[I. Call to Order Followed by Pledge of Allegiance]
[00:00:06]
. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE BOARD OF VOTERS REGISTRATION AND ELECTIONS OF BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD MEETING AUGUST 28, 2024 2:00 PM IS NOW CALL TO ORDER PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ALLEGIANCE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE POWER OF THE FANS ONE NATION ONE INTEGRITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY AT THIS TIME WE ARE NOW OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
IS THERE ANYONE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF SO, PLEASE STAND AND.
GIVE YOUR NAME. AND YOU ARE LIMITED TO 5 MINUTES.
THANK YOU YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ANN BANDER FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. BEAUFORT AND I WILL BE MUCH BRIEFER THAN 5 MINUTES.
I JUST WANT TO LET THE LET YOU ALL KNOW AS IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW THE LEAGUE IS VERY RIGHT NOW AND A GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORT AND A LOT OF VOTER REGISTRATION ACTIVITIES BEING PLANNED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION TO THE STAFF OF THE BOARD WHO'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AS QUESTIONS ARISE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO OR WHATEVER AND PROVIDING INFORMATION. SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION. THANK YOU. THANK FOR THAT WONDERFUL REPORT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE NOW BEEN CLOSED.
[III. Minutes from Meetings on:]
WE WILL NOW GO TO OUR MINUTES FROM THE TWO PREVIOUS MEETINGS WE HAD THE FIRST WAS ON JUNE THE 13TH 2024 FOR BOARD MEETING. CAN I GET A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE JUNE 13TH BOARD MEETING. SO MOVE IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED THE ALL IN FAVOR.I LIKE A MOTION CARRIED NEXT WE HAVE JUNE THE 13TH CERTIFICATION HEARING.
CAN I GET A MOTION FOR THE CERTIFICATION? SO MOVE ALONG TO YOUR SECOND THIS WOULD PROBABLY MOVE BY MR. SECOND BY BEVERLY DOOR. ALL IN FAVOR FILED A MOTION
[IV. Committee Reports]
CARRIED SLATE HERE OKAY WE HAVE NOW TWO COMMITTEE REPORTS FIRST ON THE AGENDA AD HOC COMMITTEE MATT SWEENEY. YEAH. THANK YOU.EVERYBODY IN YOUR POCKET. THERE IS THIS DOCUMENT. A TWO PAGE DOCUMENT SAYS AD HOC COMMITTEE ON TURNOUT AND RESOURCE. THAT'S IT.
NO, NO, NO. I HAVE TO COMMENT ON MY APOLOGIES.
THAT'S ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS AN UPDATE FROM A MAY 19 SHEET THAT WE REVIEWED AT THE MAY BOARD MEETING AND THERE ARE REALLY JUST MINOR CHANGES IN THE TOP NUMBERS FROM THAT ANALYSIS. SO BASED ON THE FORECASTED ELECTION TURNOUT ON NOVEMBER 5TH, INDEXED BY PRECINCT AND INDEXED FOR HISTORIC ELECTION DAY TURNOUT, THE NUMBER OF PMDS NEEDED WAS CALCULATED AND. THIS WAS A DATA DRIVEN APPROACH THAT USED A 2020 TO GENERAL ELECTION DATA. AS YOU RECALL IN SOME LOCATIONS WE HAD LONG LINES BUT WE HAD GOOD DATA ABOUT THE 2022 GENERAL ELECTION. THE BOTTLENECK THERE WAS THE PMDS. SO WHAT THE AD HOC COMMITTEE DID WAS ANSWER WORD PROBLEM.
SO IF FOR EXAMPLE A POLLING PLACE HAD FIVE PMDS AND THEY CLOSED AT 8:30 P.M., HOW MANY PMDS WOULD THEY NEED TO AT 7 P.M.? AND WE LOOKED AT THE DATA ACROSS ALL 56 POLLING LOCATIONS AND 95 PRECINCTS FOR THAT 2022 GENERAL ELECTION TO COME UP A CALCULATION FOR THE PROPER NUMBER OF BODIES. SO THEN WE APPLIED THAT CALCULATION TO THE 84 POLLING LOCATIONS AND OVER THIS NOVEMBER 5TH FOR THE 126 PRECINCTS AND THE RESULT OF THAT CALCULATION IS THAT ON ELECTION DAY EXCLUDING THE OFFICE PMDS WILL NEED 622 OF THEM. SO THAT IS UP FROM 580 THAT WE DISCUSSED IN MAY. IT MEANS COMPARED TO INVENTORY NEED 123 NEW PMDS AND FORTUNATELY WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING THOSE. THE UPDATED CALCULATION ALSO
[00:05:03]
CALLS FOR 215 ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ELECTION DAY AT THE VOTING PRECINCTS AND 86 SCANNERS. SO THE GOOD NEWS THERE IS THAT WITH THE EQUIPMENT WE'RE GOING TO GET FOR THE ONE NEW PRECINCTS WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH EQUIPMENT TO MEET WHAT AD HOC COMMITTEE THINKS OR RECOMMENDS FOR THE ELECTION, DON'T YOU THINK? QUESTION QUESTIONS NOW WE'VE SEEN 123 NEW PMDS.WILL THEY BE CERTIFIED ABLE TO BE USED BY THE ELECTION DAY? YES, SIR.
YES. YES, SIR. SO THEY WILL BE WE CAN WE CAN TAKE WE CAN ACCEPT THAT AS THOSE THOSE NEW EQUIPMENT IS GOING TO BE IN PLACE AND READY TO GO AND THAT SHOULD LENGTHEN THE POTENTIAL LINES ELECTION DAY.
THAT SHOULD RELIEVE THE LINES. YES OKAY. NO GUARANTEE THAT WE'LL CLOSE AT 7:00 ANYWHERE. I'M SURE WE WILL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THERE'S NO GUARANTEE YOU OF CONTROL OVER THE TIMING THAT GET TO THE POLLING PLACE AND HOW LONG IT TAKES THEM TO BE. BUT IT WILL IT WILL GIVE US A DATA DRIVEN APPROACH TO THE EQUIPMENT. SECONDLY, SO THIS DOCUMENT I HAVE A FOLLOW ON NOW. MR.. WELL, THESE I KNOW AT ONE POINT WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING EQUIPMENT THAT MAY NOT BE COMPATIBLE AT A TIME PERIOD GOING FORWARD. IS THIS COMPATIBLE FOR THE FUTURE OR IS THIS JUST FOR THIS ELECTION? WHO CAN ANSWER THAT? ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT WILL BE COMPATIBLE. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AND THIS WILL BE A PART OF MY REPORT AS WELL. OKAY. I'M SORRY BUT THAT'S OKAY.
YOU ASK THE QUESTION NOW LET'S ANSWER. YES.
ALL OUR EQUIPMENT WILL BE ALL COMPATIBLE TO CONDUCT OUR ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER.
SO WHATEVER IS NEEDED MAINTENANCE UPGRADES, WHATEVER WILL BE DONE PRIOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. ANYTHING ELSE, MR. FORD? THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
THE SECOND HALF OF THIS DOCUMENT TALKS ABOUT THE FORECAST THAT COUNTS OF POLL WORKERS AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS WE LOOK AT THE ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 5TH, THERE ARE REALLY SIX ELEMENTS THAT APPLY TO VOTER THROUGHPUT HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET THE VOTERS IN AND OUT OF THE POLLING PLACE THINGS THAT WE CAN PREDICT BUT NOT CONTROL OUR THE THE RATE OF ARRIVAL, THE COMPLEXITY OF THE BALLOT AND THE VOTER PRODUCTIVITY.
SO HOW QUICKLY A VOTER CAN GET THROUGH THE BALLOT SO THAT WE CAN PREDICT BUT CANNOT CONTROL THOSE THINGS. THE TWO ELEMENTS THAT WE CAN PREDICT AND WE HAVE 100% CONTROL OVER IS POLL POLL WORKER EFFECTIVENESS. SO THAT'S THE QUANTITY OF POLL WORKERS AND THE TRAINING THAT RECEIVE. WE HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER THAT AND WE ALSO HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER THE MACHINE ALLOCATION. SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE MACHINES NEXT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE POLL WORKERS. SO A PRETTY OF SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 713 AND THAT SHOULD BE SEVEN 1372 NOT 73 SOUTH CAROLINA CODE CALLS FOR THREE POLL WORKERS FOR EVERY 500 REGISTERED VOTERS OR PORTION THEREOF AT EACH POLLING LOCATION. AND YOU CALCULATE BASED ON ALL REGISTERED VOTERS IN FOUR COUNTIES THAT WORKS OUT TO 969 POLL WORKERS. NOW MAYBE I'LL ASK THE QUESTION OF DIRECTOR ARE WE INTENDING TO COMPLY WITH THIS CODE REQUIREMENT? THERE ARE A FEW OTHER ELEMENTS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CALCULATE IN THAT FORMULA BECAUSE AGAIN WE KNOW THAT ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT ALL AND DEPENDING THE SIZE OF THE POLLING LOCATION WOULD DETERMINE HOW MANY MACHINES WE CAN ALLOCATE BECAUSE I MEAN WE WILL ALLOCATE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT CAN BE ACCOMMODATED BY THE FACILITY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLL WORKERS NOW SAME DIFFERENCE BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO NEED YOU CAN'T HAVE 32 PEOPLE IN A LOCATION THAT THE CAPACITY IS ONLY GOING TO BE LIKE TEN OR 12.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? IF YOU HAD SO MANY PEOPLE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ROOM TO TURN AROUND. SO ALL OF THAT WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN.
WE SIT DOWN TO FORMALIZE THE FINAL DISTRIBUTION OF EQUIPMENT.
OF COURSE WE WILL LIKE TO MAXIMIZE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE ON BOARD TO ACCOMMODATE THE VOTERS AS THEY COME IN. OKAY WELL THE AD HOC COMMITTEE
[00:10:06]
BECAUSE WE LIKE TO HAVE DATA DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HOC COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDING THIS YEAR THAT WE FOCUS ON A RATIO OF THREE COWORKERS TO EVERY 500 VOTERS FOR OVERALL TURNOUT AND SO BASING IT ON OVERALL WITH A FORMULA GIVES US AN EXPLAINABLE BASIS FOR COMING UP WITH THE NUMBERS OF POLL WORKERS SO THAT SEVEN 1372 THAT CAME IN 1996 WITH ACT 465 AND THINGS CHANGED IN THE 35 YEARS SINCE THEN FOR ONE ABSENTEE VOTING WHICH INCLUDED 29 DAYS OF EARLY IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING BACK IN THE LATE NINETIES WAS AT 6 TO 7% OF TOTAL BALLOTS CAST.SO THESE WE'RE LOOKING AT 35% EARLY VOTING TURNOUT. SO WITH ACT 150 THAT CODIFIED TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTING WE SHOULD GET ABOUT 3030 5% OF VOTERS VOTING THEN PLUS ANOTHER 4% MAYBE 5% OF ABSENTEE VOTING. SO THE ACTUAL DAY TURNOUT AT PRECINCTS WILL BE MUCH LESS THAN IT WAS IN 1996. ALSO TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED BELIEVE IN 96 WE WERE USING VOTE RECORDERS WHICH WERE SOME KIND OF A FRAME THAT HELD SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD PUSH HOLES IN A PIECE OF PAPER AND WE ALSO USED PAPER PHONEBOOKS THEN SO IT WAS MUCH MORE INTENSIVE THAN IT IS TODAY WITH THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY.
SO IT'S FOR THOSE REASONS THAT THE AD HOC RECOMMENDS A RATIO OF 3 TO 500 BASED ON FORECASTED ELECTION DAY TURNOUT. AND I THINK IF THE BOARD AGREES THAT CRITERIA THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOWARDS. MR. FORD WHAT WHAT WAS THAT YOU TALKING ABOUT REGISTERED VOTERS CORRECT. NOW WHAT WAS OUR PARTICIPATION FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY IN TERMS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP? BASED ON WHAT WE FORECASTED AND ,WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED, IT WAS IT WAS LESS THAN FORECASTED. OKAY. FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS THE TURNOUT HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT FOR THE PAST FEW CYCLES.
SO WE WERE AT 71% IN 2020. I THINK WE WERE AROUND 70% IN 16 AND THE HIGHEST THAT WE'VE SEEN IS 76%. SO FOR FOR PLANNING PURPOSES WITH THIS MODEL WE ASSUMED 75% TURNOUT RATE. ANYONE ELSE BUT I RAISED THE QUESTION THERE DO WE AS A BOARD SUPPORT USING THIS METRIC TO EXPLAIN IT BASICALLY EXPLAIN OUR NONCOMPLIANCE 70 1372.
SO INSTEAD OF SEVEN 1372 WE ARE PLANNING TO USE 3 TO 500 FOR OVERALL TURNOUT IN TERMS OF POLLING COUNT. SO WHAT DO WE WHAT DO WE GAIN OR LOSE BY BEING IN COMPLIANCE IN NONCOMPLIANCE? WELL, WE BELIEVE THAT USING THIS NUMBER 3 TO 500 FOR OVERALL TURNOUT WILL GIVE US APPROXIMATELY THE RIGHT NUMBER OF POLL WORKERS THAT MAY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED UP OR DOWN A LITTLE BIT BASED ON THIS SPECIFIC LOCATION.
BUT ON AVERAGE ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT THREE OR 500 SEEMS RIGHT SIZED.
OKAY NO WAIT TIME WOULD BE SHORTER TOO IF WE HAVE ADEQUATE MACHINES, EQUIPMENT AND STAFF.
SURE IN SAID USING THE 35% EARLY VOTING. IS THAT PART OF IT? YEAH. THE FORMULA USED 75% OVERALL TURNOUT AND 60% OF THAT ON ELECTION DAY. BUT THIS METRIC FOR POLL WORKER COUNTS IS JUST BASED ON OVERALL TURNOUT. SO ANYONE ELSE CAN I HAVE SOMETHING? SURE. I'M GLAD THAT YOU SAID THAT WE CAN ADJUST IT BASED ON THE POLLING LOCATION BECAUSE IF WE USE THAT METRIC FOR EXAMPLE WE WOULD NEED LIKE 50 POLL WORKERS AT EACH OF THE SENSITIVE LOCATIONS BOUNDARY STREET GYMNASIUM MR. LUCAS IS IN HERE BUT WE WOULD NEED 27 TO 30 AT THAT LOCATION ALONE PLANTATION HOUSE THE SAME WOULD BE LIKE 34. THERE'S NOT ROOM FOR THAT IN THESE LOCATIONS AND I THINK IT'S UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT THAT THAT'S JUST $0.02. I THINK THAT'S THAT I'M HOPING
[00:15:01]
THAT'S WHAT MR. SWEENEY IS ATTEMPTING TO SAY IS THAT WE WILL DEFINITELY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE RATIO OF POLL WORKERS PER VOTER AND PROJECTED TURNOUT.BUT WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC WHAT WE ARE DOING IN MAKING THE ASSIGNMENT.
WE IF YOU'RE GOING TO ADOPT SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO LEAVE SOME LEEWAY FOR EXCEPTIONS AND SO YOU KNOW ULTIMATELY WE WOULD LIKE FOR PRECINCTS TO BE WELL STAFFED SO IF ARE LAST MINUTE DROP OUTS OR TURNOUT IS MORE THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT WHEREVER THE LOCATION IS. SO PLEASE KNOW THAT I OUR GOAL IS THE SAME IS TO MAXIMIZE WHATEVER WE MAXIMIZE IN POLL WORKERS AND EQUIPMENT BUT THEY ARE GOING TO BE WHAT WE HAVE FIRST TO GET IN OUR MINDS IS THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO ELIMINATE THAT.
I DON'T HAVE A MATRIX BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO ELIMINATE LINES THAT'S ALMOST AUTOMATIC.
OUR GOAL IS TO MINIMIZE THE LINE AND THE WAIT TIME FOR THE VOTERS AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING OR WOULD LIKE TO DO . I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU GO IN THESE UNITED STATES YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME SOME LINES ON ELECTION DAY.
THIS IS MY CONCERN. I DON'T WANT TO BACK US INTO A CORNER AND WE CAN'T MEET THAT OBJECTIVE IF WE ARE SAYING THAT WOULD WE WANT TO VOTE ON THE ITEM AND WE GIVE IT THE DEADLINE OF NOVEMBER OF 2024? I JUST THAT WE'RE PUTTING OURSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE GOING TO FAIL IF WE ARE SAYING THIS AND IDEALLY WANT TO MEET IN A YEAR OR TWO THAT GIVES THE FLEXIBILITY TO WORK EFFECTIVELY TOWARDS THAT GOAL. BUT I DON'T SEE IF WE ARE IF WE ARE AT A NUMBER TODAY THAT IS 20 OR 30 OR 40 PEOPLE BELOW OUR DATE.
I DON'T SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET THE PEOPLE FROM TO MEET THAT DATE SO I'M NOT SURE WE ARE GAINING ANYTHING BY VOTING TO AGREE TO A STANDARD THAT WE KNOW IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS THAT WE CAN'T MEET. SO I WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO GO BACK OURSELVES IN A CORNER LIKE THAT. BUT IF THE NORTH OF THE FEEL THAT WAY THEN I CAN GO ALONG WITH IT BUT I'M NOT ACCUSTOMED TO THAT. I THINK RIGHT NOW THE BOARD NEEDS TO ACCEPT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO MEET THE SOUTH CAROLINA REQUIREMENT UNDER SEVEN 1372. WE'RE NOT MEETING THE STATUTORY STANDARD.
I THINK THAT'S UNDERSTOOD. OKAY. BUT BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MEASURING OURSELVES. WE GRAB SOME TARGET RATHER THAN JUST SAYING WE'RE GETTING AS MANY POLL WORKERS AS WE CAN AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST THAT THAT MEAN AND WHAT I'M THINKING YOU TO GIVE THAT THAT TARGET OF FLEXIBILITY.
YES SO ARE WE TALKING NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR ARE WE TALKING NOVEMBER OF NEXT YEAR ARE WE TALKING IN NOVEMBER OF THE FOLLOWING TALKING ABOUT THE NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 GENERAL ELECTION AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN'T BEAT THAT BY NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR WE CANNOT MEET THE SEVEN THAT THE CURRENT STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS EXACTLY 72 HOURS BY POINT.
SO WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ADOPT THAT TARGET SINCE WE KNOW WE WON'T MEET THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS. SO MY MY SUGGESTION IS THAT WE AGREE THAT OUR TARGET WILL BE THREE PRO-WORKER PER 500 EXPECTED VOTERS FOR OVERALL TURNOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES IN FACILITIES THAT PERHAPS CANNOT HOUSE MORE THAN YOU KNOW THREE OR FOUR WORKERS. BUT CAN WE GIVE AN INPUT? CAN WE GIVE IT A DATE TO MEET THAT REQUIREMENT? WELL, THE DATE WOULD BE THE LAST TRAINING DATE FOR NEW POLL WORKERS. SO WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE TRAINING OF POLL WORKERS. WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE WE HAVE NUMBERS FROM, STAFF, POLL WORKER COUNTS AS OF AUGUST I BELIEVE.
BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SIGN UPS SINCE THEN AND THERE MAY BE A NEW POLL WORKER TRAINING CLASS SO THERE MAY BE MORE POLL WORKERS THAN THAT. SO IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF POLL WORKER, WE CAN DECIDE HOW MANY WE CAN PRACTICALLY RECRUIT SO WHERE ARE WE TODAY IN THOSE NUMBERS? DO WE DO WE KNOW? I DON'T KNOW IN COMPARISON TO 783 I DON'T KNOW. I'VE REQUESTED BUT I DON'T KNOW .
[00:20:05]
OKAY. I WAS GOING TO ASK I PERCEIVE THIS AS A GOAL.YES. AN AMBITIOUS GOAL THAT WE NEED TO WORK PERFECTLY TO REACH.
BUT I DON'T SEE IT AS SOMETHING SET IN STONE THEN IF WE DON'T REACH IT THEN WE AGREED THAT NO AND ALSO DO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF THE POLL WORKERS THAT WORKED IN THE LAST ELECTION HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND THEN HAVE AGREED AND I DON'T SEE ANY NUMBERS ON THAT.
I KNOW SOMETHING WAS SENT OUT BY JEAN BUT THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT I SENT YOU WE'RE JUST THE OUR ACTIVE POLL WORKERS WHAT PRECINCTS THEY ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND THOSE ARE NOT THE PRECINCTS THAT THEY IN NOR ARE THEY THE PRECINCTS OR NO WHERE THEY REFLECT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAID THEY CAN WORK THIS ELECTION. OKAY.
CAN YOU GIVE US USEFUL INFORMATION TO FIND OUT CAN YOU GIVE US THE RESPONSE RATE OF THE AVAILABILITY SURVEY 173.81 473 ONCE AGAIN THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE RESPONDED.
NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE SAID YES, RIGHT? SOME THEM HAVE SAID NO.
SO WE DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW MANY WORKERS ARE AVAILABLE AT THIS POINT BUT IF IT'S 473 THAT'S ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER WE HAD IN 2022 ACTUALLY JUST ONE LITTLE NUGGET HERE WE ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING MORE WORKERS OR HAS THAT REACHED YOU KNOW THE PEAK IN TERMS OF NO MORE TRAINING AVAILABLE? I'M NOT CLEAR ON THAT. WELL, THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY 10% OF MY TRAININGS THIS YEAR BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE FOUR CLASSES THAT WERE DONE IN JULY AUGUST WHICH WERE ABOUT 95 PEOPLE TRAINED I WOULD SAY ALL OF THEM ARE WORKING THIS ELECTION LIKE 80 SOMETHING OF THEM THERE WAS ONLY A HANDFUL THAT WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO WORK IN NOVEMBER THAT MY COURSE THAT IS DATA FOR THE ONES WERE PREVIOUS TO THAT BUT MY QUESTION IS IS THERE A NEED TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO RECRUIT POLL BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES WITHIN LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND I FOUND THAT THE FLIER THAT I'VE BEEN SHOWING TO POTENTIAL WORKERS I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE SHOOT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO CONTINUE THAT OR HAS THAT BEEN A CUTOFF POLL WORKER RECRUITING SHOULD BE AN ONGOING EFFORT BY EVERYBODY YEAH AND ALL OF US AND IF YOU WERE GIVING OUT THE FLIERS TO FLIERS GIVE THE POLL WORKERS INFORMATION OR THE POTENTIAL POLL WORKERS INFORMATION TO COME ON LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE, SIGN UP. AND WE ARE MAINTAINING A WAITING LIST AND WE'VE MENTIONED TO THE BOARD SEVERAL TIMES OVER THAT WHEN WE GET TO A POINT WHERE THERE ARE AN OVERFLOW OF POLL WORKERS WE SET UP ADDITIONAL TRAINING CLASS IF NEEDED. BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE IN THE IN PROCESS . WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO TRAIN ALL THE TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER OBLIGATIONS TO THE ELECTION. ELECTION PREPARATION IS NOT JUST TRAINING POLL WORKERS THAT'S JUST ONE ASPECT OF IT. WE HAVE COMMUNITY OBLIGATIONS, WE HAVE OFFICE OBLIGATIONS AND WE HAVE TRAINING OBLIGATIONS FOR STAFF AS WELL. SO I JUST WANT THE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT TRYING SHIRK OUR DUTIES, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO BE PRACTICAL AND WE ARE DOING IS TAKING INTO INTO ACCOUNT THAT STAFF IS INVOLVED IN EVERY ASPECT WHAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITIES AND TRAINING POLL WORKERS JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT . HOW MANY POLL WORKERS ARE ON THE WAITING LIST? NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS TIME.
IS IT MORE THAN 30? I'M NOT SURE WHETHER MORE IS MORE THAN THREE.
SO THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL NEW POLL WORKER TRAINING CLASSES. WE HAVE NOT SAT DOWN AND SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER TRAININGS THAT WE HAVE BUT YOU WILL FIND IN YOUR YOUR BOARD PACKET. BUT YES IF THERE IS 30 PEOPLE AND ONCE WE GET THROUGH MAKING ALL THESE ASSIGNED MINUTES OF CURRENT POLL WORKERS AND THE ONES THAT ARE RESPONDING TO
[00:25:05]
THEIR SURVEYS AND I THINK ARE PLANNING ON SENDING OUT A REMINDER SURVEY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT RESPONDED AND AGAIN SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT WORKING BUT THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING TO THE SURVEY. SO PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR FOLKS IF THEY ARE ON WORKING THEY NEED TO GO TO THAT SURVEY SO WE WILL KNOW THEY ARE AVAILABLE.THANK YOU. AND WE ARE CALLING WORKERS HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY SO 473 HAVE RESPONDED BUT I'VE CALLED DOZENS THAT HASN'T. SO WE'RE NOT JUST ONLY ASSIGNING PEOPLE THAT TO RESPOND WITH SURVEY. WE ARE MAKING THE CALLS AND WE'RE I MYSELF HAVE TAKEN FIVE OR SIX CALLS FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED FROM HOME SINCE 2020 WERE INACTIVE IN OUR SYSTEM THAT ARE COMING BACK TO WORK.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THAT 473 THERE ARE GOING TO BE MORE SO PAGE THE DIRECTOR OF TRAINING OF THE FCC ADVISED ME THAT THE FCC CAN PROVIDE THE NEW POLL WORKER TRAINING IF YOU ARE SHORT OF RESOURCES THEY CAN PEOPLE DOWN TO PROVIDE THAT NEW POLL WORKER TRAINING AND I FOR 1 A.M. VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE WE HAVE 473 RESPONDENTS. THAT'S ABOUT THE NUMBER OF POLL WORKERS WE HAD IN 2022. AND AS YOU SEE FROM THE ATTENTION TABLE ON, THIS DOCUMENT THE NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 ELECTION WILL BE 50% LARGER IN EVERY WAY THAN THE 2022 ELECTION. SO AT 473 OR 500 WORKERS WE'RE ONLY AT ABOUT PERCENT OF WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN NOVEMBER. SO I THINK BEVERLY, IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION SHOULD START AGGRESSIVELY RECRUITING POLL WORKERS SINCE IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL AND IF STAFF WOULD WORK WITH THE FCC TO THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO PROVIDE THAT NEW POLL WORKER TRAINING, WE GET THOSE FOLKS TO WORK IN NOVEMBER, JEAN. WE WOULDN'T BE COMPARING THE 2024 ELECTION TO 22 BECAUSE THAT WAS A A CONNECTION ELECTION WE BE COMPARING IT TO 2020 WHICH HAD MORE WORKERS THAN YEAH BUT BUT THE FOR 73 I'M COMPARING THE 473 TO THE NUMBER OF ACTUAL POLL WORKERS WE HAD IN 2022 SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE HAD IN 2020 BUT IF WE'RE AT 473 THAT'S ABOUT 60% OF WHERE THE AD HOC COMMITTEE BELIEVES WE NEED TO BE.
OKAY. SO I WOULD LIKE MAKE A MOTION THAT YES, IT BACK WHEN WE WERE MEETING WITH COUNTY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THE ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL PAY FOR POLL WORKERS AT MEETING WE RAISED THE THOUGHT OF ALLOWING COUNTY WORKERS TO WORK AT THE POLLS AND NOT HAVE TO USE A VACATION DAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND BE ABLE TO WORK AND AT THE TIME MR. ROBINSON I DON'T THINK REALLY FULLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WERE ASKING.
WE NOW HAVE A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HERE AND I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD GO BACK TO GO TO MR. MOORE AND, ASK HIM IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO TAP INTO THE I DON'T KNOW, 1500 OR SO COUNTY WORKERS TO SEE IF CAN IDENTIFY SOME WORKERS AND GIVE THEM SOME INCENTIVE TO WORK WITH THEM. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. IT'S A GOOD IDEA AND I JUST TO MAKE A FOLLOW UP ON I THINK WHEN THAT WAS GOING IN THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SET A TARGET FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE LINES BUT REGARDLESS HOW LONG OR SHORT THE LINES ARE THERE WILL BE SOME COMPLAINTS FROM VOTERS THEY WILL GO TO POTENTIALLY THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AND THOSE REPRESENTATIVES WILL PROBABLY COME BACK TO US. WANT TO KNOW WHAT WERE WE DOING? WE THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING WE COULD FALL BACK ON AND SAY THIS IS ON TARGET, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED AND. I THINK THAT'S ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ESTABLISH A TARGET.
IT'S IT'S IF WE DON'T HIT IT WITH YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE CONSEQUENCES BUT IT'S A TARGET THAT IS EXPLAINABLE WHEN THE QUESTIONS COME IF THEY DO AND I THINK THAT TARGET NEEDS TO HAPPEN THEY ATTACHED TO IT THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. I AGREE WITH THE TARGET BUT HAVING AN OPEN ENDED TARGET WE MAY BE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TEN YEARS FROM NOW UNLESS YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC DATE AND A DEADLINE TO MEET AN OBJECTIVE IS OPEN ENDED OBJECTIVE.
THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. I THOUGHT IT'S BEEN CLEAR WHAT THE TARGET DATE WAS.
[00:30:03]
IT WAS VERY PREPARED FOR THIS ELECTION THAT WE CAN MOVE NOW AMBITIOUS TRY TO IN THE HOME I'D HATE TO VOTE FOR SOMETHING WHEN IN THE BACK OF MY MIND WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT AND IT PUTS US IN A BAD POSITION. I THINK IF GOING TO HAVE A TARGET THAT'S TO HAVE A TARGET THAT'S ACHIEVABLE. LET'S NOT JUST PUT A TALK IT OUT THERE JUST TO HAVE A TARGET BECAUSE THERE'S A BLEMISH ON OUR RECORD AS COMMISSIONS. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO AVOID AND ALSO I KNOW FROM WORKING IN THE PAST SEVERAL ELECTIONS INCLUDING THE 20 GENERAL ELECTIONS THAT AT THE LAST HOUR BEFORE THAT WARNING OF THE ELECTION DAY I'VE HAD THREE PEOPLE THAT HAD EMERGENCY FAMILY EMERGENCIES THAT COULD NOT WORK.THEY WEREN'T JUST OUT AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS WORK. SO WE DO NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE NUMBERS THE TARGETED NUMBERS THINGS DO, THINGS HAPPEN AND WE ALL SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE BECAUSE THEY WILL UNDERSTAND THE SAME THING TOO THAT. THERE ARE EMERGENCIES AND THINGS HAPPEN AND I'VE ONE I DO NOT WANT A BLEMISH ON MY RECORD EITHER BY SAYING THAT OH YES WE CAN DO THIS KNOWING THAT HAVE NOT DILIGENTLY ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO WORK PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT RESPONDING THAT WELL TO WANTING TO WORK THE POLLS AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S JUST A BEAUFORT AREA THAT'S ALL OVER AND. IT'S NOT GOING TO GET BETTER, IT'LL PROBABLY GET WORSE BUT IT'S NOT JUST A BEAUFORT COUNTY AREA WHERE WE CAN'T GET POLL WORKERS AND RIGHT NOW THE MAJORITY OF OUR POLL WORKERS SENIORS OKAY, THE MAJORITY THEY ARE SENIORS AND THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THINGS THAT COME UP ALSO IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE. BUT I GUESS WHAT THEY JUST CANNOT PERFORM DUTIES AND I KNOW AS A BOARD MEMBER I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE AS LONG AS BEVERLY BUT YES WHY WE AT WORK AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT I THINK ARE THINKING ABOUT IT. MOST OF THE LEGISLATORS THERE'S ONLY MAYBE ONE OR TWO BRAND NEW ONES THAT IS ON BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD AND THEY KNOW ME AND I KNOW THEM AND IF THEY HAD A COMPLAINT ABOUT SOMETHING I'M QUITE SURE THEY WOULD STOP ME AND BLUFFTON AND SAY SOMETHING TO ME SO WE SHOULDN'T WANT TO BEAT OURSELVES AND TRY TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE TO SAY WE ARE DOING SOMETHING AND THEN WE FAIL MISERABLY LATELY AND I'M THROUGH WITH THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE STILL GOT A LOT TO DO. ANYBODY ELSE WITH ANY COMMENTS OR MATT DO YOU WANT TO BRING YOUR MOTION TO THE FLOOR? I LIKE YOU TO BECAUSE I LOOK I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO HAVE A TARGET FOR WE CANNOT PROCEED WITH WITH NO TARGET. OKAY.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS TO LOOK AT THIS TARGET IF IF WE HAVE 50% AVAILABILITY OF THE ACTIVE POLL WORKERS, WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH POLL WORKERS. SO RIGHT THERE ARE 638 ACTIVE POLL WORKERS. IF GOT HALF OF THOSE IN HIGH LEVEL NUMBERS, WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE. THAT'S 800 POLL WORKERS BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT INFORMATION.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE MARIA AND STAFF TO GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IF YOU NEED IT ON AN HOURLY BASIS. SOME TO HELP YOU MAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS AND FIND OUT WHAT THE AVAILABLE IS IN THE MEANTIME, I BELIEVE THAT WE AS A BOARD SHOULD BE DOING WHATEVER WE CAN TO RECRUIT ADDITIONAL WORKERS. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE KNEW WHERE WE NEEDED THE MOST BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT JUST A BLANKET RECRUITING.
SO DON, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE THE MOTION AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT BEING NEW TO THIS PROCESS. OFTENTIMES OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES CAN BE VERY MUCH RELATED TO SEMANTICS AS WELL YOU KNOW. HOW DO WE PHRASE THE OBJECTIVE TO MANY OF THE COMMENTS ALREADY BEEN MADE IS WE DON'T WANT TO HOLD OURSELVES TO A POINT OF WHERE WE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FAILURE. WHAT WORDS CAN WE USE THAT EXPRESSES THIS OBJECTIVE? THIS IS OUR OBJECTIVE FOR THE THE THE NOVEMBER 5TH ELECTION DOES IT SAY FAILED IF WE DON'T READ IT I'M JUST TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN COUCH THIS IN
[00:35:02]
POSITIVE BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE THAT I MEAN I DON'T KNOW EVERYONE AROUND THIS DIE OFF BUT I KNOW THAT NO ONE'S TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND NOBODY'S LOOKING TO SET THEMSELVES UP FOR FAILURE RIGHT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT QUESTION MAKES SENSE AT ALL BUT HOW DO WE COUNT IT IN TERMS OF THIS IS OUR OBJECTIVE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE REASONABLY WORKING TOWARD AND WHAT SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION YOU ALL CAN FIX IT.SO SORRY NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU WORK WITHOUT A TARGET WITHOUT A GOAL THEN YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEFINE SUCCESS IN THIS TELLS US THAT IF WE ACHIEVE THIS THEN WE HAVE ACHIEVED SUCCESS BUT. IF WE DON'T ACHIEVE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN WE FAIL IT MEANS THAT WE NEED TO WORK HARDER AND SMARTER GOING FORWARD.
SO IF WE HAVE A THOUSAND POLL WORKERS WE'VE OBVIOUSLY SUCCEEDED.
BUT THE THING IS WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT WE ACTUALLY NEEDED WITHOUT THESE NUMERIC FIGURES THAT WE HAVE THAT MATT SPENT HOURS ON THAT HELP US DETERMINE WHAT WOULD BE OPTIMUM.
WE ALSO KNOW I MEAN WHEN JEAN'S TALKING ABOUT SOME LOCATIONS IF YOU USE THIS METRIC YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE 34 WORKERS AND THAT'S TOO MANY I AM LOOKING AT AND I SPOKE TO THIS TO YOU SOME THAT ACTUALLY ARE SO SMALL THAT TO PUT THOSE MANY PEOPLE IN WOULD ALSO BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BUT NOT PARTICULARLY I MENTIONED GRAYSCALE FIRE STATION OR BOOKER T WELL AND YES I ALSO MENTIONED BOOKER T BUT PARTICULARLY I MEAN LITERALLY THE LOCATION CAN'T HOLD THE EQUIPMENT WE'D LIKE IT TO YOU KNOW, BE MORE EFFICIENT. YOU KNOW, IT'LL MAKE THINGS MOVE SMOOTHER BUT IT DOESN'T DO THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRIPPING EACH OTHER AND THE EQUIPMENT.
SO SOMETIMES THIS IS NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL. IT'S JUST A GENERIC ACROSS THE COUNTY THIS IS THE AVERAGE WILL WORK TO BE EFFECTIVE I JUST WANT TO INTERJECT ONE STATE MINT GOES CAN BE ATTAINABLE AT CERTAIN LEVELS IT CAN BE A TEN OUT OF 60% LEVEL A 70% LEVEL AND 80% LEVEL. SO IT'S NOT EITHER ALL OR NOTHING AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY YOU KNOW YEAH, I AGREE WITH YOU 100%. ABSOLUTELY IS WE MASTERED 80% SO NEXT TIME WE NEED TO DO THAT'S A GOOD POINT. BEVERLEY FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE 84 POLLING LOCATIONS WE MAY HAVE 100% COMPLIANCE WITH OUR TARGET FOR 70 OF THOSE AND WE'LL KNOW 14 OF THOSE THAT WERE IT MAYBE 80% OF OUR TARGET WILL WORK NEXT TIME AND TEN COULDN'T HANDLE IT DIDN'T HAVE SPACE TO. YES. YEAH.
OKAY MATT YOU WANT TO COME UP WITH THE WORDING YOUR MOTION I PROPOSE A MOTION THAT THE BOARD ADOPT A TARGET OF AVAILABLE POLL WORKERS AT A RATIO OF THREE POLL WORKERS TO 500 VOTERS BASED ON OVERALL TURNOUT FOR EACH VOTING SUBJECT TO THE CAPACITY OF EACH LOCATION THAT'S PRETTY LONG. YOU THINK YOU COULD NARROW IT DOWN AND I KNOW YOU NEED A MOTION. YOU HAVE TO GET A MOTION THAT I ONLY NEED A SECOND.
OKAY WHOSCORED IS WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF SECONDS GOING AROUND. OKAY.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED IN SECOND THAT WE ADOPT WHAT IS IT THIS MOTION THREE TIMES TARGET IF ADOPTED TARGET OF AVAILABLE POLL WORKERS OF A RATIO OF 3 TO 500 VOTERS BASED ON OVERALL TURNOUT SUBJECT TO CAPACITY OF EACH LOCATION. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE READY TO VOTE AND ALL OF YEAH, I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DATE THAT BY OCTOBER 5TH BY OCTOBER OR BY OCTOBER 5TH, 30 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
OKAY FIRST. BUT THE MOTION HAS BEEN AMENDED TO INCLUDE THE DATE OF OCTOBER 5TH. OKAY, WE NOW READY TO VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. ALL RIGHT. ONE, TWO, THREE.
OKAY. SIX VOTED IN FAVOR TO ABSTAIN MOTION CARRIED I VOTED YES I KNOW YEAH YOU VOTED AGAINST ABSTAIN. OKAY.
OKAY YOU VOTED AGAINST IT AND I DID SO WE HAD SIX IN FAVOR AND TWO AGAINST OKAY.
OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR USES OF I MOTION CARRIES.
[00:40:03]
OKAY. ALL RIGHT MR. FORD FACILITY. YES.THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE MET ON THE 2ND OF AUGUST TO TALK ABOUT THREE CRITICAL THINGS THAT WE THINK ON TO IMPACT US IN THIS ELECTION IN TERMS OF OUR PERSONNEL, OUR EQUIPMENT THAT WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT AND OUR ACTUAL FACILITY ON OUR ELECTION ELECTION CENTRAL. I CAN'T GET INTO ALL OF THE SPECIFICS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE TOPIC. BUT WE TRIED TO TO ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF THAT OUR MOST IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL RESOURCE IS OUR PEOPLE THAT WORK AT THE BUILDING AS WELL AS THOSE FOLKS WHO COME TO VISIT THE BUILDING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE FOLKS ARE SAFE. WE WOULD ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TO MAKE THE ELECTION SUCCESSFUL THAT THEY ARE ALSO SAFE FROM ANY POTENTIAL ADVERSARY HAVING CONTACT THEM. AND THIRD AND FOREMOST WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FACILITY HOUSING OUR PEOPLE AND OUR EQUIPMENT ARE KEPT SAFE AGAIN.
WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANYONE THINK THAT OUR FACILITY IS UNSECURE IN ANY WAY BUT WE WANT TO WE DON'T WANT TO CAST THAT ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE SENSITIVITY OF TOP.
WE WANT TO DISCUSS THE SPECIFICS BUT YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE REPORT AND IN YOUR PACKAGE IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTION WANT TO ASK ME AFTER THE MEETING WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS TO THANK YOU MR. FORD MR. BACKER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN.
FACILITIES COMMITTEE MET ON JULY 29TH AT THAT TIME FINALLY IN FINANCE.
I'M SO SORRY MR. FORD WE MET ON THE 29TH OF JULY AND AT THAT TIME THE PRIMARY TOPIC OF OUR AGENDA WAS THE PURCHASE OF NEW EQUIPMENT FOR THE 31 NEW PRECINCTS AND HOW TO ACHIEVE FUNDING FOR THAT. THAT ISSUE HAS NOW KIND OF BEEN RESOLVED AND WITH HELP FROM A NUMBER OF PEOPLE INCLUDING OUR LEGISLATOR DELEGATION SO WE WILL BE GETTING NEW EQUIPMENT AS DIRECTOR NOTED AND SO WITH THE OTHER TOPICS OF THE MEETING WERE THE FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET WE WRAPPED UP THE YEAR ON JUNE 30TH FINISHED THE YEAR ESSENTIALLY BUDGET IT WAS ABOUT A $4,000 DELTA TO THE GOOD THE STAFF WAS ABLE TO MAKE SOME PURCHASES TOWARD THE END OF THE OF SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS THE BUDGET AND THE MAJOR VARIANCES WERE ELECTION SALARIES WHICH ARE POLL WORKERS WHICH WAS 122% OF THE BUDGET AND OVERTIME WHICH WAS HUNDRED 63% OF THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 WE REVIEWED THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNCIL. THE 25 BUDGET ASSUMED TWO COUNTYWIDE ELECTIONS ONE BEING THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION AND ONE TO BE DETERMINED. WE KNOW NOW THAT WE WILL HAVE ONE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE OPEN SCHOOL BOARD SEAT IN DISTRICT SEVEN IN BLUFFTON AND THAT'S GOING TO ENCOMPASS ABOUT 10% OF OUR PRECINCT. SO OBVIOUSLY WILL BE SOME SOME BUDGET IMPACT TO THAT. BUT WE ASSUME TWO COUNTYWIDE ELECTIONS SO WE SHOULD BE OKAY FOR THE END OF THE YEAR THE 25 BUDGET INCLUDED INCLUDES THE $100 SUPPLEMENTAL PAY FOR POLL WORKERS THAT IS FUNDED THE COUNTY AND THE TOTAL BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 25 IS ESSENTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THE 2014 BUDGET WAS ABOUT $1.7879 MILLION TOTAL QUESTIONS ANY QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAVE? QUESTION HAVE A QUESTION YES. THE 2024 FINANCIAL YEAR 2024 AND FINANCIAL YEAR 2022 BUDGETS THAT WERE PUBLISHED IN THE COUNTY BUDGET INCLUDED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAVE THERE BEEN GOALS OBJECTIVES CREATED FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2025? NO, THAT WAS NOT A PART OF THE BUDGET PACKAGE THIS PAST YEAR
[00:45:10]
BUT I DO HAVE GOALS AND WE DID NOT SUBMIT IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT REQUESTED SO BUT WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL. LASTLY MR. SWEENEY HAS COME UP WITH HIS WITH SOME OF HIS OWN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND I GUESS IT WOULD NEED TO PROBABLY BE COMBINED WITH WHAT WE HAVE OR AT LEAST LOOKED AT TO SEE IF WE CAN AGREE ON WHAT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES BE FOR THIS YEAR I THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA. YOU'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE ARE LIMITED RESOURCES AVAILABLE SO IF WE CAN AGREE ON THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVE AS WELL UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE LIMITED RESOURCES ARE DIRECTED SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR 25 FINANCIAL YEAR 2025 WHICH INCLUDES THE NOVEMBER 5TH ELECTION THAT'S. GREAT.SO IS THAT SOMETHING WE WOULD DISCUSS AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING? WE CAN ALL WE CAN SEND IT OUT AND YOU ALL TWEAK IT AND IT WOULD JUST BE A PART OF THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. IT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE AGREED UPON AMONG YOURSELVES BUT YOU ALL CAN I WILL SUGGEST WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING FOR MY DEPARTMENT AND AS A BOARD YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT YOU ALL WANT SO WE WILL SEE HOW THAT COMES AND PROVIDE A DOCUMENT OF SUCH AUDIT GOAL OBJECTIVE BASED ON A CALENDAR YEAR OF YEAR. WELL IN THE PAST BASED ON WHAT THE COUNTY HAS PUBLISHED ITS FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR SO THAT'S OCTOBER YOU KNOW THAT'S JULY ONE TO JUNE 30TH SO FISCAL YEAR 2025 HAS ALREADY BEGUN. YES.
YES. IT'S SOMETHING SINCE WE OKAY. I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
MARY, IF YOU COULD SEND THAT OUT TO US AND WE WILL SEND YOU COMMENTS CAN PUT A DATE ON THIS BECAUSE AGAIN IF THE FISCAL YEAR HAS ALREADY AND WE DON'T GET OUR COMMENTS AND AGREEMENTS CEMENTED UNTIL SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER OF THE YEAR IS ALREADY GONE.
YOU'RE RIGHT. SO I THINK TIMING IS CRITICAL IF WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS A YEAR THAT WE ALREADY IN THAT NEEDS THAT NEEDS TO BE A QUICK TURNAROUND AS TO WHAT THE FINAL PRODUCT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE IMPLEMENTED, IN ORDER FOR FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TO WORK FOR SOME OF THOSE OBJECTIVES, WE CAN'T WAIT TILL THE END OF THE YEAR TO DO THAT. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME TALK THESE DAYS AS TO WHEN IT'S GOING TO OCCUR AND THAT'S COMING OUT IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. IT CAN BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING IMPLEMENT IF WE WAIT UNTIL 25% OF THE YEAR IS COMPLETED, I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE GOING TO GET HUNDRED PERCENT DONE IN 75% OF THE YEAR DO THIS SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW THAT WE OPERATE WITH GOALS EVERY YEAR. YOU MAY NOT HAVE IT BUT AS A DEPARTMENT HAVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. WE SIT DOWN AND WE TALK ABOUT THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IN THE COMING YEAR AND I DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION OR THAT DOCUMENT AS YOU PUT IT AND. I WILL SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD AND IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT I MAY NOT HAVE INCLUDED AND YOU THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD WORK TOWARDS FOR REMAINING OF THE FISCAL YEAR WE WILL LOOK AT INCLUDING THAT AS WELL.
THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH. GOOD TO MEET YOU. SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
SOUNDS GOOD. OKAY OKAY WE ARE NOW DOWN TO MR. SWEENEY LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS. THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE IS REALLY THANKS FOR OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION THEY TRIED DURING THE REGULAR BUDGETING PROCESS TO HAVE THE SECRETARY REQUEST THAT INCLUDED EQUIPMENT FOR OUR 31 PRECINCTS IN THE SCC APPROVAL.
IT DID NOT GET APPROVED SINCE THEN OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION DID A OF WORK FOR US TOM DAVIS SENATOR DAVIS AND THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION HERR KURZMAN SENT A STRONG
[00:50:08]
SUPPORT TO THE SCC AND ULTIMATELY THE SCC BOARD VOTED TO APPROVE AN AGREEMENT.YES WHEN ASKED TO PROVIDE THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEEDED SO JUST A THANKS TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION DOING GOOD WORK. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THREE REPRESENTING COMMITTEE NO REPORT NO REPORT RULES COMMITTEE LIZ NO REPORTED THIS SLIDE OKAY I'LL BE DOWN TO NEW
[V. New Business]
BUSINESS ANY NEW BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS DIRECTORS REPORT I HAVE SOME NEW BUSINESS I HAVE SOME NEW BUSINESS. NO I'M SORRY THAT DIDN'T THE FINANCE COMMITTEE LOST ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WHEN MR. LUCAS RESIGNED AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER MEMBER TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO TAKE MR. LUCAS'S SPOT AND I WOULD LIKE TO TO NOMINATE MR. SWEENEY TO JOIN THE FINANCE. OKAY. YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT SINCE WE ARE SO SHORT RIGHT NOW WITH BOARD MEMBERS AND FOR EACH OF THESE COMMITTEES I NEED TO BE AT THOSE MEETINGS SO WE CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN FIVE PEOPLE.WE CAN ONLY HAVE FOUR. SO SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE WE NEED TO LOOK AT CHANGING HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE ON OUR COMMITTEES TO THREE AND I MAKE FOUR I OTHER THAN THAT OTHER THAN THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING DON AND MR. WINDSOR YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO BECAUSE OTHER THAN THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND ANY OF THE MEETINGS AND I SHOULD BE THERE. SO YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULD NOT WE CAN'T ASK FOR PLACEMENT? WELL, I'M SAYING WE CAN HAVE FOUR BECAUSE THEN WITH ME BEING ON IT'S GOING TO BE FIVE. WE DID IT BUT I DON'T KNOW MAYBE MARIE CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION ME WE CAN CHECK ON IT IF WE HAVE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS AT A FINANCE MEETING AND I'M THERE TOO THAT'S FIVE PEOPLE WHICH WOULD CONSTITUTE A QUORUM .
OKAY. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT BUT I THINK WHAT YOU ARE RECOMMENDING IS PROBABLY TRUE. WE MIGHT NEED TO HOLD ALL COMMITTEES TO THREE MEMBERS AND YOU BEING THE EX-OFFICIO PERSON ,YOU AS THE CHAIRPERSON WHOEVER THE CHAIRPERSON IS I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE MAKEUP OF THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES ARE BUT. THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THE RULES COMMITTEE NEED TO LOOK INTO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLIANT .
OKAY. YEAH I WOULD SEE THAT. I MEAN I SEE YOU AS THE COMMITTEE'S BRINGING THINGS TO THE BOARD AND MOTIONS TO VOTE ON A RECOMMENDATION IT'S NOT COMMITTEES MAKING DECISIONS BUT WE MAKE A DECISION IN THOSE MEETINGS FOR RECOMMENDATION DO YOU RECOMMENDATION THAT IT'S STILL THE SAME THING IT'S MOSTLY IF YOU'RE NOT MAKING A RECOMMENDATION MEMBERS LIKE FIVE OF YOU CAN'T GO TO LUNCH TOGETHER THINGS LIKE THAT BUT OUR NEWEST MEMBER YOU SERVING ON ANY COMMITTEE SHE WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU.
YES I THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE NEW MEMBERS AND WE WILL BE HAVING ANOTHER NEW MEMBER JOINING US AND I THINK THAT COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS BE AVAILABLE TO THEM AS WELL. WE JUST NEED TO CHANGE THE NUMBERS ONCE THE RULES COMMITTEE CHECK THE RIGHT NOW THE RULES COMMITTEE IS ALSO DOWN ONE PERSON BECAUSE MR. LUCAS WAS THE RULES COMMITTEE AND NEW MEMBER OVER HERE THAT'S YEAH AND I DON'T THINK WANTS TO BE ON THE RULES COMMITTEE SO GO AHEAD SO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR MEMBERS FOR EVERY COMMITTEE YEAH I THINK IS FOR A FORUM LET ME AND SEE HOW YOU FEEL YOU SHOULD MAYBE REALLY YOU SHOULD TAKE AN ACTION ITEM TO AT ALL THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS RIGHT NOW I THINK THAT'S AN ASSIGNMENT FOR THE RULES COMMITTEE CHAIR OKAY I MEAN I WE WE TO KNOW I MEAN WHETHER IT'S A MATTER OF OPTICS, IT'S A MATTER OF LEGALITY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON A COMMITTEE. I KNOW THE REPRESENTING COMMITTEE IS CURRENTLY PRETTY INACTIVE BECAUSE THEY ARE INCREASINGLY BUT HOW MANY MEMBERS DID YOU ON YOUR COMMITTEE TO HAVE MY MAJOR I THINK IT'S THREE THERE AND I
[00:55:01]
THOUGHT THERE WERE MORE THAN THAT AND YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT SHE KNEW I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN NOTES ON THAT AT THIS TIME AND I'M SURE EACH COMMITTEE HAS FOUR PEOPLE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE RULES COMMUNITY AT LEAST FROM EARLIER IN THE YEAR WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT.THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO LOOK INTO IT AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT THINKING OH THIS WILL FURTHER THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THE SAME CONSIDERATION RIGHT NOW THE RULES COMMITTEE AND THE CHAIR IS ACCORDING TO THE TWO 2023 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS THEY ARE FOUR PEOPLE ON EACH COMMITTEE.
SO IF THEY IF THE CHAIR IS GOING BE ATTENTIVE AS AN EX-OFFICIO FIVE WELL I'LL BE GLAD TO GIVE UP MY ASSIGNMENT FOR THE RULES COMMITTEE. OKAY, SO WE'LL TAKE IT FURTHER . YEAH. OKAY.
OKAY. OKAY. I HAVE MY OTHER NEWS MY OTHER PIECE OF NEW BUSINESSES TO UP ON MY COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY TAP INTO THE COUNTY WORKFORCE FOR POLL WORKERS AND CAN WE BEST ACCOMPLISH COMMUNICATING OR CONTACTING MR. MOORE WHAT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DO WHEN IT WAS UNDER THANK YOU YOU KNOW WE CAN WE PUT A DEADLINE ON THAT AS TO WE CAN GET SOME FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT THOSE RESPONSES I WILL DO MY BEST TO TRY TO MEET WITH THEM THIS WEEK.
OKAY. EVERYBODY'S MET YES. NEW BUSINESS.
SO THE MONEY ISSUE OF MEALS FOR POLL WORKERS. COOPER ASKED THE QUESTION AND I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST BRING THE REST OF THE BOARD UP TO SPEED. SO THE BLUFFTON HILTON HAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MISS KATHY HAVENS HAS TAKEN UPON HERSELF IN THE CHAMBER TO FOR POLL WORKER LUNCHES FOR ALL POLL WORKERS ALL POLLING LOCATIONS SOUTH OF BROAD WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG SCOPE SO THAT BUT DON'T WANT TO FORGET ABOUT THE POLL WORKERS NORTH OF THE BROAD RIGHT SO THIS I REACHED OUT TO A CONTACT THAT MR. BACKER GAVE ME AT THE BEAUFORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ASKING IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERYTHING NORTH OF THE BRIDE. SO I'M WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM HER IF SHE COMES BACK AND SAYS SHE CAN ONLY DO FOR CHAMBER CAN ONLY DO X NOT THERE ARE 34 POLLING LOCATIONS NORTH OF THE BRIDE IF SHE COMES BACK AND SAYS THEY CAN ONLY DO SAY 20 THAT LEAVES 14 THEN THEN MS. BANDER, I MIGHT REACH OUT TO YOU TO ASK IF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS COULD HELP ARRANGE FOR POLL WORKER LUNCHES AT SOME LOCATIONS NORTH THE BRIDE THERE'S ALSO A BEAUFORT BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT HAS POSTED VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES YEAH PARTICIPATED IN THOSE OKAY AND THEY'VE CALLED ME PUTTING LITERATURE IN VARIOUS BEAUTY AND BARBERSHOPS ALL OVER THE NORTH OF THE BROAD AREA AND I THINK THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK TO OKAY YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM A CONTACT? WELL AFTER I HEAR BACK FROM THE BEAUFORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I'LL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU, BEVERLY AND MS.. BANDER TO TO IF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND THE BLACK CHAMBER CAN FILL IN ANY GAPS NORTH OF THE BROAD OKAY.
I HAVE ANOTHER NEW BUSINESS AND IF THERE ARE ANY ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LUNCHES, YOU KNOW OKAY THE NEXT NEW BUSINESS I HAVE THIS IS RELATED TO AN EMAIL THAT I SENT ON AUGUST SIX ABOUT POLLING PLACES AND WITH 779 TEN THAT'S A SOUTH CAROLINA CODE THAT REQUIRES ONE POLLING LOCATION PER PRECINCT AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT LAST YEAR WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION FOR A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO APPROVE ANY POOL PRECINCTS THAT HASN'T MOVED ANYWHERE BUT IN THAT REQUEST FOR THE BILL WE TOLD THEM WE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION THAT THEY APPROVED POOL POLLING LOCATIONS WE WOULD GIVE THEM A REPORT ABOUT OUR PRECINCTS AND HOW MANY ARE THE VOTING WITHIN THEIR PRECINCT LINES AND HOW MANY ARE POOR PRECINCTS. SO I PREPARED A DRAFT REPORT WHICH SHOULD BE DONE BY STAFF IN THE BUT I WAS HAPPY TO DO IT FOR THIS VERY FIRST TIME.
CHAIRWOMAN MITCHELL ASKED ME TO PRESENT THIS AT THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION MEETING WHICH I WILL BE HAPPY TO DO. BUT I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO
[01:00:07]
PRESENT THAT WE'RE MAKING OUR VERY BEST TO COMPLY WITH CODE REQUIRING ONE POLLING LOCATION IN PER PRECINCT AND THE COMMENT SECTION HERE THERE ARE A LOT OF BLANKS SO I APPRECIATE IF IF STAFF AND OR THE BOARD MEMBERS COULD PROVIDE COMMENTS FOR POOL POLLING LOCATIONS AND WHY THEIR POOLS THERE ARE ALSO A COUPLE OF PROPOSED CHANGES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BEFORE WE PRESENT THIS FOR EXAMPLE THE ONE B WHICH VOTES AT THE BLUFFTON LIBRARY IN FIVES THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED TO MOVE TO THE BLUFFTON CENTER WHICH IS IN BLUFFTON. B SO THERE'S A POLLING LOCATION AND ONE.B BUT PEOPLE WANT TO GO VOTING AND TRY B SO THAT'S A POTENTIAL CHANGE.
THERE'S THE BLUFFTON THREE LOOKING FOR WHERE YOU'RE READING.
YEAH WE HAVE THAT THAT WAS NOT DISTRIBUTED. I THINK THERE ARE JUST FEW AREAS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A CLOSER LOOK. FOR EXAMPLE BURTON THREE A IS VOTING IN BURTON THREE B AND BURTON THREE B IS VOTING IN BURTON 3A0 NO THREE B IF YOU SAID THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED IN THREE IS NEW HOPE OKAY SO B BEFORE THREE VOTES A NEW HOPE BUT NEW HOPE IS IN BURTON THREE B NO, NO, NO. SO AGAIN RIGHT NOW OKAY THREE AND THREE B BURTON THREE AND THREE B HAVE BEEN CORRECTED AND THEY OKAY GREAT.
SO NEVERTHELESS ALL OF THE POOL PRECINCTS IF I COULD REQUEST A COMMENT ABOUT WHY THEY'RE POOLED MANY OF THE COMMENTS ARE EXISTING FOR EXAMPLE POLLING LOCATION IS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF THE PRECINCT EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THE PRECINCT ITSELF THERE ARE GOOD EXPLANATIONS FOR WHY WE HAVE POOL PRECINCTS BUT I WILL RESEND THIS TO YOU MARIE AND REQUEST IF YOU COULD GET IT BACK TO ME WITH COMMENTS TO MR. FORD'S CONCERNS.
LET'S PUT A WEEK ON THAT IF WE COULD A WEEK FOR RESPONSE. YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE NOW.
OH, I THINK WE'RE REQUIRING STAFF TO FUNCTION AT SUPERMAN'S WHEN I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT REPORT OF BOARD MEMBERS AND THEN MAYBE ALL OF US HAVE A CONSENSUS ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT TO DO NEXT YEAR YOU'RE SEEING THE POLL PRECINCTS THEN WE SEE WHICH MEANS THAT WE GO BACK INTO THE MAPS AND LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS, THE AVAILABLE AREAS WHERE WE CAN HOLD A POLLING PLACE THAT'S SOME INTENSE TYPE OF WORK AND I THINK WE NEED TO PUT A DEADLINE AND TO MOVE THAT RAPIDLY WE NEED TO TRY TO GET READY FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION IN TERMS GETTING MORE POLL WORKERS IF WE NEED THEM MAYBE IF WE NEED THE STATE TO SUPPLEMENT THE TRAINING WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I JUST SEE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE OFF TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW. I THINK IT'S A LOT OF THAT A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS LABOR INTENSIVE. MAY I JUST SAY I SAY WE JUST APPROVED THE ELECTION NOTICE FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WE'RE NOT GOING TO REALLY HAVE TIME TO MAKE ANY MORE ADJUSTMENTS TO POLLING LOCATIONS UNLESS WE'RE GOING TO REALLY BE CONFUSING VOTERS AT THE LAST MINUTE. SO WHEN WE AUDITED OUR POLLING LOCATIONS, STREET FILES AND EVERYTHING THESE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WE FOUND OUT ABOUT BURTON TO MEAN THREE A AND THREE B AND WE'VE CORRECTED THAT AND ALL OF OUR POLLING LOCATIONS RIGHT MAY NOT BE IDEAL WHERE THEY ARE BUT FOR SIMPLICITY'S SAKE AND FOR TO TO ENSURE WE DON'T CONFUSE VOTERS ANY MORE THAN WE HAVE TO WE NEED TO LEAVE ALONE FOR NOW AND LET THAT BE A PART OF OUR GOALS FOR THE OUTCOME FOR THE REMAINING OF THE FISCAL YEAR IT'S JUST TOO MUCH BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE MOVE SOMEBODY WE HAVE TO SEND THEM A NEW VOTER REGISTRATION CARD SO AGREE I
[01:05:03]
DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE MAKING ANY FURTHER CHANGES. MY MY GOAL IS BEFORE WE PRESENT THIS TO THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION THAT WE GET SOME EXPLANATIONS ABOUT WHY AREAS ARE WHY PRECINCTS IMPORTANT AND IF WE BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD CAN THAT EASIER THAN THE STANDARD I'M HAPPY ASK THE BOARD TO DO THAT I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO LOOK AT THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU'RE COMMUNICATING FROM FIRST THAT NEEDS TO A FIRST STEP WELL THIS WAS SENT TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS ON AUGUST AND I WILL SEND THE WORD AROUND THE STATE WE HAVE A 30 PAGE COPY. OH NO, IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT IN THE 30 PAGES.IT'S NOT IN ALL RIGHT ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF POLLING LOCATION MAPS. WE HAVE WHAT I THINK 54 SINGLE WE HAVE YES WE HAVE 24 TWO PRECINCT LOCATIONS FIVE THREE PRECINCT AND TWO NO I'M SORRY YEAH WE HAVE A 24 TWO PRECINCT FIVE THREE PRECINCT AND TO FIVE PRECINCT I'M MOST OF ALL TO FIVE PRECINCT.
NO WE HAVE SORRY WE HAVE 53 SINGLE PRECINCT LOCATIONS OKAY WE 24 TWO PRECINCT LOCATIONS WE HAVE 533 PRECINCT LOCATIONS AND TWO FIVE PRECINCT LOCATIONS ON A BULK OF THOSE FOR THE BROAD SENSITIVE YEAH THEY'RE BOTH OKAY I'M SAYING THE BULK OF THE POOL PRESET HAVE A BULK OF THOSE NOW FOR THE BROAD JUST JUST GENERAL. YEAH.
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD I CAN'T YEAH YEAH FIRST OF ALL I THINK WE KNOW WHAT THE IS THERE IN YEAH THERE SOUTH OF THE BROAD I THINK WE KNOW THE PROBLEM YEAH. AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE WITH GROWTH AND I'M NOT SURE ALL THAT CONTINUE WE HAVE AN ANSWER AS LONG AS THEY ARE SAYING THEY'RE NOT TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR IN THEIR RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS SO AND THAT'S KNOW THAT'S COMMENT THAT WE NEED SURE NOT PROVIDE A LOCATION THAT'S IT BUT IT SHOWS THAT FOR EACH RIGHT WE HAVE TESTED THE AVAILABILITY OF A POLLING LOCATION AGAINST WHAT'S WHAT'S IN THE PRECINCT. WE CAN DEMONSTRATE WE'VE DONE THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT OF BLANKS I STILL THINK THIS IS REQUIRES A LOT OF REVIEW AND WE NEED TO TABLE THIS UNTIL AFTER THEN WE WILL DO IT. MY PERCEPTION I CAN WORK IS NOT DIFFICULT REALLY.
I THINK ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE VERY FAMILIAR THEIR POLLING LOCATIONS AND THEY CAN VERY QUICKLY PUT A COMMENT ABOUT NO SUITABLE LOCATION AND PRETTY SOON FOR EXAMPLE WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE MAPS BECAUSE I REMEMBER SPENDING DAYS WINDOW MAKING SURE THAT THE LOCATIONS WERE INSIDE OF A CERTAIN GEOGRAPHICAL AREA AND THERE WERE SOME THAT WE COULD NOT IDENTIFY A POLLING PLACE THAT WAS ADEQUATE. OH WELL THE MAPS ARE ONLINE SO YOU CAN ACCESS THE MAP ONLINE FROM THE COUNTY WEBSITE AT THIS WEBSITE.
THAT WOULD BE THE COMMENT THERE WAS NO ADEQUATE POLLING LOCATION WITHIN THIS PRECINCT BOUNDARIES SO I'M NOT LOOKING TO CREATE WORK. WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO THE AS A SITUATION WE HAVE A FIXED PLAN FOR NOVEMBER AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR COMMENTS ON A PRECINCT PRECINCT BASIS IF IT'S POOLED WHY IT'S NOT IN THE HOME PRECINCT SUCH AS THERE'S NO ADEQUATE POLLING LOCATION IN THE COMMUNITY OKAY THAT'S IT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO AND I THINK SHE WAS IN I MEAN YEAH I DON'T HAVE ONE TWO PLACES SO IT'S NOT A PROBLEM ME BUT I THINK FOR MOST OF US YOU KNOW Y WITHIN YOUR AREA THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE THE LOCATION AND AS FAR AS BLUFFTON IS GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE GROWTH BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL MOVING INTO BLUFFTON EVEN AS OF TODAY PROBABLY SO THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND THEY GIVE YOU NOTHING THAT CAN FIX. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION INFORMED THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM. ANYBODY FROM THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION INQUIRED AS TO WHY THERE ARE 24 TO PRECINCT LOCATIONS BECAUSE ANYBODY
[01:10:08]
INQUIRED WELL NOT FOR ME. THE FORMER CHAIRMAN WITH WHOM I DISCUSSED THIS TO ALLOW THE DELEGATION TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO PULL HE DID HAVE A QUESTION WHY DO WE HAVE THESE POOR PRECINCTS? AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO ASK US TO GIVE PERMISSION TO HAVE POOR PRECINCTS WE WOULD TO KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS. AND THAT WAS THE OF PUTTING THIS REPORT TOGETHER WHICH IS SIMPLY TO REPORT THE AS IS CONDITION WITH AN EXPLANATION FOR POOR PRECINCTS JUST SAID THAT THERE NO MANDATE TO SAY YOU MUST NOT HAVE FOUR PRECINCTS THERE'S AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT WE WILL JUST LIKE THERE ARE STATEWIDE WE JUST HAVE TO EXPLAIN AND DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'VE MADE BEST REASONABLE EFFORTS THAT'S THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR DELEGATION CAN HAVE INPUT IN IN SUPPORT BECAUSE THIS IS A STATE WIDE ISSUE THIS WAS ONE OF THE LET'S CALL IT OBJECTIVES FOR SCALE WHAT DO WE CALL PRIORITIES ONE OF SCARCE PRIORITIES AND FOR THE LAST YEAR THERE WERE A COUPLE LEGISLATORS NOT IN BEFORE A DELEGATION THAT IT HOWEVER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE FOLKS THAT WAS AFFECTED BY THE MOST IT DIDN'T GO VERY FAR SO IT DIED BUT WE COULD JUST HOPE FOR IT TO BE REVIVED BECAUSE I'M SURE SCARE IS PROBABLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW. EITHER DO THAT OR JUST THE LAW TO TO IT LEGAL RIGHT NOW THE WAY THE LAWS WRITTEN WHATEVER THAT CODE IS MR. SWEENEY WAS MAKING REFERENCE TO WE SHOULDN'T HAVE FULL PRECINCTS BUT AGAIN WE CAN'T COMPLY IF WE DON'T HAVE THE LOCATIONS IN PRECINCTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. SO WE KIND OF CAUGHT IN BETWEEN WE WOULD LIKE TO THE RIGHT THING BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES SO IT'S UP TO OUR COMMUNITIES TO IN LEGISLATORS TO TO HELP IN THAT SITUATION AND I CAN YOU WE HAVE CONFRONTED OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT THIS NOT JUST NOW BUT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.SO MAYBE THIS IS A NEW ERA THEY ARE WILLING TO LISTEN AND AND HAVE AN INPUT WHEN IT GETS BACK TO THE GENERAL SESSION IN 2025. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
[VI. Director’s Report]
ANYTHING ELSE THAT NO, THAT'S I SAID OKAY. MS..MARIE RECTOR'S REPORT YOU OKAY ? SO FOR ME WORKING IS WORKING ON GO GO TO SLIDE THREE PLEASE BEFORE THIS OH THAT'S NOT VERY OKAY WE CAN YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE A HANDOUT. YEAH OKAY WE CAN JUST MOVE ON AS WE GO TO SLIDE THREE.
OKAY. THE ONLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE HAVE FOR THIS MEETING WOULD BE AND IT'S NOT REALLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATES BUT WE WILL HAVE FROM A LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED IN THE PAST GENERAL SESSION ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND THE QUESTION IS MUST SECTION FOUR OF ARTICLE TWO OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE RELATING TO VOTING QUALIFICATION BE AMENDED SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ONLY AND THAT'S THE ONLY WORD THAT CHANGED IN THIS LEGISLATION THAT ONLY CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE OF THE AGE OF 18 AND UPWARDS WHO IS PROPERLY REGISTERED IS ENTITLED VOTE AS PROVIDED BY LAW. SO THAT WILL BE THE QUESTION ON OUR NOVEMBER BALLOT FOR FROM
[01:15:05]
THE STATE. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S THE ONLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE I KNOW OF RIGHT NOW UNTIL GET BACK INTO SESSION. YES, SIR.HOW ABOUT COUNTY QUESTIONS? WILL THERE BE ONE OR MORE QUESTIONS? THERE WILL BE TWO. TWO QUESTIONS. YEAH.
AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON ON COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA AND ON THE NINTH WHICH IS NEXT? WELL, THE SEPTEMBER NINTH THAT WILL BE WHEN THEY WILL PRESENT THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL TO CREATE THE ORDINANCE TO ACCEPT THE TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY FOR CONDUCTING THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL ELECTION. WE ALREADY CONDUCTING THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL ELECTION BUT IT WILL BE WE ARE TRANSFERRING THE AUTHORITY TO US SO WE WILL HAVE WE ASKED THE BOARD WILL HAVE FULL AUTHORITY OVER THE CONDUCT OF THE ELECTIONS IN THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL TO INCLUDE CERTIFYING THE RESULTS FOR THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL ELECTIONS SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ONLY REAL CHANGE TO WHAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING IS CERTIFYING THE ELECTION RESULTS. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE WHEN THESE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES TRANSFER THEY HAVE AUTHORITY TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS ANY RESOURCES WITH THAT THEY PAY FOR IT JUST JUST FINANCIAL RESULTS THAT THEY PAY FOR US TO CONDUCT THE ELECTION BUT WE PROVIDE EVERYTHING ELSE IF THEY ARE ON A STANDALONE BECAUSE IF THEY ARE ON A STANDALONE ELECTION WHICH WE HAVE TWO MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE VOTING IN THE RDA THEY GET CHARGED FOR US TO CONDUCT THAT THEY PAY FOR THE POLL WORKERS, THEY PAY FOR ALL THE OTHER ENTICEMENTS THEY PAY FOR FOR THE BALLOT. THEY PAY A VARIETY OF THINGS FOR THAT ELECTION AND THAT IS PUT INTO THE COUNTY COFFER AND SO IT'S REALLY NOTHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER YEARS EXCEPT NOW THIS BOARD IN THAT THE MUNICIPALITY BOARD WILL BE CERTIFYING THE ELECTION SO THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL WORD ON BEHALF OF THE STAFF THOUGH SIR.
OKAY. WHAT WE WERE DOING IN THE PAST IS HOLDING TWO CERTIFICATION MEETING IF FOR EXAMPLE THE TOWN HILTON HEAD AND THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL WILL BE ON THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT, WE WOULD HOLD CERTIFICATION FOR TOWN OF PORT ROYAL PRIOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTION CERTIFICATION SO WE WERE HOLDING TWO TWO HEARINGS SO NOW IT WILL BE COMBINED WITH THE COUNTY AND THE STATEWIDE CANVASING NEXT NEXT WINDOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I, I THINK YOU ALL HAVE MENTIONED EARLIER AND THIS IS GOOD NEWS THE NEW VOTING EQUIPMENT WAS FUNDED BY SPC AND THE FUNDING WAS NOT JUST FOR BEAUFORT COUNTY, IT WAS FOR ALL COUNTIES IN THE STATE WE WILL BE GETTING UPGRADED TABULATORS AND SCANNERS FOR ALL OF OUR PRECINCTS AND THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED ABOUT EQUIPMENT AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL BE CERTIFIED. YES, THEY WILL BE CERTIFIED THEY WILL BE DELIVERED AROUND THE 23RD OF SEPTEMBER. UNFORTUNATELY WE WHICH WISH WE COULD HAVE DONE IT EARLIER BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION GOING ON IN SEPTEMBER ,WE CANNOT CHANGE OUT OUR EQUIPMENT UNTIL AFTER THAT ELECTION BECAUSE LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE TWO SETS OF EQUIPMENT AND THE EQUIPMENT WAS SLATED TO COME ON THE 6TH OF SEPTEMBER BUT WE STOPPED EARLY VOTING ON SEPTEMBER THE THIRD AND THEN WE CAN'T SWITCH OUT OF EQUIPMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ELECTION BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE DIFFERENT SOFTWARE RUNNING THE ELECTION.
SO WE WILL PUSH BACK UNTIL THE 23RD AND WHATEVER IT TAKES BETWEEN THE 23RD 24 IF IT TAKES THE WHOLE WEEK WHEN THEY ARE FINISHED EVERYTHING WILL BE READY TO GO.
THAT'S NOT WE DO HAVE SPECIAL ELECTION LIKE I SAID SEPTEMBER THE 17TH THAT WAS DUE TO A RESIGNATION ON THE SCHOOL BOARD . WE ACCEPT IT FOLLOWING IT
[01:20:03]
CLOSED ON JULY THE 30TH. BRIEFING'S THE LAST BRIEFING FOR THAT SPECIAL ELECTION WAS YESTERDAY EARLY. VOTING WILL START SEPTEMBER THE THIRD AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO RUN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 830 TO 5 AND WE WILL ONLY HAVE TWO EARLY VOTING SITES OPEN THE BLUFFTON RECREATION CENTER AND COURSE OUR OFFICE CERTIFICATION FOR THAT WHICH YOU ALL WILL BE DOING TO PUT THIS DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR SEPTEMBER THE 19TH AT 10:00 AM YOU WILL HAVE TO CERTIFY THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION RESULTS ALSO WILL HAVE ANOTHER SPECIAL ELECTION FOR THE FOOTBALL AND PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT DUE TO A RESIGNATION THERE.THE FORTUNATE THING IS THAT ONE WILL BE TACKED ON TO THE GENERAL ELECTION SO WILL NOT BE A SEPARATE ELECTION WHICH HELPS THAT ELECTION AGAIN IS SCHEDULED FOR THE NOVEMBER 5TH.
WE ARE ACCEPTING CANDIDATE FOLLOWING THROUGH THE 30TH WHICH IS THIS COMING FRIDAY AND AT NOON AND THE BRIEFING FOR THOSE WILL BE INCORPORATED ALONG WITH THE GENERAL ELECTION BRIEFING ROOM. JUST JUST A QUESTION DOWN THE BLUFFTON SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION, HOW MANY CANDIDATES FILE? 1.7 TURN OUT SHE WELL, I'M SORRY I SAID SO.
THE TURNOUT WILL BE LOW CERTIFIED NOTIFICATION WILL BE EASY.
IT IS WHAT IT IS GOOD BECAUSE WE HAVE THE BIG ONE THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION AND ON THAT BALLOT WE WILL HAVE THE PRESIDENT AND VICE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ONE STATE SENATE DISTRICT 43, 45 AND 46 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ALL OF OUR HOUSES UP EVERY TWO YEARS. SO THEY ARE ON THIS BALLOT AS WELL.
118 ONE 2121 122 123 AND 124. THE SOLICITOR FOR OUR AREA IS CIRCUIT 14 WE WILL HAVE THE CLERK OF COURT THE CORNER AND THREE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICTS ONE, THREE AND SEVEN THAT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON THE LOCAL END OF THAT WE WILL HAVE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT ONE SIX, NINE AND 11. THE CITY OF WILL ALSO BE ON THAT THEY HAVE THE MAYOR AND TWO CITY COUNCIL AND THEY ARE AT LARGE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD WILL BE ON THE BALLOT.
THEY WILL ONLY HAVE THE TOWN WARDS ONE THREE AND SIX THE CITY OF HARRISVILLE.
THEY WILL HAVE THE MAYOR TWO CANDIDATES I MEAN TWO COUNCIL SEATS HILTON HEAD PUBLIC SERVICE DISTRICT NUMBER ONE WILL HAVE DISTRICT TWO, THREE, FOUR AND SIX FOR THEM AGAIN WILL HAVE FOUR SEATS ON THE REGULAR BALLOT AND THOSE ARE AT LARGE.
THE COUNTY WILL HAVE A SPECIAL SALES AND TAX. THEY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT AND I DON'T HAVE COPIES OF THAT BUT IF YOU WOULD GO TO VIEW YOUR SAMPLE BALLOTS, YOU WILL FIND OUT WHAT THOSE ARE AND SAMPLE GO TO WHERE THEY WILL SAMPLE THEM ABOUT SEPTEMBER 4TH, A SAMPLE BALLOT FOR THE STATEWIDE AND THE STATEWIDE CONSTITUTION WILL BE ON THERE AS WELL SO TYPICALLY WE WILL HAVE A LONG LIST OF AMENDMENT QUESTIONS AND CONFUSING ON FROM THE STATE ANGLE IS JUST THAT ONE LITTLE SECTION SO HOPEFULLY THE VOTERS SHOULDN'T TAKE AS LONG IN THE BOOTH BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT.
WOW THE POLL WORKERS BRIEFING IS IS PRETTY LONG SO YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY IN YOUR YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY IN YOUR BOARD AND WE ARE ENCOURAGING EVERY BOARD MEMBER TO ATTEND AT LEAST ONE BRIEFING YOU CAN ATTEND MORE AND THE REASON FOR THIS IS SO THAT YOU CAN HEAR WHAT WE ARE TALKING TO THE POLL MANAGERS ABOUT AND WHEN YOU GO OUT ON ELECTION DAY VISITING PRECINCTS WHEN THEY ASK YOU QUESTIONS WE NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO RESPOND TO THEM AND PLEASE IF
[01:25:03]
YOU DO NOT KNOW AND ANSWER TO ANYTHING THAT'S YOU CONTACT THE BOARD.DON'T MAKE THINGS UP SO THAT THE POLL WORKERS WILL BE CONFUSED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION. IF YOU DON'T KNOW CONTACT THE OFFICE AND WE WILL TRY AND CLARIFY THINGS FOR YOU. EARLY VOTING FOR THE SPECIAL FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 21ST AND THAT WILL LAST THROUGH NOVEMBER THE FIRST FROM 830 TO 6:00 MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY RIGHT WE WILL HAVE ALL FOUR OF OUR POLLING LOCATIONS EARLY VOTING CENTERS OPENED AND AGAIN YOU CAN FIND YOURSELVES MAYBE AT ONE OF THE EARLY VOTING SITES HELP OUT AS NEEDED AT LEAST GO BY HI TO THE STAFF AND THOSE THAT ARE WORKING THE POLL WORKERS ARE WORKING AND OFFER OUT ANY HELP YOU CAN IF THEY NEED IT AND COUNT ON WILL BE CONDUCTED THE WEDNESDAY THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION I'M AT 10:00 AT THE MAIN OFFICE THIS IS A PUBLIC EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YOU CAN COME IN AND AND OBSERVE THE PROCESS. IT'S OF INTERESTING WE SET OURSELVES UP IN TEAMS AND WE TRY TO VERIFY WE REPORTED ON ELECTION NIGHT IS WHAT WE ACTUALLY THESE ARE THE ACTUAL PAPER BALLOTS THAT WE ARE COUNTING AND WE'LL COMPARE THOSE TO THE ELECTION NIGHT RESULT REPORT THE CANVASS IN THE CERTIFICATION HEARING ON THAT FRIDAY IS NOT ON A THURSDAY. THIS IS A GENERAL THAT'S GOING TO BE ON A FRIDAY AND WE'RE GOING TO START AT 9:00 TYPICALLY GENERAL ELECTION CANVASS HERE GOES A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN NORMAL SO WE WE TRYING TO START EARLY HOPEFULLY WHAT WE MEAN WHAT DON'T DON'T GO THERE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET THE ADDRESSES CHANGED WAY BEFORE THE DEADLINE WHICH IS USUALLY 2 TO 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION BECAUSE ONCE THEY CLOSE THE BOOK IT'S NOT YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS MAKE THOSE ADDRESS CHANGES NOW IF THEY COME IN VOTE DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD WE CAN CHANGE ADDRESSES THERE.
BUT AT THE PRECINCT ON ELECTION DAY IT'S HARDER FOR THE POLL WORKERS TO DO THAT.
SO ENCOURAGING THAT YOU KNOW WHO MAY HAVE MOVED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE UPDATED ALL THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION RECORDS THESE A LIST OF SOME OF THE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE ARE SCHEDULED TO DO. WE HAD ONE IN JUNE. WE DID WE WORKED WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AT THIS HOTEL IN THE LIBRARY. WE DID A PRESENTATION THERE IN JULY. WE DID A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE AT NEW HOPE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AUGUST. WE ARE SCHEDULED TO BE AT HAMPTON LAKE THE BOND ON NEW POLLING LOCATION THAT'S ON AUGUST 29TH SEPTEMBER. WE HAVE MEETINGS SCHEDULED AT THE BURTON COMMUNITY. THE BURTON WELLS IS THE BURTON COMMUNITY MEETING SEPTEMBER 8TH AT 5:00 WHICH IS A SUNDAY NIGHT GRACE AMY WE WILL HAVE A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH THE MEMBERS OF GRAYS DURING LUNCH PERIOD THE VOTER REGISTRATION AND ID DRIVE AT SOME HELENA BRANCH LIBRARY ON THE 23RD FROM 6 TO 8 THE ROTARY OF HILTON HEAD WILL BE AT USC B HILTON HEAD ON OCTOBER THE FIRST AND WE WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY IN PORT ROYAL.
WE CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE CLUB AND SO THAT'S GOING AFTER WITH THE SECOND FROM 7 TO 8. SO AGAIN THESE ARE SOME COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION AND CHRIS MAY HAVE ALSO DID YOU GIVE THEM THE COPY OF THE FLIERS? OOPS, OOPS.
HE FORGOT ANYWAYS MR. FORD DID THE FACILITY REPORT SO THE ONLY THING I WANTED SAY IN REFERENCE TO THAT IS THAT PARKSIDE AMENITIES AT HAMPTON LAKE IS NEW FACILITY WHICH WILL BE ACTUALLY IN SEPTEMBER ELECTION SO WE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT FACILITY.
[01:30:02]
I WANT TO THANK MR. BACKER FOR HIS HARD WORK IN GETTING THEM TO AGREE TO LET US USE THEM AS A POLLING LOCATION AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. NOW THAT HAS TAKEN THE BURDEN OFF OF BUCKWALTER. SO BUCKWALTER REMEMBER WE HAD FOUR PRECINCTS THERE NOW WE WILL ONLY HAVE ONE. I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE LOPSIDED BUT BUCKWALTER ONE AND TWO IS CLOSER TO IT FORCES CLOSER TO THE PARKSIDE COMMUNITY AND IT'S A PRETTY GOOD SIZED FACILITY.SO OF COURSE OUR GOAL AGAIN LIKE MR. SWEENEY SAID IS TO HAVE ONE FOR EVERY LOCATION BUT UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT WE HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE OKAY.
THE SCARE MEDIA CONFERENCE WAS IN NORTH CHARLESTON ON JULY THE EIGHTH, 18TH AND 19TH AND WE HAD STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS THERE. EVERYBODY SEEMED TO HAVE ENJOYED THEMSELVES AND THE INFORMATION THAT WERE PRESENTED AT AT THE CONFERENCE I THINK WE HAD TWO BOARD MEMBERS THREE BOARD MEMBERS AND ALMOST FOUR STAFF MEMBERS FIVE ANYWAY I COULDN'T GO SO I'M SORRY I COULDN'T GO BUT I HAVE OTHER APPOINTMENTS ALREADY SCHEDULED BUT STAFF CAME BACK AND GAVE A BRIEFING ON THE CONTENT OF THE MEDIA CONFERENCE AND THAT GOOD THE GENERAL ELECTION WORKSHOP IS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER THE 19TH FOR THE DIRECTORS AND STAFF AND BOTH BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER THE 26. WE WILL ONLY HAVE FOUR BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDING AGAIN BECAUSE FULL FIVE OF YOU GO YOU WILL BE IN A QUORUM SO THE STATE DOES NOT THAT MORE THAN FOUR ATTEND SO I THINK ALL FOUR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP AND THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND SO PLEASE TRY TO GO BECAUSE WHAT AT THESE WORK SESSION IS THEY GIVE YOU INFORMATION ON WHAT TO EXPECT ON ELECTION DAY AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE GET AS WELL AS STAFF IS HANDED DOWN TO THE POLL WORKERS IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES THAT POLL WORKERS NEED TO GO CHANGES, PROCESSES, CHANGES AND PROCEDURES WE WILL IMPLEMENT THOSE OUR BRIEFINGS THAT IT YES THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE A QUESTION PLEASE AND NORMAN FORD DID A REPORT ON THE FACILITIES BUT WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE AT OUR NEXT MEETING TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR BETTER CHOICE OF WORD RELATED TO POLLING SECURITY? I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA YOU MEAN THE ACTUAL THE FACILITY LOCATION FOR THE BUILDING AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR POLL WORKERS KNOW WHAT TO DO IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHAT THAT SOMETHING MIGHT BE. IT'S JUST A QUESTION I'M SURE THAT YOU CAN TALK TO TO THE CHAIR ABOUT THAT SO WE'LL DO EXECUTIVE SESSION ANYTHING I MEAN? I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION WE DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS SECURITY IN THE HOME BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED TO PUT OURSELVES IN THE PUBLIC LIKE IT'LL BE AN AGENDA RIGHT RIGHT NOW SO I CAN HAVE NO SUPPORT THEN YOU SUGGEST THAT HAVE A TRAINING WITH THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE THAT WILL RUN THE ACTIVE SHOOTER. THAT WAS ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE HAD TO DO IT AS THE WORKSHOP MIGHT BE MORE INFORMATION WELL BUT THE ACTIVE SHOOTER THERE'S MORE INVOLVED ON OTHER ISSUES VERSUS AN ACTIVE SHOOTER.
RIGHT. WE HAVE YOU TALKING ABOUT SECURITY IN GENERAL.
YES, MA'AM. AND HOW DO OUR POLL WORKERS KNOW HOW HANDLE SITUATIONS? OKAY. OKAY OKAY, GOT IT. ON MY NOTE I HAVE A QUESTION A COUPLE OF REQUESTS STATUS OF UPDATE. SO ONE WHAT'S THE STATUS THE UPDATE OF THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS PRESS RELEASE WEBSITE PRESS RELEASE
[01:35:01]
THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THEIRS FROM 2022 AND I THINK AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE MORE VOTERS GOING TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION. I'LL CHECK INTO THAT. I KNOW WE TRY TO UPDATE IT ON A REGULAR BASIS BUT WE ONLY HAVE ONE CHRIS CHRIS IS OUR WEBSITE IT'S A COUNTY SEAT SO WE WILL GET IT THERE. AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS THE STATUS OF SETTING UP AN AUTO REPLY FOR POLL WORKERS WHO SIGN UP ONLINE. I WILL ADVISE IN PLACE IT IS IN PLACE STRAIGHT. OKAY SO NEW POLL WORKERS WHO SIGN UP ON THE WEBSITE THEY'LL GET AN AUTOMATED RESPONSE SAYING THANK YOU FOR SIGNING UP A COWORKER WEBSITE IF THEY DON'T AND THEY DO IT THROUGH THE STATE WEBSITE AS SOON AS I GET THEIR APPLICATION AND PROCESS IT I MANUALLY SEND THAT RESPONSE. OKAY.THANK YOU. WELCOME. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY NO ONE ELSE? OKAY ME ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I
[VII. Closing Comments]
WILL BE ABSENT FOR THE SPECIAL ELECTION CERTIFICATION. SO MATT WILL BE FILLING IN AND I'M SURE HE WILL DO A GOOD JOB SO I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW SO I THINK THAT I'M PLAYING HOOKY. I'LL BE OUT OF TOWN AND OTHER IS THAT I THINK STAFF FOR ALL THAT THEY ARE DOING TO US READY FOR THE SPECIAL ELECTIONS AND ESPECIALLY THE GENERAL ELECTIONS WHICH IS A LOT WORK AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAVE THAT I WANTED A MAP ON A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR LEGISLATORS FOR PUSHING THE NEEDLE FURTHER THANKS TO MARIE OUR DIRECTOR ALSO SENDING THOSE LETTERS OUT THAT NEEDED TO ACCOMPANY THE DECISION THAT HAS BEEN MADE NOT ONLY ON OUR BEHALF BUT FOR THE STATE AS A WHOLE AND TO ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU THE JOB WELL DONE. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR DILIGENCE IN WHATEVER WAY YOU'VE DONE IT AND ESPECIALLY YOUR INPUT.I KNOW THAT EVERYONE KNOW THAT MR. LUCAS HE HAD TO STEP DOWN AND HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO JUST DO THIS. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE HAD TO DO.
SO YOU KNOW WE CONTINUE TO KEEP HIM AND OUR PRAYERS AND YOU KNOW YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND HIM A LITTLE E-MAIL, A LITTLE TEXT MESSAGE JUST TO CHECK ON HIM TO LET HIM KNOW THAT HE'S STILL OUR FRIEND AND HE'S STILL A PART OF US BECAUSE THAT WILL GIVE HIM ENCOURAGEMENT WE ALL NEED THAT AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE AS A BOARD WE WILL HELP EACH OTHER OUT DOING THE GENERAL ELECTION BECAUSE THE SEAT OF MR. LUCAS HAS NOT BEEN FILLED SO WE WILL DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO HELP OUT AND I WILL BE DOING THE SAME THE THE BLUFFTON AREA BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE A BIG DAY FOR THE TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTING I WILL BE OUT AT OUR EARLY VOTING CENTER AND ALSO ON ELECTION DAY I WILL MANEUVER I'M NOT GOING TO JUST STAY IN MY LITTLE LOCATION AND SAY WELL EVERYTHING IS WELL DONE BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT I HAVE SOME SEASONED WORKERS IN THE DOWNTOWN BLUFFTON AREA SO. I WILL BE OUT CONTACTING MR. BACKER AND MR. COOPER ALSO DOES SAY YOU KNOW IF YOU NEED ME TO CHECK IN JUST LET ME KNOW BECAUSE AS WE DO THIS TOGETHER WE CAN THEN HAVE THE POLLS MAYBE CLOSE ON TIME AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE CLERKS GET ALL OF THINGS BACK, YOU KNOW, TO CLOSING LOCATION AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO OVER IT WITH THEM BECAUSE I FOUND THAT WAS TO BE VERY IMPORTANT WITH ME I MADE SURE THAT I WENT TO EACH OF MY LOCATIONS AND SAID THE CLERK LET ME SEE EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO GO IN THESE BAGS AND IF IT'S DONE PUT IT IN THE BAG YOU DON'T NEED IT ON THE DESK. SO THAT'S ONE LESS THING YOU HAVE TO DO ONCE WE CLOSE THE
[01:40:02]
POLL AND THAT MAKES THINGS EASIER QUICKER TO GET THERE TOO SO THE WORK CAN GET STARTED HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE VERY BUSY HERE AT THE MAIN OFFICE AT JOHN GOLF ROAD AND THEY'RE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF HELP AND I KNOW THEY ALWAYS GET GREAT HELP FROM MR. FORD AND LET'S AND DON, THEY ALWAYS PITCH WE'RE PITCHING IN AT HOME AND WHATEVER THEY CAN DO WE'RE GOING TO STILL APPRECIATE THAT AND I WILL DEFINITELY BE DOING MY PART.I DON'T JUST WANT TO SAY EVERYBODY ELSE TOO I'M GOING TO DO MY PART TOO BECAUSE ONCE WE GET IT ALL DONE WE WANT TO MAKE BEAUFORT COUNTY LOOK GOOD STAFF OUR BOARD AND, OUR VOTERS TO BE CONFIDENT THAT WE GAVE IT OUR BEST I KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL BUT I KNOW THAT COUNTY HAVE THE BEST POLL WORKERS IN THE WHOLE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA WHEN BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO TO TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE VACANCY ON THE BOARD THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION ADVERTISING FOR THAT OPENING. I'M NOT SURE WHEN WILL BE MEETING BUT I'M HOPING THAT WE MAY DO MEET THAT THEY WILL GO AHEAD AND APPOINT SOMEONE TO THE BOARD.
IT MAY NOT BE BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION AND EVEN IF IT IS THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING PART OF IT. THEY TO POINT MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE GOVERNOR BEFORE THAT PERSON COME ON BOARD. SO I'M KIND OF LIKE YOU WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR MR. LUCAS'S AREA IN THE MEANTIME AND THANK YOU.
AND ONE LAST THING I WAS TALKING WITH BEVERLY EARLIER BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED AND SHE WAS ALREADY A STEP SHE'S ALREADY BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. FORD ALSO AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PIGGYBACK AND DOUBLE TEAM IN ORDER TO HOPE SO YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET THINGS MOVING SO COMMUNICATION IS ALWAYS GREAT COMMUNICATION AND RECOMMENDATION SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT.
ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. THERE WON'T BE A LOT OF CHANGES WITH THE NEW EQUIPMENT. THERE WILL BE SOME AND OF COURSE THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED DOING OUR BRIEFINGS, OUR TRAINING AND SO JUST KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYTHING OVERWHELMING BUT THERE WILL BE A FEW DIFFERENT CHANGES .
I HOPE WE'LL BE QUICKER. I HOPE THE MISSION BE QUICKER. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE AND CHRIS.
[VIII. Announcements]
OH, CHRIS, I'M SORRY. YEAH, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE NEED FOR IS YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE GROUPS OF ASIAN YOU GUYS WANT TO DO THE MEETING FROM SEPTEMBER 25TH WITH AFTER 30? YEAH. WHAT YOU HAVING THIS ONE ON THE 19TH I'M THINKING OH YOU HAVE TO BE OFF OF IT. YEAH I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE CERTIFICATION. WHAT IS THE REST OF THE BOARD THING.DO YOU WANT TO COMBINE THIS WITH THE THIS MEETING SEPTEMBER 19TH CERTIFICATION THAT WHAT THAT'S A 426 IS CERTIFICATION IS THAT THAN TEN 10:00 WAS IT 1020 CERTIFICATION.
YEAH I'VE GOT THAT NOW IN NOVEMBER EIGHT MAYBE I CAN MOVE QUICKLY SAYING WE'LL DO THAT BUT SPECIAL ELECTION YEAH SO SHE CAN ADVERTISE EARLY BUT THAT'S FINE I'M OKAY IF EVERYBODY ANYBODY HAS AN OBJECTION LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE THE BOARD MEETING TO THE 19TH RIGHT AFTER THE CANVASS MEETING SO YEAH AND THEN YOU CAN CHANGE THE TIME BECAUSE CANVASING AND THIS ONE CANDIDATE YEAH THIS LOOKS LIKE THE ONE FROM 12:00 YEAH.
SOUNDS GOOD OKAY 94 TIME 1212 OKAY THAT'S WHAT A BOARD MEETING OF BOARD MEETING FEEL CERTIFIED TEN. MM. OKAY TEN BOARD MEETING AT 12 YOU SAID YEAH YEAH OKAY ANYTHING ELSE OKAY CAN WE GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN SO MOVE I SAID OKAY. ALL RIGHT MEETING ADJOURNED AT 345 I THINK EACH AND EVERY ONE
[01:45:02]
AND HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY WEEKEND COMING UP PLEASE* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.