DEKALB COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
11/12/24
12:35 pm
1. ROLL CALL
Karli Swift, Chair – present
Vasu Abhiraman, Vice Chair – present
Nancy Jester, Acting Chair – present
Susan Motter – present
Tony Lewis – present
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Passes 5 – 0
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES from 10-10-24
Approved 5 – 0
4. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Janet Grant: As area poll manager for 11 precincts, she thanks Elections for paying poll workers better, thanks the new poll worker trainer, the law enforcement at polling places, the runners, and the poll workers. She praises Elections for Poll Worker t-shirts and for not requiring hand counting of ballots at the polling places.
Kendra Biegalski: notes that she could not see poll tapes on the door of Hawthorn ES after Election Day. Says she, as a poll worker in the past, didn’t mind counting ballots at the polls.
Gail A. Lee: Didn’t see signs at polling places warning non-citizens not to vote. Wished DeKalb had taken the opportunity to correct voter data when they checked voters in a major election.
Victor Tripp: noted 3 of 7 polling places he visited had no poll tapes displayed or, in one instance, just the zero tape publicly displayed.
5. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
A. Director’s Report (p. 7)
Director Smith reviewed the draft of the Post Election Report (pages 10 – 19 in the packet, followed by the draft of the Precinct-level data on pp. 20 – 35), and discussed discrepancies that have been resolved, saying just 48 of 109 are unresolved to date. She gave examples for discrepancies, such as a voter whose precinct changed after they had received their mail ballot, or a voter who checked in successfully but walked out of the polling place without casting a ballot. Some causes of discrepancies could not be determined. DeKalb experienced 1,244 errors on Election Day due to voters registering by the deadline and being on lists in the Elections office, but who were entered too late to be synced on the Poll Pads. These voters are “manually activated” and allowed to vote.
Staff member Jay Catherwood explained that some people were allowed to vote, but under 10 of the voters’ data – including ID – was not added to the Poll Pad data by the end of the election. They show up as having voted without ID.
Atty Momo says that the law requires the county to “tabulate votes justly.” Jester asks how they can identify these voters who “voted without ID.”
Motter asked that, in the future, such reports would total all Absentee by Mail (ABM), Advance in Person (AIP), Election Day (ED), and UOCAVA for a clearer picture. Lewis asked if any ABMs were counted twice, and Smith responds that they hadn’t, and explained that some ABMs envelopes were returned with no ballots in them, and senders were given credit for having voted, despite their ballot not being cast.
Abhiraman clarified that the Election oYice sees voter registration data that is not visible on the Poll Pads, hence the need for “manual activation,” which is common. Director Smith said they will continue to reconcile all discrepancies if possible. Motter moved to certify, and discussion ensued.
Jester was reassured by Director Smith that Logic and Accuracy went smoothly and was noticed properly.
StaU member Holly Smith explained how the AIP and ED reconciliation forms were completed in each precinct for the post-election canvass.
Jester mentioned recent SEB Rules 182-1-12.12 and 183-1-14.02 and asked Director Smith if the reports comply. Smith says they did.
Certification of 11/5/24 Election
Passes 5 – 0
Board recessed to sign certification documents 1:00 – 1:20pm.
6. ITEMS FOR DECISION
6A. Director’s Report (p. 39 of packet)
Chair Swift listed 4 races that will be in the December 3 Runoff and presented the draft of a map of AIP voting locations. The map indicated which precincts will participate in the runoff. Discussion ensued about whether Advance sites not located in runoff areas such as Dunwoody Library and Briarwood Rec should be open. Board members discussed whether poll managers can accept ABMs if there is no dropbox at their Advance site. Jester moved that Bessie Branham Rec would be a better Advance site than Dunwoody or Briarwood and the sites should be changed.
Passes 5 – 0
6B. Scheduling Pre-Certification meeting for 12/3 RunoU
Board agrees to tentatively schedule the pre-certification of the runoY for 9am on Friday 12/6/24
7. EXECUTIVE SESSION
NA
8. BOARD COMMENTS
Jester said she appreciates the general “transparency mentality” of the staff and said Director Smith has done a good job hiring them.
Motter suggested emailing out a survey of things that staff, etc., think can be improved in future elections.
Lewis thanked Code Enforcement and the Sheriff’s office for their help with the election. Abhiraman hoped the GA legislature will work toward bipartisan improvements in elections, including ways to reduce or eliminate runoffs. He pointed out that, with much shorter timelines to create ballots and to mail out ABMs, runoffs interfere with holidays. Runoffs have become more onerous and costly for Elections offices and staff.
Swift remarked on the fairness of the election. 9. ADJOURNMENT
1:45pm
*These meeting notes were prepared by a volunteer
These meetings are open to the public by Georgia law.
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