NCEIT UPDATE
24 JAN 2023
POLL TAPE PROJECT
Contact j.flatley@democracycounts.org
Ultimate goal is to be able to do the collection and analysis within 10 days after election, prior to certification
Have developed an analysis process that will allow for at least partial population of fields in database Transcribers are needed to help with NC county databases
Jason has developed a program for data comparison (national contests) using a python code comparing NCSBE data & data on polltapes that is transcribed to database
Iredell furthest along - still need to understand absentee & early voting reporting
Willing to compare down-ballot races if those are a concern
County Team leaders should request a meeting with Jason to walk them through the program and get access to database (need knowledgeable for each county to help with unique situations)
Recommended that county teams gather 5-10 volunteers for demonstration / training meeting and then contact Jason Flately for training
Local human knowledge needed for detailed analysis. This is where the county election office observers could be helpful to answer questions about polling places & local processes that may differ from NC processes, opportunities to re-scan poll tapes that were missing or unreadable
End product is a poll tape transcription spreadsheet, snapshot of official results, and python script to do comparison prior to certification of contests.
Action item: Need NCEIT help to ensure that poll tapes are allowed to be imaged immediately after the tabulation is done (including absentee by mail and early voting ballots)
NC VOTING SYSTEMS
Can schedule longer presentation on this topic if people are interested - too much to discuss in short timeframe
Counties that are getting new voting systems must follow several steps per law, such as doing a demo of all certified systems in NC before deciding on purchase. Must ensure this is happening. Appears that Wake County is planning to circumvent this process
Counties that use AutoMark ballot marking devices from ES&S are being phased out
Only other option on ES&S system is the ExpressVote barcode ballot summary card system - voters are not able to verify their ballot as required by law.
HartIntercivic has a system that has a full-face ballot and not barcode ballot marking device - counties that use AutoMarks + M100s are perfect candidates to move to this system $ cost-wise.
Many unsuccessful attempts at keeping this system out of NC have been unsuccessful. So… plan B
TENC is looking at alternative options for assistive devices that would not need to be certified by NC the same way entire voting systems are. This may or may not be successful. Plan C…
Counties that use BMDs for all voters (like Mecklenburg) do not allow for handmarked paper ballots unless mail-in
Need to meet with NCEIT group to come up with other strategies. Goal hand-marked paper ballots for all voters who can mark a ballot by hand. For ADA voters, ballot marking device that generates a uniform ballot.
Counting by hand or by machine? Strategies include a pilot program to count by hand in a smaller county with many contests.
Action item: find out what system your county is using and what their plans are moving forward
Action item: let us know if you are interested in a longer presentation on election systems
Action item: strategy help from NCEIT teams on a way to legislate that every voter must be given opportunity to hand-mark ballot for in-person voting. Then, maybe a media campaign to encourage this method of filling out ballots?
BERNSTEIN V. SIMS AND WAKE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
May 14, 2022
Brakey & Bernstein trespassed from Wake BOE property while they were scoping out a legal place to protest on election night (May 17, 2022)
Surveillance video is posted in landing page https://transparentelectiosnc.org
July 19, 2022 Complaint in Fed Court to restore Constitutional Rights
November 2022 Fed Judge Boyle ruled in Bernstein’s favor in preliminary injunction, allowing her to attend public meetings until the trial sometime in 2023 / 2024
Judge’s written ruling says that Bernstein is likely to win at trial and that the ban is not based on any behavior or threat, but because Sims and the board do not like what I am advocating for, previous public comments, etc.
Action item: Need presence at every county BOE meeting each month in order to stay informed