Poll Worker Training

Town of Brooklyn

Today’s Agenda

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• Front Line Duties
• Greeter
• ID Checker
• Official Checker (Paper)
• Electronic Checker (E-Pollbook Checker, E-Checker)
• Ballot Clerk
• Tabulator Tender

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Today’s Agenda

• Moderators & Assistant Registrars
• Special Cases
• Inactive Voters
• Challenge Ballots
• Provisional Ballots
• Etc.
• Moderator’s Return
• IVS
• (Optional) Review of Tabulator

Reminders

• Parking
• Beverages
• Snacks
• Breaks
• Books
• Phones

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Poll Worker Training��Polling Place Access

Who can be in a polling place

• Poll Workers
• Voters (while voting)
• Minor children of a voter
• Persons assisting a voter
• No candidate may assist a voter
• No employer may assist a voter
• No union rep may assist a voter
• A voter may request assistance from anyone else.

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Who can be in a polling place

• Representative of the Secretary of the State
• Members of the Press
• Must identify themselves to Moderator
• May not take any pictures which can identify how a voter is voting.
• Must honor a request from a poll worker not to have their picture taken.
• May not interfere with the free flow of the election (*provides Moderator with discretion)

Who can NOT be in a polling place

• Candidates (except while voting)
• “The entourage”
• Ex: Federal candidate brings local municipal officials with them for photo op. Suddenly the whole group is within the 75 foot barrier.
• Party officials who want to “thank the poll workers”.

Other considerations

• Bake Sales
• Pre-Approved by Registrars
• Designed to not disturb the voting process
• Exit Polling
• If the entrance & exit doors are the same then exit polls can only be done outside of the 75 feet markers.

Poll Worker Training��ID Checker - Responsibilities

Town of Brooklyn

ID Checker

• 1^st Goal – Verify identity, not residency
• 2^nd Goal – Keep the line moving

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Ask the voter to announce their street number and street name, and then ask them to announce their name.

ID Checker

• Ask the voter if they have an ID.
• “To speed up the voter check-in process do you have an ID with you?”
• OK to provide other forms of ID besides driver’s license.
• Any pre-printed form of ID which shows
• Name and Address
• Name and Signature
• Name and Photograph
• Electronic copies of utility bills which can be downloaded in front of poll worker are acceptable. Must be downloaded, not just a picture.
• Examples: CT Driver’s license or State-Issued ID

Florida Driver’s License, utility bill, bank statement, college ID, credit card.

Remember, you are verifying identity, not residency. Address may differ.

NO ID

• In most cases, a person can vote even if they do not have ID
• Only Moderators should deal with this situation.
• Regular poll workers who give out the wrong information, you will not be invited back.
• Anyone who says they do not have ID or do not want to show ID should be referred to the Moderator. DO NOT ENGAGE with the person.
• Moderator will provide a form/affidavit.
• Form/affidavit allows voter to sign/swear that under penalty of false statement that they are the registered voter whose name appears on the official checklist.

ID Checker

Used when any federal candidate on the ballot.

Usually even-numbered years.

Acceptable ID Requirements (*) – Federal Elections Only

• First-Time Registrants/Voters
• Additional Requirements under Help America Vote Act (HAVA). Must supply the following when registering, or before voting for the first time.
• A current and valid photo identification that shows the registered voter’s name and address

OR

• A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the registered voter.

Address Confidentiality Card

• Always Counts As Acceptable Proof Of Identity
• Voters appear at back of the book
• Can go to any line in the polling place

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Drive-Only Licenses

• NOT Acceptable Form of ID
• The words “Not for Federal Identification” are not the indicator.
• Look for DO

Drive-Only Licenses

New Licenses

DL indicates Driver License and is acceptable form of ID.

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Only DO indicates an unacceptable form of ID.

Temporary Driver License

Tally Sheet

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9

17

Tally Sheets are in the back of the checker books. Please ask the checker to pull out and give it to you.

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Note: There is a special tally sheet marked for ballot clerks. Do not take that one.

Official Checkers

• Locate purple highlighters in Official Checker envelope before the polls open.
• Voter Scenarios
• Standard Check-Off – 92%
• Inactive Voter – 3%
• Voter Moved into District – 2%
• Provisional Ballot - .25%
• Challenged Ballot - .001%

Un-Official Checkers�aka Electronic Checkers

• Have complete voter lists on their computers
• Useful for finding party of a registered voter in primary disputes
• If a computer goes “down” remind paper checker that they should begin using a purple highlighter to highlight names of voters. Check-offs can resume when the computer is back online.

Ballot Clerks

• Set Up your Table
• Sample Ballot
• Ballot Instructions
• Obtain Ballot Worksheet from Moderator
• Obtain 1^st Package of Ballots from Moderator
• Count # of packages of ballots in the black bag
• Inspect Ballots
• Approximately 100 per package
• There will also be excess “absentee ballot”-style ballots available for use.
• Verify the correct ballots for your line/district
• Get Tally Sheet from back of Official Checker’s book

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Ballot Clerks

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17

Ballot Clerk Duties

• During the Day
• Hand Out Ballots
• Explain to the voter importance of keeping ballot dry.
• Offer voter instructions on how to fill out the ballot
• Provide every voter with a privacy sleeve
• Spoiled ballots must be placed in spoiled ballot envelope which must be sealed at the end of the day.
• Abandoned ballots must be placed in abandoned ballot envelope which must be sealed at the end of the day.

Ballot Clerk Duties

• Hand Out Ballots
• Explain to the voter importance of keeping ballot dry.
• Offer voter instructions on how to fill out the ballot
• Provide every voter with a privacy sleeve
• Provide replacements for spoiled ballots ONCE YOU HAVE RECEIVED BACK THE SPOILED BALLOT.

Spoiled Ballot

Spoiled

Abandoned Ballot

Abandoned

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0

8

7

1

35

16

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Jane Doe

John Smith

Tabulator Tenders

• Last line of defense against a wet ballot
• Maintain distance of 4 feet from tabulator
• Keep a spare privacy folder to block your view of a voted ballot
• Hand out stickers, do not slap them on the voter

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Error Messages

• Ballot not read, please re-insert
• Have the voter try feeding the ballot in a different direction. If the ballot is rejected again, the voter can decide to get a new ballot and try again.
• Old ballot is returned to the ballot clerk in exchange for the new ballot.

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Error Messages

• Blank voted card
• Ask the voter if they completely filled in the ovals, because the machine is not recognizing any votes.
• Inform the voter the machine is not programmed to accept blank ballots.
• If voter insists on voting a blank ballot, ask them to insert in the auxiliary bin, for manual tallying at the end.
• Inform moderator of attempt to vote a blank ballot.

Error Messages

• Overvoted race (race name will be specified)
• The machine tender shall ask the voter to recheck the ballot to be sure that they did not vote for more than the allowed number of candidates for the office identified by the tabulator.
• Offer the voter a new ballot
• If voter doesn’t want a new ballot, instruct them to place the ballot in auxiliary bin for manual counting. Any overvoted race will not be counted.

Error Messages

• Invalid ballot, see official
• Usually means the wrong ballots are being handed out in the polling place.
• Please inform moderator immediately.
• Stop processing ballots. Do not allow in auxiliary bin.

Error Messages

• Counted ballot jammed in reader
• Call the moderator
• Moderator will separate the tabulator from the black box and let the ballot fall into the bin with the other ballots.

Error Messages

• Returned ballot jammed in reader
• Call the moderator
• Moderator will separate the tabulator from the black bin and carefully retrieve the ballot. Do not let it fall into the ballot bin.
• Moderator reassembles tabulator and black box and instructs the voter to re-insert ballot.

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Fleeing Voters & Abandoned Ballots

• Abandoned ballots are ballots where the intent of the voter to complete the process is uncertain
• Ballots left in privacy booths
• Fleeing voter – someone whose ballot arrived at the tabulator but voter exited before ballot was accepted.
• Only instance where it is acceptable for tabulator tender and moderator to push the ballot into tabulator.
• Otherwise, ballot should be considered abandoned and return to ballot clerk as a spoiled ballot.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

• Moderators
• Chief Polling Place Official
• In charge of maintaining the order of the polling place
• Payroll, Results, Paperwork
• Assistant Registrars
• Representatives of the Registrars
• Issues with Registration Lists

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Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Reality

• Moderators and Assistant Registrars should divide their duties such that the work gets done as effectively as possible, with individuals focused on what they do best.
• Examples:
• AR focused on Moderator’s Return
• AR who relieves Poll Workers
• AR checks 75ft signs and polices privacy booths

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Setup of Polling Place

• American Flag
• Posters on the Walls
• Sample ballot on the table.
• IVS, including SAR printing setup confirmation
• At least one handicapped booth
• Ballot Pens

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

More Setup

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• BOTH Tabulators should be set up. Place black trash bag over spare so it is ready to go if needed.
• Know where the 3 tapes go
• 1. With moderator return
• 2. One on the wall
• 3. One in the bag with the used ballots

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Absentee Ballots

• If a voter has mailed in, dropped into ballot box or turned into Town Clerk their absentee ballot, they have voted by absentee ballot and cannot vote at the polling place.
• Voters arriving after 10AM may not vote in person.
• Voters may not drop off absentee ballots at polling places.
• If a voter has an absentee ballot for someone else, they should call the Town Clerk to get instructions on how to handle it.
• If a voter has their own absentee ballot with them but they wish to vote at the polling place, ask them to take the absentee ballot to their car and destroy it when they get home and they may proceed to vote at the polling place

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Inactive Voters

• Yellow List
• Inactive voters must fill out new VR card
• In the primary, they must select the same party as current registration.
• Unaffiliated voters may not be restored on primary day.
• Paper is official. Electronics are not. OK to check for inactive electronically, but must verify and cross off on paper inactive list.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Transfer A Voter

• At the new polling place
• Call old polling place to verify voter has not voted
• Voter MUST fill out new registration card
• Instruct Official Checker to write name in book and cross it out
• Electronic checker will require password and authorization

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Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Transfer A Voter

• At the “old” polling place
• Receive call from new polling place and verify the voter has not voted.
• Instruct Official Checker to write DEL next to voters name. DO NOT CROSS OUT Voter
• Electronic checker does nothing.

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Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Challenge Ballot

• Anyone in the polling place may challenge another voter.
• Grounds for challenge:
• 1. Identity (Elector is NOT who he claims)
• 2. Disfranchisement for a felony
• 3. Lack of bona fide residence in district
• Voter is on the voter list.
• Moderator makes a decision as to whether voter may vote regularly or using a challenge ballot
• Follow instructions in manual.
• Registrars may ask you to challenge a voter, but decision to allow voter to proceed is made by moderator after hearing explanation from the voter.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Challenge Ballot

- Official Checker marks CB next to voter’s name, and DOES NOT CROSS NAME OFF.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Provisional Ballot

• Usually issued to people who are not on the active list or inactive list.
• Can be issued in addition to a challenge ballot.
• Only available in federal elections AND federal primaries and for the federal offices on ballot.
• Voter is given a receipt, and ballot envelope is numbered.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Provisional Ballot

- Official Checker marks PB next to voter’s name, and DOES NOT CROSS NAME OFF.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Curbside Voting

• For those temporarily disabled
• 2 polling place officials, typically two Assistant Registrars, but at minimum different parties
• Bring ballot, AND privacy sleeve

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

IVS Machine

• Will be set up by Special Assistant Registrar
• Small notebook computer
• Touch Screen and small numeric keypad
• Headphones
• Laser printer
• Instructions in Moderator Binder
• NEW: Pay attention to privacy- Do not orient the computer screen so it can be seen by the whole room
• IVS DOES NOT need to be near a phone line anymore.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

• Safety of Poll Workers paramount
• Recovering the materials of the election is a secondary concern.
• Call 911 and then Registrars.

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Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Moderator is the go-to person in the event of an emergency.

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In the event moderator is unavailable or otherwise incapacitated, both Assistant Registrars should know where the Moderator Notebook is with all relevant phone numbers

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Moderators & Assistant Registrars

The tabulator tender is responsible for the tabulator. It can be unplugged and rolled out of the building.

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The ballot clerk(s) is responsible for all loose ballots which are not in the hands of voters.

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The ballot clerk(s) is responsible to note all voters who have been checked but have not yet voted.

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The above tasks shall be completed in the event of an emergency, only if time and conditions permit.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

• Safety of Poll Workers paramount
• Recovering the materials of the election is a secondary concern.

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Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Stuff we’re missing?…

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Polls close at 8p.m.

• If there is a line of people waiting to vote, place a poll worker at end of line.

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All observers should be inside before 8p.m.

Do not prevent entry of someone who shows up at 8:15p.m. and wants to observe remainder of process.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

How to Handle Hand Counted Ballots

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Please check all bins in tabulator before putting through the Ender Card.

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Any ballots which do not require hand counting should be placed through the tabulator. Ballots which require hand counting have marks of intent which can not be recognized by the tabulator.

Moderators & Assistant Registrars

Hand Counted Ballots

• Two election officials from different parties or factions count them
• If the officials do not agree, the moderator decides
• Voter intent controls — Two must agree
• If intent can’t be determined for one race, the other races are still counted
• Only votes for Registered Write‐in candidates are counted, unless the name written‐in appears on ballot
• Multiple votes for same candidate in same race is okay, but count as just one vote

John Q. Public Ballot Clerk John Q. Public Election Day

I.M. Moderator Today

I.M. Moderator Election Day 6:00AM

A. Registrar A. Registrar

Book 1 Book 2

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1234. 1111

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987 647

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101 111

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1088 758

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2345

1634

212

1846

O. Checker

A. Registrar A. Registrar

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7

1

35

16

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Lynn Giacomo

Ruby Durant

1634

(same as morning)

new seal

new seal

new seal

A. Registrar A. Registrar

I.M. Moderator

Don’t Forget

• Blue bins must be locked and sealed (inner compartment AND outer lock).
• Verify the seal numbers when breaking seals to enter compartments or blue bin.

Monday Night Before An Election

• Email “Supplemental List”
• Lots of people who registered or chose a party since we printed the books
• Please print out and give to your paper checkers.
• Email Additional Absentee Ballots which must be checked off with Blue ”A”’s in checker books.