A Guide for Ex-Offenders”, and San Francisco’s “Ranked-Choice Voting Explained.” These brochures are extremely helpful in educating voters on topics such as voter registration, absentee and early voting, ranked-choice voting, locating your polling place, working as a poll worker, and multilingual voter services. The Department will also continue to distribute an “Election Flyer” that includes deadlines to register to vote, early voting and absentee voting deadlines, as well as specific ballot contest information about candidates and ballot measures. All brochures are produced in English, Chinese, and Spanish. 

 

The Department employs a Russian outreach coordinator and produces educational materials in Russian. Based upon the results of the census, if the Russian language were a part of the Voting Rights Act, San Francisco would be required to produce all materials in this language as the limited English-speaking Russian population is over 10,000, which is the threshold for the mandate. Additionally, based upon the results of the census, there are more than 6,600 limited English-speaking Vietnamese and Tagalog voters that the Department produces the “Guide to Voting in San Francisco” and the “Ranked-Choice Voting Explained” for voters who speak those languages. 

 

Community Presentations

The Department will continue to explore opportunities that exist throughout the City to present voter information to San Francisco voters face-to-face. In addition to continuing relationships the Department has developed in the past for outreach events, including an effort to maintain relationships with new organizations the Department partnered with in June in order to better serve San Francisco’s disabled community.  Presentations will be conducted at locations such as community centers, schools, places of worship, entertainment and charity events, and organization meetings; presentations will be conducted in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, and Russian. To accomplish this goal successfully, the Department has hired bilingual deputy registrars (outreach coordinators) in order to communicate effectively in the voter’s spoken language. The Department must also continue to explore opportunities with new community organizations and leaders in San Francisco and collaboration with other City departments who conduct community events as an alternate way to circulate registration and election informational materials to the community.  The Department will also continue use of a outreach and educational newsletter sent to community organizations as an additional tool to communicate outreach activities and important election information to the organizations to assist voters.

 

The Department will also use other formats to meet and educate voters such attendance at the United States Citizen Immigration Services ceremonies, hands-on voting machine practice sessions with the new accessible AutoMARK voting machine, participation in street fairs and festivals, registration drives, and tabling at commercial outlets.

 

Additionally, the Department will also continue its association with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office Prisoner Legal Services (PLS) whose staff operates the Inmate Registration and Voting Program. The PLS program is designed to provide voting materials and assistance to individuals imprisoned or awaiting trial that are eligible to register to vote and request an Absentee ballot. The Department provides the necessary information and materials to the PLS liaison who then educates the populace and facilitates the registration and voting of those eligible individuals. The Department also hopes to widen the distribution of the “Your Right To Vote: A Voting Guide for Ex-Offenders” throughout the City and state prison system by continuing to work with the Department of Corrections.

 

Education and Presentations Specific to Voters With Disabilities

As mentioned above, the Department will continue its use of new accessible voting equipment that meets the guidelines set by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA, 2002).  The AutoMARK is a ballot-marking device that will be used at the polling places and during early voting at City Hall.  The Outreach Coordinators will conduct community presentations of the new equipment so voters can understand the functionality of the equipment, what assistive devices are compatible that a voter can bring to the polling place, and how the process for using the AutoMARK will differ from voting with the optical scan “Optech Eagle” ballot tabulator.  AutoMARK presentations will also include how the new accessible system will present ranked-choice contests.

 

Additionally, this new group of voters will also be educated on other services our Department can offer such as TTY, large format and Braille materials in addition to regular presentation topics.

 

Citywide Mailing

The Outreach division will be mailing a postcard that educates voters and reminds them of what ranked-choice contests will appear on their ballot.  The postcard will focus efforts in each of the Supervisorial Districts rather than citywide, as the Department was not funded to produce a citywide mailer.  Additionally, the two citywide contests do not have sufficient candidates qualified that would enable voters to rank any candidates.  The mailing will provide instructions for marking the ranked-choice ballot and include an image of the ranked-choice ballot. The mailer will further instruct voters on where they can find additional information on ranked-choice voting. This mailer will be in English, Chinese and Spanish and will be sent to voters in conjunction with the mailing of absentee ballots and the commencement of early voting.

 

Public Service Announcements

The Department produced both a 30-second and 60-second public service announcement for radio and television advertising ranked-choice voting.  Due to limited funding, the Department will simply be editing the public service announcement used in November 2005 to reflect the offices elected by ranked-choice voting during the November 2006 election.  In addition, the Department is hoping that by providing service announcements in two formats (lengths), this will increase the likelihood of gaining airtime as it will provide the media with a choice of announcements. 

 

Also, the Department will be modifying the public service announcement used in June 2006, that will continue to educate voters on HAVA guidelines including identification requirements, accessible voting, as well as incorporate education about ranked-choice voting in place of information about the modified closed primary. Both public service announcements will be produced in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanish.

 

Media

The Department will utilize the media to communicate important voter information, including ranked-choice voting and accessible voting systems, to San Francisco voters and the general public by sending press releases informing the media of important election related events and dates. The Department will also hold a press briefing near the start of Early Voting to allow members of the media to tour the Department.

 

The Department will also utilize the press that serves those whose primary language is not English. Bilingual Outreach Coordinators will actively solicit interviews and offer tours with Chinese, Spanish, and Russian language television and radio stations. Bilingual coordinators will also hold press briefings to emphasis multilingual voter services along with other important outreach messages to ethnic communities.

 

The Department will also continue to utilize the print media, including local San Francisco Neighborhood Newspapers in addition to major print outlets, for newspaper advertisements regarding important election dates and the use of new voting equipment and ranked-choice voting.  All newspaper advertisements will be produced and distributed to newspaper outlets that serve English-speaking voters as well as those whose primary language is not English.

 

Website

The Department will continue to develop website information that includes a list of frequently asked questions about the new voting system, an update to the glossary of election terms, information on different multilingual voter services provided by the Department, and a calendar of all outreach events. Voter education materials will also be available for download.

X.        Pollworker Training and Recruitment

Pollworker training is conducted each election as mandated by California Elections Code and from guidelines provided by the Secretary of State’s Training Task Force.  The training for the upcoming November 7, 2006 Consolidated General Election will be focusing on the following topics:

 

• Proper operation of the new voting system;
• Rights of voters, including language access rights for linguistic minorities, voters with disabilities, and other protected classes as defined in the federal Voting Rights Act;
• Cultural competency, including adequate knowledge of diverse cultures and languages that may be encountered by pollworkers during the course of election day; and the appropriate skills to work with electioneering;
• Knowledge regarding issues confronting voters with disabilities including, but not limited to, access barriers and need for reasonable accommodation.

 

Approximately 2,500 pollworkers are to be trained in approximately 150 training classes, which are conducted at several locations near City Hall in the month preceding an election; pollworker training begins October 7^th and continues through November 5^th   A training manual and a multilingual glossary of election terms are created to support training.  Different class curricula are developed to support the training of all types of election workers:  Inspectors, Clerks, Student Clerks and Bilingual Clerks.  Bilingual Clerk classes are taught in Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish and Russian. 

 

Classes will last from 2-31/2 hours, depending on the job assignment. All pollworkers are required to attend a training class prior to working on Election Day.

A training lab will be set up in Room 43B of City Hall, where pollworker recruitment takes place.  This lab will enable pollworkers to further their understanding of the polling place set-up, materials and use of the Optech Eagle IV-C and the AutoMARK.

The single greatest pool of pollworkers is the database the division maintains of those who have worked elections before. Those pollworkers are reminded about approaching elections well in advance with the newsletters and “save the date” reminders.  A respectful and prompt communication makes the difference between a surplus and shortfall of pollworkers on election day. The Department will continue recruiting Inspectors from the pool of experienced clerks who were highly rated by FEDs after the June 2006 election.  

 

To adequately staff all precincts the Department will recruit at least 1200 high school students for this upcoming election. The Department will work with 60 public and private San Francisco high schools and youth organizations to meet its recruitment target.

XI.       Logic and Accuracy Testing

The Department of Elections is required by law to conduct Logic and Accuracy (L&A) testing of all vote tabulating equipment prior to each election. L&A testing is used to verify that the specific ballot information for each precinct is correct and to check the performance of the vote tabulating equipment. L&A testing ensures that all votes are properly recorded and tabulated accurately.

Logic and Accuracy testing consists of running a set of marked test ballots (using applicable ballot types) through each voting machine and comparing the vote count with predetermined results to verify the accuracy of the formulated software for a specific election. 

Testing for the Eagles, IV-C and AutoMARK machines will begin testing on October 2nd and may continue through October 27th; the Eagles and IV-C will be tested first and the AutoMARK are to follow.

A Logic and Accuracy Testing Board oversees the testing, approves the test plan and certifies the results of the test.

Testing of Vote Tabulators Used in Precinct Polling Places

The “Optech Eagle” and the AutoMARK voting machines are stored at the Cor-O-Van warehouse located at Mission Bay (16th Street at Mississippi Street in San Francisco); the warehouse is a bonded and secure facility. All workers and visitors are required to wear an identification badge. During non-working hours, the warehouse is secured.

When the precinct test ballots arrive from the printer, ballot test decks are prepared and transported to Cor-O-Van to begin Logic and Accuracy testing of San Francisco’s precinct voting system. 561 units of each of the Optech Eagle and AutoMARK plus an additional 45 units (to serve as backups) for each type of machine will be tested for use on Election Day.

Prior to testing, the "Optech Eagles" and their attached blue ballot bins are cleaned and assembled.  The Memory packs, PCMCIA cards and "Optech Eagle" ID cards are sorted and distributed to each machine to be tested.  Test decks are read into each “Optech Eagle” and a tape and ballot image precinct report is printed for each precinct; the report is proofed for accuracy by Department staff. After this verification, the Memory pack is read into an "Uplink SPR" unit for twice-daily transmissions to the Department.

A precinct report is printed based on the transmitted results.  The report is proofed for integrity and accuracy by another Departmental review team. After verification of the report, the Memory pack and PCMCIA card are returned to "Optech Eagle" testing personnel, zeroed out and placed in the "Optech Eagle" machine.

Once an “Optech Eagle” has been successfully tested, a serialized seal is attached to the Memory pack cover to ensure that no untimely removal of the pack will occur. The “Optech Eagle” is then securely stored by routing number in preparation for delivery to the precincts; it is now ready for use on Election Day.

Before testing each AutoMARK unit, it must be setup. The memory flash card will be inserted into the machine and the unit switched on to “TEST” mode. The screen will be calibrated and then switched to “ON.”

A number of test ballots will be inserted and marked using the machine. The operator will mark the votes for each card according to the test scripts for the AutoMARK. The results from the AutoMARK ballots will be evaluated for accuracy by another Departmental team.

The AutoMARK machine will be tested also for other functionality like audio, video and connectivity assistive devices for some of the ballot cards being marked to make sure that they are working correctly. Language translations will be reviewed and finalized outside of L&A by another group before the testing. This will be done for each ballot type.

Testing of Vote Tabulators to be Used for Absentee Ballots

For the November 7, 2006, there are 19 mail-in precincts.  Ballots for these precincts, as well as all Absentee ballots, will be tabulated using the Optech IV-C Central Count machine.  The IV-C machine will be stationed in the Computer Room of the Department of Elections.  At least one precinct for each ballot type and all mail-in precincts will be tested on each of the IV-C machine. The testing of the IV-C machine is conducted similarly to the “Optech Eagle” testing.

After testing all the vote tabulating machines, the results are presented to the Logic and Accuracy Board (L&A) for approval and certification.  The L&A Board must certify testing results no later than seven (7) days before an election.

Note: The scheduled dates for the testing will be made public at least three (3) days prior to the start.

 

Cor-O-Van – Delivery and Retrieval of Voting Equipment

The Cor-O-Van Office is located at 901 16th Street at the corner of Mississippi Street; the warehouse entrance is located at 1200 17th Street.

Prior to Election Day, the Optech Eagles, blue bins, AutoMARK, red supply boxes and additional supplies are delivered to the 561 polling places throughout San Francisco.  Each of these items is bar coded and labeled with their precinct number.  Election System and Software (ES&S) staff then pull the Optech Eagles and place them on rolling racks, by route.  The Optech Eagles are then double checked by DOE staff.  Cor-O-Van employees scan each Optech Eagle prior loading on the proper delivery van.  The DOE and vendor staff together double check the Optech Eagles, using a route sheet, as they load the van for delivery.  At each stop the Optech Eagles and AutoMARKs are delivered and set up.  DOE and ES&S staff cross check the Optech Eagle, precinct number and address of the facility against the route sheet.  After confirming the information is correct, they initial each other’s route sheets for accountability and tag each AutoMARK, blue bin and supply box with bar-coded precinct labels for that site.

The day after the Election, Department of Elections, in conjunction with ES&S and Cor-O-Van, begins retrieving the voting equipment, the red supply boxes, AutoMARKs and Optech Eagles with blue bins, and continues to do so through the following Sunday. Staff search each polling place for any election related materials that may have been overlooked on Election Night.  Staff are instructed not to look at the contents of the red supply boxes or the blue Optech Eagle bins until they are at Cor-O-Van warehouse and a Sheriff Deputy is present.

Upon arrival at Cor-O-Van, the boxes are scanned in and stacked in a cordoned off corner of the warehouse.  The Optech Eagles with bins and the AutoMARKs are also scanned in and are lined up in the aisles.  In addition to the barcode scan, a manual tally is kept to account for each Optech Eagle.

A Deputy Sheriff arrives at the Cor-O-Van Warehouse at approximately 3p.m. on each day of pick-up, and stations him or herself between the red box stack and the blue bins in such a way as to be able to observe the entire operation.

The contents of each red box is then emptied, one at a time, and piece by piece is returned to the box. When any ballots are found they are brought to the Deputy. The number of ballots, the precinct number of the red box they were found in, and whether or not they have been voted, are recorded by a Department staff in conjunction with the Deputy Sheriff on a Department of Election spreadsheet. Ballot stubs and registration cards are also given to the Deputy.

Concurrently, the Optech Eagles and blue bins are, one by one, wheeled up to the Deputy’s Station. The auxiliary bin and bins #1 and #2 are then unlocked and searched thoroughly. When ballots are found, the precinct number, the bin they were found in, the amount and whether or not they were voted, is recorded on the same spreadsheet.

When all of the bins and red supply boxes have been searched, the ballots, stubs and registration cards that were found, are then placed in a red transfer box and the lid is sealed. The Deputy and Department staff sign and place seals on the lids of the boxes to ensure the containers are not open during transport. A copy of the spreadsheet is taped to the top of the box.

The box is then brought to the Canvass site (Brooks Hall), by a DOE staff member who is accompanied by a Deputy. It is then handed over to the Deputy in charge of security where the canvass takes place, thus maintaining the chain of custody.

 

XII.     Guidelines

The Election Plan should be presented by the Director of Elections at a period between 80 and 55 days before the election.  As the Department of Elections may not have all procedures established or may need flexibility in planning the election, a Supplemental Election Plan is acceptable and should be expected as long as it is submitted at least ten days prior to the election. At that time, the location of the Central Ballot Count (as publication required by CEC§ 12109) can be included in the Supplemental Election Plan.

The Election Plan should be labeled for public review as follows:

Submitted September 14, 2006

[  ] Accepted by the Elections Commission of the City & County of San Francisco                   

[  ] Accepted by the Elections Commission of the City & County of San Francisco with the attached amendment(s)

[  ] Not accepted by the Elections Commission of the City & County of San Francisco                   

 

 

 

 

Re: Waiver Allowing City Employees to Assist the Department of Elections with the November 7, 2006 Consolidated General Election

 

 

 

Technical Support

Number of City Employees: 16

Departments: Telecommunications and Information Services (DTIS), Administrative Services, Controller’s Office, County Clerk’s Office, War Memorial, MUNI, Assessor-Recorder’s Office, Public Utilities Commission, Office of Emergency Services, City Attorney’s Office, Department of Recreation and Parks, and Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS)

 

 

 

 

To:      Elections Commission

From:  John Arntz, Director

Date:  September 13, 2006

 

The City Charter prohibits, with exception, City personnel other than Department of Elections staff, Election Commissioners, and the Sheriff from performing any function related to the conduct of elections, and prohibits City personnel from assisting the Department of Elections with any work that is unique to the Department (13.104.5). 

 

While the Department seeks to fill all positions with permanent and temporary staff, we find it necessary to utilize the skills of some City personnel who work with other departments.  Thus, after considering staffing needs for the June 6, 2006 Consolidated Primary Election, I recommend that the Elections Commission request from the Board of Supervisors a waiver of this prohibition and allow City personnel to assist the Department of Elections. 

 

While the Department requests that this be a general waiver in order to provide sufficient flexibility in planning for the election, I have included a list based on staffing from previous elections that indicates the estimated number of City employees who we would like to assist with the upcoming election.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions on this matter.

 

 

 

 

 

Encl; waiver request list