Coweta County Board of Elections Meeting 11/12/20

• Attendees:
  • Jane Scoggins, Director
  • Mae Reeves – Acting Chair
  • Ashley Gay- Assistant Director
  • Wayne Farmer
  • Randy Washoke
  • Natasha Werner
  • Ralph Presley-Chair – not in attendance
  • Sarah Campbell – NTH Reporter
  • Cindy Pursley- Peanut Gallery Observer

1. Voter Registration Report
   1. new voters registered – 679
   2. transferred out of county – 86
   3. felons cancelled – 2
   4. mentally ill cancelled by court declaration – 0 
   5. deceased removed…info from Vital Records report from state – 0
2. General Election Nov 3
   1. One machine issue
   2. Certified to state Nov 6. Deadline Nov. 13
   3. Poll workers had at least 5 hours training on new machines
3. January 5 Runoff
   1. Public Service Commissioner runoff moved to Jan 5 instead of Dec. 1
   2. No runoffs in Coweta County local elections
   3. November 18 absentee ballots should be started to mail out to voters
   4. December 7 is registration deadline
   5. Will be operating under Covid guidelines
4. Hand Recount for Presidential votes– considered “Risk Limiting Audit”, not official recount which is triggered by less than 1% spread between candidates.
   1. Elections office had not yet received official rules from Sec of State office as of 10am meeting time this morning.
   2. 77,182 ballots to recount by hand
      1. Four people on team
         1. One to read ballot 
         2. Two to make take tic mark tally 
   3. Ballots already in boxes with Box #
   4. Room for limited observers. Will be appointed political party.
      1. Observers can’t talk to counters or anyone else in room.
   5. County employees and election office employees will do count itself.
   6. Person counting will take oath
   7. NO MARGIN FOR ERROR per Jane Scoggins
      1. Cross check to count of particular box # completed election night for total ballot number.
   8. Areas where counting is happening will be blocked off
   9. No food or beverage to be allowed in counting areas.
   10. Needs to be done by next Friday, November 20. 
5. If an official recount is done at later date, that will be done by scanner, not hand count. 
6. In 2022, changes planned for new precincts and a third early voting site once redistricting is complete. Would like to have precinct lines more in line with district lines to lessen “ballot combos” at various precincts like Arts Center. 
   1. May move Cedar Creek precinct to Madras gym. Long lines at the precinct as fire station which is too small for the growing area.

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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