Slides Summary
001. Chiefs Briefing
Welcome to the online Pre-Election Chiefs Briefing for the June 23, 2020 Democratic and Republican Party Primary Elections.
002. Introduction
My name is Eric Spicer and I am the Election Manager for the Fairfax County Office of Elections. The Electoral Board, the General Registrar, and I thank you for agreeing to serve in this election. We truly appreciate your leadership and commitment to the election process.
003. Election Administration Staff
Along with myself, this online Briefing will be led by the Election Officer Manager, Ravi Udeshi, the Election Supply Manager, Kay Garrison, the Voting Equipment Manager, Alexander Russell, and the Election Administration Assistant, Sandy Raedels.
004. OVERVIEW: Intro
During this online Briefing, we will do our best to provide you with the same type of detailed information that we usually provide during in-person Briefings. We will also provide you with information on our Contingency Response Plan for Polling Place Operations During COVID-19. In addition, you will have an opportunity to participate in a question and answer session at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 19.
005. OVERVIEW: Message from the Election Manager
It is our responsibility to provide each eligible voter of Fairfax County with the opportunity to exercise their right to vote in an efficient and equitable manner. The Fairfax County Electoral Board, the Director of Elections, the hard-working staff in the Office of Elections, and our team of dedicated Election Officers continually strive to provide voters with outstanding customer service, well-run polling places, accurate results, and an excellent voting process. In these difficult times, we will strive to maintain these high standards while also implementing a comprehensive plan to protect Election Officers, voters, political observers, county support staff, representatives at our polling place facilities, and any other individuals involved in the election process.
We are working with county staff, health professionals, and the State Department of Elections to enact every feasible contingency measure to combat COVID-19 at our polling places while also maintaining the integrity of the election process.
Although we will do our best to provide a thorough and comprehensive Contingency Response Plan to navigate our path through these uncharted waters, issues may arise that we have not foreseen, or you may have questions that we have not answered. In that case, please feel free to contact Election Administration staff at 703-324-4735 with any questions or concerns. We are in this together and I am confident that we will succeed. I welcome your feedback and appreciate your hard work and dedication.
006. OVERVIEW: Additional resources for this election
You will receive the following additional resources for this election. An extra Election Officer to maintain social distancing and sanitize voting surfaces. Social Distancing Signs to post at the entrance and inside the voting room. Blue "painters" tape to mark directional arrows on the floor to maintain social distancing. Blue "painters" tape to mark X's on the floor every 6 feet to maintain social distancing. Three face coverings per Election Officer. One face shield per Election Officer. Five pairs of gloves per Election Officer in either small, medium, large, or extra-large sizes. Spray Disinfectant and paper towels to clean voting surfaces throughout the day. Sterile Alcohol Prep Pads to clean Poll Pad and ExpressVote screens. A microfiber cloth to wipe off the Poll Pad and ExpressVote screens. Hand sanitizer for Election Officers to use throughout the day. Hand sanitizer for voters to use just before they leave the polling place. Single-use pens and single-use privacy folders. Trash bags for used face coverings, gloves, and single-use privacy folders. Backup/Emergency PPE Kit only to be used after using other PPE supplies.
007. OVERVIEW: Reminders from the Contingency Response Plan
The following are important reminders from the Contingency Response Plan. Voters can enter the polling place and vote even if they are not wearing a face covering. You must maintain 6-feet of social distancing between everyone in the polling place. Face Coverings must be worn by Election Officers at their station, even if no voters are present. We are providing face shields for further protection. We are providing an extra Election Officer to help with social distancing and sanitizing. Use spray disinfectant to frequently sanitize voting surfaces and other areas that are touched. Use sterile alcohol prep pads to clean Poll Pad and ExpressVote screens. Election Officers are to be given frequent breaks. We are providing hand sanitizer for Election Officers to use throughout the day and for voters to use only as they exit the polling place.
008. OVERVIEW: Election officers
Most of the precincts in the 8th and 10th Congressional District will have 6 Election Officers and most of the precincts in the 11th Congressional District will have 7 Election Officers. A few precincts will have an extra Election Officer because their polling place moved or there is some other special circumstance. The Greeter will help with social distancing. The Pollbook/Ballot Officers will check-in voters and issue ballots. They will also offer ever voter a single-use privacy folder and give every voter a single-use pen. The Booth Monitor will monitor voting booths and clean voting surfaces. They will also remove any pens that are left in the voting booths by voters. The Voting Machine Officer will monitor the voting machine and assist voters as needed. Even when assisting voters, they should maintain the 6-feet of social distancing. The Assistant Chief will need to serve in one of these positions. You will only send one Election Officer outside for curbside voters. You should send either one of the Pollbook/Ballot Officers or the Voting Machine Officer. If you send the Voting Machine Officer, you should ask the Booth Monitor to also monitor the voting machine.
009. OVERVIEW: Election officers who appear to be ill
We directed Election Officers to stay home if they are ill or if they have any symptoms such as a cough even if they are only suffering from seasonal allergies. Please call Election Administration staff at 703-324-4735 if an Election Officer at your polling place appears to be ill.
010. OVERVIEW: Post social distancing signs
We will provide you with two types of Social Distancing signs. You will receive 6 copies of each sign. You should post these signs at the entrance to the polling place, entrance to the voting room, check-in tables, voting booth area, and voting machine area.
011. OVERVIEW: Prop open the door to the voting room
Prop open the door to the voting room if possible. Use different doors for voters to enter and exit the voting room if possible.
012. OVERVIEW: Mark arrows on the floor to direct voters
Use blue "painter's tape" to mark arrows on the floor to direct voters. Direct voters into the voting room and through the voting process in a manner that will prevent them from crossing paths. Maintain 6-feet of social distance between voters, Election Officers, and anyone else in the voting room.
013. OVERVIEW: Mark X's on the floor
Use blue "painter's tape" to mark X's on the floor in 6-foot intervals leading to the door to the voting room, leading to the check-in table, leading to the voting booth area, and leading to the voting machine area to maintain social distancing. It is very important that you remove all blue tape from the floor just after the polls close and throw it in the trash.
014. OVERVIEW: Social distancing
Place an extra table in front of the check-in tables and Chief's table to maintain 6-feet of social distancing between voters and Election Officers. In addition, make sure that you maintain 6-feet of social distancing between all individuals in the voting room.
015. OVERVIEW: Face coverings and gloves
Make sure that Election Officers wear face coverings and gloves when they are at their station, even if voters are not present. In addition, ask Election Officers not to share food or reading materials.
016. OVERVIEW: Direct voters to place photo ID in box lid
Use blue "painter's" tape to mark a rectangle on the Check-in table. Place a box lid from a box of privacy folders inside the rectangle. Direct voters to place their photo ID in the box lid on the check-in table. Slide the box lid back and forth to maintain social distancing.
017. OVERVIEW: Single-use pens and single-use privacy folders
Offer all voters a single-use privacy folder. Only place the ballot in a single-use privacy folder if the voter indicates that they would like a privacy folder. Place the ballot inside the single-use privacy folder if the voter asked for one, then place the ballot inside the box lid. Place a single-use pen on top of the ballot in the box lid. Please remember that single-use pens and privacy folders will not be re-used on Election Day. Place single-use pens that are left by voters in the "Used Pens" bag. Place single-use privacy folders that are left by voters in a trash bag along with used face coverings and used gloves.
018. OVERVIEW: Sanitize voting surfaces frequently
Use spray disinfectant and paper towels to sanitize voting surfaces frequently throughout the Election Day.
019. OVERVIEW: Clean screens with sterile alcohol prep pads
Clean the Poll Pad and Express Vote Screens with Sterile Alcohol Prep Pads and a Microfiber Cloth.
Never use sanitizer to clean the Poll Pad and Express Vote Screens.
Do not clean the DS200 screen because it is very sensitive.
020. OVERVIEW: Hand sanitizer
Provide hand sanitizer for Election Officer to use throughout the day. Provide hand sanitizer for voters to use as they exit the polling place.
021. OVERVIEW: PPE Reconciliation Form
You will receive a PPE Reconciliation Sheet that reflects the quantities of each individual protective item that we provided for your polling place. Please insert the number of Face Coverings and Gloves that were used by Election Officers and reflect the number of unused Face Coverings and Gloves that you are returning. Please note that you need to return all Face Shields. You also need to return all bottles of spray disinfectant and hand sanitizer, including empty bottles. Please note that you should not open the Backup/Emergency Kit and you should return it unopened with your other materials. The Backup/Emergency Kit is only to be used after you use your other protective supplies. Please call us if you need to open the Backup/Emergency Kit. Please complete the PPE Reconciliation Sheet and return it with your PPE supplies.
022. OVERVIEW: Resource allocation
Each polling place will receive 3 to 6 Poll Pads but you can only set up 2 Poll Pads for check-in and 1 for the Chief. Each polling place will also receive one DS200 scanner and one ExpressVote machine. Please note that there are two ExpressVote machines in your gray cart but only one is set up for the election. Please use the ExpressVote with the piece of yellow tape on it. If your DS200 scanner does not function properly, please call Technical Support staff at 703-324-4101 and use the Auxiliary Compartment. Each polling place will receive 6 to 8 Election Officers.
(NOTE: This slide previously said the ExpressVote would be marked with blue tape. It will actually be marked with yellow tape. If the tape has fallen off in transport, it will be the ExpressVote closer to the middle of the cart.)
023. OVERVIEW: Ballots
Each precinct will receive enough ballots for 20% of your registered voters for the Republican Primary. Precincts in the 11th Congressional District will also receive enough ballots for 20% of your registered voters for the Democratic Primary. All ballots are 14 inches in length and they are one-sided.
024. OVERVIEW: Type of election
On June 23, we will have a Republican Primary for the United States Senate in all polling places throughout the county. We will also have a Democratic Primary for the United States House of Representatives in the 11th Congressional District.
025. OVERVIEW: Sample ballot (Republican primary)
There is only one ballot style and one contest on the ballot in the Republican Primary. There are 3 candidates for the United States Senate contest in the Republican Primary.
026. OVERVIEW: Sample ballot (Democratic primary)
There is only one ballot style and one contest on the ballot in the Democratic Primary. There are 2 candidates for the United States House of Representatives in the Democratic Primary.
027. OVERVIEW: Voter questions
We will only have a Republican Primary in the 8th and 10th Congressional Districts. Voters may ask, "Where is the Democratic ballot?" If voters ask this question, you should tell them that the Democratic Party chose to select its candidate for the November 2020 Election for the United States Senate by means other than a primary.
028. OVERVIEW: Position descriptions (Voter Information Officer)
Please review the position description for the Voter Information Officer/Greeter. You should remove this position description from the back of your Notebook and give it to the Election Officer who will serve in this position.
029. OVERVIEW: Position descriptions (Pollbook/Ballot Officer)
Please review the position description for the Pollbook/Ballot Officer. You should remove this position description from the back of your Notebook and give it to the Election Officer who will serve in this position. Please note that we have combined the Pollbook Officer and Ballot Officer positions for this election because we will not be using voter permit cards, we expect a low turnout, and we need to do anything we can to maximize social distancing.
030. OVERVIEW: Position descriptions (Voting Booth Officer)
Please review the position description for the Voting Booth Officer. You should remove this position description from the back of your Notebook and give it to the Election Officer who will serve in this position. The Voting Booth Officer should maintain 6-feet of social distancing if possible while assisting voters. Please note that it is very important for the Voting Booth Officer to quickly remove any single-use pens that a voter leaves in the voting booth. Remember that single-use pens are not to be re-used on Election Day. You should put them in the "Used Pens" bag.
031. OVERVIEW: Position descriptions (Voting Machine Officer)
Please review the position description for the Voting Machine Officer. You should remove this position description from the back of your Notebook and give it to the Election Officer who will serve in this position. Please note that the Voting Machine Officer should quickly secure any single-use pens that a voter leaves near the voting machine and place them in the "Used Pens" bag. The Voting Machine Officer should also secure any single-use privacy folders that are left by voters and put them in the trash.
032. OVERVIEW: Assisting individuals with disabilities
This is basic etiquette for assisting individuals with disabilities. Speak directly to any person with a disability, not to their companion or sign-language interpreter. When speaking with someone who has a hearing impairment, speak directly, clearly, slowly, and expressively. Wave your hand If you need to get someone's attention. Always identify yourself when meeting someone with a visual impairment. When conversing in a group, be sure to identify the person to whom you are speaking. Ask before you help; do not assume the person needs help. If a person does need assistance, allow the person to indicate how best to assist them before taking action. Do not make assumptions or decisions on what a person with a disability can or cannot do. Be sensitive about personal contact. Grabbing someone, even if you intend to give assistance, could knock the person off balance. Be sensitive about contact with assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and guide dogs. These aids are part of an individual's personal space.
033. OVERVIEW: Polling place etiquette
Please make sure that your Election Officers demonstrate good polling place etiquette. They should always be professional, welcoming, and kind. They should always ask before offering to assist a voter and be courteous and appropriate in their verbal and non-verbal communication. They should never tell a voter that they cannot vote, never touch a voter without their permission, and never discuss political topics. They should also never tell jokes to voters or to Election Officers when voters are present.
034. OVERVIEW: Important contacts
Please look at the important phone numbers in the front of your Notebook and call the appropriate phone number with any issues or questions.
035. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Tasks to complete
Hi, my name is Ravi Udeshi and I serve as the Election Officer Manager. I'm going to take you through tasks you should complete before election day.
036. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Precinct roster
First, you should have received a Precinct Roster by email. You will also receive a printed copy at your Supply Pickup time.
The Precinct Roster contains information for all of your election officers, including their name, phone number, email address, how many elections they have previously worked, and any additional languages they may speak.
If you have a Language Officer on your roster, that is an individual who has been assessed for their language skills in Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese Mandarin, Arabic, or Farsi. They perform all regular election officer duties, but may also assist voters who speak a second language.
037. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Polling Place Info Sheet
This is the Polling Place Info Sheet. You should have received a copy by email already and you will also receive a printed copy at your Supply Pickup time.
All information on your Polling Place Info Sheet came directly from your polling place. The Chief should contact the polling place well before election day to confirm all details listed.
If you and your polling place mutually agree to change the voting room, don't forget to notify our office.
038. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: PPE Supplies
All Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs will receive a Chiefs Notebook and election supply envelope at your Supply Pickup time.
Usually, the Chief in each precinct receives a black rolling kit. This election, the Chief will also receive a PPE Kit when you come to your Supply Pickup time.
If you are the Chief, please make sure you have enough space in your car to take all of these materials with you.
039. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: The week before...
OK, you've watched the Chiefs Briefing and picked up your election materials. What else do you need to do the week before election day?
First, both the Chief and Assistant Chief should submit their curbside phone numbers. If your cell phone number on file is the curbside phone number you want to use, you do not need to take any further action. We will pre-print both the Chief and Assistant Chief's curbside number; on election day, you can select either number and insert it into your curbside voting sign.
Next, the Chief should contact all election officers. Go over information specific to your precinct and answer any questions your officers may have, especially those serving for the first time.
Lastly, the Chief should contact the polling place. If possible, visit the week before and meet your building contact, inspect the voting room, and verify your voting equipment has arrived.
040. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: The day before...
Now, let's jump forward to the day before the election! What do you do?
First, the Chief will receive the "Sheriff's Envelope". This envelope contains last-minute materials, including the iSync drive with the final list of registered and absentee voters. If you are the Chief, you do not have to be home; the Sheriff's will post it at your front door. If you do not receive it by 3:00 PM, let us know immediately so we can arrange for a backup to be delivered to you.
In addition, all available officers should help setup the polling place. You must first confirm the setup day and time with your polling place – don't just show up! It's especially important for the June 2020 Primary Elections because most polling places are currently closed to the public and staff may not be present.
NOTE: If your polling place is a school, you may request to setup on the Thursday, Friday, or Monday before the election. As always, confirm the details with your polling place contact.
041. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Election Supplies
Hi, my name is Kay Garrison and I am the Inventory and Supply Manager.
042. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Review your Chiefs Notebook
I am going to start today with please review your notebook. At the end of the evening you may keep the notebook or trash it. Please don't leave them in the precincts.
043. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Supply List
Please make sure you have all the supplies. There will be no I VOTED STICKERS and no VOTER PERMIT CARDS. Remember,you have blue handout sheets at the end of your notebook to give to your election officers to help them pack up supplies at the end of the evening.
044. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Kay's contact information
This is my phone number and my email address. If you don't reach me, please leave a message and I will return your call or your email.
045. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Signs and postings
This sheet will help you with where to post your signs. The election officers may be putting up the signs, but it is up to the Chief and the Assistant Chief that the signs are in the correct places.
046. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: 40-foot Prohibited Area Kit
The 40-foot no campaigning rope has been marked at 6 ft and at 12 ft to help you measure where to mark your taped X's.
047. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: ExpressVote cards
Please use the 10 cards in the plastic bag first. There is no need to count the cards in the wrappers. Open only if needed.
048. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Demonstration ballot
Use this Demonstration Ballot, if needed, to show voters how to fill in the circles on the ballot. Do not use the yellow sample ballot to do this.
049. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Cancel Registration Form
If a voter is moving to another state and wants to cancel their registration in Virginia, they could use this form to do so.
050. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Please do not...
PLEASE do not write on or put stickers on any of the pouches or badges.
051. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Envelope #1B
This is only used if voting hours are extended by a Court Order. Please return empty, unsealed, and unmarked – unless Court order was issued.
052. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Call Sheet & Backup Call Sheet
You will have two call sheets: a buff color one that you post at the precinct and a blue one that you bring back to the Loading Dock staff on election night.
053. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Windshield sign
Chiefs, please bring this card with you when you return your election materials. Do not pack it in your kit. Place it in your windshield when driving up to the Fairfax County Government Center or Mount Vernon Government Center.
054. BEFORE ELECTION DAY: Calling the office
When calling the office, always provide your precinct number and name.
For example: 100 PATRIOT, not Lincoln High School.
055. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Intro
Hi, it's Ravi again. Let's go through some items election morning and during the day!
056. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Opening procedures
What's the first thing you should do on election morning? Swear in your officers! But if any officers are late, don't wait – swear in the officers who are present and start delegating tasks.
If any officers have not arrived by 5:30 AM, call our office. We will send out replacement officers, if possible.
057. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Setup Poll Pads
A very important reminder: make sure you insert the iSync drive into each and every Poll Pad in use! Remember, the iSync drive contains the most updated list of registered voters and absentee voters. If you do not use the iSync drive, your Poll Pads will be out-of-date.
The iSync drive arrives in the Sheriff's Envelope that the Chief receives. Do not forget to bring it on election morning! My suggestion? Put it in your black rolling kit, so you can't possibly forget it.
058. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Poll Pad Troubleshooting
If you have any issues with your Poll Pads election morning or during the day, you can consult the Poll Pad Troubleshooting Guide in section 14 of your Chiefs Notebook.
This section contains 27 common situations and step-by-step instructions for how to resolve them.
If you need further help, don't hesitate to call Technical Support on election day.
059. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Silver bar on DS200
When you or your election officers are setting up your DS200 scanner, remember to check the silver bar in the back compartment.
This silver bar should be in the locked-down position. It starts that way at our warehouse, but can sometimes become dislodged during transport to your polling place. If the silver bar is not in the locked-down position, it will quickly cause ballots to jam on election morning.
060. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: No blue bin in DS200
As of the March 2020 election, we no longer use the blue ballot bins inside the DS200 scanners. Do not be alarmed when you open and inspect your DS200 Ballot Box.
We made this change to better align with current laws and procedures. Most jurisdictions who use DS200 scanners have never used blue ballot bins.
061. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Ballots
In the hustle and bustle of opening procedures, it can be easy to forget your ballots. But don't forget to count and double-count two packs of ballots in the morning!
062. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Poll Watchers
If you have Poll Watchers, you must collect a written authorization form from them. They cannot simply show you an email on their phone.
Remember that once authorized, Poll Watchers may move around within a voting room. They may observe, but not interact with voters. If they see an issue, they should talk to you directly as the Chief or Assistant Chief.
063. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Turnout surveys
As always, we are conducting turnout surveys on election day at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 3:00 PM. These help us gauge turnout throughout the day and send you more ballots, if needed.
At each designated time, we will send you a text message with an online link. You may also call us instead.
We strongly encourage you to pull out this page from your Chiefs Notebook and hand it to one of your election officers, as anyone may submit these numbers. It may be helpful to set alarms on their phone, so they don't forget!
064. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Chief's Notes
If you have any issues or problems on election day, make sure to document them in your Chief's Notes.
The Electoral Board and many office staff review these immediately after the election, so it's very important to include all significant issues so that we may follow-up on them.
065. ELECTION MORNING AND DURING THE DAY: Election Officer Evaluation Form
This is the Election Officer Evaluation Form. We ask that you complete this form for each of your officers to provide us with the feedback we need to be able to assign the best possible team to each precinct in future elections.
If you have any officers who are truly excellent, or any officers who need significant improvement, please make sure to add written comments to help us understand why. We review these very carefully after each election.
We strongly encourage you to complete all evaluations by 5:00 PM on election day, so it doesn't distract you from closing the polls.
066. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Intro
Most of your voters will be processed routinely by your Election Officers but there will be a few who will have some special situations and will need some additional help from the Chief or Assistant Chief. This section covers the most common election day situations you will face.
067. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Voter Referral Worksheet
When your election officers have a voter they cannot check in on the Poll Pad and need to refer them to the Chief, have them fill out a Voter Referral Worksheet with the "reason for the referral" box checked off. This worksheet will help you understand the issue you need to resolve and also where you can find it in the "What If" section of your Chiefs Notebook.
068. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Non-Routine Voter Chart
The Non-Routine Voter Chart is in Section 5 of your Notebook. It covers the most common non-routine issues and guidance on what action to take. This is a quick start summary of the "What-Ifs" section. Please take some time to familiarize yourself with this document as it will save you time on election day.
069. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: What-Ifs
The more detailed, step by step guide is the "What-Ifs" section which is located in Section 6 of the Chief's Notebook. Make sure you are familiar with the "What-ifs."
070. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: What if voter has no acceptable ID?
The first non-routine situation is if a voter does not have an ID when they come to the polling location. There are three alternatives for the voter.
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They can retrieve their ID from their car or home. But please do not tell them they must retrieve the ID to vote. This is not accurate. They are still eligible to vote with a Provisional Ballot.
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They can go to the Government Center on election day to get a temporary ID (they need to call the Office of Elections in advance on that day so they can be admitted since the Government Center is currently closed to the public ).
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They can vote provisionally and provide the Office of Elections an acceptable ID by 12:00 p.m. on the third day after the election.
071. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Provisional ballots
If the voter chooses to vote provisionally, provide them with a Provisional Vote Envelope, Provisional Voter Notice and a ballot. Use the Lime Green Provisional Envelope for ID provisional voters and the darker green envelope for all other provisional voters.
Remember - it is critical that the envelope is filled out completely and the voter and the Election Officer both sign the Provisional Ballot Envelope.
A sample of the Provisional Vote Envelope and Provisional Voter Notice can be found on pages 7.7 and 7.8 of the Chief's Notebook.
072. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: An important note about the Electoral Board
The Electoral Board and only the Electoral Board decides whether a provisional ballot is counted.
Some voters may ask you if their provisional vote will be counted. You cannot tell them one way or the other since the Electoral Board always makes the final decision.
073. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: What if voter requested an absentee ballot?
You may see a lot of this in this election since there has been an unprecedented number of absentee ballot requests in light of the coronavirus, - so be prepared.
There are two situations that may present themselves. The first is if the voter has the absentee ballot in their possession and the second if they do not. Let's cover the first situation.
074. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Mailed absentee ballots
If the voter has the ballot, ask the voter to hand it to you, write ABSENTEE SPOILED on it and then you can process the voter as a routine voter on the Poll Pad. You will need to provide a password to update them on the Poll Pad. The spoiled ballot will go in Envelope #4.
If the voter does not have the ballot, you can have them vote provisionally. Provide them a GREEN Provisional Envelope, Provisional Notice and a ballot. Make sure the envelope is filled out completely and the reason code #4 box is checked. Samples of these forms can be found on pages 7.5 and 7.6 of the Chief's Notebook.
075. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: What if voter has moved?
If the voter has moved, there are a couple of questions you need to ask: "When did they move?" and "How far did the voter move?. These situations can be tricky, so please do not hesitate to call Voter Registration staff in the Office of Elections if you are unsure of what to do.
076. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Moving Conditions
This slide is based on the Moving Conditions chart from the "What-Ifs" in the Chiefs Notebook.
First, ask the voter "When did they move?" There are three alternatives as you can see in column 1.
Then ask- "How far did the voter move?" There are 4 alternatives in columns 2 thru 5.
At the intersection of these two answers, the chart will guide you to a specific section of the "What-Ifs" which will give you detailed instructions on moving forward. This chart can be a bit confusing so you should familiarize yourself with using this chart. If you do have questions on election day, don't hesitate to call Voter Registration staff in the Office of Elections.
077. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: What if voter is Inactive?
Voters can become inactive if they have not voted in a couple of federal elections, if mail sent to them is returned, or if the voter moved. If the voter has moved, you need to go to the "What-Ifs" just described.
078. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Affirmation of Eligibility
If the voter has not moved, then they need to fill out the Affirmation of Eligibility" form which can be found on pages 7.2 and 7.3 of the Chief's Notebook.
The Chief must complete Section A of the form and check option A.
The voter will complete Section B on the opposite side of the form.
You do not need to fill out the "Statement of Challenger" part of the form.
Once the form is completed the voter can be checked in on the Poll Pad. (Remember to check the "Voter Signed Oath" box.)
079. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: What if a voter needs assistance?
There are some voters who will need assistance reading, translating, or marking the ballot.
Many times, they will come with a person who will assist them. Others may need an Election Officer to assist them. Just about anyone can assist a voter but they all need to fill out this form.
The only exception is children who are age 15 or younger. They may assist without filling out the form.
Please remember that if an Election Officer assists a voter, they should still try to maintain the 6-feet of social distancing. We know this will be difficult but it's very important.
080. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Request for Assistance form
The top part of the Request for Assistance form is filled out by the Election Officer and then given to the voter to fill out Section A.
Section B is filled out by the person who will assist the voter. In Section B, that person is affirming that they are not one of the "prohibited" class of people.
Once this form is completed and returned to the Chief, the voter's assistant can provide any help with the ballot.
081. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: What if a voter wants to vote curbside?
Voters who are over 65 or disabled are eligible to vote outside the polls. Given the current health crisis, please do not question any voter's eligibility to vote curbside.
The voter will call into the Chief or Assistant Chief and one election officer will go out to the curb and assist them.
No form is required to be filled out for this but some voters may need assistance so the election officer should take a Request for Assistance form with them.
The voter is checked in as a routine voter and the Election Officer will check the "Curbside Voter" box on the Poll Pad.
082. NON-ROUTINE VOTERS: Curbside voters
Normally, the requirement is that 2 Election Officers go out to assist a curbside voter.
However, due to the current health crisis, only one Election Officer should go out to assist the curbside voter.
083. CLOSING THE POLLS: Election forms
We will now go through Closing Procedures.
084. CLOSING THE POLLS: DS200 Auxiliary Compartment
Before you or your Election Officers close the DS200, you must check the Auxiliary Compartment to make sure it's empty, even if you don't think you used it during the day.
If there are any ballots inside the Auxiliary Compartment, remove them and insert them into the scanner.
085. CLOSING THE POLLS: Cutting the DS200 tapes
After the DS200 tape prints, you will need to cut it in certain places and attach them to the appropriate document. There is a handout in the back of your Chiefs Notebook that provides some extra guidance on how to do this.
086. CLOSING THE POLLS: Completing the Statement of Results
Follow the instructions in Section 8 of the Chief's Notebook to complete your Statement of Results (SOR).
QUESTION: Do you complete the front page or the back page first?
ANSWER: You should complete the back page, with the candidate totals, first. This way, you can call in your results as soon as possible. A lot of people are waiting to find out who won!
087. CLOSING THE POLLS: Call in results
You should call in your results by 8:00 PM.
If you are not able to call in your results by this time, you should call your Rover so they may help you if needed.
088. CLOSING THE POLLS: Blue backup Call Sheet
You will also complete a blue backup Call Sheet.
If you are the Chief driving back the materials on election night, you should keep this on your passenger seat so you can immediately hand it in.
089. CLOSING THE POLLS: Required signatures
There are a number of documents that require signatures from the Chief, Assistant Chief, and all Election Officers.
Use the Required Signature Checklist in the Chiefs Notebook to ensure that all officers sign all required documents. If any required document is missing an Officer's signature, we will call the Election Officer with missing signatures and they will have to come to the Office of Elections within 2 days to sign them. It's much better to make sure everything is signed on Election Day than to have to come to our office! But you should never have your officers pre-sign forms and labels during the day.
090. CLOSING THE POLLS: Equipment and return
Hi, my name is Sandy Raedels and I will be taking you through the rest of Closing Procedures.
091. CLOSING THE POLLS: Remove all media
Once you have closed down and unplugged both the DS200 and the ExpressVote machines, you will need to remove the media sticks, also known as USB flash drives, and return them in the orange #7 pouch. For this election, you will have only one DS200 machine and one ExpressVote Machine which means that you will have 3 media sticks to return.
From the DS200, you will have 1 backup media stick labeled with a yellow dot and 1 media stick with an orange dot. And from the ExpressVote machine you will have a media stick with a green dot. You will have 3 media sticks in total.
092. CLOSING THE POLLS: Remove media from ExpressVote
To remove the media stick from the ExpressVote machine, open the access door on the left side using the barrel key and then pull the media stick labeled with the green dot.
093. CLOSING THE POLLS: Remove media from DS200 (part 1)
To remove the media sticks from the DS200, first open the front media compartment using the barrel key and remove the media stick (with the orange dot) from the USB port.
094. CLOSING THE POLLS: Remove media from DS200 (part 2)
After locking the front media compartment, close the DS200 screen and then open the rear battery compartment behind the screen. Pull the media stick with the yellow dot from the USB port and then close and lock the compartment.
095. CLOSING THE POLLS: Removing & securing ballots (part 1)
Step 1: Open the Ballot Compartment as shown.
Step 2: Carefully remove and secure the ballots from the DS200 machine.
096. CLOSING THE POLLS: Removing & securing ballots (part 2)
Step 3: Remove all the ballots. Check the sides and inside door.
Step 4: Stack the ballots in a neat pile.
Step 5: Place ballots in the cardboard boxes. You may reuse the empty boxes that the new ballots came in plus you have 3 additional boxes in the grey cart. You should be able to get at least 800 ballots in one box so if you know that you have more than that you can prepare as many boxes beforehand.
097. CLOSING THE POLLS: Removing & securing ballots (part 3)
Step 6: Use the RED Tamper Tape to seal the box by placing one strip across the seam on the top and another strip completely around the box as shown.
098. CLOSING THE POLLS: Removing & securing ballots (part 4)
Step 7: Prepare the labels for the boxes but do not affix them. Count the number of boxes and label as shown. Using the white #3 Counted Ballots sheet, write the DS200 serial number (which can be found on the back of the DS200 screen) as well the box number. In this example, there are 2 boxes of counted ballots. The first box is labeled Box 1 of 2 and the second box is labeled Box 2 of 2. Make 2 copies for each box.
099. CLOSING THE POLLS: Removing & securing ballots (part 5)
Step 8: On the front and side of each box, place the prepared white #3 sheets.
Step 9: Place a yellow #3 sticky label on top.
Step 10: All officers must sign yellow #3 sticky labels.
100. CLOSING THE POLLS: Unvoted ballots
Unvoted ballots should be secured, sealed and labeled using the blue #6 Unused Ballots sheet. Count the number of boxes and number them accordingly. Again, make 2 copies for each box and place one sheet on the front and one sheet on the side of the box.
101. CLOSING THE POLLS: Types of seals
You will receive 2 types of seals in the grey cart. They are found in the clear plastic portfolio on the top shelf of the cart. In the first picture on the top, there are 2 tab seals, one red and one blue. The red tab seal is used to secure the orange #7 pouch and the blue one is used to secure the blue pouch. The red zip tie seals are used to secure the voting equipment.
102. CLOSING THE POLLS: Sealing the numbered pouches
Use the tab seals for the pouches. Be careful inserting the seal, it breaks easily. In case one of them breaks, you may use a red zip tie seal to secure the pouch by sliding it under the lock as shown.
103. CLOSING THE POLLS: Return checklists
In the Handouts section of your notebook, you will find the checklist of items to return in the black rolling kit. It is important that all envelopes and pouches be returned in the black rolling kit. Please use this checklist to make sure that you have all the items.
104. CLOSING THE POLLS: Gray cart inventory
Also in the handouts section, you will find a grey cart inventory sheet. There is a picture of what the cart looks like when you receive it and what it should look like when you return it. Please tear this out of your notebook and tape to the cart for reference.
105. CLOSING THE POLLS: Signs
Please return all usable signs! Remove the tape, tacks, staples, etc. If they are damp from the rain, dry them off. If they are soggy and unusable, toss them. Return all signs in the blue bag. Return all real estate signs and wires in the grey cart.
106. CLOSING THE POLLS: Return items - liquid PPE
Please return ALL bottles of disinfectant spray and hand sanitizer in a PPE bag in the box, even if they are empty. Remove the spray nozzle and secure the original lid tightly to avoid spillage.
107. CLOSING THE POLLS: Return items - all PPE
Please return ALL unused PPE supplies in the PPE bag that they came in. Return all face shields in the bag that they came in. Return any used pens in the USED PENS bag.
108. CLOSING THE POLLS: Return items
Please refer to SECTION 9 of your notebook for a checklist of the items that are to be returned to the Government Center in the chief's car.
All 7 of these items must be returned in the chief's car on election night.
- Black rolling kit
- Blue supply bag
- Green Poll Pad case
- Blue Results Sheet
- PPE Supplies (2 brown boxes plus a large zip lock bag)
- Brown #3 boxes (voted ballots)
- Brown #6 boxes (unvoted ballots)
If any of the 7 items are missing, you will be required to return to your polling place and retrieve them.
Lastly, please be sure that you call your Rover when leaving the polling place or by 9:00PM, whichever is sooner.
109. CONCLUSION
If you have any questions, submit them by email to: ElectionOfficers@fairfaxcounty.gov We will host an optional Zoom webinar on Friday, June 19 at 10:00 AM to answer these questions. Afterwards, we will also email all questions and answers to everyone.
You have now finished reviewing the online Chiefs Briefing. You must return to the Election Officer Portal and take the quiz to acknowledge you have reviewed this briefing.
Thank you and have a great election day!