Election Officials' Emergency Preparedness Checklist

1. Preparation is Prof. Bob Joyce George McCue, State Board of Elections Annual Training for County Elections Officials August 15, 2012

2. CHECKLISTS • New 2-sided opening & closing checklist • Ballot reconciliation form: Accounting for all ballots, by ballot style

3. FORESEEING ISSUES

4. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY Types of emergencies • Natural disaster (fire, flood, earthquake) • Bomb threats • Labor issues (yours or others) • Power outage • Computer failure • Key staff illness or accident

5. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY • Emergency Plan • Should be in place for every voting site (polling places, One-Stop sites, CBE office) • Staff should be familiar with the plan. Conduct emergency drills. • Another type of unexpected event: What if building or facilities people don’t open buildings on time? • Emergency numbers • Backups for keys • Additional names and numbers in case the person assigned is a no show? • Not just for pollworkers but for all facilities people too.

6. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY • Top priority: Safety. If it’s not safe, the first priority is to get away from the dangerous situation. People’s safety always trumps election procedure. • If possible and if it can be done safely, secure elections equipment and materials • Contact the County Board of Elections for guidance

7. POWER OUTAGE • Be familiar with battery backup of electronic equipment • Most equipment will continue to operate for several hours on battery backup, if fully charged • iVotronic machines: Printer may need to be reset after each voter when on battery power • Consider other issues if power is out: Is there sufficient lighting? • Again, contact the County Board of Elections, and notify the site contact

8. CANVASS

9. Canvass:Getting the Vote Totals Right “[T]he term ‘canvass’ means the entire process of determining that the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, culminating in the authentication of the official election results.” GS 163-182.5

10. Counting: GS 163-182.1 • Only official ballots count

11. Counting: GS 163-182.1 • Only official ballots count • Technical errors don’t matter

12. Counting: GS 163-182.1 • Only official ballots count • Technical errors don’t matter • Count all items where intent can be figured

13. Counting: GS 163-182.1 • Only official ballots count • Technical errors don’t matter • Count all items where intent can be figured • Overvote negates only that item

14. Counting: GS 163-182.1 • Only official ballots count • Technical errors don’t matter • Count all items where intent can be figured • Overvote negates only that item • Human determination of intent counts

15. Counting: GS 163-182.1 • Only official ballots count • Technical errors don’t matter • Count all items where intent can be figured • Overvote negates only that item • Human determination of intent counts • Write-ins are limited

16. Counting: GS 163-182.1 • Only official ballots count • Technical errors don’t matter • Count all items where intent can be figured • Overvote negates only that item • Human determination of intent counts • Write-ins are limited

17. Procedures: GS 163-182.1 • State Board adopts uniform procedures

18. Procedures: GS 163-182.1 • State Board adopts uniform procedures • Sample hand-to-eye count

19. Procedures: GS 163-182.1 • State Board adopts uniform procedures • Sample hand-to-eye count • Overvote notification

20. Procedures: GS 163-182.1 • State Board adopts uniform procedures • Sample hand-to-eye count • Overvote notification

21. Initial counting: GS 163-182.2 • Counting at precinct, immediately after close, until completed

22. Initial counting: GS 163-182.2 • Counting at precinct, immediately after close, until completed • Officials of all parties present

23. Initial counting: GS 163-182.2 • Counting at precinct, immediately after close, until completed • Officials of all parties present • Public welcome; not interfere or participate

24. Initial counting: GS 163-182.2 • Counting at precinct, immediately after close, until completed • Officials of all parties present • Public welcome; not interfere or participate • Count provisionals before canvass

25. Initial counting: GS 163-182.2 • Counting at precinct, immediately after close, until completed • Officials of all parties present • Public welcome; not interfere or participate • Count provisionals before canvass • Report as quickly as possible

26. Initial counting: GS 163-182.2 • Counting at precinct, immediately after close, until completed • Officials of all parties present • Public welcome; not interfere or participate • Count provisionals before canvass • Report as quickly as possible

27. Canvassing votes: GS 163-182.5 • “the entire process of determining that the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, culminating in the authentication of the official election results”

28. Canvassing votes: GS 163-182.5 • “The entire process of determining that the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, culminating in the authentication of the official election results” • Time and place of meeting set

29. Abstracts: GS 163-182.6

30. Counts and Recounts • Initial counting by machine • Automatic sample hand-to-eye count • Automatic candidate right to machine recount at 1% • Automatic candidate right to sample hand-to-eye recount

31. After the Counting and Canvass • Protest • Certification • Stay