Board Members Present:
Mary Carole Cooney
Mark Wingate
Dr. Kathleen Ruth
Aaron V. Johnson
Absent: Vernetta Keith Nuriddin
Agenda was approved
Public Response
Privacy Issues
Votes are verifiable
Encrypted code – vote can tabulate differently than what is on ballot
Can be hacked
Voters continue to be disenfranchised
Violation of secrecy
GA Tech polling location – voting machines face wall
Voters walk behind voter at machine and can easily see how voter is voting
Ballots fed into scanner can be seen by other voters
Board was urged to visit locations
GA law and the Fulton Board of Elections assures secrecy will be provided
Without secrecy, ballot could be voided
Minutes from the February 13 regular and executive meetings were approved.
February Operations Report – Director Richard Barron
93% poll workers were trained
4 people dropped due to virus
Mock Elections were held February 18.
13 locations
1 in warehouse by the SOS
Renovation is complete including the power upgrade
Registration
35,310 applications in February
45,000 purges since December; about 300 responded to the notice
20,000 new voters; don’t know how many of those people were purged
Outreach (voter education)
123 events in February
25-30 events in January
80+ events are scheduled for March
Mock election
692 people participated in mock elections
New Business
Early Voting
Going smoothly
24,254 voted as of 3/11/20 – 39%
3/560 absentee ballots
Expect the numbers to increase next week
BMD cleaned several times a day
Purell at each location
Assessment of possible virus issues and the department’s response
Equipment is being cleaned
Posters about hygiene by CDC are at locations
Dr. Ruth spoke about senior center voting locations and assisted living homes
Unable to change sites but now that the virus is declared a pandemic, sites may be able to be changed. There are suggested poll sites.
SOS wouldn’t oppose moving locations
Discussion on notifying voters of location change. Assistive living centers:
Abernathy Towers – 2537 voters
Brighten Gardens – 2189 voters
Cathedral Towers – 2894 voters
Asbury Harris – 2009 voters
Hellenic Center – 2660 voters
Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker, Fulton County attorney
Concerned about negative press from changes
Can install partitions to keep voters apart
Cancel senior center activities
Fear of challenges – adverse litigation
Encouraged the board to make adjustments
Are seniors being encouraged to use absentee ballots?
15 minute break to contact assisted living centers to gather information on the voting facility.
Recommendations:
Contact five assisted living facilities
Outreach is going to each facility
Encourage absentee ballots
Mail absentee ballots to everyone in facilities
Continue communication with facility managers
Absentee ballots
Extra partitions
Work with health department
Richard Barron is attending the County Manager’s meeting with department heads. He will network with the heads about voting at assisted living communities.
The board is in the information gathering stage. No vote was taken therefore they will continue with the voting locations.
If an emergency arises, Richard Barron can make a decision and email the board.
Equipment
Challenges because they are using different colored seal on doors. The state didn’t order enough green seals therefore they are using red seals. They are the same thing but it isn’t uniform. They were promised 3,054 but received 3,003. Hopefully, will receive more for the May election.
Special Meeting
Wednesday, March 18 at 10am in the 4th floor conference room
One voting location has a name change.
Assisted living and senior center voting locations will be discussed.
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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