2019 Municipal ElectionChief Judge TrainingEnsure you signed in at the

table outside the door

Reminder

If you have any previous training material, please recycle!

Information has changed since previous elections, you should only be referring to current training materials!

Welcome andthank you!

• Election Reminders

• OVRD Training Refresher

• Binder with valuable resources

• Review of precinct management

• How to tally write-ins

• Review of precinct supplies

• Hands-on with supplies and computer set-up

• Time for Q & A

Oath

I, (state your name), do solemnly swear/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 a Poll Worker, Brunswick 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; I so swear/affirm.

* Be sure to have all poll workers sign oath sheet

Precinct Assignments

• Precinct assignments

– Will be finalized after all training is completed

• Around October 15

• Chief judges will receive 2 emails

– Your assignment as chief judge – form letter

– Separate email with “team roster”

– Mailed a printed copy

Ballot Styles

• We have 31 different ballot styles

• You will not receive all the ballot styles

• Help Desk should be referring to sample ballots prior to processing a provisional ballot

• If the voter is “No Ballot Style” or “Out of Precinct”

– Review available ballot styles with voter

– Allow the voter to choose which ballot style they wish to vote provisional

“ID Required Voters”

• First-time voters that did not include their Driver License number or SSN-4 when registering

• Offer voter copy of NOTICE TO VOTERS WITH NO ACCEPTABLE ID

• Must present ID• May present a valid photo ID

– OR• Other current (90 days) showing name and address of voter

• Voter may pull up copy of utility bill on their electronic device

Located in Green Poly Envelopes

IMPORTANT!

• Once a voter is checked-in on Election Day and marked VOTED, it cannot be undone!

• Cannot cancel a voter and check in again

– Must be diligent in making sure you are working with the correct voter!

– Repeat the voter’s information back to him/her

Orange Locking Bag

• Key in White PEB Box

• Completed Curbside and Provisional Ballots should be placed in Orange Locking Bag

• End of the night

– Curbside Log

– Provisional Poll Book

OVRD Workstations

Setting up workstations• Main laptop has GREEN STICKER

• Main laptop should be Help Desk

• ALL laptops MUST be connected to the Network Hub

• Printers MUST have power first

• It is imperative to power on Main Laptop first– First on, last off

• Power supporting laptops

Logging In

• Passwords are no longer published

• Election day passwords will be in a sealed envelope inside white PEB box

Computer Security

• Bitlocker– If Password is not

entered, computer will shut down and you will have to restart.

– Instructions are included in the laptop.

Election Day Check-In and Help Desk Functions Training

What is in your Binder?• Chief Judge Checklist • Precinct Specific Contact Info (facility contact info)• Projected Turnout• Precinct List• Machine delivery schedule• Precinct Specific Buffer Zone• Supply List• Essentials Tote List • Write-In Instructions• Notice to Voters with No Acceptable ID• Script for Voter Assistance• Packing & Unpacking Workstations• Quick Guides• Help Desk Manual• iVotronic Guide

**You will get a list of your poll workers as soon as assignments are finalized; you will also receive a contact list with each precincts contact info, CJ, Help Desk and Machine Techs.

Important Phone Numbers• Board of Elections Office

– 910-253-2620

• Sara’s cell– 910-233-5599

• Melissa’s cell– 574-298-1516

• Cell phone numbers should only be called if you need someone after hours.

• The best way to reach someone during business hours or on Election Day is to call the office number.

• Staff will be in office by 5:45 AM election morning• Call us as soon as you know you need something!

– We are available Monday evening; call us so we can work on a solution for you ASAP

Setting up your precinct• Make contact with your location

– Make sure you have needed access to the building for both set-up and election morning

• Machine & supply delivery schedule – in your packet– Moving personnel will remove voting machines from

racks

• You do not need to come to BOE on Monday!• You MUST audit your black box upon delivery!

• Decide who you need to help, let them know what time to meet you.

• If you are a larger precinct, you do not need everyone for set up.

• Set up OVRD workstations and test print

Set your buffer zone• The buffer zone should be clearly marked. The buffer zone is

an area around the entrance to the voting place where electioneering cannot occur. It is set at 50 feet where practical, but can be as low as 25 feet if 50 feet cannot be attained.

• Curbside is now considered within the Buffer Zone.

• “In order to preserve the voter’s statutory right of privacy, we will no longer permit electioneering to take place in the area where curbside voting occurs.”

Do not alter your buffer zone!• Each precinct’s buffer

zone is set by the Board of Elections and guidance is provided in your binder.

• Do not alter your buffer zone without first contacting and gaining approval of the Director.

Team Huddle Meeting

• Pre-Election meeting following precinct set-up

• “Huddle up” meeting

– Introductions, “job” assignments

– Get everyone on the same page

– Remind about rotation

– Assign “first rotations” of the day

– Any reminders necessary about the food plan

What goes home with you?• Essentials Tote

• Blue Poly (Curbside Envelopes, blank Curbside Log)• Green Poly (Quick Guides, Voter Assistance Script, Labels for used

RTAL rolls, Help Desk Checklist, any special procedures for your precinct, Return Help Referral Forms to BOE)

• Clear Poly (Voter Changes, any forms that need immediate attention by BOE staff)

• Red Poly (Back-up ATV list, Manual ATVs and Manual Provisional Supplies)

• Mesh Bag (Provisional Envelopes)• Orange Locking Bag• Paper Ballots (Clear Poly) • Blue Completed Forms File (Expandable)• White PEB Box with Red Supervisor PEBs & key to orange bag• Laptops (Inside Cardboard Box labeled Laptops. Check count and

Precinct)• Camera Case with Yellow Master PEB and Flash Card Bag

Roles in the Precinct

• Greeter– Guide & remind voters

• No Photo ID needed• Direct voters to sample ballots

• Check-In• Help Desk• Numbering ATVs• PEB • Chief Judge should not be checking in voters

(unless small precinct)

Managing Poll Workers• Call and email your team – 2 weeks prior to election

– Phone call, follow with an email to confirm details– Meal plan?– Who do you need for set-up? Pre-Election Meeting?

• Rotate jobs!– Greeter– Check-In

• Check-in should not send voters to help station if not necessary

– Numbering ATVs– PEBs– Information Desk– Machine Tech – should also do other functions– Help Desk– may have limited availability to rotate– Make sure those assigned to the task of PEBs are paying

attention to what is going on at check-in

Who can be in enclosure?• Who can be in the enclosure?

– Election officials

– Voters

– Near relatives (only while assisting a voter)

– Any person designated by voter to assist

– Service Animals

– Challengers

– Media

– Approved observers (you will be notified if your precinct has any)

• Children in voting enclosure and booth

Managing Voters

• Voters should vote in the polling place for their correct precinct based on their address as of 30 days before the election.

• Provisional ballots for voters who are out of precinct will be counted for any contest for which they are eligible to vote.– Have your help desk review sample ballots!

• Encourage voters to vote at their correct precinct to be able to vote a regular ballot on machines.

• If a voter tries to engage you in a political discussion, do not let them.

• If a voter wants to vote, let them vote! That is why we have provisional ballots. Never turn anyone away!

Help Desk

• Only those trained at the Help Desk functions should be processing provisional ballots and curbsides

• If your Help Desk is not busy helping someone, they should assist with regular check-in

When do poll workers vote?

• Encourage all of your poll workers to vote early!• If working in home precinct, can vote on machines• If working out of home precinct, will have to vote a

provisional ballot – we will send the correct ballot for those working out of precinct

• Poll workers– Cannot check themselves in on computer/create own

provisional paperwork– Cannot load their own ballot on machines

Managing voters =

• Smile, be friendly• One voter at time• Don’t rush, we need to make sure we process

correctly• It is OK if they have to wait a few minutes• A kind word and a friendly face go a long way

– “Thank you so much for your patience”– “I’m sorry about your wait, but I really appreciate your

patience”

• Don’t panic• Don’t hesitate to call if you have questions

Managing Electioneers

• Minding the buffer zone

• If they need to enter your building

– Removing campaign material

– Monitor restrooms, if necessary

– Don’t let them abuse the privilege

• Curbside voting is considered within the buffer zone

Absentee List• Post complete list

• Partial list – must be entered into OVRD to mark the voter as “Flag as Absentee”– Give to your Help Desk

• Absentee ballots cannot be turned in to polling places on Election Day– Ask the voter to take to post

office and make sure it is post-marked

10/2/4 Audits• Help Desk will perform audits and relay

information to BOE

Public counts from machines

+ Number of Curbsides

= Actual Votes, OVRD Transactions Statistics Report

• Chief judge should check

– ATVs – make sure signed and numbered properly

– Buffer zones/electioneers

– Reminder to rotate jobs

What if our numbers don’t match?

• You may need to try again– Repeat the entire process, if necessary

• Public counts

• OVRD totals from the computer

• Compare with total from ATVs

• Check your ATV box – Are they numbered correctly?

– Is there one in the box that should have been cancelled on the computer?

• Check cast/cancel forms

Election Day Challenges

• If you have an Election Day Challenge

– Call BOE office and we will direct you through procedures.

Incident Reports & Transfers

• Incident reports– Fill out as things happen, rather than try and

reconstruct later

– Especially important if voter reports any issues with machines – call BOE and make Sara aware immediately

• Transfers– Don’t hold up a check-in computer for a transfer

call

– Check-in will “pass” task off to you

Cell Phone Usage• Electronic devices will be

allowed inside the voting enclosure as long as the devices are not interfering with or distracting the voting process

• Voters are also allowed to have phones or electronic devices while voting as long as those devices are not being used to photograph a ballot or to communicate with anyone via voice communication, text, email or any other method.

NO PHOTO ID

• NO PHOTO ID is required for voting• You may not ask for a Photo ID• Do not take possession of a Photo ID if offered• You may not use a Photo ID to assist in looking up

the voter’s information• Avoid getting into a political discussion about

Photo ID• Some precincts will get signs reminding that no

Photo ID is required

Photo ID in 2020

• Posters and flyers

• Avoid discussion

• No opinions

Voter Assistance

Reminder about breaks…

• Try to give everyone working a chance to “step away” and take a break to eat, stretch their legs, etc.

• Opportunity will depend on how busy your precinct is

• Don’t let breaks become excessive

At close of polls• Help Desk printing reports and doing audits

– Closing reports from OVRD• OVRD Transaction Statistics

• OVRD Provisional Poll Book

– Votes Cast Accounting Sheet

– Paper Ballot Accounting Sheet

• Machine tech & one other person closing machines

• Direct everyone else to cleaning, packing, removing signs

• Keep distraction away from those closing the machines – they need to concentrate

Total your write-ins!

• Write-Ins must be totaled in the precincts on Election Night

• If you arrive to check-in and your write-ins haven’t been totaled, you will have to sit with Board member and complete before you can complete check-in process

What needs to be signed by Chief Judge and Judges?

• Zeros tape – in the morning, stays attached to the first results tape

• Zero Count Instruction Sheet• Results tapes• Write-In Tally Sheet• Paper Ballot Accounting Sheet• Votes Cast Accounting Sheet• Provisional Poll Book • Last ATV form (should be on top, facing up in the

ATV box)• OVRD Transaction Statistics Report

Results Tapes

• 1st copy (with zero counts still attached) comes back to us, with OVRD Transaction Statistics Report

• 2nd – Post in your precinct

• 3rd – home with one of the judges & can be destroyed 24 hours later if not needed (this copy used to be mailed to us)

Election Night –what we need first• CAMERA CASE

– Master PEB– Flash Drives– Results Tapes & OVRD Transactions Statistics Report

• ESSENTIALS TOTE– ORANGE LOCKING BAG – Completed Provisionals/Provisional Log &

Completed Curbside Ballots/Curbside Log– Blue Completed Forms File– Blue Poly Envelope– Green Poly Envelope – Help Desk– Red Poly Envelope – Emergency back-up– Vinyl Mesh Zipper Bag– Legal size clear poly envelope - Paper ballots (unused) – Letter size clear poly envelope “Voter Changes/ATTN BOE”– PEBs & key to orange locking bag– ALL LAPTOPS

• ATV Box and Laundry Bag with RTAL rolls

When in doubt….

Call us!

We are at your disposal!

After the Election

• Wednesday – you do NOT have to meet the trucks when they pick up your equipment

– Be sure to lock your supply cart!

– Operations services personnel will put machines back on racks

• We may call you if we have questions

– Provisionals

– Incident Reports

Preparing for next time

• What could we provide for you next time that would make things easier for you?

• Evaluate your poll workers– How did they do on computers?

– Were they willing to rotate?

– Who may be able to handle more next time?

• Evaluations will be sent to you electronically– We use your evaluations to help determine staffing

moving forward

– Evaluate honestly, give direct feedback appropriately