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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11191996 - D2 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra PHIL BATCHELOR, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FROM: STEPHEN L. WEIR, COUNTY CLERK-RECORDERCosta z Count DATE: November 14, 1996 SUBJECT: OPERATIONAL AUDIT OF THE ELECTIONS DIVISION AND OF THE ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 5, 1996 SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. ACKNOWLEDGE that the staff of the Elections Division worked for 28 straight days prior to the November 5, 1996 election and COMMEND the staff for their dedication, tireless effort and willingness to go beyond normal expectations in an effort to insure that all registered voters had an opportunity to vote on November 5, 1996. 2. ACKNOWLEDGE that the November 5, 1996 ballot was one of the most complex ever handled by the Elections Division staff, with 135 different ballot types, 975 different precincts, 796 different polling places, 555,734 registered voters, and over 360,000 voters having cast ballots, over 84,000 of which were cast by absentee and provisional ballot. 3. ACKNOWLEDGE that the County Clerk-Recorder negotiated the delivery, set up and dismantling of precinct materials in 1996, for a savings of $32,000 for this election over the previous method of handling this function and a four-year savings of between $100,000 and $200,000. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE �J •-- 'OTHER SIGNATURE(S): d66N OF BOARD ON-Np@p} f 19, DOR APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X The following persons addressed the Board on this issue: Tom .Hawkins, 380 Catalan Way, San Ramon, and Ernie Scherer, 4056 Greenwich Drive, San Ramon. The Board APPROVED the recommendations as set forth above with the following amendments: 1. DIRECTED that the inclusion of a certified records manager as a task force member')be considered; andcfurther DIRECTED that the Internal Operations Committee participate in the selection of the task force members; 2. URGED the County Cderk-Recorder to prdvide?more comprehensive trainingfor poll workers, if possible; and 3. DIRECTED that staff provide a status report to the Board in January 1997. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT II Absent ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED November 19, 199 Contact: PHIL TCH LOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF cc: County Administrator S E I RS AND CO TY ADMI ATOR County Clerk-Recorder Assistant County Registrar Internal Operations Committee (via CAO) BY D uTY 4. NOTE the installation of an optical disc signature retrieval system that allows rapid signature checking on absentee ballot envelopes. In addition, RECOGNIZE that a bar coding system has been implemented on all absentee ballot applications and on all absentee ballot return envelopes. When combined with the signature retrieval system, the Elections Division staff were able to process all absentee ballots received by Elections eve on November 4, 1996 - some 60,000! This success is unprecedented in Contra Costa County. 5. At the same time, RECOGNIZE that there have been some significant avoidable and correctable mistakes which plagued the operation of the 1996 General Election. AGREE that these mistakes are too numerous, too serious and avoidable to be dismissed as typical election mistakes. 6. CONCLUDE that these mistakes included the following: + Wrong carrier route system. The Post Office changed their carrier route system July 1, 1996 and Elections did not properly take this into account in sorting voting materials by carrier route. A waiver was negotiated for this election. Staff responsible for the mailing operation should have known this. + Extensive proofreading errors causing a five day delay in ballot/sample ballot printing. The printer is billing the Clerk $87,406 for materials that had to be destroyed. + Three incidents of incorrect sets of absentee ballots being sent out which impacted 294 voters. + One incident.of 97 duplicate absentee ballots being sent out. + Due to faulty design and lack of capacity, and excessive calls due to citizen complaints, mainly regarding sample ballots, massive failure of the telephone system. + At least 3,600 voters not receiving sample ballots in six precincts due to human error. 7. In response to these mistakes, ENDORSE the fact that an "Elections Task Force" has been established to conduct an extensive operations review of the elections system in the County. A review team consisting of staff from the County Administrator's Office, the Secretary of State's Office and other counties' election offices will conduct a thorough review of the elections office and recommend the installation of safeguards that will avoid a repeat of the problems described above. 8. ENDORSE the establishment of a Citizens Advisory Group to be appointed by the County Clerk as a permanent group to advise him on elections policies, procedures, and operations. 9. REQUEST that the County Clerk and County Administrator follow up with a report to the Board of Supervisors on the changes which will be made in the Elections Office once the review has been completed. -2- BACKGROUND: It has been clear from media accounts and individual complaints that some substantial problems have caused questions about the November 5, 1996 election in Contra Costa County. There have been problems. There have also been a number of improvements and cost-saving features installed over the past year or so. Despite the substantial improvements and cost-savings, it remains an inescapable fact that problems have occurred which should not have occurred. In order to assure the Board of Supervisors and the voting public that everything possible is being done to conduct fair and accurate elections in this County, we are forming an Elections Task Force. This Task Force will be charged with the following: • Determine what errors occurred in the November 5, 1996 election, including the days and weeks leading up to election day and during the days following the election. • Determine what systems or management practices were in place that may had led to or contributed to these errors. • Determine what changes should be made in the operation and management of the Elections Division to reduce the likelihood that the same type of errors will reoccur in the future. • Determine in at least general terms the cost of any changes that are recommended in order to improve the operation and management of the Elections Division. This Task Force should be strictly time limited in duration and should address only the issues relating to the November 5, 1996 election. The County Clerk is also establishing a more permanent Citizens Advisory Group that will meet on a regular basis with the County Clerk to assess the status of the Elections Divisions and its systems, operations and management and make recommendations to improve the systems, operations and management of the Elections Division. -3-