KLEIN QUESTIONS; LEPORE ANSWERS

State Sen. Ron Klein, D-Delray Beach, recently sent this posting concerning Election Day to his constituents, after he met with Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore:

Dear Friends:

After listening to a variety of Election Day concerns at our recent town hall meeting, we scheduled a face-to-face meeting with Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore.

At that meeting, we sought answers to many of the voters’ questions regarding the elections process and the Supervisor’s plans for ensuring a safe, secure and controversy-free presidential election.

Throughout this publication are various questions posed by voters and the answers given by the Supervisor during our meeting.

Please bear in mind that this document is meant to be a work in process and will continue to be d with additional information as it becomes available.

As our “dry run” election day quickly approaches on August 31st, please feel free to offer any comments or suggestions that will continue to make every voter feel confident in our county’s election system.

Thank you,
Ron Klein

VOTING PREPARATION

Is it possible to get sample ballots customized by precinct for the primary election and general election?

From 1976-2002, customized sample ballots were sent out to voters. This year, however, the Supervisor has made a decision to discontinue this practice based on the high cost. Because many voters appreciate and believe that it is helpful to receive a customized ballot, as opposed to a lengthy countywide ballot, we did ask the Supervisor to reconsider her decision.

Can a voter’s polling location be included on the sample ballot?

The Supervisor has determined that this would be cost prohibitive for the same reason.

How will the Supervisor communicate to voters who may have a change in their signature from the time they first registered to vote that they must re-register with their current signature or risk having their ballot invalidated?

Instructions on how to file a signature change will be provided on sample ballots and in public service announcements.

When sending out new voter registration cards, can the Supervisor include the office phone number and directions to the polling location?

Currently the address of the main office is on the cards and the Supervisor will include the phone number on all newly issued cards. Directions to polling locations cannot be included on voter registration cards.

Are absentee ballot request forms provided upon request, regardless of amount requested?

Absentee ballots are provided upon request. However, if the request exceeds 200 applications, the additional forms must be requested from the Division of Elections in Tallahassee. Requests can be made to the Supervisor’s office via fax, e-mail, U.S. mail or telephone, and generally take three to five days to complete.

What is the plan for purging the felon lists in our county?

The Supervisor will use every resource available to make a factual determination on the eligibility to vote of a former felon. The voter will receive a notification letter from the Supervisor indicating the potential for him/her to be purged from the voter file. If the voter does not acknowledge the letter, the Supervisor will provide public notice. If the voter still does not respond, he/she will be removed from the voter file.
POLLING LOCATIONS

Is the Supervisor ensuring that there is adequate parking at voting locations?

The Supervisor is attempting to ensure that all polling locations have sufficient parking. Parking locations must meet several standards, including having a specific number of parking spots for the disabled. Many times it may appear that a large number of parking spaces are available, however, during peak hours parking spaces may be in short supply. If an additional parking lot nearby a polling location may be utilized, please alert the Supervisor’s office and every attempt will be made to secure additional parking, especially during peak hours. We encouraged the Supervisor to anticipate peak traffic times when making preparations.

Would it be possible to make Election Days coincide with teacher work days so that those schools being used as polling sites would have more parking available and allow larger rooms to be used?

We have sent a letter to Palm Beach County School Superintendent, Art Johnson, requesting that the school district schedule teacher work days on Election Day to increase security, parking, and appropriate rooms for voting. In addition, the representatives of the Classroom Teachers Association have indicated that their members would support such a schedule change.

Are polling locations for early voting being chosen that are convenient for people living in all areas throughout our county?

The Supervisor has committed to work with community leaders to do everything possible to have locations, including libraries, which are convenient and accessible to all county residents. All locations must meet strict mandates dictated by state and federal law, as well as allow for secure storage in the facility where voting equipment can be kept overnight during the early voting period.

Are people able to now vote within their community if their clubhouse is a polling location? Has there been any resolution to polling sites that are located within gated communities and share precincts with voters outside of the gated community?

There are still some communities that have more than one precinct to which voters may be assigned. For example, there may be a gated community that is represented by one Congressman and one State Senator, but more than one State Representative and/or School Board member. Therefore, voters within that gated community may not share the same precinct, although they may share the same physical polling location. There are also some communities that refuse to allow the use of the clubhouse as a polling location.

What is the current policy regarding voters residing in nursing homes or assisted living facilities? Do the procedures in place currently allow both touch screen voting and absentee ballots?

There is a state statute which governs voting by nursing home and assisted living residents. According to the Supervisor, she has always fully complied with that statute and will continue to do so, including visiting the facilities and working with staff and residents to ensure that everyone understands the process for voter registration, voting by absentee ballot and electronic voting.

What is the formula that is used to determine how many voting machines are in a polling precinct and is that formula adjusted to ensure that there are not too few or too many machines at any given location?

The allocation is one machine for every 125 voters. However, historic voter turnout must be factored into this formula. In addition, space is being evaluated to ensure that polling locations can easily accommodate the number of machines and people using them.

Will there be waiting areas for older or disabled voters out of the weather?

The Supervisor has indicated that her office will do the best it can to accommodate the needs of older voters, while ensuring that it meets all qualifications of both state and federal laws.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

What mechanisms are in place to ensure that absentee ballots are being delivered on time to those who request them?

The Supervisor said that she would comply with state statute, which requires military personnel and those overseas to receive their ballots 45 days before the election. Others will receive their ballots approximately two to three weeks before the election.
What is the time frame for receiving an absentee ballot?

The first batch of ballots to be sent out will be sent to those voters who have requested an absentee ballot in advance of the initial mailing. When all of those ballots have been sent, additional ballots will be sent out on a day-to-day basis. Requests received in the Supervisor’s office via telephone will be processed and ballots will be mailed by 6:00 p.m. the same day.

Will the Supervisor have a telephone hotline to answer questions regarding absentee ballots?

Calls will be answered at the Supervisor’s office during normal business hours. An automated telephone system is available specifically for absentee ballot information. In addition, the d web site will have information about absentee ballots.

How will the Supervisor communicate the rules and regulations regarding absentee voting, such as postage required, deadline for return, and the requirement that voters bring their absentee ballots with them if they instead decide to vote early or on Election Day at their actual polling precinct?

Postage will be noted on the ballot and may vary from precinct to precinct, depending on the size of the ballot. All other information is either on the ballot or available at the Supervisor of Elections’ website. The Supervisor and the Deputy of public relations indicated that they have planned a complete public outreach campaign, using radio, television and print media.

What security procedures are being put in place to ensure that every absentee ballot that is properly filled out and mailed or brought in on time will be counted and what is the Supervisor doing to let the public know the procedures being used?

Under Florida law, all absentee ballots must be counted. The ballots are kept in a secure location from the time they are received in the Supervisor’s office until they are opened and tallied on the day of the election. Voting machines used in early voting are tallied each day and the totals are kept in a secure location. We plan to be a part of ensuring that this system is in place and closely followed during early voting and on Election Day. We were very clear with the Supervisor that we are greatly concerned about the security of absentee ballots and that sufficient measures are being taken to guarantee that every vote is counted.

Is there an education outreach program to let people know that a witness’ signature is no longer required on the absentee ballot?

The Supervisor indicated that this information is being disseminated during all public service announcements.

EARLY VOTING

How many locations for early voting does the Supervisor plan to have?

Although the exact number of early voting locations is still unknown at this time, the Supervisor is in the planning stages of ensuring that there are sufficient and accessible locations throughout the county. The Supervisor has been advised that many voters feel that it is imperative that several factors are taken into consideration when determining the sites for early voting, most importantly security, since machines will be in location for the 15 days prior to Election Day and need to be locked down nightly.

Will there be more machines and personnel to respond to an unexpectedly large early voting turnout?

Unlike last year, only electronic voting machines will be used for early voting. No paper ballots will be available. Therefore, the Supervisor has indicated she will have as many electronic voting machines as necessary to accommodate the early voters.

Will the hours of early voting take into consideration workers with non-traditional work hours?

The Supervisor will schedule early voting times that are convenient for all and acknowledges that accommodations must be made available for the many people who are not given time during work hours to vote, work non-traditional shifts or have long commutes.

How is the early voting electronic equipment being secured? Both physically secured at the locations and internally secured with the voting information?

The Supervisor will conduct audits and keep a log of the audit results in the morning and again in the evening, and then each machine will be locked down. There are written procedures to ensure that these machines are locked down properly and consistently. It is unknown whether the Supervisor has plans to test the software and voting machines prior to early voting in both August and November.

POLLWORKER TRAINING

Are workers being thoroughly and properly trained so that they can respond to any questions and problems on Election Day?

Training has already begun to ensure that personnel will be thoroughly and properly trained. The enhanced training includes five to nine hour sessions with videos that can be taken home along with written manuals. Workers will be given access to all voter lists and will have laptop computers available at each precinct. This will allow workers to provide voters with accurate voting location information. Should a voter feel that an error has occurred in the designation of his/her voting location, he/she will be offered a provisional ballot on which to vote.

Will there be an education outreach program in our county so that voters know they have the option of using a provisional ballot if they question the accuracy of their assigned voting location?

Yes, this will be part of the outreach plan and public service announcements.

Will the Supervisor be doing outreach to the local business community and county employees to get trained workers for Election Day?

Yes. The Supervisor has done this and will continue to conduct an outreach program to the private and public sectors. There is a community partnership with the Palm Beach County School District, local banks, Chambers of Commerce and county government. So far, the Supervisor has recruited 650 workers from the county that will be working during the August 31st Election Day. 5,500 workers are still needed for November’s election.

In order to attract more trained workers, is it possible to split shifts so that workers are not spending over 12 hours on Election Day at the actual site, usually from before 6:00 a.m. until after 9:00 p.m. that evening?

Shifts are not allowed under Florida Statute. Once a poll worker enters the polling location he/she is not permitted to leave.

Will the Supervisor and her staff be accessible by telephone, either cellular or land line, the entire day?

All poll workers will have cell phones. The conference room at the Supervisor’s Office will be the designated “war room” and various personnel will be available to answer all questions, including technology problems.

Will there be a computer on premises to provide information and proper directions to polling places if someone arrives at the wrong polling place?

Yes, there will be laptop computers on premises with trained staff who can provide written directions and addresses for a voter’s correct polling location.

What is the plan if there is a power outage in a location or in large portions of our county?

Each electronic voting machine has its own battery pack that lasts eight to 12 hours, in addition to the two to four hours the machines can last without any power supply.

How many extra machines does the county have in case of numerous breakdowns?

There are 500 extra machines for our county.

Is there a technician at every location?

Poll workers trained on general operations of the voting equipment will be at each voting location. There will also be field technicians that have a higher level of computer experience, and the highest level of technicians will be accessible in the war room at all times.