Slides Summary

Welcome to the Chief & Assistant Chief Basics online training class!

This class will go over all information you need to know before serving as a Chief or Assistant Chief for the first time.

002. Slide 2

Review all information in these slides and notes at your own pace.

We will go over all information you need to know, including what to do before polls open, how to handle non-routine voters, provisional ballots, how to complete the Statement of Results, and how to close the polls at the end of election day.

At the end, you must complete a quiz to receive credit for this class.

003. Slide 3

This class will assume you are familiar with the current list of acceptable IDs, Poll Pads and how to check in voters, DS200s and how to cast ballots, and officer duties and expected behavior.

If you need a refresher on any of these topics, feel free to pause this training and view part or all of the online Election Officer Basics class.

004. Slide 4

This is a summary of the roles performed by the different election officers assigned to your precinct:

ASSISTANT CHIEF: Works with the Chief to help manage the polling place and supervise officers. Should be able to assume any Chief responsibilities as necessary.
SDR SPECIALIST: Works with Chief to process voters who are eligible to register to vote and cast a provisional ballot on election day.
COLLECTOR OFFICERS: Perform regular election officer duties throughout the day. After polls close at 7:00 PM, drive DS200 flash drives and absentee ballots to elections office and do not return to polling place.
LANGUAGE OFFICER: Perform regular election officer duties throughout the day, but can assist voters who primarily speak a language other than English. Wear special name badge to identify them as a language officer.
ELECTION OFFICERS: Check in voters and direct voters to mark and cast ballots during voting hours. Help with pre-election setup & closing polls.

You can review the Election Officers Basics class and the Chief’s Notebook for a more expansive description.

005. Slide 5

Let’s start by going over what you need to know and do before election day and during opening procedures before polls open.

006. Slide 6

All Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs are issued a digital PDF of the Chiefs Notebook before each election. This class is designed to give you an overview of everything you need to know, but you will also have a physical Chiefs Notebook on election day to easily double-check and reference how to handle any situation.

You will receive your Chiefs Notebook PDF about 2 weeks before election day. It’s very important for you to familiarize yourself with the contents BEFORE election day, so that you know where to look when you need to help a non-routine voter or handle another situation.

007. Slide 7

The week before the election, there are 4 things you need to do.

Watch the Chiefs Briefing. This is required, by law, before each election in which you serve as a Chief or Assistant Chief. During the Chiefs Briefing, you will learn about new laws and procedures that affect that election. The Briefing is presented online. The recorded version is posted at the training website.
Contact facility staff & visit your polling place. You will need to schedule in advance with facility staff the site visit time. Sometime the week before the election, the Chief should visit the polling place to meet with building staff, and to examine the voting room and polling place exterior. You also need to schedule the time and place to meet the facility contact to open the building for the Monday pre-election voting room setup. The Chief should also verify your equipment cart containing DS200 scanners, other election materials, yellow curbside sign, and disassembled absentee ballot drop box have arrived. The Assistant Chief should attend too, if possible. Verify that Tuesday 5 AM contact information is still accurate.
Chief contacts election officers. The week before the election, the Chief should send an email or call all election officers to go over basic information. This includes making sure each officer is still working, they know where the building is, they know which entrance to use, and they know which room is the voting room. If any officers say they are no longer able to serve, let the main office know immediately.
Plan opening & closing officer assignments. Opening the polls on Tuesday morning will be a lot more efficient and quicker if you make an advance plan for assigning opening tasks to teams of election officers.

008. Slide 8

There are 2 things to do the day before the election:

Pick up election supplies on the Monday before election day. Chiefs will pick up the Poll Pads and black kit with election materials on the Monday before election day. You will need to take these items directly to your polling place for setup.
Go to polling place, set up voting room. The day before the election, the Chief and Assistant Chief should go to the polling place and do initial setup of the voting room. Invite any available officers to join you! You should set up the overall room, including the tables, chairs, handouts, and indoor signs (do not post the outside signs as they could be moved or removed before election morning). You are allowed to open the equipment cart (use the opening and closing guides for the equipment cart) and inspect or use the contents inside as long as there is at least one other officer present, and you seal it again before you leave. The only exception is for ballots, and voting equipment (i.e. the DS200s and ExpressVote machines), and envelopes containing machine keys. - do NOT open these before election day! Leave the DS200s in the locked cart overnight.

009. Slide 9

Now it’s election morning. What do you need to do?

Swear in officers at 5:00 AM. Don’t wait for late officers; you can swear them in when they arrive. The important part is to swear in the officers who are present, so you can get started. If you have High School Pages in a November election, you should swear them in as well. All officers must sign Oath form (Chief signs in two places).
Delegate tasks and work in parallel. Prepare a plan in advance for officer opening assignments. Decide with your Assistant Chief how you will divide oversight duties. Split up assigned tasks among your officers, distribute the opening procedure guides, and have the officers get started. Put your best officers on the most important tasks, including setting up the Poll Pads, setting up the DS200 scanners, and opening the ballots. Some Chiefs ask their officers in advance what their strengths are, and what they may want more practice with before election day. This can help you plan for the day!
Open polls promptly at 6:00 AM. You must open the polls on time, even if you haven’t finished lower-priority tasks like putting up signs.

010. Slide 10

This is a sample room layout to give you an idea of the flow inside a voting room.

In this room, the voter enters, asks any questions of the greeter (the officer by the entrance), and then proceeds to the check-in table with the Poll Pads.
If there are any issues checking in the voter, they would be directed to the Chief’s Table, where the Chief or Assistant Chief may help resolve the issue. You may need to set up a separate table for the SDR Specialist or leave space at the Chief’s Table if there is room.
After the voter is checked in, they move to the Ballot Table where they will receive their ballot. Each ballot should be given to the voter in a privacy folder.
After receiving a ballot, the voter goes to the voting tables and sits in a vacant privacy booth to mark their ballot.
If the voter chooses to use the ExpressVote ballot marking device, an officer should guide them there. Note that the ExpressVote also has a privacy booth around it.
Lastly, the voter moves to the DS200, scans their ballot, and exits the room.

The voting room should be set up to have the voter move in a circular fashion, without crossing the paths of other voters, and with an election officer at each station to help guide them.

The absentee ballot drop box should be monitored by the greeter if placed outside the voting room entrance. Your Chief may decide that it is more practical to position the drop box inside the voting room of your precinct. In this case, another officer, such as one stationed at the check-in tables, should monitor the drop box.

If you can’t fit the equipment cart inside the voting room due to doorway width or space constraints, position the cart as close to the voting room as practicable. The cart must remain locked (but not sealed with zip-ties) while polls are open.

011. Slide 11

It’s vital that you set up your Chief’s Table with all items you may need. We suggest you actually use 2 tables side-by-side: one to hold these documents and forms and another where non-routine voters may sit as you help them. You may also need an additional table for the Same Day Registration Specialist.

Voter Forms: Keep the different voter forms handy, including the Request for Assistance form for assisted voters, Affirmation of Eligibility for inactive voters, and Voter Registration Application for new or moved voters. We will go over these situations in more detail later in this training.
Provisional Materials: Some non-routine voters may only be eligible to cast a provisional ballot. Keep your provisional envelopes and provisional notices handy for them. You will use the electronic provisional log on the admin tablet to record provisional voters but keep the paper log handy in case you experience difficulties with the electronic log.
Numbered Envelopes: There are some numbered envelopes that you will put materials in throughout the day. For example, provisional materials go in envelope #1A, spoiled and voided ballots go in envelope #4, and completed voter forms will go in envelope #8.
Chief’s Notes: This is where you will document any unusual situations or problems that occur on election day.
Chiefs Notebook: Remember, you will have your Chiefs Notebook on election day, which will walk you through all situations that may arise, including how to help any non-routine voters and what forms they may need to complete.
Poll Pad: You will not have a designated Chief Poll Pad, but you should take one from the check-in table and use it at the Chief’s table when you need to look up or check-in non-routine voters. This will give you the flexibility to use the Poll Pad when you need it or add a check-in station for routine voters when needed. Just be sure to keep your devices charged! Periodically carry the Chief’s Table Poll Pad over to the check-in table so that it can sync check-ins with those on the check-in table Poll Pads.

Keep your Chief’s Table tidy throughout the day. The better-organized your Chief’s Table is, the easier it will be for you to find what you need to help process non-routine voters!

012. Slide 12

Neither you nor your officers need to memorize how to perform election tasks. There are procedural guides to walk you through most election day tasks such as opening and closing the equipment, collector officer duties, and for how to check in voters. Make sure you distribute the guides at the appropriate times to the officers handling those tasks. Direct your officers to follow the instructions in the exact order given and check off each task as they go. There are copies of the guides in the Chief’s Notebook for your use.

013. Slide 13

Let’s go over some people who may be at your polling place:

ROVERS: Rovers are Office of Elections staff who visit and assist 10-12 polling places on election day. They may help with polling place or voting equipment issues. For non-routine voter or provisional issues, you should always call the main office for help.
NEWS MEDIA & INTERVIEWS: Remind your officers that they should call you if someone wants to do an interview. You may provide basic facts (e.g. number of voters checked in), but do not give opinions or forecasts. For anything further, call the Office of Elections.
INSIDE – AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES: Representatives of a party or of a candidate who must submit a signed, hard copy authorization form to the Chief. Authorized Representatives are allowed anywhere inside a polling place as long as they don’t impede voters or touch voting equipment. Authorized Representatives may stay and observe closing procedures; but if they do, they cannot leave the room or report results early.
OUTSIDE – CAMPAIGNERS, BAKE SALES, ETC.: Remember, state law does not permit loitering, congregating, or electioneering within 40 feet of a polling place entrance (i.e. the building entrance, NOT the voting room entrance). This means restricted activities like campaigning, handing out flyers, and bake sales must stay outside of the 40-foot Prohibited Area. You will receive a kit with a 40-foot rope, chalk, and tape to help you measure and mark your Prohibited Area. Check periodically throughout election day to make sure no one moves closer.

014. Slide 14

We will now go over some Non-Routine Voter situations and how to use the “What-Ifs” in the Chiefs Notebook.

In this section, we will cover voters without an acceptable ID, voters who are marked Inactive, voters who require assistance, and curbside voters.

015. Slide 15

As a regular election officer in the past, you have helped process all routine voters. These are voters who can be checked-in on the Poll Pad without issue.

As a Chief or Assistant Chief, you will help process all non-routine voters. If an election officer cannot check-in a voter, they will direct them to the Chief’s Table for you to help them. If the non-routine voter wants to do a same day registration, tell your officers to direct the voter to the Chief first, who will do the analysis to determine if the voter is eligible to do SDR in your precinct. The SDR Specialist oversees the completion of the registration application and provisional process and may have a separate table set up near the Chief’s Table.

016. Slide 16

This is an example of the Voter Referral Worksheet. You may choose to ask your check-in officers to complete this form before they send a non-routine voter to you for assistance. You’ll notice that the list of reasons for referral on the left correspond with different What-If reference numbers on the right. You can use this information to look in the What-Ifs to find out how to handle any situation.

The What-Ifs are a comprehensive state-issued document with step-by-step instructions for dealing with any non-routine voter situation. You will reference them frequently on election day. If you have questions or need more help, you can always call our office and we will guide you through a non-routine voter situation.

017. Slide 17

If a voter does not have an acceptable ID with them, you should offer them an ID Confirmation Statement. Have the voter read, complete, and sign the form. Select the “Voter Signed Oath” flag on the Poll Pad and the voter will be able to vote routinely.

018. Slide 18

Voters can become “Inactive” if they have moved but did not update their voter registration.

How do you process an Inactive voter?

First, ask the voter if they have moved. If the answer is yes, stop and use the Moving Conditions in the What-Ifs.
Check whether the voter is eligible for a Same Day Registration.
Otherwise, simply ask the voter to complete an Affirmation of Eligibility form. Now the voter can be checked-in.
On the Poll Pad, select the Voter Signed Oath flag.

That’s it! One form and one flag on the Poll Pad. There’s no need to call the office for Inactive voters, but you can if you’d like help the first time.

019. Slide 19

This is an example of an Affirmation of Eligibility form, which you will use for Inactive voters.

On the front side of the form, an election officer must complete Section A with some basic information like the precinct number and date. Do not fill out the “Statement of Challenger” section for an Inactive voter - we will explain this section later in this training.

On the back side of the form, the voter must complete Section B with their information. This includes their name, signature, address, contact info, and more.

That’s it! Now the Affirmation of Eligibility form is complete, the voter may be checked-in on the Poll Pad and vote normally. Remember to select the “Voter Signed Oath” flag on the Poll Pad.

020. Slide 20

Some voters may need help to vote.

A voter may have someone assist them in the voting booth with reading, translating, or marking the ballot.
Almost anyone may assist a voter, including a friend, family member, or even an election officer. There are only 4 people who may not assist a voter: a candidate, an authorized representative, the voter’s boss, or the voter’s union representative.
Before a voter is assisted, the voter and their assistant must both sign the Request for Assistance form.

Two important notes:

If the assistant chosen by the voter is age 15 or younger, such as their child, neither the voter nor the assistant is required to complete the form.
If an election officer is asked to translate the ballot as the assistant, notify Authorized Representatives who may choose to observe.

How do you process an assisted voter?

Ask the voter and their assistant to complete the Request for Assistance form.
On the Poll Pad, select the Assisted flag.

021. Slide 21

This is an example of a Request for Assistance form, which you will use for voters needing assistance at the voting booth with reading, translating, or marking their ballot.

In total, 3 people must mark this form:

An election officer should write the precinct number & name and the date at the top of the form.
The voter must print and sign their name in Section A.
The assistant must print and sign their name and address in Section B.

NOTE: If election officer is asked to translate the ballot as the assistant, officer must ask Authorized Representative if they have a volunteer interpreter to observe. Party interpreter should fill out section C.

022. Slide 22

Some voters may choose to vote curbside. They would pull into a designated curbside voter parking spot and call the phone number you have put on the curbside voting sign.

Voters who are disabled or age 65 or older may request to vote outside the polls. You should not ask for additional proof if someone asks to vote curbside.
The Request for Assistance form is NOT required for curbside voters. However, you may want to take this form with you when helping curbside voters in case they have someone in their vehicle who will be assisting them. They may also request help from you!
In November elections, you may have high school pages assigned to your precinct. They may accompany you, but they may not directly help curbside voters.

How do you process a curbside voter?

TWO officers, when practicable, go outside with a Poll Pad, a ballot in a privacy folder, and a pen to mark the ballot.
Check in the voter using the Poll Pad, issue the ballot to the voter, and wait while the voter marks the ballot.
Both officers should return inside to cast the ballot.
One officer or page goes back outside to inform voter their ballot has been successfully cast. (If the DS200 scanner did not accept the ballot, you would spoil the ballot and issue the voter a new ballot.) Give curbside voters “I Voted!” stickers as well.

Remember that you must always wait with the voter until they finish marking their ballot. If you do not stay, the voter could leave or give their ballot to an outside campaigner – don’t let that happen!

023. Slide 23

Remember to select the appropriate check-in flag on the Poll Pad for:

Voters without an acceptable ID who complete an ID Confirmation Statement,
Voters marked as Inactive who complete the Affirmation of Eligibility form,
Voters requiring assistance who complete a Request for Assistance form, and
Curbside voters

Work with your officers to ensure this step isn’t skipped!

023. Slide 23

Remember to select the appropriate check-in flag on the Poll Pad for:

Voters without an acceptable ID who complete an ID Confirmation Statement,
Voters marked as Inactive who complete the Affirmation of Eligibility form,
Voters requiring assistance who complete a Request for Assistance form, and
Curbside voters

Work with your officers to ensure this step isn’t skipped!

024. Knowledge Check

Let’s do a knowledge check!

025. Slide 25

Now let’s go over some more Non-Routine Voter situations and how to use the “What-Ifs” in the Chiefs Notebook.

In this section we’ll cover some provisional voter situations, what to do if a voter has requested an absentee ballot, how to handle a voter if they’ve moved, and a few more “What-If” situations.

026. Slide 26

Many of the following situations will involve provisional ballots. Provisional ballots are ballots that are set aside on election day and adjudicated later. There is a common misconception that provisional ballots are only counted in close races or to break ties; this is not true! Provisional ballots are reviewed by the Electoral Board in the days after the election and, if counted, they are included in the official election results.

The first step is to understand WHEN to offer a provisional ballot to a voter.

After this section, we will explain HOW to complete a provisional ballot step-by-step.

027. Slide 27

What should you do if a voter is already listed in the pollbook as having voted earlier in the day?

This may have happened if one of your officers checked in someone manually with the wrong name. For example, Bob Voter, Jr. arrived to vote, but was checked-in as Bob Voter.
Unless both voters are present, do NOT edit the previous check-in.
Instead, offer the voter a provisional ballot.
Voter and officer fill out the “Non-Same Day Registration” side of the provisional envelope.

The Electoral Board will review the situation and determine if the ballot should be counted.

To prevent this kind of situation from occurring, emphasize to your officers to take time to verify that they are selecting the correct voter, especially if there are voters with same or similar names. It is OK to ask the voter some clarifying questions.

028. Slide 28

What should you do if a voter is not listed in the pollbook?

First, try doing an advanced search on the Poll Pad to try to find the voter by their date of birth, address, or other identifying information.
If you still can’t find the voter, call the Office of Elections. It may be an error and the office may give you instructions on how to add the voter to your pollbook, or they may determine that the voter is not registered in Fairfax County.
Determine if the voter is eligible to do a Same Day Registration at your precinct and if so, follow the SDR process outlined in the Chief’s Notebook.
All Chiefs are required to take the SDR Basics training class and to pass the quiz. The class is posted at our Election Officer Training website.
Otherwise, offer the voter a provisional ballot.

The Electoral Board will review the situation and determine if the ballot should be counted.

029. Slide 29

What if a voter intended to vote by mail and requested a mailed ballot, but then comes to the polling place anyway?

First, let’s look at the steps if the voter comes to the polling place WITH their absentee ballot. Before proceeding, remind the voter they have the option of depositing a completed absentee ballot in the ballot drop box at the precinct. Otherwise, proceed with the following steps.

First, the voter should surrender their ballot to you. If it is still sealed in the envelope, ask them to open the envelope to verify the ballot is present. If the voter has made selections in any contests on the ballot, ask them if they want to fill in all bubbles for those contests, so no one knows who they intended to vote for.
Next, you must write “ absentee surrendered” across the face of the ballot. You will place this ballot in envelope #4 with spoiled and voided ballots.
Now you may check in the voter on the Poll Pad and allow them to vote a regular ballot.

Now let’s look at the steps if the voter comes to the polling place WITHOUT their absentee ballot.

This one is very straightforward: simply offer the voter a provisional ballot.
After election day, staff will verify that the voter did not already vote an absentee ballot in-person or by mail and provide the Electoral Board with that information.

030. Slide 30

It is rare, but you may have someone challenge a voter’s eligibility to vote.

Any registered voter (including an election officer) may challenge another voter. This may happen if they believe the voter is not who they say they are or they have reason to believe the voter does not live at their registered address.
In this case, we will use the Affirmation of Eligibility form. You may remember that this was the same form used for Inactive voters.
An election officer fills in the precinct and date.
The challenger completes and signs the front page of the form.
The voter completes and signs the back page of the form. Once they do so, they are permitted to vote a normal ballot. If they decline to sign the form, they may complete a provisional ballot or choose not to vote.

Again, this is a rare situation but if it happens, feel free to call the office for help.

031. Slide 31

Some voters may be listed in the pollbook with a P.O. Box instead of a typical address. That’s OK!

During the check-in process, as long as the address the voter provides orally or in writing matches the address listed in the Poll Pad, you should check them in routinely.
Individuals registered with a P.O. Box are known as Protected Voters. They may be law enforcement personnel or other individuals who need to keep their residential address private.
To be clear, you do NOT need a provisional ballot.

Again, as long as the voter provides the same address as in the pollbook, you should always check-in the voter routinely. There is no need to call the office for this situation.

032. Slide 32

What if someone shows up to vote, but they are not registered in your precinct?

Inform them that Virginia law states that they must vote in their registered precinct for their vote to count.
If the voter has moved and is present in the correct precinct for their new address, the Chief of that precinct can offer the Same Day Registration process!
If the voter does not live in the precinct, help them go to the correct precinct. Again, Virginia law states that you must vote in your registered precinct on election day for your vote to count. You can use the My Neighborhood app and the Precinct Locator to find the correct precinct for the current address and the precinct number, polling place building, and address for the correct precinct.

033. Slide 33

What if someone shows up to vote, but they are not registered in your precinct?

Confirm that the voter lives in your precinct. The easiest way to do this is by using the My Neighborhood app on the Admin Tablet. This will tell you what precinct any address in the County corresponds to. You can use it to determine if a voter lives in your precinct, and to determine what precinct a voter moved from.
Simply type the address into the search bar to see what precinct it belongs to. Be sure to get the city right, as there are several streets with the same name in the County.
We typed in 4725 West Ox Rd, Fairfax, VA into the search bar and found that this address is within the boundaries of precinct 848 FAIR OAKS.

034. Slide 34

For voters who have moved, you will frequently consult the Moving Conditions chart on page 10 of the What-Ifs. These can often be the most confusing thing for a new Chief or Assistant Chief, but we’re going to walk you through it!

As shown in the previous slide, you can use the My Neighborhood app to see which precincts correspond to the voter’s old and new addresses. The Precinct Locator (also titled “Directory of Districts, Precincts & Polling Places”) icon links to the list in numerical order by precinct number, which gives congressional district number, polling place building name and address, among other information. Help your voter find their correct precinct.

035. Slide 35

There are two questions you must ask: 1) When did the voter move? 2) How far did the voter move?

First, you should ask the voter about exactly when they moved. Once you know the date they moved (or at least the month and year), you will look for the correct row that matches. For example, a voter who has moved in 2023 would be in the row that is for “on or after Nov 9, 2022.”

Next, you need to determine how far the voter has moved. If they moved within the same precinct, we look at the leftmost column and see they can always vote routinely, no matter when they moved. Similarly, if they have moved out-of-state, we look at the rightmost column and see they cannot vote normally, unless it is within 30 days of a presidential election. If they cannot vote normally, you should always offer a provisional ballot.

The hard part is when they have moved within Fairfax County. You will need to determine the congressional district of both their old and new precincts. Use both the My Neighborhood app and the Precinct Locator tool to make this determination. Depending on if they moved within the same congressional district or into a different congressional district, you would look in the corresponding columns and find out if they can vote normally.

Generally speaking, a voter who has moved will have to go to their registered (or “old”) precinct.

036. Slide 36

Let’s take a look at an example situation. What if a voter moved to Maryland in July 2019?

First, we look for the row that matches the moving date. July 2021 is between November 4, 2020 and November 8, 2022, so we are looking in the middle row.
Next, we look for the column that matches how far the voter moved. In this case, they moved to another state, which is the rightmost column.
Therefore, we can see that they cannot vote routinely. Again, you should always offer a provisional ballot to the voter.

As you can see on the chart, no matter when a voter moves out-of-state (even if it was the day before the election), they are no longer eligible to vote routinely in non-presidential elections.

037. Slide 37

Let’s take a look at another example situation. What if a voter moved in May 2021 to another precinct in Fairfax County? For the purposes of this example, let’s assume they moved within the same congressional district.

First, we look for the row that matches the moving date. May 2021 is between November 4, 2020 and November 8, 2022, so we are looking in the middle row.
Next, we look for the column that matches how far the voter moved. In this case, they moved within Fairfax County and within the same congressional district, which is the second column.
Therefore, we can see that they can vote in their “old” precinct if otherwise eligible after signing an Affirmation of Eligibility.

As you can see on the chart, if a voter has moved within Fairfax County, the date when they moved is very important. Whether or not they are permitted to vote routinely, you should offer them a Voter Registration application so they may update their registered address.

038. Slide 38

Let’s take a look at another example situation. What if a voter moved in May 2021 to another precinct in Fairfax County? For the purposes of this example, let’s assume they moved to a different congressional district.

First, we look for the row that matches the moving date. May 2021 is between November 4, 2020 and November 8, 2022, so we are looking in the middle row.
Next, we look for the column that matches how far the voter moved. In this case, they moved within Fairfax County and to a different congressional district, which is the third column.
Therefore, we can see that the voter can do SDR in the precinct where they currently reside.

As you can see on the chart, if a voter has moved within Fairfax County, the date when they moved is very important. Whether or not they are permitted to vote routinely, you should offer them a Voter Registration application so they may update their registered address.

039. Slide 39

Here is a sample of a Virginia Voter Registration Application. This form is used for voters who simply need to update their name or address, but are not eligible to do SDR in your precinct.

Whenever you have a non-SDR voter who has moved without updating their voter registration, you should always offer them a Voter Registration Application. If they complete it and turn it in to you, return it in Envelope # 8 and our office will process it shortly after the election.

040. Slide 40

Same Day Registration allows voters who either are not registered or who did not update their registration to do a same day registration. Part of the SDR process involves using the Moving Conditions. Same day registration is a provisional process. The SDR voter must vote a provisional ballot which is not cast on the DS200 scanner. The voter will be provided an SDR provisional envelope, on which is a Virginia Voter Registration Application , which the voter fills out. If their registration is accepted and successfully processed, only then is their provisional ballot considered by the Electoral Board.

WHO: Voter not registered or registration not up to date.
WHERE: Voter must be present at the precinct for address where the voter currently resides.
HOW: Voter completes Voter Registration Application on the front side of the provisional envelope, then casts a provisional ballot. Follow procedure outlined in Chiefs Notebook.
Every precinct will have an SDR Specialist to help with this process. All Chiefs and SDR Specialists are required to complete the SDR Basics online training class with more info.

041. Slide 41

Keep provisional envelopes readily available, as you will need to use them for any voters needing to do a same day registration (sometimes shortened to SDR). Provide the voter with a provisional envelope and direct voter to fill out Virgina Voter Registration Application on SDR side of envelope.

If a voter lives in your precinct and they are not registered, or their registration is not up to date, they may do a same day registration. This process consists of two parts:

Issuing a voter registration application
Issuing a provisional ballot

The provisional process for an SDR is the same as for a provisional ballot issued for another reason, which we will go over in detail later in this training. Office of Elections staff will process these voter registration applications, determine if a voter is eligible to register, and make a recommendation to the Electoral Board, who adjudicate all provisional ballots. It’s important that you ensure the voter registration application and provisional envelope are filled out completely and signed!

If the voter does not currently reside in your precinct, consult the What-Ifs or call the office to determine the next steps.

Remember that on election day, you will have step-by-step instructions in your Chiefs Notebook, and you can always call us with any questions.

042. Slide 42

We will now go over Provisional Ballots and the step-by-step procedures for issuing them to voters.

043. Slide 43

Before we begin, some very important notes about provisional ballots. Think of these as the 3 cardinal rules of provisional ballots:

The Electoral Board, and only the Electoral Board, decides whether to count provisional ballots. You should never tell anyone their ballot will or will not be counted. That is the Electoral Board’s decision! If a voter wants more information, you can tell them to call our office.
You should NOT check in provisional voters on your Poll Pad. In Virginia, provisional voters are never marked on the pollbook because we do not know yet if their ballot will be counted.
Do NOT let voters cast provisional ballots on the DS200 scanner. It’s very important to help provisional voters at the Chief’s Table , far away from the DS200 scanner. Once you issue a ballot to a provisional voter, stay with them until they return it to you.

044. Slide 44

This is a sample of a provisional notice. You must give each SDR or provisional voter this notice, which tells them more about how and when their provisional ballot will be adjudicated.

045. Slide 45

Once you have given the voter their provisional notice, you and the voter will complete the provisional envelope. As you do so, it’s very important to remember the following:

Virginia law requires both the voter AND the election officer to sign the provisional envelope. Not signing is the most common mistake we see with provisional ballots - don’t let that happen in your precinct! You should also make sure the voter fills out the envelope completely.
If you have additional information about why the voter is voting provisionally, you should put it on the OUTSIDE of the envelope. You can write on the envelope or you can staple notes. The Electoral Board cannot open an envelope until they have already decided to count it. If you or the voter put any notes inside, the Electoral Board will not see them until after they make their decision.
Once someone has voted provisionally, they may NOT vote normally later that day. A provisional vote counts as their one vote for the day, by state law.

046. Slide 46

This is a sample of the Provisional Ballot Log.

For each provisional voter, you will record some basic information about them here, including their name, address, year of birth, and phone number. The voter writes this information on the individual provisional envelopes, so you can simply copy it over. To keep track of voters entered on the log, put a check mark on the provisional envelope for that voter.

You must also select a numerical reason code for each provisional voter - these are the same as the codes listed on the provisional envelopes.

Your paper Provisional Ballot Log will serve as a backup to the digital log you must also complete. It is stored in the “Emergency” materials envelope in the black kit; only use it if the electronic log is not working.

047. Slide 47

Let’s go over all the steps involved in processing a provisional voter.

First, give the provisional notice to the voter. The reason we do this first is so we don’t forget.
Next, have the voter complete the correct side of provisional envelope (SDR and non-SDR). Remember, you must also sign the envelope.
Next, add the voter to the digital Provisional Ballot Logs.
Next, have the voter fill out a ballot while at the Chief’s Table. You should stay with them, while providing appropriate privacy, so they don’t accidentally walk over to the DS200 scanner and try to cast their ballot normally.
Once the voter has marked their ballot, the voter should seal it in the green provisional envelope.
Finally, place the individual provisional ballot envelope in the large green #1A envelope.

You’ll note that the ballot was the last thing you and the voter complete. By doing the other steps first, you’re making sure you don’t miss or forget anything.

048. Slide 48

Now, let’s practice another provisional situation!

Bob Voter comes in the afternoon but is marked as having already voted. He mentions that his son (Bob Voter, Jr.) lives with him and voted earlier that day around 10:30 AM.

As we discussed in the Non-Routine section, this is most likely due to an officer checking in the wrong voter. Because you cannot edit the older check-in, you must offer the voter in front of you a provisional ballot. The Electoral Board will then review the situation and determine if his ballot should be counted.

049. Slide 49

Let’s continue with the example of a voter who is marked as already having voted.

The voter and officer again complete the front of the envelope, including signatures from each person.
You must also complete the back of the envelope - select a checkbox and write notes!
Here, we have selected reason code #5 (voter is showing in the pollbook as already having voted) and wrote some notes at the top of the envelope to explain that we think we checked in his son by mistake earlier in the day.

Remember, any notes should be written or attached to the outside of the envelope, so the Electoral Board can review them before they make their decision. You may also offer the voter a separate piece of paper for them to write their own notes, then staple it to the envelope.

050. Slide 50

Don’t forget to add this provisional voter to your electronic Provisional Ballot Log! Use the green and black icon with the person in silhouette to open the electronic log on the Admin Tablet.

For Bob Voter from the example in the previous slide, just as you selected reason code #5 on the envelope, you will mark the #5 reason code on the log. “Shown in the pollbook as already voted”.

Enter the provisional envelope barcode number into Item # 6 in the electronic log.

051. Slide 51

Do not write any extra notes on Same Day Registration Application. The form will be scanned into voter’s official record.

If needed, write notes on a separate piece of paper and paper-clip them to the envelope.

052. Knowledge Check

Time for a knowledge check!

053. Slide 53

We will now go over the Statement of Results and how to complete it on election night.

054. Slide 54

The Statement of Results (SOR) is the most important document you will complete on election night because it is the record of votes in your precinct.

You will use the SOR to account for voters checked in and all ballots used and unused. You will also attach printed tapes from the DS200s with the voting results.

There will be an identical SOR copy, SOR – B, that you will also complete (the original SOR goes to the courthouse while the copy stays in our office).

055. Slide 55

Let’s review an example SOR together!

056. Slide 56

Here is an example SOR. On the right side, you must staple the correct copy of tapes printed from your DS200 scanner. There are two sets of tapes: Opening tapes and Closing tapes.

Each section of the SOR tells you where to find the numbers you need. The only math you need to do is simple addition, and don’t worry, you can use a calculator! Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straightforward. There are detailed instructions in the Chiefs Notebook that you receive each election. There are specific instructions with images on how to cut and attach the DS200 tapes.

Let’s take a closer look at each section.

Section 1 : In the first section, you will record how many voters were checked in on each Poll Pad, and then record the total.

Section 2: In section two, you will record the total number of curbside check-ins, which you will be able to find in the Summary Report on any Poll Pad.

Section 3: Here you will use the tapes from the DS200s to record how many ballots were cast.

Section 4: Section four simply asks you if the number of voters checked in on the Poll Pad matches the number of ballots cast (sections 1 and 3). If they do match, great, that’s what should happen! Simply mark a check next to “yes.” Sometimes the numbers may not match up. The most common issue is if a voter was not properly checked-in but still received a ballot. This is why it’s crucial to monitor your check-in table first thing in the morning and make sure all officers know how to check-in voters properly. If your numbers are off, make sure to explain here.

057. Slide 57

Let’s continue with the reverse side of the SOR:

Section 5: Here you will find the number of ballots you were issued pre-printed, since we know how many ballots we sent to your precinct. If you received any additional ballots during the day, you would record that on the next line and then add the two numbers up for the total number of ballots issued.

Section 6: This is where you account for all your standard ballots. The first number you will record is the “Total Standard Ballot Sheets” from the DS200 Ballot Status Accounting Report. Then you will need to record the number of ballots that were not processed by the DS200. That is: hand-counted ballots (which is usually zero), spoiled ballots (which would go in envelope #4), voided ballots (which should also go in envelope #4), provisional ballots (which should go in #1A and #1B envelopes), and unused ballots. The final number you will record in this section is the total number of used and unused ballots.

Section 7: This is the last section where you will need to record any numbers, we’re almost there! In this section you will record other ballots, separate from standard ballots, to complete your ballot accounting. Section 7 asks for the total number of ExpressVote cards scanned on the DS200s, which you can find on the Ballot Status Accounting Reports, the number of surrendered absentee ballots, and the number of absentee ballot envelopes collected from the drop box.

058. Slide 58

Section 8: The last section of the SOR is the easiest but can be the easiest to forget to do! Make sure all officers present during closing procedures sign both copies of the SOR.

Do NOT have your officers pre-sign during the day. We have occasionally received SORs back that have all their officer signatures - but no information completed above! Don’t be that precinct.
If you have officers who were sworn in but not present for closing procedures, note that in their designated signature spot on the SOR. For example, write in “Collector Officer” to explain why those officers did not sign the SOR. This helps us quickly figure out the difference between an officer who intentionally did not sign the SOR and an officer who simply forgot to sign the SOR!

059. Slide 59

The best tip we have for you in completing the SOR is to be prepared; have all required documents, tapes, and numbers at hand before you begin, and it will be much easier to complete the SOR.

The Chief’s Notebook has detailed step-by-step instructions and images to walk you through the process.

And if you do need help on election day, we are just a phone call away!

060. Slide 60

We will now go over Tips & Closing the Polls on election night.

061. Slide 61

Here are some tips to help you on election day:

Assign each officer a number and have them sign in that numbered spot on each form (including the Oath, Compensation Sheet, Statement of Results, and more). That way, you can quickly look and figure out who has not signed.
Assign officers based on skills and experience. Identify your best or most experienced officers and put them on the Poll Pads or other important tasks during busy periods.
Rotate your officers between positions every couple hours. Do this proactively; don’t wait for officers to ask!
Schedule breaks so only 1 or 2 officers are on break at a time.
Assign and explain closing tasks by 5 PM, before the evening rush. Officers should understand their assigned tasks well before closing.

062. Slide 62

Now let’s go over some equipment tips to keep election day running smoothly.

Remember that you can call Technical Support for help.
If any equipment issues arise during the day, document them in your Chief’s Notes.
Secure all cords and keep them out of the way of voters walking. DO NOT use tape on school gymnasium floors.
If you are having issues scanning IDs with the Poll Pad, try to adjust the ID tray, or create a shadow with your hand or a piece of paper to reduce glare.
If your ExpressVote has no sound, first check that the volume is turned up.
Always use a surge protector between the wall outlet and your DS200 (and other voting equipment).

063. Slide 63

The end of the day can be a scramble to find everything you need, but it does not have to be. Use the handouts in the Chiefs Notebook with instructions of what needs to be returned and where to stay organized!

Remember, delegate tasks and work in parallel to get everything done.

064. Slide 64

A very important reminder about signatures:

Assign one officer to double-check that all forms and labels requiring signatures have been signed properly. There is a Signature Checklist handout with the other Closing guides (and a copy in your Chiefs Notebook). Give the checklist to the signature officer to collect signatures and use your copy to verify that everything was signed properly before finishing up on election day.
If any required documents are missing an officer’s signature, we will call that officer to come into the office 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, no matter what, do not have your officers pre-sign forms and labels during the day.

We really do not want you, or your officers, to have to come into our office after a day of hard work. Before leaving the polling place on election day, review the Signature Checklist in the Chiefs Notebook one last time to make sure everything is signed properly.

Be a hero, have zero missing signatures!

065. Slide 65

A very important reminder about signatures:

We really do not want you, or your officers, to have to come into our office after a day of hard work. Before leaving the polling place on election day, review the Signature Checklist in the Chiefs Notebook one last time to make sure everything is signed properly.

Note that there are three categories of documents requiring signatures: Documents that must be signed by ALL officers. 2) Documents that must be signed by all officers present for closing. #) Items that must be signed by some officers at closing.

Be a hero, have zero missing signatures!

066. Slide 66

Lastly, some general tips about closing procedures:

All voters who are in line or inside the polling place building at 7:00 PM can vote! If they are inside the building and walking to the voting room, they are allowed to vote! Similarly, any voters who are in the curbside parking spots by 7:00 PM are allowed to vote.
All absentee voters who are in line or within the polling place at 7:00 PM may deposit their absentee ballots in the absentee ballot drop box.
Be sure to delegate! Any officer can do any task.
Dismiss election officers only after ALL work is complete and Chief’s car is packed.
Lastly, the Chief must drive some materials back to the designated return site. Your election officers should help pack your car! Some materials are heavy.

With these tips, you should be well-prepared for your first time as a Chief or Assistant Chief.

067. Slide 67

Congratulations! You have now completed this online class.

To receive credit, you must confirm that you completed the class. Return to your Election Officer Portal account and follow the instructions there for confirmation.

If you need help or to contact us anytime, email ElectionOfficers@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-324-4735.

For upcoming election information, visit our agency website.
As always, you can use the Election Officer Portal to indicate your availability each election, enroll in training, and check your precinct assignment.
For more training resources, you can find all classes, videos, and handouts on our training website.

This training is now complete. Thank you and we know you’ll do great on election day!