The Gwinnett County Board of Elections adopted nine ballot drop off box locations during the April monthly meeting.
The following includes brief notes taken by a Peanut Gallery volunteer as a public service only. Contact the Gwinnett County Board of Elections with questions or for official information.
BOE Meeting: April 21, 6 p.m. gwinnettgov.webex.com
Notes
Stephen Day : on the February 18 minutes #4 IT says that each board member made a comment and or asked questions in regards to Gwinnett County budget processing , including the deadline for some middle date submission packet.
ADD: Oleic and Day took strong exception to the Board of Commissioners actions in reducing early voting in the presidential and general primary if it’s possible could we attach Alice minutes because she did such a good job stating the case? Alice didn’t think her minutes needed attachment, but they did add the additional sentence.
NEW BUSINESS
Rhodes Jordan Park as a new advance voting location?
Kristi : Checked in with the fair and they are no longer available for the entire three weeks advanced voting. They would only be available for 10 days. It’s no longer an option to be a compliment to the office. Staff have discussed the possibility of adding Rhodes Jordan Park as a compliment to the office. It will allow them to have a higher turnout near the office.
Unanimous agreement.
SECURE BALLOT DROPBOX
We looked over the rules and we need to purchase the ones that look like mailboxes that have a long neck on them therefore you’re not touching the handle and you can just drop them in there. Even if it’s something that we can’t put close enough to a driveway where they drive by and they can just reach out and put it in, they still wouldn’t have to touch anything to place their ballot.
We have found out (not taking into consideration locations would be open for advanced voting),all of our traditional AIP locations can meet the requirements of a drop box including Rhodes and the election office.
Even if we do go with the thought that we couldn’t open Mountain Park , Dacula and Shorty Howell Park, we can still put a drop box in those locations.
If we don’t have the staffing to open all the others, we can still put a drop box.
That gives us nine locations (including Rose)where we can have the secure ballot drop box . Voters are familiar with going to the voting process .
The only thing that would be slightly different would be placing the box near the Mountain Park Aquatic Center versus the activity building (but definitely put up directions to say that ), that’s one exception but not big, they are in the same facility.
ALL Locations will have 24-hr video surveillance and all boxes will be secured. She got the idea from the Kroger mailbox, how it was bolted and secured. Police/Fire station would be an option (Stephen suggested that). She appreciated that question but the fire station wouldn’t meet the requirements. She didn’t talk to the police,taking into consideration previous concerns some people would see with it.
Stephen also made clear that voters are allowed to go to any early voting location on election day to drop their ballot off to the ballot box until 7 p.m. We will be required to send someone out at 7 p.m. to collect them . That will affect the timing of results. Ballots can not be delivered to the polls on Election Day. Only Early voting center boxes or the office . They plan on picking up ballots twice a day (not announcing time due to security reasons) Two staff members need to be present when picking them up.
This rule is in place for June 9 but also covers the runoff in August.
Drop Box Locations
There’s a motion on the table to allow secure (bolted to the ground and video surveillance)ballot drop boxes at Mountain Park Aquatic Center, Dacula Activity Building at Dacula Park, Shorty Howell Park, headquarters, Rhodes Jordan Park- activity building, Lucky Shoals Park, Lenora Park, George Pierce Park (Suwanee) and Bogan Park in Duluth.
motion pending
Poll Worker shortage
As of April 1, 2020, Gwinnett County had 565,428 active voters. That is an increase of 1,801 from March 1, 2020.
The County currently has 1,082 poll workers, which represents a shortage of 417 needed workers.
A training video on equipment usage for poll workers will be posted online at
Paid Postage For Fall Election
Kristi -would have to look into it, not a decision she could make today. Stephen was enthusiastic about making it happen. He said he would appreciate it if everybody just thinks about it.
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Attribution for ballot box photo:Josh and Kaldari
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