Elections / Voter Registration

1. Elections / Voter Registration Study Session Presented by: Ana Wayman-Trujillo and Lynn Constabile

2. Statistics Presidential Election Years

3. Statistics Presidential Election Years

4. Statistics Presidential Election Years

5. Permanent Early Voter List • What is it? • Allows voters to receive early ballots for all elections without having to specifically request them each time • A.R.S. §16-544 – Requires the County to: • Maintain a permanent early voter list as part of the voter registration roll • Verify the signature on the request form with the voter’s signature on the voter’s registration form

6. Permanent Early Voter List • Send a 120 day notice to voters that will: • notify the voter of the upcoming elections • request the voter to designate a political party ballot should they be of an unrecognized party for the purposes of that upcoming election • change the mailing address for the ballot in the voter’s county of residence • update the voter’s residence address in the voter’s county of residence • request to not be sent a ballot for the upcoming election or elections indicated on the notice • request to be removed from the permanent early ballot list

7. Permanent Early Voter List • Initial signup letters mailed to every registered voter (111,000) from January – March 2008 • Signed up = 30,000 (so far) • Plan on doing newspaper ads with “cut out” form • Daily Courier County Rates: • 1/4 page: $220.72/day • 1/2 page: $459.24/day • Full page: $918.48/day • Approx cost = $2,000 • Voters can also print out form on website

8. Cost of Holding Elections County-wide Special Elections • Affects all Yavapai County’s registered voters (111,000) • If it’s a district, can be either a vote-by-mail or polling place election if held in 2009

9. Cost of Holding Elections Cost Options • November 2008 Election = $27,840 • Question would go on Federal Election Ballot – no additional printing cost • Normal charge to special districts - 25¢ /reg. voter • March 2009 • Vote-By-Mail estimated cost = $176,500 • Polling Place estimated cost = $192,500

10. Special District Fee Schedule Current sliding scale fees (since July 2006) Current cost estimate • Vote-by-Mail = $1.33 per registered voter • Polling Place = $1.48 per registered voter • Postage and Material Costs have both increased

11. Special District Fee Schedule • Special Districts vs. Cities/Towns • Cities/Towns help with special district elections and the State/Federal elections by: • Checking ballot drop boxes • Handing out replacement ballots • Acting as conditional provisional ID site

12. Poll Workers • Average age of poll workers in 2006 General Election • 64 years old • Need more computer literate poll workers with the new touch screens now at the polls • Have student program in place, working to place one student per polling place for Primary & General

13. Poll Workers • Other Arizona County’s poll worker programs • Maricopa County • Called Civic Duty Leave • Employees can volunteer – Need Supervisor’s approval • Leave is with regular pay – not paid as a poll worker • Coconino County • Called Democracy Day • Employees are encouraged to volunteer • Local businesses & public agencies are encouraged to participate • Leave is with regular pay - also paid as a poll worker & for training

14. Poll Workers • Other State’s poll worker programs • Minnesota state law • Leave with pay minus poll worker compensation • 20 days written notice to employer • No more than 20% of work force • Nebraska state law • Leave with pay • Reasonable notice to employer

15. Poll Workers • Our proposal: • Employees can volunteer – Need appointing authority’s approval • Leave is with regular pay – not paid extra as a poll worker or for training • If county buys in, we will market to other local businesses & public entities to participate – City of Prescott already expressed interest • Savings estimate $25,000 in temp salaries for one poll worker per precinct for both Elections

16. Polling Places 112 Precincts using 94 Polling Places New Precincts – • Diamond Valley – Liberty Kia • Pinon Oaks – Church of Spiritual Waters • Granite – Central Yavapai Fire Station (forest station) • Horseshoe – still trying • Granville – Granville Community Center • Rose Lakes – Word of Life Church • Orchard – Clarkdale Baptist Church • Spruce – Windmill House

17. Polling Places Changes –

18. Polling Places Changes –

19. Polling Places • We will need to do 2 to 3 newspaper announcements to advertise changes • Daily Courier County Rates: • 1/4 page: $220.72/day • 1/2 page: $459.24/day • Full page: $918.48/day • Approx cost = $2,000 • Will also advertise on website • Printed on Sample Ballot

20. Polling Place Challenges ADA accessibility issues: • Hearing April 28th • Seeking additional state/federal grant funds – have not spent all of HHS grant • Met with Development Services and Attorney’s offices for guidance • Development Services has offered to accompany Election staff in checking for ADA compliance • Challenges: • Finding already ADA compliant polling places • Storage of additional equipment for temporary compliance • Manpower to install and remove equipment

21. Polling Place Challenges • Old equipment • Poll Booths need replacement • Lights broken • Privacy panels broken • Need 1 booth for every 150 registered voters (rule of thumb) = 742 • Have 677 usable and 66 broken booths

22. Polling Place Challenges • Secretary of State’s replacement policy for voting equipment • 38 original optical scan units – purchased 1998 “Equipment Refresh Policy - Election equipment is a major capital expense for Arizona’s counties. As with any technical equipment, election equipment eventually wears down, becomes antiquated, may cause problems, and therefore requires replacement. A standard equipment refresh policy ensures that all counties have adequate systems to effectively run accurate elections. It also provides the criteria necessary for counties to properly plan for the expense of equipment replacement. It is therefore recommended that the counties plan and budget to have all voting system hardware replaced at a minimum of every 10 years.”

23. Polling Place Challenges • Number of Provisional Forms to supply • We can only make a best guess on how many provisionals will be needed • Reasons for provisionals: • No ID or Insufficient ID • Moved • Changed Name • Early Voter • Not on Roster (Not Registered to Vote, Incorrect Precinct, etc.)

24. Polling Place Challenges • Number of Ballots for Primary Election • Non-Partisan, Independent and Non-Recognized Parties can vote their choice of a Democratic or Republican ballot • Have to order enough DEM and REP ballots to cover all the “Other” voters

25. New Polling Place Procedure • Problem: ID at the polls causes line backups and extensive voter wait time • Solution: • 2 to 3 ID clerks with complete signature rosters can help any voter who arrives • Voters would sign in at same time that ID is checked • Budget increase for one extra clerk per polling place– approx. $9,000 for General election • Budget increase for 2 extra signature rosters per polling place – approx. $6,200

26. Early/Mail Voting Challenges • No Signature/Signature Different on Ballot Affidavit Envelope CHANGED ENVELOPE

27. Other Cost Savings Ideas • Currently rent U-Hauls to deliver polling place supplies • Pinal Co. uses Public Works employees and trucks for delivery • Switched from personal cars to county cars for travel boards • Cross-trained Recorder’s staff in: • Signature Verification • Petition processing • Posting voting credits • New registrant entry • Ballot batching • ID at the polls – piggyback with SOS advertisements

28. BOS Guidance for Budgeting • Special District Fee Schedule • Different for Cities/Towns? • County Poll Worker Program? • Work with Public Works for Deliveries? • ADA Compliant Polling Places • Storage of temporary fixes • Manpower to install and remove temporary fixes • Poll Booth Replacement? • Optical Scan Replacement?

29. Budget Wish List • Needed: 1 working crystal ball

30. Questions?