Loading...
2020-09-02 MinutesBOARD OF SUPERVISORS MINUTES September 2, 2020 Supervisors in Attendance (Virtual Platform): • Ms. Leslie A. T. Haley, Chair Mr. Kevin P. Carroll, Vice Chair Mr. James A. Ingle, Jr. Mr. Christopher M. Winslow Mr. James M. Holland Dr. Joseph P. Casey County Administrator Ms. Haley called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 1. REQUESTS TO POSTPONE AGENDA ITEMS AND ADDITIONS, DELETIONS OR CHANGES IN THE ORDER OF PRESENTATION There were no requests to postpone agenda items, additions, deletions or changes in the order of presentation at this time. 2. PUBLIC HEARINGS 02.A. PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHMENT OF TWO ADDITIONAL SATELLITE ABSENTEE VOTING LOCATIONS Ms. Constance Hargrove, Registrar, stated this date and time has been advertised for a public hearing for the Board to consider the establishment of two additional satellite voting locations. She further stated three comments were received from citizens for the public hearing. She acknowledged the many departments and personnel who have assisted her office over the last several months. She noted the first difficulty of the upcoming election is the fact that the laws are constantly changing, and she is required to train all officers of election every time there is a law change. She noted one citizen's concerns relative to the lateness of recruiting and training officers of election and stated there is ample time for recruitment and training. She stated the second challenge is No Excuse Absentee Voting which has created confusion. She explained the difference between absentee/early voting and vote -by -mail voting, noting only vote -by -mail voting requires an application. She stated the third challenge is the requirement to receive late ballots which must be counted through noon on Friday after the election before certifying • the election. She provided details of her plan to provide scanners and electronic poll books at each polling place as well as her plan to accommodate social distancing for poll workers. In response to Mr. Carroll's question relative to which polling places have more than 4,000 registered voters in the Matoaca 20-647 9/2/2020 District, Ms. Hargrove stated Ettrick (Precinct 301) has 6,268 voters and Cosby (Precinct 307) has 5,845 voters. Mr. Carroll stated unless Virginia State University (VSU) brings students back, the county should be in good shape at the Ettrick location since VSU is currently virtual learning only. Ms. Hargrove concurred and stated she did not believe it would be necessary to split those precincts due to No Excuse Absentee Voting. She provided details of her inventory of scanners, and she discussed the number of officers of election needed which she estimated to be 1,200. She stated there is a press release offering a $100 incentive for officers of election, and there are over 300 people interested in addition to 700 officers already confirmed. In response to Mr. Holland's question relative to the source of funding for the stipend, Ms. Hargrove stated County Administration authori.zed the funding for the stipend. Mr. Holland applauded County Administration for following his recommendation, especially for this election. Ms. Hargrove stated she is ordering 160 percent of needed ballots and putting aside 60 percent of those for absentee voting. She further stated to date her office is already at 11 percent for mail absentee voting with a backlog of pending applications. She stated preprocessing of vote -by -mail absentee ballots will begin on October 5, 2020, and one officer from the Democratic Party and one officer from the Republican Party will be present the entire time ballots are being preprocessed. She further stated the Registrar's Office will be open for absentee/early voting beginning September 18, 2020, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and October 24, 2020 and October 31, 2020, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. She stated the four satellite voting locations will be open on October 19, 2020, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and October 24, 2020 and October 31, 2020, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. She further stated vote -by -mail ballots may be dropped off at the Registrar's Office or any satellite voting location. She stated she sent a checklist to the State Board of Elections, and all four satellite locations have been approved. She provided details of the new poll books to be used only at the satellite voting locations during absentee voting. She discussed pending legislation in the General Assembly relative to errors on vote -by -mail ballots and explained that, if signed by the Governor, her office has three days to notify the voter of the error and allow them to resolve the issue. She stated another legislative item pertaining to drop-off locations for vote -by -mail ballots requires the Registrar's Office, the satellite voting locations, and polling places on Election Day to accept vote -by -mail ballots. She further stated those ballots will be returned to the Registrar's Office on election night and be counted with the late ballots because the Central Absentee Precinct (CAP) will close at 7:00 p.m. and those numbers will be reported on Election Day. She stated there will be a separate CAP for late ballots and ballots dropped off at the polling places on Election Day. She further stated the third item in the bill relates to prepaid postage, but the 20-648 9/2/2020 • • • Electoral Board preemptively voted to pay for postage in lieu of waiting for the outcome of the bill. She stated under a court decree from the federal government, all vote -by -mail ballots must be in the mail 45 days before the election which is September 18, 2020. She addressed a citizen's questions about how to vote and dates and times and stated she is working with Communications and Media on strategically timed dissemination of information to keep the public informed and engaged. • In response to Mr. Winslow's question relative to the need for additional staff at polling places on Election Day to monitor the drop-off boxes, Ms. Hargrove stated she is using a collapsible ballot bag which she has on hand for emergency voting in the event a scanner goes down. She confirmed staff will always be with the bag, and she explained the process for collecting and returning dropped -off ballots to her office. In response to Mr. Winslow's question relative to the cut-off time for collecting dropped -off ballots, Ms. Hargrove confirmed the cut-off time of 7:00 p.m. is the same as the time polls close on Election Day, and the chief officer will move those ballots to a secure location until closure of the polling place is completed. She stated anyone who is in line can deposit their ballot, and the chief and assistant chief will return those ballots to her office on election night. In response to Mr. Winslow's question relative to proposed legislation allowing third parties to accumulate and drop off vote -by -mail ballots on behalf of other voters, Ms. Hargrove stated that is not in the bill, and the county does not have • freestanding, unattended boxes where voters can walk up and deposit ballots. She further stated she believes the intent of the bill is to reduce voter engagement with workers, but the workers would be able to see if a single voter was depositing more than a couple of ballots. At Mr. Holland's request, Ms. Hargrove reiterated the dates and times the satellite voting locations will be open. Ms. Haley stated the Board received three citizen comments which were addressed during Ms. Hargrove's presentation, and she closed the public hearing. On motion of Mr. Winslow, seconded by Mr. Holland, the Board adopted the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE OF THE COUNTY OF CHESTERFIELD, 1997, AS AMENDED, BY AMENDING AND RE-ENACTING SECTION 7-4 REGARDING SATELLITE ABSENTEE VOTING LOCATIONS BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Supervisors of Chesterfield • County: (1) That Section 7-4 of Chapter 7 of the Code of the County of Chesterfield, 1997, as amended, is amended and re-enacted to read as follows: 20-649 9/2/2020 Sec. 7-4. Satellite Absentee Voting Locations. The following are. established as satellite absentee voting locations: (1) LaPrade Library, 9000 Hull Street Rd, North Chesterfield, VA 23236 and (2) Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Blvd, North Chesterfield, VA 23234. (3) North Courthouse Road Library, 325 Courthouse Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23236. (4) Ettrick-Matoaca Library 4501 River Road, South Chesterfield, VA 23803. (2) That this ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption. Ayes: Haley, Carroll, Ingle, Winslow and Holland. Nays: None. (It is noted a roll call vote was taken because the meeting was conducted on a virtual platform.). In response to Mr. Holland's question relative to the sites of the new satellite voting locations, Ms. Hargrove stated one is North Courthouse Road Library and the other is Ettrick-Matoaca Library. 3. ADJOURNMENT On motion of Mr. Winslow, seconded by Mr. Holland, the Board adjourned at 6:32 p.m. until September 23, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. for a work session to be held in the Public Meeting Room. Ayes: Haley, Carroll, Ingle, Winslow and Holland. Nays: None. (It is noted a roll call vote was taken because the meeting was conducted on a virtual platform.) Jos p. Casey Cou y Administrator 20-650 9/2/2020 C7 • •