In attendance:
From BoE:
Ashley Peck (Elections Supervisor): present, presiding
Jim Lovell (R): present
John Webb (D): present
Dottie Krull (R): present
Sallie Sorohan (D): present
From the Public:
Judy Kreps, Dahlonega
General
– Past BoE meeting minutes are posted on Lumpkin County Gov’t website: http://lumpkincountyga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Calendar.aspx
– Meeting agenda posted here: http://lumpkincountyga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx
Key Issues Arising:
– Carryover from November: Elections Office remains uninformed by SoS on: 1) when new machines will arrive;
2) which backup battery systems will be used; and
3) when they will be able to complete their own training so they can then train poll workers
– BoE voted to have only 1 Saturday for Early Voting in Nov 2020 election due to conflict with local festival
Meeting summary key points:
– BoE discussed voting hours for Early Voting for upcoming 2020 elections (March primary, May local, July runoff (if needed), and Nov presidential)
– One of the Early Voting Saturdays, 10/17/2020, is a MAJOR festival in Dahlonega – Gold Rush – and due to large crowds and lack of access to EO (Early Voting location) during festival; BoE was in agreement to cancel that day without replacement for Early Voting
– Ms. Peck explained that Saturdays during Early Voting received more traffic than “extended hours” during the weekday; BoE did not appear to take this into account – BoE was moving to a vote/consensus on approving single Saturday for Nov 2020 election when Public interjected by suggesting consideration of:
o Sunday voting and/or
o Extending voting hours on Sat to open at 8 am to be consistent with start time of weekday Early Voting
– BoE voted to exclude Sat 17 Oct without replacement from Early and also refused to consider Sunday voting or extending hours of Sat voting
1
– Meeting was about to adjourn without any consideration or discussion of availability/arrival of new machines – until Public Comment, below
– Public Comment results:
o BoE apparently unaware of delay until “early Feb” for arrival of new machines o Updated allocation formula was provided to “take hardship off” counties, according to Ms. Peck based on GAVREO conf
o No notification yet to EO of which battery backup will be selected by SoS; Ms. Peck feels confident that they will make decision soon and that Lumpkin Co will have time to rewire polling place, if needed
o All present agreed (with laughter) that there was no backup plan provided by SoS o BoE members unaware that there were problems with new machines in pilot testing
– End of Meeting.
Did you know that the public can attend Board of Registration and Elections meetings?
These meetings are open to the public by Georgia law. Georgia Open Meetings Act.
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