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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard Meeting Agenda Packet 09-09-2025MEETING AGENDA Date: September 9, 2025 Time: 5:30 PM Location: Bd of Elections Office, Conference Room Type: Regular Scheduled Attendees: Jamie Getty, Chair Rae Hunter-Havens, Director John Lyon, Secretary Caroline Schulte, Deputy Director Derrick R. Miller, Member Jessica O’Neill, Outreach and Program Coordinator James (Jim) Battle Morgan, Jr., Member Joey Worsley, Database & Systems Specialist Beverly Setz, Member Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, Administrative Technician Mark Payne, Board Legal Counsel Visitor(s): Lisa Wurtzbacher, Assistant County Manager AGENDA ITEMS 1.Meeting Openinga.Call to Order b.Pledge of Allegiance c.Approval of Agenda d.Approval of Minutes 2.Public Comment Period •2-minute limit •20-minute limit total 3.Director Update a.Financial Update b.List Maintenance c.Administrative Updates 4.New Business a.2025-2027 Chief Judge and Judge Appointments b.Appointment of Early Voting Officials c.Introductory Overview of Strategic Plan Development d.Member Setz’s request to discuss use of pronouns by BOE Staff e.Member Setz’s request to discuss list of all current BOE employees to include permanent, part-time and temporary employees f.Member Setz’s request to discuss status of request to NCSBE to enable Board members to assist with tallying absentee ballots g.Member Setz’s request to discuss absentee by mail voting 5.General Discussion •Other Elections-Related Matters 6.Closed Session (N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 143-318.11(a)(3) and (a)(6) 7.Adjournment *Agenda packets are sent via email in advance of meetings. Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 Subject: Approval of Agenda Summary: N/A Board Action Required: Staff recommends approval Item # 1c Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 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 8/19/2025 meeting. Board Action Required: Staff recommends approval Item # 1dItem # 1d Board Minutes – 08/19/2025 Page | 1 SPECIAL MEETING New Hanover County Board of Elections August 19, 2025 5:30 P.M. ATTENDANCE Members: Jamie S. Getty, Chair John Lyon, Secretary Derrick R. Miller, Member James (Jim) Battle Morgan, Jr., Member Beverly Setz, Member Staff:Rae Hunter-Havens, Executive Director Caroline Schulte, Deputy Director Gina Herring, Elections Specialist Joey Worsley, Elections Database & Systems Specialist Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, Administrative Elections Technician Visitors: Lisa Wurtzbacher, Assistant County Manager Public Attendees: Julius Rothlein, NHC GOP; Clarice Reber, League of Women Voters LCF; Ellen Hanagan, NHCDP Virtual Attendees: Jessica O’Neill; Denise Brown; Sheila; Mark Payne, Board Legal Counsel 1.MEETING OPENING a.Call to Order Chair Getty 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, 226 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, NC. All members were present. b.Pledge of Allegiance Chair Getty called on the audience to rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. c.Approval of Agenda Secretary Lyon moved to approve the agenda as submitted, seconded by Member Miller. Board Minutes – 08/19/2025 Page | 2 Motion carried unanimously. d.Approval of Minutes Chair Getty called for any corrections or changes to the minutes of the 06/10/2025, 07/22/2025, and 08/06/2025 Board meetings as submitted. Chair Getty asked for correction of the spelling of her last name in the 08/06/2025 minutes. Hearing no additional corrections, she called for a motion to approve the minutes. Member Lyon moved to approve the minutes as submitted and corrected, seconded by Member Miller. Motion carried unanimously. 2.PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Chair Getty called upon the public attendees for their comments or questions, limited to two minutes each with a total maximum time of ten minutes. Julius Rothlein said the NHC GOP submitted 55 names for Early Voting assignments and asked whether those will be considered in this Board meeting. Director Hunter-Havens said those recommendations will be considered when the Board reviews the appointment of Early Voting officials during new business. Seeing and hearing no additional public attendees wishing to comment, Chair Getty closed the Public Comment period. 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Resolution to Adopt a Time for Counting Absentee Ballots Chair Getty called on Director Hunter-Havens to speak to the proposed resolution to adopt a time for counting absentee ballots. The Director said recent amendments to the state statute now require a shorter schedule to count absentee and provisional ballots and their cures and allows county boards to adopt and publicize a schedule of dates and times to count approved absentee and provisional ballots. The resolution sets meetings on November 4, 7, and 13 at 2:00 p.m. to count approved absentee ballots, approved provisional ballots, and cured absentee or provisional ballots in preparation for the final canvass on November 14. Chair Getty moved adoption of the resolution to adopt a time for counting absentee ballots, approved provisional ballots, and cured absentee or provisional ballots, seconded by Member Miller. Motion carried unanimously. b.2025 Municipal Elections Notice County boards of election are required to publish a notice of the scheduled municipal election once a week during the 20-day period preceding the voter registration deadline. This notice informs voters that photo ID rules will apply; the hours for voting during the Board Minutes – 08/19/2025 Page | 3 early voting period and Election Day; locations open for early voting; directions for obtaining an absentee ballot; who may vote; the registration deadline; and dates and times for the special board meetings to review and approve absentee ballots. Chair Getty moved to approve the 2025 Municipal Election notice, seconded by Secretary Lyon. Motion carried unanimously. c. Temporary Transfer of Voters for Precincts H06, H08 and H11 Director Hunter-Havens said there are currently no registered voters residing in precincts H06 (Freedom Baptist Church) and H08 (Ogden Elementary School) which are in the municipal boundaries due to voluntary annexation. There are 12 registered voters in H11 (Coastal Community Baptist Church). Any voters who register and reside in the listed precincts will be temporarily assigned to the adjacent precinct where there will be separate registration and voting records for each precinct. The temporary transfer reduces costs by not opening the transferred precincts for Election Day to serve a small number of voters. Member Miller moved approval of the temporary transfer of voter in precincts H06, H08, and H11, seconded by Secretary Lyon. Motion carried unanimously. d. Proposed Polling Place Change for Precinct W25 The current polling place for precinct W25, Cape Fear Community College Health Sciences Building, is not available for the municipal election due to active construction. Cape Fear Community College has offered the McLeod Building to serve as the polling place for W25 for this election. The McLeod Building meets all administrative and legal requirements for voting and has ample parking and voting enclosure space to serve precinct W25 voters. Member Miller moved to make the polling place change for precinct W25 as recommended, seconded by Secretary Lyon. Motion carried unanimously. e. 2025-2027 Multipartisan Assistance Team (MAT) Appointments Director Hunter-Havens said that Multipartisan Assistance Teams (MAT) make scheduled visits to assist patients in covered facilities to request or complete absentee ballots. MAT teams work in bipartisan teams assigned from the approved list to serve as the facilities request. The list is compiled from the existing pool of election officials who have expressed their willingness and interest in serving on MAT teams. Secretary Lyon moved approval of the MAT list, seconded by Member Morgan. Motion carried unanimously. f.2025-2027 Chief Judge and Judge Appointments g. Appointment of Early Voting Officials Board Minutes – 08/19/2025 Page | 4 Director Hunter-Havens gave an overview of the process and administrative requirements for selecting chief judges and judges, then called on Deputy Director Schulte to provide additional details on and respond to the Board’s questions about the staff’s recommended assignments. Staff prepares their recommendations of teams for each precinct, then sends the list to the party chairs for their recommendations. Chair Getty moved to enter closed session to discuss personnel matters and obtain legal guidance pursuant to NC Gen. Stat. §143-318.11(3) and (6), seconded by Member Miller. Motion carried unanimously. The Board entered closed session at 6:33 p.m. and returned to open session at 8:38 p.m. Upon returning to open session, Member Miller moved approval of the 2025-2027 chief judge and judge assignments as presented by staff with changes to the assignments for CF01 and W31, and the 2025 early voting site leads as presented by staff, and the 2025 early voting pool as presented by staff, seconded by Secretary Lyon. Motion carried unanimously. Director Hunter-Havens requested that the Board authorize staff to manage the scheduling of the pool of early voting officials for the early voting period, and that the Chair delegate to staff to replace chief judges and judges from the approved pool in cases where the appointed official becomes unable to serve. The Board and Chair agreed to both delegations by unanimous consent. 4. GENERAL DISCUSSION Chair Getty called for any elections related matter from the Board. Secretary Lyon asked whether separate lines are provided to expedite provisional voting. Director Hunter-Havens said all voters begin with the check in process and are then directed to the Help Desk for provisional voting as required. 6.ADJOURNMENT Chair Getty moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Member Miller. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m. The next Board meeting is scheduled to be held on September 16, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., at the Board of Elections office, 226 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, NC. APPROVED BY: RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: _____________________________________________________________ JOHN LYON RAE HUNTER-HAVENS SECRETARY ELECTIONS DIRECTOR Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 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 20 minutes total for the public comment period. Board Action Required: Discuss as necessary Item # 2 Item # 2 Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 Subject: Director’s Report Summary: a.Financial Update The attached YTD FY25-26 budget report provides the Board with a financial update through the 2nd Period (August) of this fiscal year. 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 between June 1, 2025, to August 31, 2025. •Removed 1,679 voters from the voter registration rolls consistent with NC Gen. Stat. §163-82.14. •Processed 2,736 new registrations, 1,584 duplicate registrations, and 2,450 registration updates. c.Administrative Updates •Staffing Changes •2025 Municipal Elections Logic & Accuracy Voting Equipment Testing Document/s Included: Financial Year-To-Date Budget Report 2nd Period (August); NVRA Report (June – August 2025) Board Action Required: Discuss as necessary Item # 2 Item # 3 NEW HANOVER COUNTY - LIVE YEAR-TO-DATE BUDGET REPORT Report generated: 09/04/2025 16:44User:rhavensProgram ID: glytdbud Page 1 FOR 2026 02 ACCOUNTS FOR:ORIGINAL TRANFRS/ REVISED AVAILABLE PCT110 GENERAL FUND APPROP ADJSTMTS BUDGET YTD ACTUAL ENCUMBRANCES BUDGET USE/COL 16 BOARD OF ELECTIONS 10 CHARGES FOR SERVICES 11016102 400122 COUNTY CANDIDAT -10,500 0 -10,500 -2,498.00 .00 -8,002.00 23.8%* 11016102 400165 FEES -280,814 0 -280,814 .00 .00 -280,814.00 .0%* 11016102 400370 PRINTING FEES -25 0 -25 .00 .00 -25.00 .0%* TOTAL CHARGES FOR SERVICES -291,339 0 -291,339 -2,498.00 .00 -288,841.00 .9% 60 SALARIES & BENEFITS 11016100 610000 SALARIES AND WA 687,913 0 687,913 72,262.20 .00 615,650.80 10.5% 11016100 611500 CASUAL PART TIM 358,240 0 358,240 2,906.84 .00 355,333.16 .8% 11016100 611600 OVERTIME PAY (O 11,187 0 11,187 .00 .00 11,187.00 .0% 11016100 612000 CELL PHONE ALLO 105 0 105 85.00 .00 20.00 81.0% 11016100 621000 SOCIAL SECURITY 50,075 0 50,075 5,598.51 .00 44,476.49 11.2% 11016100 622000 RETIREMENT-LOCA 94,625 0 94,625 10,391.28 .00 84,233.72 11.0% 11016100 623500 GENERAL 401-K M 16,486 0 16,486 1,806.54 .00 14,679.46 11.0% 11016100 625000 MEDICAL INSURAN 102,492 0 102,492 7,856.26 .00 94,635.74 7.7% 11016100 626000 LONG TERM DISAB 1,122 0 1,122 112.29 .00 1,009.71 10.0% TOTAL SALARIES & BENEFITS 1,322,245 0 1,322,245 101,018.92 .00 1,221,226.08 7.6% 70 OPERATING EXPENSES 11016100 700000 CONTR SERVS 128,063 0 128,063 6,816.90 75,159.56 46,086.54 64.0%11016100 700328 LEASE EXPENSE 50,003 0 50,003 10,004.16 30,353.24 9,645.60 80.7%11016100 700329 SUBSCRIPTION SO 18,012 0 18,012 175.00 .00 17,837.00 1.0%11016100 700330 RENT 157,715 0 157,715 .00 .00 157,715.00 .0%11016100 700350 ADVERTISING COS 6,000 0 6,000 .00 .00 6,000.00 .0%11016100 700365 CELLULAR EXPENS 17,819 0 17,819 2,416.80 .00 15,402.20 13.6%11016100 700370 POSTAGE EXPENSE 84,820 0 84,820 3,875.28 3,624.72 77,320.00 8.8%11016100 700430 M&R-EQUIPMENT 76,233 0 76,233 .00 .00 76,233.00 .0%11016100 700500 PRINTING 136,450 0 136,450 602.56 3,533.94 132,313.50 3.0%11016100 700512 PRINTER-COPIER 69,254 0 69,254 120.55 .00 69,133.45 .2%11016100 700520 SUPPLIES 27,592 0 27,592 23,052.04 705.00 3,834.96 86.1% Draft Agenda Packet NEW HANOVER COUNTY - LIVE YEAR-TO-DATE BUDGET REPORT Report generated: 09/04/2025 16:44User:rhavensProgram ID: glytdbud Page 2 FOR 2026 02 ACCOUNTS FOR:ORIGINAL TRANFRS/ REVISED AVAILABLE PCT110 GENERAL FUND APPROP ADJSTMTS BUDGET YTD ACTUAL ENCUMBRANCES BUDGET USE/COL 11016100 700542 SUPPLIES-COMPUT 22,482 0 22,482 561.00 .00 21,921.00 2.5% 11016100 700700 DUES & SUBSCRIP 125 0 125 .00 .00 125.00 .0% 11016100 700825 EMPLOYEE REIMBU 1,866 0 1,866 97.35 .00 1,768.65 5.2% 11016100 700905 TRAINING & TRAV 4,311 0 4,311 4,430.00 .00 -119.00 102.8%* TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 800,745 0 800,745 52,151.64 113,376.46 635,216.90 20.7% TOTAL BOARD OF ELECTIONS 1,831,651 0 1,831,651 150,672.56 113,376.46 1,567,601.98 14.4% TOTAL GENERAL FUND 1,831,651 0 1,831,651 150,672.56 113,376.46 1,567,601.98 14.4% TOTAL REVENUES -291,339 0 -291,339 -2,498.00 .00 -288,841.00 TOTAL EXPENSES 2,122,990 0 2,122,990 153,170.56 113,376.46 1,856,442.98 Draft Agenda Packet NEW HANOVER COUNTY - LIVE YEAR-TO-DATE BUDGET REPORT Report generated: 09/04/2025 16:44User:rhavensProgram ID: glytdbud Page 3 FOR 2026 02 ORIGINAL TRANFRS/ REVISED AVAILABLE PCTAPPROP ADJSTMTS BUDGET YTD ACTUAL ENCUMBRANCES BUDGET USE/COL GRAND TOTAL 1,831,651 0 1,831,651 150,672.56 113,376.46 1,567,601.98 14.4% ** END OF REPORT - Generated by RAE HUNTER-HAVENS ** Draft Agenda Packet NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS NVRA REPORT Reporting Period:-6/1/2025 8/31/2025 Totals Active 156,682 Inactive 26,290 Total Registration 182,972 REPORTING PERIOD Registrations Approved 1,676 Total Registrations Removed 1,679 Inactive Registrations Removed 246 New Registrations 00 - No Application Source 10 01 - Public Assistance 29 02 - Disability 2 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 2,373 06 - Mail-in 57 07 - In-person 13 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 1 10 - Online Registration 108 17 - Registration Drives 137 21 - Medicaid Renewal 5 96 - FWAB Registrant 0 97 - FPCA Registrant 1 2,736 Duplicates 00 - No Application Source 205 01 - Public Assistance 27 02 - Disability 0 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 704 06 - Mail-in 77 07 - In-person 34 08 - Library & High School 1 09 - Spanish Language Application 2 10 - Online Registration 52 17 - Registration Drives 202 21 - Medicaid Renewal 8 95 - Voter Return of NCOA 205 96 - FWAB Registrant 0 97 - FPCA Registrant 2 98 - Voter Change On Confirmation 63 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 1 of 5Sep 04, 2025 4:52 pm NVRA REPORTNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS 99 - Voter Change On Verification 2 1,584 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 2 of 5Sep 04, 2025 4:52 pm NVRA REPORTNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS Changes of Information 00 - No Application Source 370 01 - Public Assistance 37 02 - Disability 1 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 1,574 06 - Mail-in 93 07 - In-person 46 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 1 10 - Online Registration 217 17 - Registration Drives 98 21 - Medicaid Renewal 2 95 - Voter Return of NCOA 5 96 - FWAB Registrant 0 97 - FPCA Registrant 5 98 - Voter Change On Confirmation 1 99 - Voter Change On Verification 0 2,450 Verifications # of 1st & 2nd verification mailings sent 4,685 # of 1st NCOA mailings sent 2,116 # of 1st verification returned undeliverable 2,018 # of verification returned by voter 2 Confirmations # of confirmations returned by voter 64 # of confirmations sent 1,907 # of confirmations returned undeliverable 71 # of confirmations not returned at all 2,063 COUNTY STATISTICAL Constitution 0 Democratic 48,665 Green 133 Justice For All 0 Libertarian 1,334 No Labels 0 Republican 54,636 Unaffiliated 78,204 We The People 0 American Indian 396 Asian 1,580 Black 17,700 Multi-Racial 758 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 16 White 138,277 Other 4,972 Undesignated 19,273 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 3 of 5Sep 04, 2025 4:52 pm NVRA REPORTNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS Hispanic 4,639 Not Hispanic 110,742 Undesignated 67,591 Female 88,191 Male 74,136 Undesignated 20,645 Unprocessed Registrations - Incomplete Queue 00 - No Application Source 138 01 - Public Assistance 26 02 - Disability 1 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 559 06 - Mail-in 35 07 - In-person 3 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 1 10 - Online Registration 13 17 - Registration Drives 30 21 - Medicaid Renewal 1 95 - Voter Return of NCOA 26 96 - FWAB Registrant 0 97 - FPCA Registrant 0 98 - Voter Change On Confirmation 4 99 - Voter Change On Verification 1 Unprocessed Registrations - Archive Queue 00 - No Application Source 6 01 - Public Assistance 7 02 - Disability 0 03 - Other (ESC) 0 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 0 06 - Mail-in 0 07 - In-person 0 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 0 10 - Online Registration 0 17 - Registration Drives 1 21 - Medicaid Renewal 0 95 - Voter Return of NCOA 0 96 - FWAB Registrant 0 97 - FPCA Registrant 0 98 - Voter Change On Confirmation 0 99 - Voter Change On Verification 0 Unprocessed Registrations - Review Queue 00 - No Application Source 13 01 - Public Assistance 6 02 - Disability 0 03 - Other (ESC) 0 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 4 of 5Sep 04, 2025 4:52 pm NVRA REPORTNEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS 04 - Armed Forces 0 05 - DMV 124 06 - Mail-in 4 07 - In-person 1 08 - Library & High School 0 09 - Spanish Language Application 0 10 - Online Registration 15 17 - Registration Drives 62 21 - Medicaid Renewal 0 96 - FWAB Registrant 0 97 - FPCA Registrant 0 vtr_nvra_stat.rpt Page 5 of 5Sep 04, 2025 4:52 pm Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 Subject: 2025-2027 Chief Judge and Judge Appointments Applicable Statutes and/or Rules N.C. Gen. Stat §§ 163-31 and 163-41(a) Summary: County boards of elections are required to appoint one chief judge and two judges to each precinct in the county. Per statute, the most important qualification of a chief judge or judge is that they are residents of the precinct in which they are appointed to serve. At the August 19th meeting, the county board appointed chief judges and judges to each of the county’s 41 precincts. However, some of these election officials have declined their appointments. As a result, our office contacted the party chairs to inform them of these declinations and provided them with an opportunity to submit additional recommendations for appointment by the board. Wherever possible, all judges should not be members of the same political party. There is not a statutory requirement that a certain number of judges must be Democrats or Republicans. Unaffiliated voters can be appointed as a chief judge or judge. The appointment of Unaffiliated and Democratic judge or Unaffiliated and Republican judges meets the bipartisan criteria since Unaffiliated judges are not of the same political party as either Democrat or Republican judges. Per the NC State Board of Elections, examining the voting history of prospective judges is not required, nor is it appropriate. From an administrative perspective, it is imperative that the county board appoint as many qualified resident chief judges and judges as statutorily permitted to ensure that our office has sufficient time to 1)onboard, assign, and train election officials to perform all required administrative and technical tasks on Election Day and 2) to fill any last-minute vacancies of appointed chief judges or judges with transfer chief judges or judges to ensure effective management of the election-related processes. It is critical that, whenever possible, the use of transfer judges be limited to ensure that we have sufficient capacity to fill last-minute vacancies in those appointed to serve in each precinct. Through the timely establishment of these appointments, teams can be built in a timely manner using other election officials to ensure that all skillsets and knowledge-bases are present at each polling place. Below is the order of operations county board of elections should use for appointing chief judges and judges, including those recommended by party chairs and county board of elections staff: 1.For each chief judge position, each party chair recommends two total names for each precinct who must be registered voters of that precinct. 2.For the two judge positions, each party chair recommends two total names for each precinct who must be registered voters of that precinct. Item # 4a 3.If the party chairs submitted this list of names to the county board of elections by the deadline, the county board MUST appoint chief judges and judges from that list, even if the party list only contains one name for each position. 4.If the lists from the party were received by the deadline but contain names that are NOT residents of the precinct, those lists are insufficient. The county board MUST appoint the names of those who ARE residents of the precincts (there is no discretion here per the statute). 5.The county board of elections must then, by unanimous vote, appoint as chief judge or judge the names of voters in the following order: a.Those who were NOT recommended by the party but who ARE residents of the precinct (and must “diligently” seek residents of the precinct). b.Those who were recommended by the party but ARE NOT residents of the precinct (this includes names that the party did not submit by the deadline but may have recommended after that time – the statute says the county board “where possible” must seek and adopt the recommendation of the county chair of the party affected). By unanimous vote, the county board of elections may approve recommendations by staff to appoint a nonresident as a chief judge or judge so long as these recommendations meet all other statutory requirements. *The term of office is two years from the specific date of appointment and until successors are appointed and qualified. The only exceptions to the term of appointment are cases where a nonresident of the precinct is appointed as a chief judge or judge. In those cases, the nonresident judge’s term of office shall end if the chair of the county board of elections appoints a qualified resident of the precinct of the same party to replace the nonresident chief judge or judge. There is no statutory prohibition on an unaffiliated voter serving as a chief judge or judge. In fact, the statute doesn’t even mention Democrat or Republican, but rather states, “Not more than one judge in a precinct shall belong to the same political party as the chief judge” in subsection (a) of G.S. 163-41(a) and, “In making its appointments, the county board shall assure, wherever possible, that no precinct has a chief judge and judges all of whom are registered with the same party” in subsection (c) of that same statute. Per the NC State Board of Elections, after the county board completes the appointment of all chief judges and judges for the 2025-2027 election cycle, any remaining vacancies can be filled by the chair of the county board of elections. If the chair does not appoint a person recommended by the party chair, the appointee's term will end after the next canvass. The successor must be nominated by the party chair of the vacating office. If the current board does not unanimously appoint as required by N.C. Gen. Stat § 163-41, the precinct chief judges and judges appointed in 2023 hold over until a new judge is properly appointed by the board for that position. According to G.S. 163-41(a), their terms continue for two years or until successors are appointed and qualified. If a nonresident is appointed, their term ends when a qualified resident of the same party is appointed. The chair can approve appointments without unanimous board approval when there is a vacancy due to removal, death, or resignation. Document/s Included: 2025-2027 Chief Judge and Judge Nominations (Provided at Meeting) Board Action Required: Discuss as necessary and approval Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 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 must appoint officials for each early voting site, excluding the county board office. At the August 19th meeting, the board appointed a slate of chief judges and judges/assistants to serve during early voting. We have a list of additional names that are being recommended for appointment by the board as early voting judges or assistants, some of whom were also recommended by the parties. Document/s Included: NCSBOE Numbered Memo 2023-07, 2025 Municipal Election Early Voting Official Nominations (Provided at Board Meeting) Board Action Required: Board Action Required Item # 4b 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. Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 Subject: Introductory Overview of Strategic Plan Development Summary: The county board of elections, in conjunction with board of elections staff, may develop and adopt a strategic plan. This plan should include mission and vision statements, goals, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for a definitive period of time (i.e. 1 year, 3 years or 5 years) to guide the organization in its nonpartisan efforts to administer elections to New Hanover County citizens. Once developed, the Director can then use this plan to develop organizational goals for performance evaluations for staff. The existing Mission Statement and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the organization are included below for board reference. Mission Statement The mission of the New Hanover County Board of Elections is to provide the highest level of professional standards to ensure accurate, honest, and fair elections through accountability and integrity and to provide all citizens our services in the most efficient, effective, and timely manner. Key Performance Indicator (KPI’s) •Hold in-person or virtual events to increase voter registration •All election day precincts, early voting sites, mail-in absentee ballets pass post-election audits •100% of staff are adequately trained for their position within three months of hire •Hold an appropriate number of information sessions •Increase the number of qualified election officials in poll worker database Staff has already considered and developed some possible administrative goals and measurements, but would like for members of the board to consider developing some of their own ahead of a strategic plan work session the staff would like to hold with the board in December. Scheduling this meeting in December, following the first election in their term, allows new members to experience the full breadth of their elections responsibilities, and witness the efforts of staff, ahead of goal-setting. Board Action Required: Discuss as Necessary Item # 4c Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 Subject: Member Setz’s request to discuss use of pronouns by BOE Staff Applicable Statutes and/or Rules NA Summary: Member Setz has requested that the county board of elections discuss use of pronouns by BOE Staff. Board Action Required: Discuss as Necessary Item # 4d Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 Subject: Member Setz’s request to discuss list of all current BOE employees to include permanent, part-time and temporary employees Applicable Statutes and/or Rules NA Summary: Member Setz has requested that the county board of elections discuss list of all current BOE employees to include permanent, part-time and temporary employees. Board Action Required: Discuss as Necessary Item # 4e Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 Subject: Member Setz’s request to discuss status of request to NCSBE to enable Board members to assist with tallying absentee ballots Applicable Statutes and/or Rules NA Summary: Member Setz has requested that the county board of elections discuss status of request to NCSBE to enable Board members to assist with tallying absentee ballots. Board Action Required: Discuss as Necessary Item # 4f Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 Subject: Member Setz’s request to discuss absentee by mail voting Applicable Statutes and/or Rules NA Summary: Member Setz has requested that the county board of elections discuss absentee by mail voting. Board Action Required: Discuss as Necessary Item # 4g Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 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 # 5 Regular Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections September 9, 2025 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(a)(3) and (a)(6) to discuss personnel matters and receive legal guidance. Applicable Statutes and/or Rules: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-318.11(a)(3) and (a)(6) Summary: Closed session is required to discuss personnel matters and receive any legal advice from counsel, either from the county attorney’s office or from newly selected outside counsel under §§ 143- 318.11(a)(3) and (a)(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(a)(3) and (a)(6), to conduct business remaining before the Board. Item # 2 Item # 6