Elections Commission Special Meeting
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
6:00 p.m.
City Hall, Room 421
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, California 94102
MINUTES
1. Call to Order & Roll Call
President Jill Rowe called the meeting to order at 6:01 pm. PRESENT: Commissioners Jill Rowe, Winnie Yu, Rosabella Safont, and Richard Matthews. ALSO PRESENT: Director of Elections John Arntz, Deputy City Attorney Andrew Shen, and Commission Secretary Tachina Alexander. Commissioner Catalina Ruiz-Healy had an excused absence. Commissioner Gleason arrived at 6:04pm.
2. Public comment on any issue within the Elections Commission’s general jurisdiction unless otherwise included in an item on this agenda.
NO PUBLIC COMMENT
3. Approval of Minutes from previous meetings.
Commissioner Matthews moved to approve the Minutes of the August 21, 2013 Elections Commission Meeting and it was seconded by Commissioner Safont.
The roll call vote was UNANIMOUS to APPROVE the minutes.
NO PUBLIC COMMENT
4. Director’s Report.
Director Arntz
Division Reports
(a) Administrative (Budget/Personnel) – Organizing the phone bank.
(b) Ballot Distribution – Getting timelines, canvassing, and will be certified by 11/15/13. Working to reduce over time and have received precinct ballots. Most of the city is one-card ballots therefore there will be less ballots to review than previously. Organizing meeting with the Sherriff regarding routes and polling places.
(c) Campaign Services – No applicant no official election observer panel, Open house October 16th 2-5pm.
(d) Warehouse Services – Preventive maintenance took place two weeks ago and now they are doing “mock elections” by running cards through the machines to make sure they’re functioning properly.
(e) Outreach Division – Be-A-Voter signs have been placed on buses, posters have been sent out to partner organizations, newspapers, mailers/postcards to residents of households vs. individuals and 391 polling places vs. 562. Reviewed power point presentation and participated on National Voter Registration Day; have 46 presentations scheduled, 2 citizenship ceremonies, 2,000 poll workers for this election and they need 74 additional stand-by inspectors due to their 13% cancellation rate. They sent out over 3,000 applications to High school students and so far only 700 have signed up. Intake room will be open tomorrow and the FEDS will attend a 5-hour hands-on equipment training class on October 27th.
(f) Precinct Services – Located 391 places to create a map show online and preparing to delivery routes.
(g) Publications Voter guides drop tomorrow. The large print was finalized and the audio finalized translation will be done by the end of the week if paid arguments are done by that time.
(h) Technology Division – Streaming video cone by the end of the week in room 59.
(i) Voter Services –The Department hasn’t received many overseas ballots; out of the 5,000 they’ve only received 12 back. Early voter counter is currently being set up.
NO PUBLIC COMMENT
5. Discussion and Possible action to request a waiver allowing City
employees to assist the Department of Elections.
Commissioner Matthews moved that the request by the Director of Elections
according to the August 23, 2013 memo be approved and forwarded to the
Board of Supervisors for the November 5, 2013 Consolidated Municipal
Elections. It was seconded by Commissioner Safont. The roll call vote was
UNANIMOUS to approve.
Commissioner Gleason would like to make sure that the direct request for waiver
returns to being specific and not general; include the number of employees and
the category of work.
NO PUBLIC COMMENT
6. Discussion and possible action to approve the Election Plan for the
November 5, 2013 Municipal Election.
Commissioner Matthews stated that BOPEC received and voted unanimously to
recommend to the commission that you accept the November 5, 2013 Municipal
Election Plan. Therefore he moved that the Elections Commission accept the
November 5, 2013 Municipal Election Plan. Commissioner Safont seconded it.
The roll call vote was UNANIMOUS to approve.
Chandra Friese – Will the webcam film in real time? Will you keep a copy in
your archives or will it be lost forever?
John Arntz explained that no copies will be kept at all.
7. Discussion and possible action regarding arguments published in the
Voter Information Pamphlet for the November 5, 2013 Municipal Election
There was some discussion on page 31 of the voter information pamphlet in
regards to the “P.S.” and how it could possibly create confusion for the voters.
Although the commission does have the authority to adopt a general policy
perhaps a code needs to be rewritten by the Board of Supervisors.
NO PUBLIC COMMENT
8. Discussion and possible action for the Commission to study current
operations of Vote by Mail
Commissioner Gleason reintroduced Chandra Friese to inform the commission
about her study on this concern.
Chandra Friese’s concern was that there are so many people who are voting by
mail that the procedures need to be protected. She indicated that they have an
incomplete draft of what they’d like to see done.
Commissioner Gleason said that before he left the Commission he’d like to see
this action completed. A further study or organize with other members of BOPEC
to study this issue and make recommendation on vote-by-mail procedures.
9. Commissioners’ Reports.
10. Announcements
11. Discussion and possible action regarding items for future agendas.
Municipal Election #530 provide better guidance to Department meeting on
November 16, 2013
12. ADJOURNMENT 7:21pm