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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard Meeting Agenda Packet 08-28-2024 MEETING AGENDA Date: August 28, 2024 Time: 5:30 PM Location: Bd of Elections Office, Long Leaf Room Type: Special Scheduled Attendees: Derrick R. Miller, Chair Rae Hunter-Havens, Director James Battle Morgan, Jr. Secretary Caroline Dawkins, Deputy Director Natalie Hinton-Stalling, Member Noelle Powers, Database & Systems Specialist Bruce Kemp, Member Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, Administrative Technician Tom S. Morris, Member Visitor(s): Tufanna Bradley, Assistant County Manager; Kemp Burpeau, Deputy County Attorney AGENDA ITEMS 1. Meeting Opening a. Call to Order b. Pledge of Allegiance c. Approval of Agenda d. Approval of Minutes (07/09/2024) 2. Public Comment Period • 2-minute limit • 10-minute limit total 3. Director Update a. Financial Update b. List Maintenance c. 2025 NC State Board of Elections Summer Conference 4. New Business • Appointment of Early Voting Officials 5. Closed Session (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.11(6)) 6. General Discussion • Other Elections-Related Matters 7. Adjournment *Agenda packets are sent via email in advance of meetings. Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections August 28, 2024 Subject: Approval of Agenda Summary: N/A Board Action Required: Staff recommends approval Item # 1c Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections August 28, 2024 Subject: Approval of Minutes Applicable Statutes and/or Rules N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 163-31(e) and 143-318.10(e) Summary: This includes minutes from the 7/9/2024 meeting. Board Action Required: Staff recommends approval Item # 1d Item # 1d Board Minutes – 07/09/2024 Page | 1 REGULAR MEETING New Hanover County Board of Elections July 9, 2024 5:30 P.M. ATTENDANCE Members: Derrick R. Miller, Chair James Battle Morgan, Jr., Secretary Natalie Hinton-Stalling, Member [Not present] Bruce Kemp, Member [Attended virtually] Tom Morris, Member Staff: Rae Hunter-Havens, Executive Director Caroline Dawkins, Deputy Director Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, Administrative Elections Technician Visitors: Tufanna Bradley, Assistant County Manager; Kemp Burpeau, Deputy County Attorney Public Attendees: Suzanne Werner, NHCDP Virtual Attendees: Bruce Kemp, Member; Jana Albritton, League of Women Voters LCF; Wendy Hunt, NHCDP; Ellen; Ricky Meeks; Denise Brown 1. MEETING OPENING a. Call to Order Chair Miller called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. The New Hanover County Board of Elections meeting was held in the Board of Elections office, Long Leaf Room, 1241A Military Cutoff Road, Wilmington, NC. Chair Miller, Secretary Morgan and Member Morris were present in person, Member Kemp joined the meeting by telephone. Member Hinton-Stalling was not present. A quorum was present.1 Chair Miller reminded the audience to silence their cell phones, that the meeting is being recorded and live streamed on the internet, and to avoid conversation and crosstalk during Board discussion. 1 Virtual attendees, including Member Kemp, encountered audio difficulties at the beginning of the meeting. The audio issue resolved at 5:42 p.m., enabling Member Kemp to participate in the meeting. Board Minutes – 07/09/2024 Page | 2 b. Pledge of Allegiance Chair Miller invited all in attendance to rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. c. Approval of Agenda Member Morris moved to approve the agenda as submitted, seconded by Secretary Morgan. Chair Miller, Secretary Morgan, and Member Morris voted aye; there were no dissenting votes. Motion carried by majority. d. Approval of Minutes Member Morris moved to approve the minutes of the 06/11/2024 Board meeting with the correction of a typo on page 4, seconded by Secretary Morgan. Chair Miller, Secretary Morgan, and Member Morris voted aye; there were no dissenting votes. Motion carried by majority. 2. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Chair Miller called upon the public attendees for their comments or questions, limited to two minutes each, total of 20 minutes. Seeing and hearing no public attendees wishing to comment, Chair Miller closed the Public Comment period. 3. DIRECTOR’S UPDATE Chair Miller called on Director Hunter-Havens for her reports. a. Financial Update Director Hunter-Havens said budget reports included in the agenda packet show Salaries and Benefits, Operating Expenses, and Grand Totals through June 30. She gave an update on the current overage in cell phone expense, due to a known billing error which the vendor is working to correct and should be resolved by August with the overage credited back to the County. A small overage in the lease expense is due to an annual rate increase for the warehouse lease that occurred before the end of FY23-24 and has been incorporated into the FY24-25 approved budget. b. List Maintenance Director Hunter-Havens reported that list maintenance in June resulted in removal of 1,239 voter registrations consistent with NC Gen. Stat. §163-82.14, and processed 2,239 new registrations, 593 registrations without changes, and 1,359 voter registration updates. The agenda packet includes additional information about the sources of registration, snapshots of administrative processes, and a breakdown of county voter registrations. Board Minutes – 07/09/2024 Page | 3 The Director reported that 6,405 voter registration verifications were mailed out in June, Catching up with new and updated voter registrations received after the registration cut- off date for the 2024 primaries. This week, verification cards for the semi-annual National Change of Address (NCOA) mailing will go out and will be reflected in the July list maintenance report. c. NC State Board of Elections Summer 2024 Training Conference Director Hunter-Havens reviewed the dates and proposed agenda for the NC State Board of Elections (NCSBE) Summer Training Conference, scheduled for August 4-6 in Greensboro. Updated State Board guidance reminds Board members who have not attended two training conferences during their first term on the Board that they must attend either the 2024 August Conference or the 2025 July Conference. d. Voter Education and Outreach Initiatives Director Hunter-Havens reviewed plans for a series of outreach events to educate voters about their voting options and the photo ID requirement. A list of planned events is included in the agenda packet. With assistance from New Hanover County Communications and Outreach, a press release will go out this week highlighting opportunities for serving as election officials for the 2024 General Election. Additional press releases are planned highlighting important elections events, deadlines, and voting opportunities, addressing these topics: Voter Photo ID Outreach Event Series (June); Election Official Recruitment (July); Voter Photo ID Seminar and Requirements (August); Voter Registration Deadline/Voting Options Overview (September); and Early Voting Information/Wait Time Tracker/Election Day Polling Places (October). 5. NEW BUSINESS • August Meeting – Appointments of Early Voting and Election Day Assistants Director Hunter-Havens is recommending the Board cancel the August 13 scheduled regular meeting and instead schedule a special meeting on August 28, 29, or 30 to appoint early voting election officials and Election Day assistants. Based on experience, staff have determined that mid-August is the best time to contact all prior election officials to assess their willingness and availability to work during early voting. Reaching out to officials earlier than mid-August results in numerous schedule changes between initial response and setting the schedule, creating disruptions to drafting and distributing schedules. Recruitment and onboarding election officials must come to an end before schedules are drafted to ensure that staff have a full picture of who the available pool of officials are, so that they can build out balanced, skilled teams. Due to the sensitivity of these timelines, the August 13, 2024, Regular Meeting would be too early to hold Board discussions around the appointment of Early Voting officials and Board Minutes – 07/09/2024 Page | 4 Election Day assistants, and the September 10, 2024, Regular Meeting would be too late to ensure that all timelines are met. Therefore, we request that the Board cancel the August 13th Regular Meeting and schedule a Special Meeting on August 28th, 29th, or 30th to act on the appointment of Early Voting and Election Day assistants, including those submitted by the parties. Chair Miller said there are two questions to address, first when to meet, and second what appointments to act on. After surveying the Board members for availability, Chair Miller moved to cancel the August 13 regular meeting and add a Special Meeting on Wednesday, August 28 at 5:30 p.m., seconded by Member Morris. Motion carried by unanimous vote of the four Board members present. Chair Miller asked whether the second question about what appointments to act on needed to be decided before the next meeting. By consensus, the Board members present agreed to defer the process question until the August Special Meeting. Chair Miller said there will be a closed session. Member Kemp suggested taking up General Discussion first, so that the public can leave the meeting if they prefer. The Board agreed to take up General Discussion before entering Closed Session. 7. GENERAL DISCUSSION Chair Miller called for any election-related items for general discussion by the Board. Hearing none, he closed the general discussion. 6. CLOSED SESSION Chair Miller moved to enter closed session to discuss personnel matters pursuant to NC Gen. Stat. §143-318.11(6), second by Member Morris. Motion carried by unanimous vote of the Board members present. The Board entered closed session at 6:53 p.m. The Board returned to open session at 6:32 p.m. 8. ADJOURNMENT Member Morris moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Secretary Morgan. Motion carried by unanimous vote of the Board members present. The meeting adjourned at 6:32 p.m. The next Board meeting is scheduled to be held on August 28, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., at the Board of Elections office, Long Leaf Room, 1241A Military Cutoff Road, Wilmington, NC. Board Minutes – 07/09/2024 Page | 5 APPROVED BY: RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: _______________________________ _____________________________ JAMES BATTLE MORGAN, JR. RAE HUNTER-HAVENS SECRETARY ELECTIONS DIRECTOR Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections August 28, 2024 Subject: Public Comment Period Summary: This is an opportunity for members of the public to provide comments on elections-related matters. Each commenter will be limited to two minutes. There is a limit of 10 minutes total for the public comment period. Board Action Required: Discuss as necessary Item # 2 Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections August 28, 2024 Subject: Director’s Report Summary: a. Financial Update The attached reports provide the Board with a budget update, including the following: • Salaries and Benefits expended through FY24-25 1st Period (July) • Operating Expenses expended through FY24-25 1st Period (July) • Grand Total expended through FY24-25 1st Period (July) b. List Maintenance Update Per data provided from the Statewide Elections Information Management System (SEIMS), the New Hanover County Board of Elections completed the following in July 2024: • Removed 1,137 voters from the voter registration rolls consistent with NC Gen. Stat. §163-82.14. • Processed 1,783 new registrations, 1,387 duplicate registrations, and 2,029 registration updates. c. 2025 NC State Board of Elections Summer Conference The 2025 Summer Conference will be held at the Wilmington Convention Center in Wilmington, NC on Monday and Tuesday, July 28th and 29th. Document/s Included: Financial Year-To-Date Budget Report 1st Period (July); NVRA Report (July 2024) Board Action Required: Discuss as necessary Item # 2 Item # 3 NEW HANOVER COUNTY - LIVE YEAR-TO-DATE BUDGET REPORT Report generated: 08/21/2024 17:13User: rhavensProgram ID: glytdbud Page 1 FOR 2025 01 ACCOUNTS FOR: ORIGINAL TRANFRS/ REVISED AVAILABLE PCT110 GENERAL FUND APPROP ADJSTMTS BUDGET YTD EXPENDED ENCUMBRANCES BUDGET USED 16 BOARD OF ELECTIONS 60 SALARIES & BENEFITS 11016100 610000 SALARIES AND WA 564,622 0 564,622 11,442.99 .00 553,179.01 2.0% 11016100 611500 CASUAL PART TIM 360,373 0 360,373 197.68 .00 360,175.32 .1% 11016100 611600 OVERTIME PAY (O 9,932 0 9,932 .00 .00 9,932.00 .0% 11016100 621000 SOCIAL SECURITY 42,813 0 42,813 850.99 .00 41,962.01 2.0% 11016100 622000 RETIREMENT-LOCA 76,959 0 76,959 1,559.67 .00 75,399.33 2.0% 11016100 623500 GENERAL 401-K M 13,619 0 13,619 286.08 .00 13,332.92 2.1% 11016100 625000 MEDICAL INSURAN 87,336 0 87,336 1,793.91 .00 85,542.09 2.1% 11016100 626000 LONG TERM DISAB 1,471 0 1,471 19.80 .00 1,451.20 1.3% TOTAL SALARIES & BENEFITS 1,157,125 0 1,157,125 16,151.12 .00 1,140,973.88 1.4% 70 OPERATING EXPENSES 11016100 700000 CONTR SERVS 128,063 0 128,063 .00 .00 128,063.00 .0% 11016100 700328 LEASE EXPENSE 48,385 0 48,385 6,066.86 3,881.97 38,436.17 20.6% 11016100 700329 SUBSCRIPTION SO 16,542 0 16,542 .00 .00 16,542.00 .0% 11016100 700330 RENT 67,599 0 67,599 .00 .00 67,599.00 .0% 11016100 700350 ADVERTISING COS 2,250 0 2,250 .00 .00 2,250.00 .0% 11016100 700365 CELLULAR EXPENS 17,819 0 17,819 1,204.56 .00 16,614.44 6.8% 11016100 700370 POSTAGE EXPENSE 105,083 0 105,083 .00 .00 105,083.00 .0% 11016100 700430 M&R-EQUIPMENT 70,371 0 70,371 .00 .00 70,371.00 .0% 11016100 700500 PRINTING 88,297 0 88,297 .00 9,651.11 78,645.89 10.9% 11016100 700512 PRINTER-COPIER 51,507 0 51,507 .00 .00 51,507.00 .0% 11016100 700520 SUPPLIES 11,954 0 11,954 -6.59 .00 11,960.59 -.1% 11016100 700542 SUPPLIES-COMPUT 2,600 0 2,600 .00 .00 2,600.00 .0% 11016100 700700 DUES & SUBSCRIP 125 0 125 .00 .00 125.00 .0% 11016100 700825 EMPLOYEE REIMBU 2,500 0 2,500 19.07 .00 2,480.93 .8% 11016100 700905 TRAINING & TRAV 8,700 0 8,700 .00 .00 8,700.00 .0% TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 621,795 0 621,795 7,283.90 13,533.08 600,978.02 3.3% TOTAL BOARD OF ELECTIONS 1,778,920 0 1,778,920 23,435.02 13,533.08 1,741,951.90 2.1% TOTAL GENERAL FUND 1,778,920 0 1,778,920 23,435.02 13,533.08 1,741,951.90 2.1% TOTAL EXPENSES 1,778,920 0 1,778,920 23,435.02 13,533.08 1,741,951.90 NEW HANOVER COUNTY - LIVE YEAR-TO-DATE BUDGET REPORT Report generated: 08/21/2024 17:13User: rhavensProgram ID: glytdbud Page 2 FOR 2025 01 ORIGINAL TRANFRS/ REVISED AVAILABLE PCT APPROP ADJSTMTS BUDGET YTD EXPENDED ENCUMBRANCES BUDGET USED GRAND TOTAL 1,778,920 0 1,778,920 23,435.02 13,533.08 1,741,951.90 2.1% ** END OF REPORT - Generated by RAE HUNTER-HAVENS ** NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS NVRA REPORT Reporting Period:-7/1/2024 7/31/2024 Totals Active 156,942 Inactive 27,051 Total Registration 183,993 REPORTING PERIOD Registrations Approved 1,350 Total Registrations Removed 1,137 Inactive Registrations Removed 280 New Registrations 00 - No Application Source 7 01 - Public Assistance 20 02 - Disability 2 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 891 06 - Mail-in 44 07 - In-person 168 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 1 10 - Online Registration 352 17 - Registration Drives 287 21 - Medicaid Renewal 1 96 - Temporary FWAB Registrant 0 97 - Temporary FPCA Registrant 10 1,783 Duplicates 00 - No Application Source 106 01 - Public Assistance 15 02 - Disability 0 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 291 06 - Mail-in 398 07 - In-person 139 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 0 10 - Online Registration 153 17 - Registration Drives 207 21 - Medicaid Renewal 1 95 - Voter Return of NCOA 61 96 - Temporary FWAB Registrant 0 97 - Temporary FPCA Registrant 9 98 - Voter Change On Confirmation 2 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 1 of 5Aug 21, 2024 5:35 pm NVRA REPORTNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS 99 - Voter Change On Verification 5 1,387 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 2 of 5Aug 21, 2024 5:35 pm NVRA REPORTNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS Changes of Information 00 - No Application Source 207 01 - Public Assistance 10 02 - Disability 1 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 672 06 - Mail-in 303 07 - In-person 220 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 0 10 - Online Registration 286 17 - Registration Drives 268 21 - Medicaid Renewal 0 95 - Voter Return of NCOA 0 96 - Temporary FWAB Registrant 0 97 - Temporary FPCA Registrant 62 98 - Voter Change On Confirmation 0 99 - Voter Change On Verification 0 2,029 Verifications # of 1st & 2nd verification mailings sent 2,498 # of 1st NCOA mailings sent 2,543 # of 1st verification returned undeliverable 253 # of verification returned by voter 5 Confirmations # of confirmations returned by voter 2 # of confirmations sent 117 # of confirmations returned undeliverable 39 # of confirmations not returned at all 54 COUNTY STATISTICAL Constitution 0 Democratic 50,413 Green 77 Justice For All 0 Libertarian 1,460 No Labels 370 Republican 54,437 Unaffiliated 77,236 We The People 0 American Indian 408 Asian 1,533 Black 19,229 Multi-Racial 828 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 15 White 141,112 Other 4,710 Undesignated 16,158 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 3 of 5Aug 21, 2024 5:35 pm NVRA REPORTNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS Hispanic 4,428 Not Hispanic 116,729 Undesignated 62,836 Female 89,822 Male 76,204 Undesignated 17,967 Unprocessed Registrations - Incomplete Queue 00 - No Application Source 94 01 - Public Assistance 10 02 - Disability 2 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 140 06 - Mail-in 20 07 - In-person 46 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 0 10 - Online Registration 10 17 - Registration Drives 105 21 - Medicaid Renewal 0 95 - Voter Return of NCOA 7 96 - Temporary FWAB Registrant 0 97 - Temporary FPCA Registrant 5 98 - Voter Change On Confirmation 1 99 - Voter Change On Verification 2 Unprocessed Registrations - Archive Queue 00 - No Application Source 2 01 - Public Assistance 2 02 - Disability 0 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 0 06 - Mail-in 1 07 - In-person 0 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 0 10 - Online Registration 0 17 - Registration Drives 0 21 - Medicaid Renewal 0 95 - Voter Return of NCOA 0 96 - Temporary FWAB Registrant 0 97 - Temporary FPCA Registrant 1 98 - Voter Change On Confirmation 0 99 - Voter Change On Verification 0 Unprocessed Registrations - Review Queue 00 - No Application Source 134 01 - Public Assistance 1 02 - Disability 0 03 - Other (ESC) 0 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 4 of 5Aug 21, 2024 5:35 pm NVRA REPORTNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 82 06 - Mail-in 17 07 - In-person 29 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 0 10 - Online Registration 93 17 - Registration Drives 2 21 - Medicaid Renewal 0 96 - Temporary FWAB Registrant 0 97 - Temporary FPCA Registrant 11 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 5 of 5Aug 21, 2024 5:35 pm Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections August 28, 2024 Subject: Appointment of Early Voting Officials Applicable Statutes and/or Rules N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-166.35 (b), NCSBOE Numbered Memo 2023-07 Summary: In accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-166.35 (b), county boards of elections shall appoint officials to serve at each early voting site, other than the county board office. An email was sent to party chairs on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, to notify the chair of each local political party the appointment date and the party’s deadline to submit recommendations of qualified officials, which was by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 (fifth business day before the appointment date). The county board is not required to accept all recommendations from the party chairs and should select from the list of recommended nominees provided these nominees are qualified and the list was timely submitted. If the party recommendations are not submitted timely or are insufficient to fully staff each early voting site, the board may appoint registered voters in the county who were not recommended by the party chairs. Unlike the appointment of Election Day officials, the county board’s vote to appoint early voting officials who are not recommended by the parties does not need to be unanimous. In making these appointments, the county board may appoint specific individuals to specific sites/shifts or appoint a slate of individuals to serve in the roles of chief judge, judge or assistants at all voting sites. By appointing a slate of individuals, the board can leave the scheduling of officials, which can be quite complex and time consuming, to staff. Early voting officials who work at the county board of elections office are not appointed in the same manner as officials at other early voting sites. These officials are considered county employees and assigned to shifts administratively by staff. For the appointment of replacement chief judges and judges, the board chair may delegate in writing the appointment of replacement chief judges and judges to the county board staff. The delegation should designate the staff member or members with authority to make the appointments and be limited to certain time periods, such as the early voting period. For replacement of assistants due to vacancies, the county board may delegate the replacement of assistants to county board staff. Document/s Included: NCSBOE Numbered Memo 2023-07, Notice of Appointment of Early Voting Officials Letter and Email Template, 2024 Primary Election Early Voting Official Nominations (Provided at Board Meeting) Board Action Required: Board Action Required Item # 4 P.O. Box 27255 Raleigh, NC 27611 (866) 522-4723 www.ncsbe.gov Numbered Memo 2023-07 TO: County Boards of Elections FROM: Karen Brinson Bell, Executive Director1 RE: Early Voting Official Appointment DATE: December 19, 2023 This numbered memo provides guidance about the appointment of early voting officials in accordance with the changes made by Session Law 2023-140 (SB 747). This law is effective January 1, 2024. 1.Appointment of Early Voting Officials Appointment by the County Board of Elections For each primary and election, county boards of elections shall appoint precinct officials for each early voting site, other than the county board office. Early voting officials shall be appointed as follows:2 •Chief Judge and Judges. A chief judge must always be appointed to each early voting site for each day of early voting. Two judges shall be appointed to each early voting site for each day of early voting, where possible. County boards should try to ensure all early voting sites have a chief judge and two judges at all times, in the event a voter challenge needs to be heard. If it is not possible, however, county boards should appoint at least one judge per site. o Partisan balance: County boards shall work to ensure, if at all possible, that the chief judge and judges working at any site at the same time do not all belong to the same political party. •Assistants. The county board shall appoint any assistants needed for each early voting site. 1 This memo is issued under the authority delegated by the State Board to the executive director pursuant to G.S. § 163-22(p). 2 G.S. § 163-166.35(a1) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c)). 2 o Partisan balance: County boards shall work to ensure, if at all possible, that an equal number of assistants are appointed from different political parties. Multiple chief judges, judges, and assistants may be appointed to serve at each early voting site so that chief judges, judges, and assistants may serve for partial shifts throughout each day of early voting or serve for less than the full number of days of early voting. In making its appointments for chief judge and judges, the county board may designate the names of the specific individuals and the sites and shifts that they will serve. Alternatively, the county board may appoint a slate of individuals to serve in given roles at all voting sites, and may leave the scheduling determinations up to the county board staff, provided that the partisan allocation requirements are met, where possible.3 County boards must ensure that there are sufficient officials appointed to each early voting site to properly staff the site and conduct any challenges that are filed. Recommendations by the County Party Chair The chair of each political party in the county shall recommend individuals who are qualified to serve as precinct officials at early voting sites. If the party’s recommendations are received by the county board of elections no later than the fifth business day before the date on which appointments are to be made, the county board of elections shall make appointments from the list of recommendations provided the recommended individuals are eligible to serve as precinct officials.4 The chair of the political party may suggest which individuals they think should fill the roles of chief judge and judges, and to suggest particular sites, dates, or times for particular nominees. However, the county board is not required to accept these recommendations. The board is merely obligated to select from the list of recommended names of nominees, provided the nominees are qualified and the list was timely provided.5 County boards should consider the needs of the voting sites, the partisan balance requirements, and the capability and availability of the 3 G.S. § 163-166.35(a1)(1) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c)) states: “A chief judge and judges shall be appointed to each early voting site for each day for early voting….” 4 G.S. § 163-166.35(a1)(1) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c)) states: “The chair of each political party in the county shall recommend individuals who are otherwise qualified to serve as precinct officials at early voting sites.” Qualifications are discussed in Section 3 of this memo. 5 The law authorizes the county party chair to “recommend individuals . . . to serve as precinct officials at early voting sites,” and then requires the county board to “make appointments from the list of recommendations.” G.S. § 163-166.35(a1) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c). 3 nominees when assigning recommended individuals into roles, sites, and schedules at early voting sites. Before each primary or election, each county board of elections shall set a date when the county board will hold a duly noticed public meeting to appoint early voting officials to sites other than the county board office. A county board may set separate dates for the appointment of chief judges and judges versus assistants. At least 21 days prior to the date set for that meeting, the county board shall send an email or letter via U.S. mail to the chair of each political party organized in the county, notifying the chair of (1) the county board’s appointment date and (2) the party’s deadline to provide recommendations for qualified early voting officials, which shall be the fifth business day before the appointment date. This notice may be sent by the county director of elections.6 If the party’s recommendations are not received by the county board of elections by the fifth business day before the date on which appointments are to be made, or if the party does not submit sufficient recommendations to staff each shift for each early voting site, the county board of elections may appoint registered voters in that county who were not recommended by the party chairs. Unlike for appointing election day officials who are not recommended by the parties under G.S. § 163-41(c) and -42(b), the county board’s vote to appoint early voting officials who are not recommended by the parties under G.S. § 163-166.35(a1) does not need to be unanimous. In making its appointments, the county board shall ensure, wherever possible, that no precinct has a chief judge and judges all of whom are registered with the same party.7 Although the county board must prioritize ensuring each site is adequately staffed for each day of early voting, the county board shall also ensure, wherever possible, that each qualified individual who is timely recommended by a party is appointed to serve in some capacity during early voting. 6 N.C. State Bd. of Elections, Resolution on Appointment of Early Voting Officials (Nov. 28, 2023). 7 See G.S. § 163-166.35(a1)(1) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c), which requires chief judges and judges to be appointed “in the same manner as allocated to each precinct in the county as provided in G.S. 163-41 where possible.” (Emphasis added.) Subsection (a1)(2) has a similar allocation requirement for assistants, referring to G.S. § 163-42. The “manner” of “allocation” of precinct officials refers to the legal criteria for assigning officials to each site. Under G.S. §§ 163-41 and -42, the legal criteria for assigning officials at particular sites are in-precinct residence and party affiliation. Because in-precinct residence is irrelevant for assignment to an early voting site, which offers the opportunity to vote to all county residents, the only assignment criteria that applies here is party affiliation. 4 3. Qualifications of Officials Individuals appointed to serve as early voting officials must be registered voters and residents of the county in which the early voting site is located. Chief judges and judges must be “of good repute” and “have good moral character,” and be able to read and write.8 An individual is not eligible to serve as a precinct official if they: • Hold any elective office under the government of the United States, or of the State of North Carolina or any political subdivision thereof; • Are a candidate for nomination or election; • Hold any office in a state, congressional district, county, or precinct political party or political organization, or who is a manager or treasurer for any candidate or political party, provided however that the position of delegate to a political party convention shall not be considered an office for the purpose of this subsection;9 or • Are the wife, husband, mother, father, son, daughter, brother or sister of any candidate for nomination or election if the candidate is on the ballot at the early voting site in which the precinct official would serve.10 The following categories of relatives are prohibited from serving at the same voting site at the same time: spouse, child, spouse of a child, sister or brother.11 These individuals may serve at different voting sites at the same time or at the same voting site at different times. Because all county boards use the SEIMS early voting application (SOSA), most early voting officials need to be capable of operating a computer. County boards should work to inform the appointing political parties of this need in advance of submission of the lists to help ensure that workers have the technical skills and other capabilities necessary to conduct early voting. 4. Vacancies A vacancy may occur if an early voting official dies, is removed, or resigns after appointment. A vacancy may also occur if a precinct official is not appointed by the county board, such as where the party does not make sufficient (or any) recommendations and the county board is unable to appoint someone at the meeting designated for such appointments. The process is the same 8 G.S. § 163-41(a), (c). 9 G.S. § 163-41. 10 G.S. § 163-41.1(b). 11 G.S. § 163-41.1(a). 5 whether the vacancy occurs in advance of the early voting period or on the day the person is assigned to serve. Vacancy in the Position of Chief Judge or Judge If a vacancy occurs in the position of chief judge or judge, the chair of the county board of elections shall appoint a replacement.12 If a county political party chair nominated the vacating official, the board chair shall consult with that party chair, if possible.13 If the party chair nominates a qualified replacement, the board chair shall appoint that person. In filling such a vacancy, the board chair shall appoint a person who belongs to the same political party as that to which the vacating member belonged when appointed, where possible.14 If a party chair did not nominate the vacating official, or if there is not time to consult with the party chair, which could occur for example when an official calls out on the day they are scheduled to serve, the board chair is not required to consult with the party chair. The chair may delegate the appointment of replacement chief judges and judges to the county board staff. The delegation should be in writing and should designate the staff member or members with authority to make the appointments. The delegation could also be limited to certain time periods, such as during the early voting period. County boards may wish to appoint alternate chief judge and judges who can step in in the even a chief judge or judge calls out with little notice. This will help ensure that early voting sites are fully staffed at all times. Vacancy in the Position of Assistant If a vacancy occurs in the position of assistant, the county board may appoint someone to fill the role or may delegate this responsibility to county board staff. 12 G.S. § 163-41(d). Because the early voting official appointment law, G.S. § 163-166.35(a1) (S.L. 2023- 140, sec. 27(c)), does not address the process for filling vacancies, the State Board interprets the background law for filling vacancies for chief judges and judges to apply—G.S. § 163-41(d). 13 For example, if there is too little time to consult the party chair before an official must be assigned to a shift at a voting site, that would not make it possible to consult the party chair. 14 As explained in note 7 above, the early voting official appointment law requires allocation of officials for partisan balance, but it guarantees flexibility with the “where possible” language. G.S. § 163- 166.35(a1)(1) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c)). 6 5. County Board Office For early voting conducted at the county board of elections office, early voting officials are not appointed. Those working at the county board office are considered county employees.15 Such workers are typically assigned to early voting shifts administratively by staff. The board would nonetheless need to designate two workers at the county board office to serve as “judges” and one to serve as a “chief judge” at all times during early voting, for the purposes of deciding any voter challenges or photo ID challenges at that site.16 All such designees may not be affiliated with the same political party. If the county board has designated an “in lieu of” site to be used for early voting instead of the county board office, individuals serving at that site must be appointed.17 If a county board conducts early voting at the same physical address as its office, that site is considered the “county board office,” and officials would not be appointed for that site. 6. Student Election Assistance County boards may appoint student election assistants to early voting sites according to the requirements in 163-42.1.18 7. Training County boards of elections must provide training to all of their early voting officials.19 This training should include instruction about the use of pollbook computers, voting equipment, and all other aspects of early voting. County boards must also ensure that early voting officials are trained on the differences between early voting and Election Day voting, including that early voting ballots are retrievable, the polls are not closed on tabulators during early voting, and the requirements for same-day registration. See Numbered Memo 2023-05 for information about same-day registration. 15 G.S. § 163-166.35(a) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c)). 16 See G.S. § 163-88 (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 13(b)); G.S. § 163-166.16(b); 08 NCAC 17 .0101(d)(3). 17 See G.S. § 163-166.35(a) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c)). 18 G.S. § 163-166.35(a1)((3) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c)). 19 See G.S. 163-82.24(a) (“The State Board of Elections shall promulgate rules for the training of precinct officials, which shall be followed by the county boards of elections.”); 08 NCAC 10B .0101 (requiring chief judges and judges to attend an instructional meeting prior to each primary or election); and 08 NCAC 04 .0305 (requiring the chair of the county board to conduct an instruction meeting before each primary or election to instruct precinct officials in the use of the voting system). 7 8. Oath of Office Chief judges and judges shall take the oath as soon as practicable following their training. They shall also sign the written copy of the oath and file it with the county board of elections. The oath may be administered by the chair of the county board, a notary public, or other officer authorized to administer oaths. Each chief judge and judge shall take the following oath: “I, ____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States; that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of North Carolina, and to the constitutional powers and authorities which are or may be established for the government thereof; that I will endeavor to support, maintain and defend the Constitution of said State not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States; that I will administer the duties of my office as chief judge of (judge of election in)____ [early voting site name], ____ County, without fear or favor; that I will not in any manner request or seek to persuade or induce any voter to vote for or against any particular candidate or proposition; and that I will not keep or make any memorandum of anything occurring within a voting booth, unless I am called upon to testify in a judicial proceeding for a violation of the election laws of this State; so help me, God.” Each assistant must take the same oath, substituting for the words “chief judge of” for “assistant in.” It is recommended that assistants take the oath of office at the conclusion of their training to ensure that they are properly sworn before beginning their duties as early voting officials. This is not a requirement, but county boards should have a plan in place to ensure all officials take the oath prior to beginning their first shift. 9. Employment Considerations It is permissible to onboard and handle administrative matters for early voting officials through a temp or staffing agency. However, the county board must supervise the day-to-day activities of these officials, must instruct them on what they must do in their positions, and must have ultimate hiring and firing authority over all election officials. Using a temp agency is an administrative convenience. Regardless of whether a temp agency is used to administer poll worker employment, the records of those workers are covered by the confidentiality provisions of G.S. § 153A-98, which include exceptions for certain information. 8 Early voting officials may only be appointed and removed by the county board of elections. Removal may occur only for cause and after notice and a hearing.20 County boards should use the process in 08 NCAC 03 Section .0200 for complaints against precinct officials, including early voting officials, if an early voting official needs to be removed. This does not apply to workers staffing early voting at a county board office. In the event of an urgent need to put an early voting official on leave, such as for egregious misconduct or misbehavior, the county board should immediately notice and call an emergency meeting. The county board could hold the notice and hearing to remove the official at that time, or they could temporarily suspend the official in anticipation of a hearing schedule in the future. If an official is actively violating a criminal law or compromising the integrity of the election, they should be asked to leave, and law enforcement should be called if the official refuses to do so.21 The elections statutes do not set a separate minimum salary for early voting officials.22 Therefore, these officials should be paid at least the state minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour,23 for time worked and in training. 10. Public Records Requests for Information about Early Voting Officials The confidentiality of county personnel records forbids the release of personnel records for county employees unless the information requested is listed in the statute as a type of information that may be disclosed.24 This law covers county board employees, precinct officials (including early voting officials), and nominees for these positions.25 20 G.S. § 163-33(2). See also G.S. § 163-166.35(a1) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c), which describes early voting officials as “precinct officials.” 21 G.S. 163-48. 22 Compare with G.S. § 163-46, which sets the minimum wage for elections officials “on the day of a primary, special or general election.” 23 See G.S. § 95-25.3(a), which incorporates the federal minimum wage if higher than the state rate, which it currently is. See 29 U.S.C. § 206(a). 24 G.S. § 153A-98. 25 See Durham Herald Co. v. Cty. of Durham, 334 N.C. 677, 679, 435 S.E.2d 317, 319 (1993), which explains that “employee” is broadly construed under this statute to include “those who apply to county boards or their agents for positions which those boards and their agents are authorized to fill.” 9 Information that may be released includes: name, age, date of original employment or appointment to county service, terms of employment, current position, title, current salary, date and amount of each increase or decrease in salary with that county, date and type of change in position classification with that county, date and general description of reasons for promotion in that county, date and type of disciplinary action taken by county, and office to which employee is assigned (e.g., early voting site assignment).26 Examples of information that may not be released includes: • An application for county employment, whether or not the person actually became an employee, including nomination paperwork, applications for individuals seeking to become election officials, and information on lists created for the purpose of selecting nominees or assigning officials other than items like names that may be disclosed as explained above.27 • The employee’s/appointee’s home address, personal telephone number, personal email address, date of birth, or party affiliation. This information is not on the list of items that may be disclosed to the public, and therefore it may not be provided in response a public records request.28 This does not prevent the disclosure of the lists of names provided by one party or another, as long as the list includes only information that may be disclosed, like name. Other information that is not specifically allowed to be disclosed under G.S. § 153A-98(b) must be redacted, if requested. This list is not exhaustive. Again, information in an election official’s personnel file is confidential and may not be released in response to a public record’s request unless it is on the list of information permitted to be released under G.S. § 153A-98(b). County boards that that have questions about how to respond to a public records request for information about elections officials should contact their county attorney and/or the State Board. 26 G.S. § 153A-98(b). 27 See Elkin Tribune, Inc. v. Yadkin Cty. Bd. of Cty. Comm'rs, 331 N.C. 735, 737, 417 S.E.2d 465, 466–67 (1992). 28 See David Lawrence, Public Records Law, (2d ed. 2009), at 159, 166. Work email addresses and phone numbers, however, are open to the public. 10 11. Frequently Asked Questions About Appointment of Early Voting Officials 1. Do all early voting officials have to be registered voters in the county? Yes. Because they are precinct officials, early voting officials must be registered voters in the county.29 Early voting officials are not required to be registered in a particular precinct since early voting sites serve all voters in the county. 2. What is the minimum number of early voting officials that may serve at a site at a given time? By law, a chief judge must be present at each early voting site at all times.30 Although the statute requires the appointment of two judges only “where possible,” county boards should strive to appoint two judges for each day of early voting to ensure that there are enough officials present to run the site. Voter challenges must be heard by the chief judge and two judges.31 Additionally, curbside voting requires the presence of at least two elections officials.32 There are other reasons why county boards should ensure that more than one early voting official is always present at a site. County boards need to be able to handle unexpected influxes of voters and allow for any needed breaks for workers or unexpected events requiring a worker to leave the site. Having only one official present at the site could also present a safety concern, particularly if it is dark outside and the official is opening or closing the site on their own. 3. Is it permissible to appoint a chief judge and assistants but no judges? No. If there is a sufficient number of individuals to serve as assistants, the county board should first appoint two judges per site. See the answer to Question 2 for more information about the role of judges. 4. What is the term of an early voting official? Early voting officials are appointed for one election only. Unlike Election Day precincts, early voting sites are established by the county board of elections prior to each election. Therefore, it is not possible to appoint early voting officials to serve for more than one election at a time. 29 See G.S. § 163-41 and G.S. § 163-42, which indicate that precinct officials must be registered voters in the county. 30 G.S. § 163-166.35(a1) (S.L. 2023-140, sec. 27(c)). 31 G.S. § 163-88. 32 08 NCAC 10B .0108. 11 5. Can a chief judge at early voting sites also serve as a chief judge at an Election Day precinct? Yes. County boards should ensure that any official who serves in multiple roles at different times understands the distinct duties and responsibilities of each role. 6. Can someone be a chief judge sometimes and an assistant sometimes? Yes. 7. Is there a recommendation for how many officials to appoint? The needs of each site will vary. County boards of elections are best suited to determine the number of officials needed at each site at given times. County boards should consider past early voting turnout in similar elections and whether they may need any additional officials to reduce the possibility of long lines. 8. Can county boards appoint unaffiliated voters to serve as early voting officials? Yes, provided the county board follows the appointment process outlined in this memo. A political party could choose to recommend unaffiliated voters to serve as early voting officials, or, if the political party does not submit sufficient names, the county board could appoint unaffiliated voters. 9. What are the restrictions on political activity for early voting officials? The restrictions on political activity for early voting officials are the same as for Election Day officials. See Section 3 of this memo for a list of qualifications. Elections officials also have a duty of impartiality and honesty and may not engage in any political activity while on duty.33 They should also refrain from any political activity during the early voting period that could lead someone to question their ability to serve as impartial elections officials. A precinct official may be removed for “incompetency, failure to discharge the duties of office, failure to qualify within the time prescribed by law, fraud, or for any other satisfactory cause.”34 Precinct officials should therefore avoid any activity that could lead to their removal under this section. 33 G.S. § 163-47(a) and 08 NCAC 10B .0101(a). 34 G.S. § 163-33(2). 12 10. What does it mean for a chief judge or judge to be “of good repute” or have “good moral character”? Although not defined in the statute, the North Carolina Supreme Court has described good moral character as follows: [Good moral character] is something more than the absence of bad character. It is the good name which [a person] has acquired, or should have acquired, through association with his fellows. It means that he must have conducted himself as a man of upright character ordinarily would, should or does. Such character expresses itself, not in negatives nor in following the line of least resistance, but quite often in the will to do the unpleasant thing, if it is right, and the resolve not to do the pleasant thing, if it is wrong.35 This definition has been applied in the context of civil cases (such as for applicants to become members of the legal profession)36 and in criminal contexts.37 Good moral character may include an absence of “significant history of prior criminal activity,” but it is “more than simply the absence of criminal convictions.”38 If a county board becomes aware of reasons to question a potential precinct official’s “good repute” or “good moral character,” the county board should evaluate the basis of these concerns in light of the important responsibilities that these officials are entrusted with. In other words, they should consider whether the reasons to question the person’s good repute or moral character are particularly relevant to the election official role. State law permits the rejection of a recommended poll worker for lack of good repute or good moral character, because these are statutory qualifications for the role.39 If a county board is going to consider and deliberate on any reasons to question a prospective poll worker’s good moral character or good repute, it should do so in closed session.40 35 In re Rogers, 297 N.C. 48, 58 (1979) (quoting In re Applicants for License, 191 N.C. 235, 238 (1926)). 36 See, e.g., Rogers, 297 N.C. at 48. 37 See, e.g., State v. Johnson, 298 N.C. 47 (1979). 38 Johnson, 298 N.C. at 72. 39 G.S. § 163-41(a), (c). 40 See G.S. § 143-318.11(a)(6). 13 11. Can we make recommendations to the parties as to who recommend for appointment of early voting officials? Yes. Additionally, the county board should consider providing to the party chairs information about what makes an early voting official successful, such as: • Having prior experience as an early voting worker or Election Day precinct official. • Availability to assist with setup and breakdown of early voting locations. • Ability to use computers: laptops and printers for elections applications, entering data into election applications and using voter look-up tools, learning and executing opening and closing procedures for voting machines (tabulators and ballot marking devices). • Ability to lift or assist in moving voting machines, supply boxes, and other materials needed to operate an early voting location. (If physically unable, the county should work to accommodate so the site is otherwise staffed with someone who is able to do these things.) • Ability to work as part of team and take direction. • Availability to attend county board trainings. • Ability to reliably work needed shifts. • Ability and desire to work as an impartial election official who will treat all voters with fairness and respect. 12. May a party chair submit untrained individuals to receive preference over experienced workers? The statute requires early voting officials to be appointed from the lists of names submitted by the parties. It does not authorize the parties to decide when, where, and in what role an appointee serves. See the answer to the prior question for more information about recommendations for communicating with the county party chair to help ensure sure they recommend successful early voting officials. 13. What happens if the chief judge, judge, or assistant does not show up for a shift at an early voting site? Who will appoint their replacement? See Section 4 of this memo regarding vacancies. 14. Is it permissible to appoint multiple individuals to serve as chief judge and judge so that the county board staff can then assign them daily (always ensuring partisan balance, where possible) with staff assigning days and shifts as needed and according to the worker’s availability? Yes. G.S. § 163-166.35(a1) does not prohibit a county board from assigning multiple individuals to serve in the same roles, or from assigning the same individual to possibly serve in multiple roles, provided the partisan balance requirements are met when officials are staffing an early 14 voting site. If the county board chooses to appoint early voting officials in such a manner, staff are responsible for ensuring that each site is appropriately staffed, that partisan balance requirements are met where possible, and that officials serving understand their roles and responsibilities. DATE NAME STREET ADDRESS CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE RE: NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF EARLY VOTING OFFICIALS Pursuant to Session Law 2023-140 (SB 747), county boards of elections are required to appoint precinct officials for each early voting site other than the county board of elections office, for each primary or election. The session law further provides that county boards shall appoint qualified nominees from lists provided by the chair of each county political party if such recommendations are received “no later than the fifth business day preceding the date on which appointments are to be made.” This letter is to notify you that the New Hanover County Board of Elections is scheduled to meet on, Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. to appoint early voting officials for the upcoming election. In accordance with Session Law 2023-140, the deadline for recommendations to be received by this office is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. The following are the qualifications for precinct officials pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 163-41 and -41.1: • Must be a registered voter and resident of the county; • Must be of good repute and have good moral character; • Must be able to read and write; • Must not hold any elective office under the government of the United States, or of the State of North Carolina or any political subdivision thereof; • Must not be a candidate for nomination or election; • Must not hold any office in a state, congressional district, county, or precinct political party or political organization, or who is a manager or treasurer for any candidate or political party, provided however that the position of delegate to a political party convention shall not be considered an office for the purpose of this subsection; or • Must not be the wife, husband, mother, father, son, daughter, brother or sister of any candidate for nomination or election if the candidate is on the ballot at the site in which the precinct official would serve. • The following categories of relatives are prohibited from serving at the same voting site at the same time: spouse, child, spouse of a child, sister or brother. These individuals may serve at different voting sites at the same time or at the same voting site at different times. Precinct officials are required by law to take an oath before serving, which pledges them to administer their duties “without fear or favor;” to “not in any manner request or seek to persuade or induce any voter to vote for or against any particular candidate or proposition;” and to “not keep or make any memorandum of anything occurring within a voting booth, unless [they are] called upon to testify in a judicial proceeding for a violation of the election laws of this State.” N.C.G.S. § 163-41(e). We request that when you consider making these recommendations that you keep in mind the special requirements for staffing early voting sites, including: • Availability to assist with setup and breakdown of early voting locations • Ability to use computers: laptops and printers for elections applications, entering data into election applications and using voter look-up tools, learning and executing opening and closing procedures for voting machines (tabulators and ballot marking devices) • Ability to lift or assist in moving voting machines, supply boxes, and other materials needed to operate an early voting location. (If physically unable, the county will work to accommodate so the site is otherwise staffed with someone who is able to do these things.) • Ability to work as part of team and take direction • Availability to attend early voting training on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM or Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Additional early voting trainings are available based on assigned role, but these trainings are optional. • Ability to work during the Early Voting Period, beginning at 7:00 AM on Thursday, October 17, 2024, and ending upon the conclusion of closing tasks on Saturday, November 2, 2024. During this period, we run two shifts a day, with a few exceptions: o Early Shift is tentatively scheduled for 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM each weekday the sites are open • The first day of Early Voting all Early Shift employees are required to arrive at 7:00 AM • Weekend hours differ from weekday hours, and staff may be asked to work the full weekend day given the open hours are shorter than weekday hours. o Late Shift is tentatively scheduled for 1:30 PM to 8:00 PM each weekday the sites are open • The last day of Early Voting, all Late Shift employees are required to assist in the breakdown of the site after the polls are closed, departure time is dependent upon the completion of that process. • Weekend hours differ from weekday hours, and staff may be asked to work the full weekend day given the open hours are shorter than weekday hours. Please note that working early voting is different from Election Day. The work is similar, but early voting involves some additional complexity. For example, at early voting, electronic pollbooks must be used at check-in station and the help station, same-day registration is permitted, and at the ballot table workers must record the application number and precinct on ballots as they must be retrievable. Additionally, early voting is multiple days, and the county board will need to ensure that every site is adequately staffed for every day of the early voting period. Early voting begins on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 8:00 AM and continues through Saturday November 2, 2024, at 3:00 PM. We anticipate needing approximately 300 workers in total to staff our early voting sites. If the party’s recommendations are not received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, or, if the party does not submit sufficient recommendations for each early voting site, the county board of elections may appoint to serve as chief judge, judge, and assistant registered voters in that county who were not recommended by the party chairs. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Best Regards, Rae Hunter-Havens Director of Elections This email serves as notification of the time during which you will be able to make recommendations regarding appointment of Early Voting Officials for the 2024 General Election. Attached you will find the Early Voting Appointment Letter that contains information about this process, including deadlines for submission, as well as information related to the Early Voting Schedule. Please review the attached letter at your earliest convenience. We will have five early voting sites during the Early Voting period for the 2024 General Election. The early voting sites are the Northeast Library, NHC Senior Resource Center, Future Board of Elections Building , Cape Fear Community College, and Carolina Beach Town Hall. The Northeast Library site will continue to serve as our office site. As a reminder, given that it is our office site, the new law regarding appointments of Early Voting Officials does not apply to the Northeast Library site. Parties are encouraged to make recommendations of Early Voting Officials for the four remaining sites. The New Hanover County Board of Elections will review the recommendations and act as they see fit at the August 28, 2024, Board of Elections Special Meeting. While you are considering your appointments, we would like to share with you the individuals that we have identified to serve as Early Voting Site Leads. All the following individuals have an extensive record of nonpartisan service, as is required of all our officials, possess strong technical and interpersonal skills, and understand the role and its expectations. They have indicated that they would be willing to fulfill this role and understand that taking on this role means that they are available daily for the full duration of the Early Voting period. Information about the individuals can be found below. Suggested Early Voting Site Leads- 2024 General Election Site Name Elections Supervisory Experience? Northeast Library Matlynn Yeoman Yes Eileen Jezercak Yes CFCC Christi Hilgert Yes Lori Hull Yes Carolina Beach Patrick Boykin Yes Alejo Cruz Yes Future BOE Danette Brown Yes David Purnell Yes Senior Center Blanche Chisum Yes Byron Waugaman Yes Back-Up Carol Lupton Yes Elaine Syres Yes Greg Stump Yes Lenore Howard Yes Please do not hesitate to contact our office if any questions arise upon review of the attached letter. I have bcc’d the full board on this email. Best regards, Rae Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections August 28, 2024 Subject: Closed Session Chairman Statement Prior to Closed Session: I move that the Board enter into closed session, under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.11(6) to discuss personnel matters. Applicable Statutes and/or Rules: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.11(6) Summary: Closed session is required to discuss personnel matters under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.11(6). Board Action Required: Discuss as necessary Returning to Open Session: I move that the Board return to open session, under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.11(6), to conduct business remaining before the Board. Item # 2 Item # 5 Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections August 28, 2024 Subject: General Discussion Summary: This is an opportunity for discussion on other elections-related matters not included in the meeting agenda. Board Action Required: Discuss as necessary Item # 6