2019 Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, September 20, 2019, 9:30 a.m.
Room 324A, Marin Civic Center

Minutes

The Election Advisory Committee met on Friday, September 20, 2019, in Room 324A of the Marin Civic Center. The following members were present: Nancy Bell, Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Bonnie Glaser, Marcia Hagen, Ora Hatheway, Anne Layzer, Tom Montgomery, Sean Peisert, Bob Richard, Steve Silberstein, Cat Woods

Members of the Public: Paul Deslauriers, Lori Grace

Representing the Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar and Megan Stone, Elections Technician

Guest Speaker: Jason Balderama, Chief Information Security Officer

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and welcomed the Committee. Jason Balderama, Chief Information Security Officer, who is with the Marin County Information Services and Technology Department (IST) was introduced. Mr. Balderama was asked to speak to the Committee about the County’s cybersecurity measures.

Cybersecurity Presentation

(This discussion meets Committee Objective 1: Election Integrity and Voter Confidence)

Mr. Balderama spoke to the Committee about election cybersecurity and the procedures Marin has in place to ensure a safe and secure system. He began by explaining that cyber attacks are at an all time high and clarified who the threat actors are and what methods they use to attack. He noted phishing, vishing, and ransomware are on the rise. The group was informed that 27% of all data breaches are caused by human error and that the current average cost in the United States for a breach is $8.6 million.

He continued with Marin County’s strategy called Defense in Depth. This system is a multi-layered approach of protection. These levels include permissions, network, people, and perimeter. Marin uses the National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines and best practices as a baseline to manage cybersecurity related risks. Additionally, Mr. Balderama reviewed the other organizations that Marin County uses to share information and get cyber protection support.

The technical security controls including endpoints and servers, network perimeter, Office 365, system hardening, system monitoring, vulnerability management, and web protection were all examined. Each platform has logs to show system accessibility, activity, and uses.

The members asked their cybersecurity related questions specific to Marin.

• Q: Can the entire system be shut down in a hacking situation?
  • A: It is unlikely for all the systems to shut down at once, that is the reason for the layered protection.
• Q: Can disgruntled employees within the County know about the layered protection system and attack?
  • A: In the case of insider threat, if an employee knows of a vulnerability, they could maybe attack a couple of layers but there is segregation of duties and separate teams to avoid that situation.
• Q: Does the County have a change management system?
  • A: The County has a change management process.
    • The team puts out an advisory in advance explaining the reason for the change.
    • There is no board with approval, but the County is currently working on a more formal process.
    • County members met with the Alameda County IST Department to review their system and are working on developing a similar system in Marin.

Mr. Balderama then reviewed the security services available to County employees including newsletter tips for cyber protection and mandatory online security training. He also added the IST Department sends out phishing exercises to see how well County employees are responding to a potential threat. He noted the Elections Department staff have not clicked on any test sent out by IST since February 2019.

Election Security was specifically covered that examined the systems of protection in place in Marin. This includes support from the Elections Infrastructure-Information Sharing and Analysis Center, grant funding for firewall upgrades, system upgrades with the implementation of the new Dominion voting hardware, and the Validated Architecture Design Reviews which conduct security assessments through the Department of Homeland Security.

Members were given the opportunity to ask questions regarding Marin’s election cybersecurity.

• Q: Is Dominion Voting involved with the voter registration database?
  • A: No, the Election Information Management System (EIMS) operated by DFM is a separate system from Dominion. The information gets securely transported through an air gapped system with no way to connect to the internet.
• Q: How do we know if the CA Secretary of State’s office was hacked? And what if we send election information to hackers?
  • A: Information is shared offline on a secure connection. Ms. Roberts added that the Election Department’s IST technician will speak to the Committee in the future for an in-depth explanation.
• Q: How did the 2016 Russian hacking happen and is Marin protected?
  • A: It is a complex explanation but simply put, the attack happened by social engineering and hacking of election department systems. One member added that California requires a paper trail so in Marin we can always refer to the paper ballots. Regardless of the actor, Marin is looking at security at all levels. No one is 100% protected but Marin is taking precautions to prevent it.
• Q: Can we examine the security measures taken by other counties and compare them against our own?
  • A: There is not one document that compares the best practices of each county, so it is difficult to compare one county to another’s. However, Ms. Roberts noted after every election, the staff has a de-brief about how to improve procedures for the next election which often includes feedback from other counties.

A reminder was shared with the Committee that any member of the public is welcome to observe election night procedures at the Elections Department.

Announcements

Post Card Review
The Committee was provided with a draft of a post card to be sent to poll place voters for the November 5, 2019 Local Elections that informs them of the new voting system and the move to central counting. The group provided feedback.

Senate Bill 72
Ms. Roberts informed the group that SB 72 has gone to the Governor for signature. The bill expands Conditional Voter Registration (CVR) from being done only at election and satellite offices to being allowed at poll places. If the bill becomes law, Marin voters will be able to register and vote at the polling places. The envelope the voted ballot will go into will double as a registration form. This will potentially create more provisional ballots to be checked after the election but will be more convenient for voters and should reduce lines at the Elections Department. Conditional Voter Registration requires research to make sure a voter isn’t registered in another county and hasn’t already voted, so processing a request in real time can create long lines.

Meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. The next meeting will be held on Friday, January 17, 2020.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, August 16, 2019, 9:30 a.m.
Room 324A, Marin Civic Center

Minutes

The Election Advisory Committee met on Friday, August 16, 2019, in Room 324A of the Marin Civic Center. The following members were present: Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Veda Florez, Anne Layzer, Peter Mendoza

Representing the Elections Office: Lynda Roberts, Registrar and Megan Stone, Office Assistant

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and welcomed the Committee.

Outreach Updates Continued

(This discussion meets Committee Objective 2: Voter Outreach)

High School Elections Ambassador Program

Megan Stone spoke to the Committee about the High School Elections Ambassador Program to clarify and expand on details outlined at the July meeting. She reviewed the increase in number of pre-registered voters during the timeframe of the Ambassador Program in 2018 compared to the same timeframe in 2017 before the program was created.

From the July meeting presentation, there was a question regarding the number of pre-registered voters as a result of the San Rafael High School Ambassadors’ efforts. Ms. Stone clarified that an estimated 450 students were pre-registered and registered at San Rafael High School as a result of a combined effort between a faculty member and the Ambassadors. The Elections Department determined 450 students were pre-registered and registered based off the feedback from those involved in the effort and from returned forms linked to the program and online applications. Additionally, it was noted that San Rafael High School still has many students to be pre-registered and registered due to many former students having graduated and younger students becoming eligible.

The group then viewed statistics regarding the Elections Department Facebook page. During the months of July and August, two posts were shared that informed viewers about the High School Elections Ambassador Program. Those two posts had higher view, like, comment, reach, and share components than the average Department Facebook post.

The outreach materials that the Ambassadors will receive for the fall 2019 Program were reviewed. The Committee saw a video that summer intern Cameron Ehsan created about the July Committee meeting that was shared on Facebook and they also saw the program’s promotional video filmed and edited by Laine Hendricks of the Public Information Office that features Cameron Ehsan. The promotional video will be shared on Facebook.

Ms. Roberts informed the group that Megan Stone and Cameron Ehsan will be presenting details about the 2018 Pilot Program and plan for the 2019 Program to the Board of Supervisors at their Tuesday, August 20th meeting and welcomed all to attend.

Committee Comments

Interest to expand the outreach to include more schools was expressed by some Committee members. The group was informed that outreach materials are being delivered to all Marin high schools as an effort to personally reach everyone. The group was informed that there is a tracking system in place to link registration forms to the Ambassador Program. Ms. Roberts noted there will be a future presentation for the Committee to learn more about online registration from an expert in the office after questions concerning tracking online registration data were posed. The Elections Department is looking into utilizing other social media platforms after one member raised the question about the amount of young people using Facebook.

Event – Incarceration and Voter Registration

Member Veda Florez spoke to the Committee about an outreach event scheduled for Thursday, September 19th. Ms. Florez attended a conference and learned about civic engagement programs for incarcerated people in other counties. Alameda County has a program that is organized by the Probation and District Attorney Offices. Ms. Florez approached Ms. Roberts about having the Elections Department host an event. Ms. Florez outlined the event and the speakers that plan to lead the conversation. The outcome would be for members of the community to continue the effort after the event.
[NOTE: This event was later postponed.]

Demo New Accessible Marking Device

(This hands-on opportunity meets Committee Objective 1: Election Integrity and Voter Confidence and Committee Objective 3: Voter Education)

The Committee was allowed the opportunity to take part in a demonstration of the new accessible marking devices designed for voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently. The group got first-hand experience and members were able to express their feedback about the machines.

Next Meeting: September 20, 2019

Ms. Roberts reminded the group that a guest speaker will be talking about election cyber security at the next meeting and encouraged the members to attend.

Meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
The next meeting will be held on Friday, September 20, 2019.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, July 19, 2019, 9:30 AM
Room 324 A, Marin Civic Center

Minutes

The Election Advisory Committee met on Friday, July 19, 2019, in Room 324A of the Marin Civic Center. The following members were present: Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Bonnie Glaser, Marcia Hagen, Ora Hatheway, Anne Layzer

Members of the Public: Jackie Dagg, League of Women Voters

Representing the Elections Department:Lynda Roberts, Registrar, Colleen Ksanda, Manager of Polls and Poll Workers, Megan Stone, Office Assistant, and Cameron Ehsan, Summer Intern

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and welcomed the Committee. Jackie Dagg from the League of Women Voters was introduced. Ms. Dagg was present at the meeting to collaborate on new youth outreach efforts with the Elections Department.

Outreach Updates
(This discussion meets Committee Objective 2: Voter Outreach)

High School Elections Ambassador Program

Office assistant Megan Stone and summer intern Cameron Ehsan spoke to the Committee about the Department’s new youth outreach program. The two began by reviewing the program objectives to pre-register sixteen and seventeen-year-olds and register eligible students, expand the Student Poll Worker Program, and promote youth engagement in the election process.

They evaluated the pilot program that took place last fall by explaining the outreach and training methods provided. The program successfully trained 17 student ambassadors resulting in over 750 pre-registered students.

The pair then outlined the redesigned plan for the fall 2019 program. They described the revised outreach efforts with the Office of Education, the Marin County Free Library, and the League of Women Voters as well as the Facebook campaign, to share and display the new promotional program materials created by the Department. The group viewed the posters and video created to appeal to high school students. Additionally, details were given about the updated training methods and the altered structure of the program.

The group was later shown the updated Department’s website which includes a new page about the High School Elections Ambassador Program and a new voting system page which is linked to the office’s Facebook page. These features are a way for voters to stay updated on all matters regarding the Elections Department.

Committee Comments

One Committee member asked about involving more schools than the previous program and was reassured that this program aims to target all Marin high schools.

After the Committee was told the Department has partnered with the Marin County Free Library for outreach purposes, members asked if high school students use libraries. Ms. Stone and Mr. Ehsan answered that libraries have a section devoted to the teen demographic. Libraries are often utilized over the summer as study spots and for summer assignments. Other members agreed stating certain libraries seem to have a large youth presence.

Some suggestions made by the Committee members included educating the ambassadors about what is on the ballot and the ballot layout so they can relay the information to their peers. Also, there was a suggestion to extend outreach to diversify the participants of the program.

When asked about language services offered to the ambassadors, the group was informed that in order to target the most pre-registrants, multi-language students are strongly encouraged to apply. Additionally, the application includes a statement about why they want to become an ambassador, which provides an opportunity for students to describe their interests. The goal of this program is for student ambassadors to serve as role-models and educate others about voting matters through a peer-to-peer approach.

One member posed the idea to include a question on the application of how the ambassadors heard about the program to track the best outreach methods. Also adding that this program could be beneficial in reversing the notion that young people do not vote.

Upcoming Outreach Events

Ms. Roberts announced that July 15-19, 2019 is National Disability Voter Registration Week. She shared details about events that members Veda Florez and Peter Mendoza held during the week.

Open Discussion

In 2020 the League of Women Voters will celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the United States. Ms. Roberts added that the Department will support the League in their effort.

A member asked about the public having access to information about city candidates who have taken out papers but have not yet filed. In response, the member was informed that this is a city clerk matter that the Registrar does not control.

The group was encouraged to attend the September Advisory meeting because a member of the County’s Information Services and Technology Department will be speaking to the Committee about cyber security.

There was a brief conversation amongst the Committee about prior meetings’ discussions concerning the new voting system and the move to central count, reviewing the decision and how it was made. Ms. Roberts invited all members of the Committee and of the public to come to the Elections Department to observe the election process.

Ms. Roberts notified all that the group is welcome to invite members of the public to the Committee, however, to please provide advanced notice to allow for space accommodation.

Meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. The next meeting will be held on Friday, August 16, 2019.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, June 21, 2019, 9:30 AM
Room 324A, Marin Civic Center

Minutes

The Election Advisory Committee met on Friday, June 21, 2019, in Room 324A of the Marin Civic Center. The following members were present: Nancy Bell, Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Veda Florez, Marcia Hagen, Anne Layzer, Peter Mendoza, Tom Montgomery, Steve Silberstein, Cat Woods

Representing the CAO’s Office: Dan Eilerman, Assistant County Administrator

Representing the Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar, Colleen Ksanda, Manager of Polls and Poll Workers, Megan Stone, Office Assistant, and Greg Hayes, Elections Technician

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and welcomed the committee. She announced that member Jean Leoncini has resigned due to health reasons. Also, she has asked Megan Stone to contribute as the youth perspective on the committee.

New Voting System

This discussion meets committee Objective 1: Election Integrity and Voter Confidence

On Tuesday, June 18, the Elections Department hosted a kick-off meeting with Dominion Voting to discuss the implementation schedule for the new voting system, and review the arrival, testing, and training dates. The team viewed the office, logistics, and warehouse spaces where the new equipment will be stored. The Elections Department and Dominion will have a weekly phone meeting to resolve any questions and remain updated with the schedule. A Facebook campaign has been created to keep the public informed of the progress by posting weekly updates about the implementation.

The method of receiving the software for the new equipment is done in a very secure manner through the CA Secretary of State’s office. The ‘Trusted Build’ will power the system and be received by Ms. Roberts at the CA Secretary of State’s office in person. If there are any software upgrades from the vendor, a new Trusted Build comes through the CA SOS in person and is never transmitted through the internet. A question about the software chain-of-custody was raised. Ms. Roberts and Ms. Ksanda will both pick up the software package.

The new equipment will be purchased rather than leased because it is most cost-effective. The purchase includes the software and hardware for central counting and the accessible ballot marking devices for each polling place. Additionally, up to a $100,000 credit was agreed upon to exchange extra ballot marking devices for ballot printers that will be needed at vote centers.

Comments

• Member Cat Woods expressed concerns about the recent decision to change to central counting of polling place ballots. She believes the committee should once again include a member from a community election protection group, such as the California Election Protection Network. She also believes there was a lack of transparency about the immediacy of the decision to move to central counting. Although the committee discussed central counting before, it did not seem as though it was something about to happen but would be considered when discussing vote centers. For Ms. Woods, the decision came as a surprise during a Board of Supervisors’ meeting and she is opposed to central counting because it will lose a point of consilience. Voter confidence at the polls is usually based on seeing their ballot counted in front of them.
• Other members also said they were surprised to hear about the decision in the Board meeting.
• Members Silberstein and Hagan expressed the opinion that the change was not a big surprise since the committee has been discussing the concept.

Ms. Roberts thanked members for their feedback and reviewed the formal process used to select the new voting system, including discussions by the Election Advisory Committee over the last five years. She pointed out that during the April 19th committee meeting she let the members know central counting would be recommended with purchase of the new voting equipment, as stated in the meeting minutes.

Ms. Roberts reviewed the reasons why the decision was made to move to central counting, including funding limitations and the large percentage of vote-by-mail voters (over 75%). Ms. Roberts mentioned that unlike the portable Accuvote machines, the Dominion polling place tally machines would be delivered by a mover the day before the election and would be left unattended overnight. In a vote center model, tally equipment would be left unattended overnight for many days.

Over the many meetings that this matter was discussed, the committee reviewed the pros and cons of central counting versus polling place tabulators. During discussions members commented that if the Department moved to central counting, there must be very good procedures to accompany it.

Mr. Eilerman added that central counting is half the cost of polling place tabulation and it supports the preferred method in a vote center model. Ms. Roberts informed the committee that many counties in California are moving to the vote center model due to encouragement from the CA Secretary of State and CA legislators. Marin will likely move to vote centers by 2022.

Due to the various elements contributing to the decision about a new voting system and future changes to vote centers, central counting was the most logical choice moving forward.

Change Management

Ms. Ksanda described the ways the Department plans to inform voters and the poll workers of the procedural change regarding central counting.

Some ideas include adding an information page in the Voter Information Guide that is mailed out to the voters at E-40 and sending a postcard to the poll place voters. A one-page information sheet will be provided at the polls so poll workers do not need to explain the policy change. Also, poll workers will be informed in the annual recruiting newsletter before they sign up to work.

Ms. Ksanda showed the redesigned ballot box that will be used at the polls. The ballot box will be the same that has been used with the Accuvote scanner only without the scanner. Voters will place their ballots through a secure lockable slot. Committee members suggested having a separate container for the vote-by-mail ballots and highlighting certain information in the poll worker newsletter.

Ms. Roberts asked the committee for feedback about how they think voters may react to the lack of tally machines at polling places. Some members agreed that there will be many poll place voters who do not notice the change to central count, especially by keeping the familiar ballot box. There will be some voters who may be upset initially because they like to see the number on the scanner go up when they cast their ballot and there may be some people who generally distrust election officials.

To help promote public outreach, Ms. Roberts suggested that committee members who are on Facebook share the Department’s Facebook posts about the new voting system. A member suggested creating short videos about the changes and the implementation process, as well as including more images on handouts. Members suggested other outreach efforts such as postcard messages defining ‘central count’ and outreach events such as demos and a booth at the County Fair. Ms. Roberts thanked the Committee for their suggestions about public outreach.

The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. The next meeting will be held on Friday, July 19, 2019.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, April 19, 2019, 9:30 AM
Room 324A, Marin Civic Center

Minutes

The Election Advisory Committee met on Friday, April 19, 2019, in Room 324A of the Marin Civic Center. The following members were present: Nancy Bell, Greg Brockbank, Veda Florez, Ora Hatheway, Anne Layzer, Peter Mendoza, Bob Richard, Steve Silberstein, Cat Woods

Members of the Public: Jenny Ostroth, Digital Foundry

Representing the Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar, Tony Aquilino, Technology Systems Specialist II, Greg Hayes, Manager of Logistics, Colleen Ksanda, Manager of Polls and Poll Workers, and Megan Stone, Office Assistant

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and welcomed the Committee. Visiting member of the public Jenny Ostroth was introduced.

Continued Discussion from March Meeting

(Meets Objective 1: Election Integrity and Voter Confidence)

Overview
The meeting opened with feedback from last month’s meeting when guest speaker Sacramento County Registrar of Voters Courtney Bailey-Kanelos spoke about Sacramento’s experience transitioning to the vote center model. The Committee expressed their positive assessment of the Sacramento registrar for her leadership role during a challenging transition. It was then asked how Marin County could learn from other counties’ experiences.

Marin County has been discussing the need for a new voting system for many years. The timeline has always involved acquiring new voting equipment then assessing the move to the vote center model. When asked how to determine if vote centers are right for Marin, Ms. Roberts shared with the group that the Elections Department will create a limited-term (2 years) position to focus on the adoption and implementation of this model. This hire will work with the community through outreach and be responsible for laying the groundwork for adopting this model. The results from this effort will help determine the best course of action for Marin.

Vote Centers
The Committee then discussed the pros and cons of moving to vote centers. It was addressed by one member that vote centers provide a lot of services such as Conditional Voter Registration (CVR), making it easier on voters and would hopefully increase voter turnout. Additionally, it would eliminate provisional ballots so the counting process would be faster.

Countering that statement, it was recognized that Marin had the second highest turnout in the state in 2018. Also noting, SB72 is legislation that would expand CVR to polling places if passed. In this case, resources would broaden while maintaining the polling place model. Furthermore, the ‘Motor Voter’ law will help all eligible voters become registered, minimizing the need for CVR.

Cost
The group considered the expense to move to the vote center model. Central count is being recommended during the purchasing of new voting equipment. This method would eliminate the tabulation machines at the polling places and count all the ballots at the Elections Department. This would significantly reduce costs during the move to vote centers because there wouldn’t be an over purchase of poll place equipment that wouldn’t be needed at vote centers. Only accessible marking devices would be purchased for polling places.

Additionally, a hybrid purchase of accessible marking devices is being considered. A short-term lease for equipment is being examined while taking time to review if in the future more equipment will be needed for vote centers. The Elections Department is currently evaluating how much equipment is needed by looking into other counties’ decisions while they continue to adjust over time.

Some members feel that poll place voters want to see that their ballot is counted on Election Day which is why they vote in person. Many voters expect an experience they are accustomed to while at the polls, and central count would alter this and may upset voters.

Security
During the discussion about the cost of vote centers and central count, the concern of security was raised. It was mentioned that vote centers do not require central count and that counting machines could be purchased. However, the security of the machines left overnight was brought up, opening the equipment to vulnerability. Discussion emerged about the way the machines are designed to have flash drive capability, potentially leaving them susceptible to human interference. This was refuted with central count being the safest method to ensure no interference occurs.

A few members reminded the Committee of the encrypted aspect of the machines. Other physical security measures such as security guards and cameras are expensive and not feasible at privately owned sites.

Vote centers would have the ability to update voter’s information in real time through the County and State voter databases. This will require tech savvy workers to implement. The group was informed that there weren’t poll place tabulation machines until the current system was acquired. The Department plans for this new equipment to last 10-15 years and needs to plan for the future of voting in Marin when purchasing equipment this year.

Committee Objectives

(Meets Purpose)
The Committee discussed ways to alter and add to the language of the Objectives to be more inclusive of all potential voters in Marin County. It was also suggested a glossary of election terms be made available to the voters.

Updates/Other Business

Ms. Roberts informed the Committee she would be reporting to the Board of Supervisors during the budget presentation on Wednesday April 24, 2019. The topics of discussion will be the new voting system and the limited-term position. Anyone from the Committee is welcome to attend and speak during the public comment period.

Meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. The next meeting will be held on Friday, June 21, 2019.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, March 15, 2019, 9:30 AM
Room 324A, Marin Civic Center

Minutes

A meeting of the Election Advisory Committee was held on Friday, March 15, 2019, in Room 324A of the Marin Civic Center. The following members were present: Nancy Bell, Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Veda Florez, Marcia Hagen, Anne Layzer, Sean Peisert, Bob Richard, Steve Silberstein, Cat Woods

Members of the Public: John R. Brakey, Josh Fryday, Lori Grace

Representing the CAO’s Office: Dan Eilerman, Assistant County Administrator

Representing the Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar, Melvin Briones, Assistant Registrar, Tony Aquilino, Technology Systems Specialist II, Greg Hayes, Manager of Logistics, Colleen Ksanda, Manager of Polls and Poll Workers, and Megan Stone, Office Assistant

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and welcomed the Committee.

Vote Centers

Ms. Roberts introduced guest speaker: Sacramento County Registrar of Voters Courtney Bailey-Kanelos. She was asked to speak to the Committee about Sacramento County’s transition to the vote center model. The Sacramento Registrar noted she was not advocating for or against the vote center model but was only here to present Sacramento County’s experience. She emphasized that moving to vote centers was the right move for Sacramento; however, each county needs to assess if it is right based on their needs.

Background
The California Voter’s Choice Act model includes mailing every registered voter a ballot 28 days before Election Day. A voter can return their ballot by mail, at a drop-box location, or at a vote center. In this model, vote centers replace traditional polling places and voters can cast their ballot at any vote center location in the county. Vote centers offer more resources to a voter than a polling place, acting as satellite offices to the Elections Department.

Sacramento County is 1 of 5 counties in California under the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) model (also Madera, Napa, Nevada, and San Mateo). In April 2017, Sacramento County presented the idea to adopt the VCA to the Board of Supervisors. The transition was suggested due to Sacramento being largely vote by mail with little attendance at the polls in 2016. It was becoming difficult to find poll workers/election staff, and the voting machines were failing. The Board voted to adopt the VCA model to save money and resources.

Locations
Sacramento has 78 vote centers and 53 drop boxes. Ms. Bailey-Kanelos noted it was a challenge to find vote center locations because they must meet electrical, connectivity, parking, and restroom requirements. They must also be safe and secure and be ADA compliant. It was also difficult to negotiate a reasonable price for the vote center locations. The average price for each facility was $100-200 – with some costing more and some were free. Under the VCA, there must be 1 vote center per 50,000 voters starting 11 days prior to Election Day and 1 per 10,000 voters starting 4 days before Election Day. It was hard finding vote center locations that would be able to host for this much time. Sacramento contacted over 800 locations starting with previous polling places then held community mapping meetings to find locations in high need areas.

New Voting System
Sacramento adopted the VCA while acquiring a new voting system because the voting machines needed replacing. They spent $3 million on new voting equipment and $600,000 on outreach and education. The county chose Dominion for their new voting system with the central count model, ballot on-demand printer, and ADA voting machines. Laptops were purchased for the electronic roster because no device had been certified by the CA Secretary of State at the time (there are now certified models). This system is secure because the e-roster updates voter information at real time, so no voter can go to multiple vote centers and cast multiple ballots. The equipment is secured at the vote center or brought back to the Elections Department and no voter information can be accessed by equipment left overnight.

Staff/Training
Ms. Bailey-Kanelos highlighted that much of the burden was put on the staff to learn new procedures with the vote center model and the new voting equipment. Finding staff to work at the vote centers was difficult because it is a longer period than just working at the polls on Elections Day. The county could no longer pay the workers only a stipend but instead paid them an hourly wage. This meant a lot of paperwork in order to get each employee on the county payroll system. The workers are also required to undergo 10 hours of training because there are a lot more services offered at a vote center than at a polling place. Scheduling staff to work the vote center over multiple days was a challenge, so additional staffing software was used. Sacramento County did receive a lot of community support during the transition. They found it easier to recruit bilingual staff at the vote centers because there are fewer people needed.

Voter Education/Outreach
Ms. Bailey-Kanelos addressed some issues they faced that might be resolved through community outreach. On Election Day, many of their vote centers had 2-3-hour lines. The Sacramento Registrar noted that the lines are mostly due to conditional voter registration and slow ballot on-demand printers. For the next election, they are looking at purchasing more printers. They also plan to increase public education to avoid confusion regarding the vote center model and how it differs from being assigned one polling place. However, a ‘vote center experience’ survey showed overwhelmingly positive responses to the new model with few complaints about the long lines and change from polling places.

Committee Members’ Comments and Questions

• Would a voter feel more comfortable returning a vote-by-mail ballot to a drop box rather than a person outside a vote center?
  • There are still drop boxes inside the vote centers
  • It is more expensive to buy, bolt, and get approval for a drop box than to pay an election staffer, also staff is properly identified
• Can you increase the number of vote center locations to reduce lines?
  • It is $44,000 per vote center, so it is financially difficult to add more
  • Sacramento is still working out the cost, but there does not appear to be any savings using this VCA model
  • Cannot move a less busy voter center to a high demand area because of rules about equitable access to vote centers
• How often are drop boxes emptied?
  • Every other day, then every day 10 days before election; hired 60 additional workers to collect ballots on Election Day
  • Sacramento County did not pay for postage, so many voters dropped off ballots
• By adopting the VCA and a new voting system at the same time, did it influence the decision of picking Dominion?
  • No, would’ve chosen Dominion either way. There were 2 vendors to choose from
• Nevada uses mobile units
  • Mobile units cost $200,000 per unit
• How many reports are published from vote center counties?
  • Most/all have submitted data to CA Secretary of State but waiting on report
• A few committee members advised against Marin County moving to vote centers while the county gets a new voting system
• Looking back now, would you have purchased a new voting system and adopted VCA at the same time?
  • It was very difficult, but it worked for Sacramento
  • Would not have switched during a presidential election year

Public Comments
Visitors who attended the meeting extended their appreciation of the technology offered by the new voting system bids, including the adjudication process. One visitor expressed fondness of the polling place model for the aspect of human interaction while voting. In response to a question about how cities could be helpful during a transition to the vote center model, Ms. Bailey-Kanelos offered that cities could help find vote center locations for a reasonable cost.

Updates/Other Business

Ms. Roberts updated the Committee about the progress of the new voting system. The bid review team ranking sheets have been returned to the purchasing department. The next step is to look at the top system based on the ranking sheets and then meet with the vendor. A recommendation will then go to the Board of Supervisors. Ms. Roberts also informed the Committee that recently the CA Secretary of State decertified all voting systems that do not meet current standards. Only Hart and Dominion voting systems currently meet the standards. All voting systems that do not qualify will be decertified and must be replaced by February 2020, unless a county is granted an extension to use their current system. Marin County cannot go another election with the current voting system and will be replacing it in time for a November 2019 election.

Meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. The next meeting will be held on Friday, April 19, 2019.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, February 15, 2019, 9:30 AM
Room 324A, Marin Civic Center

Minutes

The Election Advisory Committee met on Friday, February 15, 2019, in Room 324A of the Marin Civic Center. The following members were present: Nancy Bell, Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Bonnie Glaser, Marcia Hagen, Ora Hatheway, Anne Layzer, Jeanne Leoncini, Damian Morgan, Peter Mendoza, Tom Montgomery, Sean Peisert, Bob Richard, Steve Silberstein, Cat Woods

Members of the Public: Charles Chamberlain

Representing the CAO’s Office: Dan Eilerman, Assistant County Administrator

Representing the Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar, Colleen Ksanda, Manager of Polls and Poll Workers, and Megan Stone, Office Assistant

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and welcomed the Committee. It was noted that Megan Stone will be taking notes during the Committee meetings.

Committee Membership Update

Ms. Roberts announced that Damian Morgan would be rejoining the Committee. Also, that an invitation to join the Committee was given to Felecia Gaston of the Performing Stars Program.

New Legislation

Colleen Ksanda reviewed the way the CACEO (California Association of Clerks and Election Officials) examines current bill proposals and presented the current proposals that are under watch by the CACEO.

• Assembly Bill 17 and Assembly Bill 49: VBM ballots cannot be required in the workplace and VBM ballots to be sent at E-60
• Assembly Bill 59: vote center requirements on college campuses
• Assembly Bill 177: Election Day as a holiday
• Senate Bill 27: requires Presidential Primary candidates to provide tax returns
• Senate Bill 57: motor voters opt in rather than opt out of voter registration
• Senate Bill 72: requirement of satellite office(s)

Voting System Demo Day – Feedback

Ms. Roberts thanked the bid review team and the members who went to the voting system demo day on Wednesday, February 13. She reminded the members that there could be no discussion about the private information of the bids at the meeting. She also informed the committee that as part of contract negotiations, all vendors would be willing to work with the Registrar to scale down equipment should we move to vote centers.

Ms. Roberts opened the discussion to the Committee about the voting systems: ES&S, Hart and Dominion.

Committee members’ comments

ES&S
A dual lock with one key ballot box system means high ballot security. It also has a high-speed scanner.

Hart
The machines fit in a suitcase size box (weighs less than 30 lbs.), which would be easy for the poll workers. The collapsible ballot box may be problematic. There is on-screen adjudication with ballot backup. The machine actions are tracked with an audit log, and a flash drive backup. The vendor is willing to hold workshops to help educate the public and increase voter confidence.

Dominion
Their machines are used in 20 California counties. Candidates, or the public, can view electronic ballots in the case of a recount. The system uses commercial off the shelf equipment that follows a supply chain through the vendor. There is on-screen adjudication, an audit log of all actions made on the machine, and a flash drive backup. Electronic ballot images are appended with auditing information. The system uses large tablet screens as marking devices which would be beneficial to some.

ADA ballot marking device:

ES&S
The ballot does not look the same as a regular ballot. The hand-held device (tactile interface) is not intuitive, and the cord is not long enough (a longer cord can be ordered). The audio was not synched with the visual on the screen.

Hart
Some thought this was the best ADA ballot marking device, but a voter had to hit the choice two times with no on-screen instruction (can add this feature for a cost). The tactile interface was intuitive.

Dominion
The tactile interface was also good. The ballot does not look the same as a regular ballot.

All 3 Vendors
The ADA machine can be used by any voter. A vote center requires 3 machines. All have ballot on demand and work with the ADA machines.

Concerns:

Security: Regarding voter confidence and hackability, Hart would do well with a precinct election and Dominion with vote centers (scanner seems to have better security of scanned images left in machine overnight). All three vendors have encrypted thumb drives. Some concern expressed about a vote center model and leaving flash drives overnight. They can also be easily lost if transported back and forth each day.

Precinct vs. vote centers: Hart is a consideration for polling places due to its light weight and compactness with similar pieces.

Scanning speed: ES&S has the fastest scanner, but the auto adjudication is prone to systematic error which requires physical ballots on the back end.

Ranked choice voting: Hart is behind because of software imposed upper limits. Dominion is the most experienced, and the leader in California. ES&S is capable.

Other: The ES&S cost of a high-speed scanner is expensive. Dominion works with many Bay Area counties and beyond, including other states. They also have a local office and knowledgeable salesforce.

Important to have voter trust in the new system, protections against software hacks, a recorded electronic image, and audit trails. The software is examined as part of the system certification process and is provided through the Secretary of State’s office.

Revised Objectives

The Committee agreed to postpone the discussion of the revised objectives until the next meeting.

Updates/Other Business

No updates/other business

The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
The next meeting will be held on Friday, March 15, 2019.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, January 18, 2019, 9:30 AM
Room 324A, Marin Civic Center

Minutes

The Election Advisory Committee met on Friday, January 18, 2019, in Room 324A of the Marin Civic Center. The following members were present: Nancy Bell, Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Marcia Hagen, Ora Hatheway, Lanie King, Anne Layzer, Peter Mendoza, Tom Montgomery, Bob Richard, Steve Silberstein.

Representing the Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar, and Melvin Briones, Assistant Registrar

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and introduced new member Nancy Bell. Nancy lives in Southern Marin near the headlands and votes in Marin City. She wanted to join the committee to better understand election security and the process.

Presentation: Conditional Voter Registration (CVR)

Melvin Briones reviewed the process.

• CVR starts 14 days before an election for voters that missed the 15-day deadline.
• Staff must have live access to the statewide voter registration database (VoteCal), so CVR is done in an elections department office, satellite office or vote center, all of which require connection to VoteCal.
• Some ballots are processed soon after voted; others need research to determine validity. For example, ballots of voters that appear as polling place voters in another county are processed after counties reconcile their precinct rosters.
• Some ballots are processed soon after voted; others need research to determine validity. For example, ballots of voters that appear as polling place voters in another county are processed after counties reconcile their precinct rosters.
• If a person is registering for the first time, their ballot can be processed right away.
• In Marin County’s June 2018 election, 100 people used CVR; in November 2018, 500 people used CVR.

Questions/Comments

How does staff confirm identity?
Name, driver’s license, date of birth, and last four digits of social security number are verified in VoteCal at the state level where information is cross-matched for duplicates.

What happens to the voted ballot?
It goes into a CVR envelope, which is similar to the envelope used for regular provisional voting.

How does this differ from provisional voting?
Provisional voting happens at a precinct polling place. If a person’s name does not appear in the roster, or they can’t surrender their vote-by-mail ballot, they vote provisionally. If a person’s name isn’t in the roster they may be at the wrong location, or they may not be registered. Poll workers give people a card with instructions to check their registration status before voting provisionally.

Could CVR happen in multiple counties (people voting more than once)?
No, counties check VoteCal to find out if someone already voted.

The issue of “snowbirds” is problematic. These voters could be registered in two different states. A nationwide voter registration database would make it easier to share data between states. However, a national database can create problems with purging eligible people. The Pew Charitable Trusts has helped develop a national database; others may be looking in to it.

Ms. Roberts mentioned that elections departments share information when voters move between states.

Mr. Briones reviewed the Department’s experiences with CVR

• June 2018 was the first statewide election in which CVR was implemented. The department had 100 CVR voters and it was manageable.
• For the November 2018 election, the department expected CVR to double from June, but had 500 CVR voters. The department prepared for more activity but had no way to predict the increase for November.
• The department was open the Saturday prior to the election, and staff processed 50 CVR voters. The bulk of CVR was on Election Day.
• Motor Voter increased registration after the 15-day deadline.

Questions/Comments

The League of Women Voters is focusing on this issue.

High school outreach has encouraged voter registration through civics groups, teachers, and department outreach.

Which age group had the highest CVR?
The 25-34-year-old group.

How is VoteCal maintained?
The department constantly maintains records through notices from the post office and information about deceased voters. The voter registration staff sends follow-up postcards to residents to verify a change in address and sends letters to those over 100 years old to verify their status. The department receives information about deceased voters from the County Office of Vital Statistics, Secretary of State, and family members; staff also review the obituaries in the Marin IJ.

Suggestions:

• Prepare an Easy Tips for Voting guide
• Work with the County’s public information office to educate the public
• Include high schools and colleges in a voter education campaign
• Use Instagram and Twitter
• Reach the procrastinators by pointing out the benefits of registering by the deadline
• Other counties or the Secretary of State may have resource materials

Committee members acknowledged that Marin County “runs great elections.”

Review Objectives

The committee reviewed the proposed objectives for 2019 and suggested:

• Including a statement in the Purpose about the committee’s desire to increase voter registration and turnout and reduce uncounted ballots, in support of the Department’s mission statement and efforts for continuous improvement;
• Adding use of social media to outreach efforts;
• Educating the public about conditional voter registration;
• Working with populations that don’t know how to vote;
• Holding regular discussions about vote centers.

Members reiterated the importance of Objective 4: To expand diversity on the Election Advisory Committee.

Updates/Other Business

None

Meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m. The next meeting will be Friday, February 15, 2019.