Voting Assistance Center Coordinator Training - Merced County

Voting Assistance Center

Coordinator Training

Statewide Direct Primary ElectionJune 7, 2022

Congratulations on being chosen to be a Voting Assistance Center Coordinator!

As a leader and coordinator of the Voting Assistance Center, you must have these important leadership qualities:

Honesty and integrity

Commitment and passion to conduct a fair and proper election

Exceptional communication skills – with your Voting Assistance Center Staff, Voters, and Observers

Ability to delegate and share responsibilities

Sound decision-making capabilities

People skills, especially if you encounter unhappy voters

Ability to be flexible when needed

Accountability – know when you need to get help from a supervisor

Must adhere to the Election Officer Conduct found in the Voting Assistance Center Training Manual

Be familiar and proficient with all activities processed at the Voting Assistance Center

Preliminary Activity

Voting Assistance Center Locations have been assigned by Elections Staff.

Emily and Ariel have been in contact with the people at the location.

The warehouse team has visited the VAC location to assess any special needs of the location.

Emily has the location layout and has a diagram of the voter traffic flow in light of Covid-19 and the requirements of social distancing, etc.

Some items are still fluid – and may change.

Time and day of delivery and setup of equipment – coordinate with warehouse staff so that you meet them at your location and get to know the area with which you are dealing.

The equipment delivery for VAC’s open for 11 days (Atwater, Merced College, Los BanosCommunity) is scheduled for Friday, May 27

The equipment for VAC’s open for 4 days (all others) is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, June 2 & 3.

CONTACT INFORMATION AT VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER LOCATION

You will be given the name of your contact person at your VAC location. You should contact them as soon as possible to determine:

Who will open and close the building for you each day, including cell phone numbers

Some locations may issue you a key to open and close at your convenience

Who to call in case of special needs; i.e. Custodian supervisor, Security personnel, if applicable, Day & night custodians

Time and day for pickup of equipment after Election Day

Voting Assistance Center Staff

Shawnesti and Jessika will assign your VAC staff

Get contact information for / from each of your staff

Cell Phone Number

E-mail address

Staff Positions will include:

Check-in Clerk (Poll Pad)

Ballot Issuing Clerk

BOD Clerk

Equipment Tech

Provisional / Conditional Clerk

Sanitation Clerk

Other election workers, as assigned

Example of Voting Assistance Center Worker Information

When you receive your VAC Center staffing assignments, prepare your own spreadsheet with contact information to keep with you at all times. We also suggest that you set up a group text in the event you need to notify everyone of a situation at once.

Training DaysNOTE: Training Days with each VAC worker and coordinator will be assigned a day between May 10 – May 31. As soon as the schedule it set and you are notified of your specific date, please contact all of your election workers.

Training days for May 10 – May 14

Department of Child Support Services3368 N Hwy 59, Suite I, Merced

Training days for May 17 – May 31

UC Merced Cooperative Extension2145 Wardrobe Avenue, Merced

You will coordinate and train with your staff as a team – just as ifyou were working a Voting Assistance Center.

Training Days

Contact each VAC Staff member to inform them of the schedule for training.

Notify your VAC staff of training days as soon as dates and times are set.

Send email to personal email addresses in addition to county email addresses, if applicable.

Send reminder texts Friday prior to training week.

Plan to send texts with reminders of what time Voting Assistance Center are open and times that staff need to be at the Voting Assistance Center each day it is open:

11 day centers – May 28 to June 6 – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

4 days centers – June 4 to 6 – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ALL CENTERS – Election Day, June 7 – 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Election workers must be at the VAC one hour prior to opening and plan to stay an hour after it closes. Election day may be later, depending upon if a line of voters is waiting to vote at 8 p.m. and extra time it takes to close the polls and pack up the equipment.

Voting Assistance Center Setup

Delivery of Equipment will be scheduled with the warehouse staff.

Arrange to be at your location at the time of delivery, along with one or more of your VAC workers. This will allow the warehouse staff to help you set up the equipment.

List to include:

BOD Printer

DS200 with Ballot Box

Poll Pads

ExpressVotes

Pakflatts

Feather Banner (or 8 x8 banner)

Signage Display – Pocket Stand

ADA Parking Sign

Directional signs

Cones – Number dependent upon Voting Assistance Center Location

Week before E-Day4 Day Centers

You will be given the day and time to pick up your supplies and electronic equipment at the warehouse. This includes:

Red Supply Bags

Blue Canvas Bags

Cradlepoint

Ballot Issuing Laptop(s)

Dymo Label Printer(s)

Ballot Stock – both BOD and ExpressVote

Keep the laptops, Cradlepoint, Dymos, and ballot stock in a secure location with you at all times.

After the first day, take the laptops and Cradlepoint home with you. Do not leave these at the Voting Assistance Center or in your vehicle. BOD & ExpressVote stock will be locked inside the BOD case.

Ensure that Laptop batteries are fully charged each night.

VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER SUPPLY LIST

BOD STOCK & EXPRESSVOTE STOCK

Warehouse staff will count out BOD & ExpressVote Stock and box them in divisions of 50.

Some VACs will receive 500 sheets of stock, some will receive 1000 sheets.

This election’s ballot will consist of two sheets of stock per voter/ballot. This is considered one ballot.

You will pick your stock up when you pick up VAC supplies and equipment prior to your VAC opening. Verify the quantity, since the “50’s” might have one less or one more in the section.

If you need additional stock, please request additional stock to be picked up when you return to the warehouse each evening.

Have another VAC staff verify all stock counts.

Enter the quantity of BOD & ExpressVote Stock on the Stock Inventory Logs and Ballot Statement.

BOD STOCK and BODYou, as Coordinator, should be the only person loading BOD stock into the BOD trays and logging the activity on the BOD Inventory Activity Report (see next slide). You are responsible for balancing the stock each evening with the number of voters who have voted at your location.

EXTRA NOTE: The BOD will arrive with a strap securing the machine for travel. The warehouse staff will remove it so that the ballot will not jam after it is printed. If the strap is still there, simply press on the buckle to loosen the strap and lay it off to the back of the printer.

Sample BOD Ballot Stock Inventory / Activity Report

Sample ExpressVote Ballot Stock Inventory / Activity Report

Serial numbered security seals are used to protect the integrity of our elections operations.

The Coordinator is responsible for inserting and / or attaching the security seals and logging them on the appropriate Seals Logs.

Each type of seal is used for a specific purpose.

The security seal serial numbers are logged into “Asset Shadow” software by the warehouse technicians and assigned to specific Voting Assistance Centers to maintain control of the security seals.

The security seals we use are: White plastic seals with a red center White tab seals Red Merced County Elections sticker seals Wire seals

SECURITY SEALS

Serial numbered security seals are used toprotect the integrity of the entire voting process.All information is kept on the Voting Assistance Center Seals Logs.

White plastic seals with red centers are used on:

Blue bin inside the ballot box for transporting to the warehouse each night

Lock to secure the DS200 into the clamshell of the ballot box

Bottom door on the ballot box after first voter verifies the empty blue bin

Poll Pad case – sealed on the last day for transport back to the warehouse

White tab plastic seals are used on: Blue Provisional/Conditional Canvas Bag(s)

o Zipper closure after first voter verifies the empty bag

o Slot closure at closing each day (or whenever full) to transport the ballots to the warehouse

SECURITY SEALS

White plastic seal with red circle: DS200 lock onto clamshell, blue ballot bin insert, and bottom door of ballot box, Poll Pad case (last day)

White tab seal: Only used for blue canvas bags –dropoff and provisional / conditional bags - zipper & slot

Wire seals: Clamshell top of ballot box, Delkinstick in DS200, bypass slot in DS200, USB stick in ExpressVote. All of these will be secure when the equipment arrives.

Red Merced County Registrar of Voters sticker seal:BOD laptop lid, BOD doors (2), Ballot box bypass slot (you’ll never see if it you don’t have to use it), rear compartment of DS200 (never gets removed)

BOD Laptop must be kept secure at all times. When closing each day, attach one Merced County Registrar of Voters seal to the laptop lid and to each of the locked doors of the BOD.

When removing the seal the next day, it will show VOID/OPEN. Until you remove it, it will have a solid red background. (If you find a seal void/open when you open the BOD, please contact management. This would indicate that someone has breached the lock to gain access to the BOD.) Place the used seal in the appropriate place on the seal log.

Sample SealsUnused And Used

SUGGESTION:

When you affix the red security sticker seals on the BOD case doors and the laptop lid, enter the seal number on the log. Then when you remove them the next day, place the used sticker in the appropriate box.

Note: You will never see the Ballot Box Bypass seal, as it is behind the locked door, so you won’t know what number it is.

The DS200 Rear Compartment seal will never be removed.

Sample Security Sticker Seal Log

Only for ballots issued at the Voting Assistance Center

BOD ballotsExpressVote ballots

DO NOT ALLOW

Dropped off ballots that voters received in the mail, or

Provisional or Conditional Ballots to be placed in the black Ballot Box.

VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER BALLOT BOX

VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER BLUE CANVAS BAG

For all provisional or conditional ballot envelopes

For all Vote By Mail ballots dropped off at the Voting Assistance Center and checked in as “received” on the “Look Up” Poll Pad

OPENING PROCEDURES – EVERY DAY

Set up Cradlepoint – First Thing

Attach the antennas:Attach the two LTE and WiFi antennas to the connectors.

(Note the GPS connector will not be used.) The antennas are jointed, which enables positioning for optimal signal reception.

To attach each antenna, hold the antenna straight and twist the base of the antennas onto the connection port on the side of the router. Do not over-tighten.

Connect the power cableInsert the four-pin end of the AC adapter to the four-pin port

on the router. Plug the adapter into an electrical socket. Cradlepoint will boot up and perform a self-test. Lights will turn solid when this is complete.

It takes about five minutes for the Cradlepoint to completely boot up.

Voting Assistance Center Staff arrives one hour prior to VAC opening.

Assist VAC staff in setting up outside signs, flag, and cones.

Assist VAC staff in opening and setting up Poll Pad, Check-in Laptop, BOD, and ExpressVote.

Remove seals from BOD doors and laptop lid, verifying that they are still securely sealed. Place used seals on Seal Log.

Load BOD tray with stock, noting the quantity on the BOD Stock Inventory Log.

OPENING PROCEDURES

Daily Time Sheet

You will have a time sheet for each day that your VAC is open. Every election worker will sign in and out, including for their lunch times. At the end of the day, make sure everyone has signed the form. This is how the poll workers get paid.

Those who have been hired on as Extra Help election workers will also be logging their time in Kronos each day.

Election Worker Oath

Per Election Code, all election workers must be administered the Oath of Office before they can work at a Voting Assistance Center. You, as Coordinator, will administer the oath the first thing the first day.

Each day that an additional election worker is assigned to your location, you will administer the oath to them.

Each worker must sign and date the form after receiving the oath.

When First Voter arrives:

Check in first voter. Have the first voter verify that the blue insert of the black ballot box is empty.

Have voter also verify that the blue Provisional/Conditional Bags are empty.

Have the first voter sign on the First Voter Witness form, including the date and time of signing.

ANNOUNCE THAT THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER IS OPEN AT 8:00 AM

OPENING PROCEDURES DAY #1-311-DAY VACS – DAYS 1-10

Following verification by First Voter, using appropriate seals:

Slide the blue ballot bin into the bottom of the ballot box and open the flaps

Close the door, lock it with the key, and seal it with a white plastic seal with red circle.


FIRST VOTER VERIFICATION

Place the white plastic seal through the holes on the side of the door. (Insert the plastic end through the back of the seal and pull it through the red circle.)

Pull to tighten. Note the Seal Number, date and purpose on the Seal Log.

SEALING THE BLACK BALLOT BOX


Close the zipper of the blue canvas

bags. Place one white tab seal into

the slot at the closed zipper. You will

never remove this seal. The blue bags

are returned with ballots to the

warehouse each night. Note the seal

number, date and purpose (which bag

it is on – conditional or drop off) on

the Seal Log.

After securing the seal, close the

flap.

SEALING THE BLUE CANVAS BAGS AFTERFIRST VOTER VERIFICATION


Be available to assist staff and voters with any needs they may have.

Monitor break times and lunch breaks for VAC staff, according to the schedule you made in advance.

Note that you may have to be flexible, based upon the voter turnout for busier times of the day.

Be prepared to step in to cover any staff position for breaks and lunches.

Make a “housekeeping” check each hour to pick up trash (especially that of a political nature) left behind by voters at each voting booth.

Monitor the table with your State Voter Information Guides and Merced County Voter Information Guides to make sure no one has written on them and that you still have two of each available.

Monitor the sanitization of voting booths and other areas that voters and staff touch. We will still be using the “Ready to Vote” signs on the voting booths.

DURING THE DAY WHILE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER IS OPEN

The Voting Assistance Center Coordinator will monitor staff breaks and lunches/dinners. We are providing a suggested schedule; however, remember that you need to go with the flow and be flexible, based upon how many voters are present at any time.

Depending upon the number of staff at your VAC, two people may have to go on break and/or lunch at the same time, especially on election day. Be sure to keep your VAC adequately staffed.


SUGGESTED STAFF BREAK AND LUNCH ROTATIONS

SUGGESTED SCHEDULE FOR DAYS 1-10 FOR 11 DAY VACSDAYS 1-3 FOR 4 DAY VACS

You will have a separate sheet for each day, implementing a rotation for the clerks from day to day.

6 a.m. to 9 p.m.15 Hour day Schedule


Restrooms – Depending on your Voting Assistance Center location, restrooms may or may not be available for public use. (Example: If the restroom is not ADA compliant – or requires a code to access) Be aware of these limitations, should a voter ask if there is a restroom available.

Observers: As the Voting Assistance Center Coordinator, please act as the point of contact for observers who may have questions. You have more experience and training in working on Election Day and you are the best representative to answer questions. If observers are not following the rules, it is your duty to inform them of the rules and call the Elections Office as soon as possible. (See Observer Slides for more detail)

Electioneering: If you see electioneering, inform the voter that it is against the law. If they are not complying with your request to end their electioneering you must call the Elections Office immediately and try to get the voter to wait outside. Preferably beyond the “No Campaigning” sign. (See Electioneering Slides for details)

Notify Shawnesti (Supervisor) and Blanca (Assistant Registrar of Voters) of anything that seems abnormal, or if you have an unresolved situation with a voter or staff member.


o Anyone is allowed to observe the Election process. The Elections Department offers a training to people interested in observing elections, but it is not required in order to observe. Observers who attended our training will have a name tag and should come and introduce themselves to you. If you notice someone observing and they do not have a name tag or introduce themselves, it is a good idea to give them the observer rules outlined in your Handbook.

OBSERVERS + ELECTIONEERING

Observers may:

Observe & take notes of the proceedings at the Voting Assistance Center, including the opening and closing procedures.

Ask questions of staff as long as it does not disrupt the elections process. If there are voters in the VAC, please ask observers to wait to ask questions.

Observers may not:

Interfere, in the judgment of the election worker. Physically handle any voting materials or equipment. Sit at the official worktables or view confidential voter information. Take pictures. Communicate with voters regarding candidates or measures unless they are 100 feet

away from the entrance to the polling place (electioneering).

OBSERVER RULES

Electioneering is promoting a candidate or measure within 100 ft. of a polling location. There is no electioneering allowed within 100 feet from an entrance to any polling place, Voting Assistance Center, an elections official office, or a satellite location. Prohibited materials and information include, but are not limited to:

A display of a candidate’s name, likeness, or logo A display of a ballot measure’s number, title,

subject, or logo Buttons, hats, pencils, pens, shirts, signs, or

stickers containing information about candidates or issues on the ballot

Any audible broadcasting of information about candidates or measures on the ballot

Loitering near or disseminating visible or audible electioneering information near a vote-by-mail drop box

ELECTIONEERING

CLOSING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER– DAYS 1, 2, & 311-DAY VACS – DAYS 1-10

BLUE BIN INSERT FROM BALLOT BOX SLOT SEALEDEACH NIGHT & TRANSPORTED TO WAREHOUSE

The blue insert of the black ballot box will be transported to the Elections Warehouse to be processed each night. If your VAC has more ballots than one box can handle, you should ask for an additional blue ballot bin. You will then use a new, empty blue bin for the next day. When you return the full blue bin at the warehouse each night, they will empty it and return it to you for the next day.

Along with another election worker, cut the seal on the bottom door of the ballot box, remove the blue ballot bin and immediately lock both ends of the bin. Then seal one end with with the white plastic seal with the red tab.

Be sure to log the seal you just removed from the door, as well as the seal you placed on the blue ballot bin.

NOTE: If you use more than one blue bin, you will need to have a “First Voter Witness Verification” each time a new, empty blue bin is used.

4 P.M. ANNOUNCE “The Voting Assistance Center is now closed.” If voters are in line at closing time, put a VAC staff member at the end of the line.

Voters arriving after this time are not eligible to vote. Inform them of the hours of the VAC the next day.

On the Last Day (E-Day – June 7, 2022): If any insist, they must vote provisionally. Mark LATE and note the time on the provisional envelope.

Complete the BOD Activity Report. (Slides following Closing Instructions) Count and verify the quantity of BOD stock remaining in the BOD. Enter numbers on the

Ballot Stock Inventory/Activity Log. Count and verify the quantity of ExpressVote stock remaining and enter the numbers on the

ExpressVote Ballot Inventory Log. Complete the daily Ballot Statement. After the Check-In Clerk has shut down the computer(s) and mobile hotspot, put them in the

cases to take home for the night. Charge the batteries every night. Do not leave them in your vehicle unattended.

CLOSING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER – DAYS 1, 2, & 311-DAY VACS – DAYS 1-10

The envelope slot will remain open until the Voting Assistance Center closes each evening, then will be sealed with a white tab for transport to the warehouse. The warehouse staff will break the seal, remove, count and log the ballots and return the empty bag to you for the next day.

CLOSING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER– DAYS 1, 2, & 311-DAY VACS – DAYS 1-10

SLOT OPEN SLOT CLOSED & SEALED

End of day BOD report

Once you have closed the polls each day, you will need to run the end of day report on the BOD.

Go back to the “tree” menu of your BOD.

Double left click “Reports” under Single Ballot

This will open up the window to get the Balotar Reports. This is the Coordinator’s duty when there are no more ballots to print.

The report will appear highlighted with the Run Date, Job Name, Operator, etc. With the report highlighted, click “Export” in the lower right-hand corner.

End of day BOD report

The Browse for Folder window will pop up and you will need to select the Reports folder on the desktop Click OK.

If there is no “Reports” folder on the desktop, make a new folder.

END OF DAY BOD REPORT

Change the file type to PDF. Then click on the folder to export data. It will shows Desktop\Reports.


Folder to Export data will be populated. Add the date in Export File Basename. Month, Day, Year Double check all information is correct and then click Export.


You have now finished exporting the data.


The BOD Report contains valuable data. It will list every ballot that has been printed out of that BOD for the day. It includes the date, time, keyfield (ballot type) and quantity.

The most important data for you is the bottom line – the total number of ballots printed that day. This will help you balance your BOD stock.

The last page indicates that 190 ballots were printed from this BOD on March 11, 2020. Just remember – this election’s ballot is two pages, so the BOD used 380 sheets of ballot stock. And this June 7, 2022 Statewide Direct Primary Election will also be a “two-card” ballot.

Remove the seals and log them as removed: BOD doors Door (unlock – place keys back in Ballot Statement Envelope) BOD laptop lid

Assist the Staff in placing cones and signs outside.

Assist the Staff in turning on equipment in Voting Assistance Center.

Verify the BOD stock in the machine and add necessary stock. Log onto Ballot Stock Inventory Sheet / Activity Log.

Announce the Voting Assistance Center is now open – AT PRECISELY 7 A.M.

OPENING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER –ELECTION DAY

At 8 p.m. announce the Voting Assistance Center is now closed. If voters are in line at specified closing time, put a VAC staff member at the end of the line.

Voters arriving after this time are not eligible to vote. If any insist, they must vote provisionally. Mark LATE and note the Time on the Provisional Envelope.

Assist Voting Assistance Center Staff in bringing in all signs, cones, etc. from outside the Voting Assistance Center and in shutting down ExpressVote and Voting Booths.

Secure the room while you are completing the closing reports and sealing all required items.

Complete the Daily BOD Activity Report. (Slides following Closing Instructions)

Count and verify the quantity of BOD stock remaining in the BOD. Enter these quantities on the Ballot Stock Inventory / Activity Log and Ballot Statement.

Complete the E-Day Ballot Statement.

CLOSING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER– ELECTION DAY

Verify the ballot stock to the BOD Report and to the Poll Pad tickets, taking into account any ballots that have been spoiled. (These will be indicated on the blue and green “Spoiled Tally Sheet”.) These numbers will be necessary to fill out the Ballot Statement.

Poll Pad Tickets – regular voters (DS200)+ Poll Pad tickets – provisional or conditional voters+ VBM ballots taken home (indicated VBM on Poll Pad ticket+ Spoiled Ballots Total Ballots Used x 2 sheets of BOD stock per ballot

Verify the ExpressVote ballot stock and enter the quantities on the daily Ballot Statement.

Poll Pad Tickets – regular voters (DS200)+ Poll Pad tickets – provisional or conditional voters+ Spoiled Ballots - Green ExpressVote Spoiled Tally SheetTotal Ballots Used

The DS200 Ballot Status Accounting Report will indicate how many regular ballots and how many ExpressVote ballots went into the DS200.

CLOSING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTERCOMPLETE DAILY BALLOT STATEMENT

After all Ballot Stock is balanced and Voting Assistance Center apps and Poll Pad tickets are verified, you will load your vehicle to return these items to the warehouse: Sealed Blue Ballot Insert Box Sealed Blue Canvas Bag (s) Election Night Drop-off Bag (large blue ziploc) Check in Laptop Dymo Cradlepoint Red Supply Bags Black BOD Stock Bag

YOU ARE TRANSPORTING LIVE BALLOTS – As per U.S. Election Code, YOU MUST TRANSPORT THESE ITEMS WITH TWO STAFF MEMBERS IN YOUR VEHICLE. As coordinator, you will have made prior arrangements for a second person to accompany you to transport the ballots to the warehouse each night and for Election Night Check In.

CLOSING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER – ELECTION DAY

TRANSPORT BALLOTS TO THE WAREHOUSE

VAC Binder: It is crucial that you make sure the following completed documents and items are inside your VAC Binder when you return it on E-Day.

Signed time sheets Completed Ballot Statement forms for all days Lilac Provisional/Conditional Voter Log Blue Spoiled Tally Sheet-BOD stock Green Spoiled Tally Sheet – ExpressVote stock Assisted Voter List Comment Sheet Keys to ExpressVote, BOD and Black Ballot Box BOD & ExpressVote stock Activity Report Seals Logs – 4 logs

White plastic seals with red circle Wire seals White tab seals for canvas bags Merced County Registrar of Voter sticker seals

You will have separate Ziploc bags for your unused and used seals to be returned with all your supplies.

CLOSING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER– ELECTION DAY

Assist Voting Assistance Center staff in bringing in all signs, cones, flag, etc.

Do not leave the Voting Assistance Center until the person responsible for locking up is there and has secured and armed the building.

You will have already recruited another worker to travel to the warehouse with you to return the blue ballot bin(s) and blue canvas bags with drop off ballots and provisional / conditional ballots.

Go home and get a Good Night’s Sleep!!

CLOSING THE VOTING ASSISTANCE CENTER– ALL DAYS

JUST A REMINDER

QUESTIONS?

Thank YouFor serving Merced County

(209) 385-7541www.mercedelections.org

Voting Assistance Center Coordinator Training - Merced County

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