Meeting called to order at 4:00pm
Board Members present in person: Pat Gartland
Board Members present virtually: Jessica Brooks, Darryl Wilson, and Phil Daniell
Fred Aiken not present
Janine Eveler present in person
No public comments
Minutes for September 14, 2020 Approved
Two board members – Pat Gartland and Darryl Wilson – were eligible to fill vacancy as Assistant Secretary. Chairman Phil Daniell nominated Pat Gartland. No one seconded. Jessica Brooks nominated Darryl Wilson. Sounded like Pat seconded, but hard to tell. Darryl Wilson was selected by member vote.
Board members were then assigned locations for election night.
Janine Eveler asked that the certification of the November 3rd election be moved from November 12th at 12:00pm to November 13th at 12:00pm. She requested the extra day because this will be the first time they will participate in an audit of the results. Unanimously approved.
Janine then spoke on the first day of early voting. As of the start of the meeting, over 5000 people had voted. Record 1st day turnout. Also have processed 166,000 absentee ballot applications. One thing slowing down the lines is the large number of voters who requested absentee ballots, but they decided to vote in person. Some brought the ballots with them, some did not. It adds several minutes to the process to fill out affidavits and/or cancel absentee ballot.
At the main Whitlock office, wait time has now hit 7 hours. Other Cobb locations averaging 2-4 hours, but some have had periods as low as 90 minutes. Today is a state holiday, so many voters made plans to vote today because they had the day off.
Another thing slowing down the lines is that poll workers used to be able to pass out clipboards with voter forms to be filled out in advance by voters waiting in line. Because of the pandemic, they are not able to do this safely, so only voters at the head of the line are getting the forms.
Jessica Brooks asked how many workers will be manning the phones on election day. Janine said that they had 27 workers to man the absentee ballot phone lines and 36 workers to man the registration and general election question phone lines.
Currently the State is issuing absentee ballots. Cobb County will take over that process on October 16, 2020.
Meeting adjourned at 4:16pm.
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.
Become a Peanut Gallery Volunteer Monitor at our next training on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6 pm. Sign up Here
Be First to Comment