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Board Meeting Agenda Packet 06-08-2022 MEETING AGENDA Date: June 8, 2022 Time: 9:00 AM Location: Paynter Room, Northeast Library Type: Special Scheduled Attendees: Oliver Carter III, Chair Rae Hunter-Havens, Elections Director Derrick R. Miller, Secretary Caroline Dawkins, Elections Deputy Director Lyana G. Hunter, Member Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, Administrative Elections Bruce Kemp, Member Technician Russ C. Bryan, Member Jenna Dahlgren, Elections Logistics Specialist Visitor(s): Lisa Wurtzbacher, Assistant County Manager AGENDA ITEMS 1. Meeting Opening a. Call to Order b. Preliminary Announcement i. Silence Phones ii. Recording & Streaming iii. Other c. Pledge of Allegiance d. Approval of Agenda 2. Public Comment and Questions • 2-minute limit • 10-minute total 3. New Business • Recount of the NHC Board of Education (DEM) Contest 4. General Discussion • Other Elections-Related Matters 5. Adjournment *Agenda packets are sent via email in advance of meetings. Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections June 8, 2022 Subject: Approval of Agenda Summary: N/A Board Action Required: Staff recommends approval Item # 1d Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections June 8, 2022 Subject: Public Comment Summary: This is an opportunity for members of the public to provide comment on elections-related matters. Each commenter will be limited to two minutes. Board Action Required: Discuss as necessary Item # 2 Item # 2 Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections June 8, 2022 Subject: Recount of the NHC Board of Education (DEM) Contest Applicable Statutes and/or Rules N.C. Gen. Stat §§ 163-182.7(b) and 163-182.7(d), 08 NCAC 09 Summary: In accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-182.7, the Board of Elections is required to conduct machine recount for the NHC Board of Elections (DEM) contest. This count shall be continuous until complete and under the supervision of the New Hanover County Board of Elections. Procedures for conducting the recount are included. Document/s Included: Administrative Procedures for Recount Board Action Required: Staff Recommends Approval Item # 3a Item # 3 General Procedures The New Hanover County Board of Elections will be conducting a recount following the 2022 Primary Election for the NHC Board of Education (DEM) for Jenna Bosch and Nelson Beaulieu. This will include a machine recount of all paper ballots. Authorizing Statutes N.C. Gen. Stat. §§163-182.7(b); N.C. Gen. Stat. § 163-182.7(d); 08 NCAC 09 Authorized Equipment All paper ballots will be scanned using a DS850 Central Tabulator. Paper Ballots The Board of Elections will rescan all paper ballots from the following reporting groups on the DS850 high-speed, digital scan central ballot counter after zeroing out all totals and providing a tape to confirm this: Election Day One-Stop Absentee Provisional After ballots for each reporting group and voting site/precinct have been scanned, a results tape will be printed for the Board of Elections to review and compare against initial totals. Machine Rejected Ballots All ballots that are machine rejected will be duplicated by a ballot duplication team. Once any responsive ballot(s) is duplicated, it will be scanned into the tabulator and added into the precinct totals. The original ballot will be placed into a polybag labeled “Machine Rejected Duplications” by precinct. The duplicated ballot will be placed with all other machine accepted ballots. Certification of Recount Results Following review and discussion, the Board of Elections will re-certify the results and submit them to the NC State Board of Elections. Administrative Procedures for Recount 1 Administrative Positions General Supervisors Rae Hunter-Havens Elections Director Oliver Carter III Chairman Derek R. Miller Secretary Russ C. Bryan Member Lyana G. Hunter Member Bruce Kemp Member Scanning Team Jennifer Sparks Tabulator/Scanner Technician Rae Hunter-Havens Tabulator Observer Jenna Dahlgren Ballot Attendant Caroline Dawkins Ballot Packer and Audit Sheet Recorder Ballot Distributor Jim Keefe Ballot Duplication Controller Beth Pugh Machine Rejected Duplication Team Sarah Vitt (R) Ballot Caller Cher Pridgen (D) Ballot Reviewer Sharon Smith (R) Ballot Duplicator Optical Scan Procedures 1)The Designated Technician will print out a zero report from DS850. 2)All ballots are currently sorted by Reporting Group and Precinct/One-Stop Site. The Ballot Attendant ensures all ballots are properly identified and sorted appropriately. It is critical that ballots from different reporting groups and precincts are not mixed to preserve proper chain of custody and the integrity of the tabulation process. Administrative Procedures for Recount 2 3)After the ballots for each One Stop site and precinct have been scanned for a given reporting group, the Technician will print out an Elections Detail Report that can be used by the Audit Sheet Recorder to document the recount results for that contest in that reporting group on the audit logs. The Ballot Packer/Auditor will secure each batch of ballots separately by either one- stop site and date or by precinct and reporting group in a secure polybag. 4)After the ballots for a given one-stop site or precinct and reporting group are scanned and secured in polybags, the Ballot Distributor will return the ballots to the secure storage room in the Azalea or Oleander Room. 5)If any of the applicable ballots cannot be read by the DS850, the Ballot Duplication Team will duplicate the ballot after announcing “Damaged Ballot”, following all duplication procedures. Once any responsive ballot(s) is duplicated, it will be scanned into the tabulator and added into the voting site or precinct totals for the appropriate reporting group. The original ballot will be placed into a polybag labeled “Machine Rejected Duplications” by voting site or precinct. The duplicated ballot will be placed with all other machine accepted ballots. 6)Once the ballots have been scanned and counted by the DS850, the Technician will print out a closing results tape for the recounted contest. 7)In the presence of at least two members of the county board, a county board staff member shall compare the contest results on the results tape to the canvassed results for the contest that is being recounted. 8)The county board members will compare the elections results from the DS850 with the canvassed results in any precincts or reporting groups where there are changes. County board members may also review all results tapes printed on the DS850 during the recount if desired or needed. 9)The Technician will then upload the data into ElectionWare by reporting group. 10)Once the data has been successfully updated, the Technician will print a canvass report and create a results ASCII file. 11)The Director will Import the results ASCII file from ElectionWare into the SEIMS Election Reporting System under the “Canvass Recount" menu. Contests that are eligible for a recount will be enabled and those contest results can be updated if there are any changes in the results for that recounted contest. 12)The county board of elections must compare the results from the recount report to the totals in Election Reporting using the designated report. 13)Once all recount results have been tabulated in ElectionWare, the Technician will print out two copies of the County Canvass Abstract Cover Sheet for Recounts and County Canvass Contest Report from ERS for the recounted contest. In addition, the technician will print the Canvass Block Style report from Election Reporting Manager for the recounted contest. 14)The county board members will sign a certificate acknowledging that all ballots successfully cast during the election have been rescanned and tabulated as reflected in the abstract. Administrative Procedures for Recount 3 Ballot Scanning Instructions 1.Retrieve ballots for a designated precinct or one-stop site from the polybag (Ballot Attendant)2.Remove ballots from designated precinct bag in batches and provide the ballots to the ballot scanner in stacks appropriate for the scanner’s capacity (Ballot Attendant)3.Once a batch of ballots is scanned, the Ballot Packer/Audit Sheet Recorder will rubber band the ballots and place them on the designated table to left of the DS850. •If ballots are rejected, inform your designated Ballot Duplication Controller, who will take the ballot and provide it to the ballot duplication team.4.Once all ballots, including duplicated machine rejected ballots, have been scanned for the precinct or one-stop site associated with a given reporting group, the Ballot Packer/Audit Sheet Recorder place the ballots in the polybag in which they were retrieved, seal the polybag for the designated precinct or one-stop site and place it in the box labeled for that precinct or site. •No new ballots may be retrieved until the most recently scanned precinct or one- stop site is packed away in its appropriate location.5.The Ballot Scanner will print a “Precinct Details” or “Election Details” report from the DS850 depending upon the types of ballots scanned in the last batch.6.The Ballot Packer/Audit Sheet Recorder will record the candidate totals for NHC Board of Education (DEM) on the precinct/voting site audit sheet.7.The Ballot Scanner, Ballot Attendant, and Ballot Packer/Audit Sheet Recorder will sign the precinct audit sheet to confirm the totals recorded by the Ballot Packer/Audit Sheet Recorder8.Repeat Steps 1-7 until complete. Ballot Duplication Controller Instructions 1.Ballot Duplication Controller will receive the machine rejected ballots from the Ballot Packer/Audit Sheet Recorder.2.The Ballot Duplication Controller will retrieve a ballot of the same style from the unused ballot stock.3.The Ballot Duplication Controller will record the precinct code (ex. FP08) and write the word “Duplicate” at the top of the blank ballot. Administrative Procedures for Recount 4 4.The Ballot Duplication Controller will provide the blank ballot and the machine rejected ballot to the designated duplication team. 5.Once the ballot has been properly duplicated, the Ballot Duplication Controller will provide the duplicated ballot to the appropriate scanning team to add to the precinct totals. 6.Place the machine rejected ballot into a white polybag. Be sure to record the precinct or voting site code that the machine rejected ballot came from on the face of the white polybag. Seal the polybag after all machine rejected ballots for the precinct have been placed inside. Machine Rejected Duplication Team 1.The Ballot Duplicator will receive the machine rejected ballot and the coded blank ballot of the same style from the Ballot Duplication Controller. Verify the following: •Ensure that the machine rejected ballot is attached to a coded blank ballot. •Verify that the ballot style of the machine rejected ballot is the same ballot style as the coded duplicate ballot. o If you notice any issue with the aforementioned verifications, immediately notify your designated Ballot Duplication Controller.2.In the presence of a Ballot Reviewer, the Ballot Caller will read aloud the selections listed on the machine rejected ballot to the designated Ballot Duplicator.3.In the presence of a Ballot Reviewer, the Ballot Duplicator will fill in the oval indicating the voter’s choice for each contest as read aloud by the Ballot Caller. •If an error occurs during the duplication process, across the face of the duplicate ballot, write the word “SPOILED” and place the ballot in the designated blue polybag for spoiled ballot. Inform the Ballot Duplication Controller of the error, so that he or she can retrieve a new ballot for the Ballot Duplicator. Once the new ballot is received, repeat the steps listed above.4.Once the ballot is duplicated, attach the duplicated ballot to the machine rejected ballot and provide it to the designated Ballot Duplication Controller.5.Repeat Steps 1-4 for remaining ballots. Administrative Procedures for Recount 5 Reporting Final Results 1.Once all recount results have been tabulated in ElectionWare, the Technician will print out the County Canvass Abstract Cover Sheet for Recounts, County Canvass Contest Report, County Canvass Precinct Report, and Canvass Block Style report for the recounted contest. 2.The Audit Team will compare these results to the original reports by the process of one person calling out the numbers to the other for the recounted contest to verify that it is the same. 3.The Board of Elections will conduct the official canvass of the recount immediately following the counting of the last precinct and recording of the vote totals, certifying the recount results. 4.These vote totals will then be submitted to the NC State Board of Elections. 5.If there are any differences between the original machine count totals and the recount totals, then the county board will follow the guidelines in 8 NCAC 09.0106. Administrative Procedures for Recount 6 Special Meeting New Hanover County Board of Elections June 8, 2022 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 # 4