2015-2016 Election Administration Webinar Training Series

Election Observers & Troubleshooting the

February Primary

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Program Presenters

Wisconsin Government Accountability Board Staff

Agenda

Election Observers

February Primary Issues

Senate Bill 295, relating to electronic voter registration, changes in certain registrations, proof of residence for voting in an election, election registration officials…

Please note that the G.A.B. and local election officials are

currently enforcing a draft revision of GAB 4, which has

not been approved by the Legislature. The draft revision

is the Board’s most recent interpretation of the Statutes

and is the guidance that Board staff provides about the

rights of election observers and rules governing their

conduct.

-1-

-2-

Elec

tion

Obs

erva

tion

at O

ther

Lo

catio

ns:

Mun

icip

al C

lerk

’s O

ffice

O

bser

vers

may

be

pres

ent d

urin

g ab

sent

ee v

otin

g in

th

e cl

erk’

s of

fice

(if it

’s in

a p

ublic

loca

tion)

. The

m

unic

ipal

cle

rk is

in c

harg

e, a

nd o

bser

vers

sha

ll fo

llow

th

e cl

erk’

s di

rect

ives

. Vid

eo a

nd s

till c

amer

as a

re n

ot

allo

wed

. R

esid

entia

l Car

e Fa

cilit

ies

& N

ursi

ng

Hom

es

Onl

y ob

serv

ers

appo

inte

d by

the

two

maj

or p

oliti

cal

parti

es m

ay b

e pr

esen

t dur

ing

abse

ntee

vot

ing

in

resi

dent

ial c

are

faci

litie

s an

d nu

rsin

g ho

mes

. Th

e sp

ecia

l vot

ing

depu

ties

are

in c

harg

e, a

nd o

bser

vers

sh

all f

ollo

w th

e de

putie

s’ d

irect

ives

. Vid

eo a

nd s

till

cam

eras

are

not

allo

wed

. A

bsen

tee

Ballo

t Can

vass

or C

entr

al C

ount

O

bser

vers

may

be

pres

ent d

urin

g ab

sent

ee v

otin

g in

th

e cl

erk’

s of

fice

(if it

’s in

a p

ublic

loca

tion)

, an

abse

ntee

bal

lot c

anva

ss, o

r cen

traliz

ed v

ote

coun

ting.

Th

e m

unic

ipal

cle

rk is

in c

harg

e, a

nd o

bser

vers

sha

ll fo

llow

the

cler

k’s

dire

ctiv

es. V

ideo

and

still

cam

eras

ar

e al

low

ed if

thei

r use

is n

ot d

isru

ptiv

e or

sho

w h

ow

an e

lect

or h

as v

oted

. R

ecou

nts

Obs

erve

rs m

ay b

e pr

esen

t dur

ing

elec

tion

reco

unts

, in

clud

ing

cand

idat

es a

nd th

eir c

ouns

el. T

he b

oard

of

canv

asse

rs is

in c

harg

e, a

nd o

bser

vers

sha

ll fo

llow

the

boar

d’s

dire

ctiv

es. V

ideo

and

still

cam

eras

are

allo

wed

if

thei

r use

is n

ot d

isru

ptiv

e or

sho

w h

ow a

n el

ecto

r ha

s vo

ted.

Con

tact

Info

rmat

ion

Gov

ernm

ent A

ccou

ntab

ility

Boa

rd

G.A

.B. H

elp

Desk

: 608

-261

-202

8 Fa

x: 6

08-2

67-0

500

212

East

Was

hing

ton

Aven

ue, T

hird

Flo

or

Mad

ison

, Wis

cons

in 5

3703

Gov

ernm

ent A

ccou

ntab

ility

Boar

d Po

st O

ffice

Box

798

4 M

adis

on, W

isco

nsin

537

07-7

984

http

://ga

b.w

i.gov

gab@

wi.g

ov

Ju

dge

Thom

as B

arla

nd, C

hair

Judg

e Ha

rold

V. F

roeh

lich,

Vic

e C

hair

Judg

e Jo

hn F

rank

e Ju

dge

Elsa

Lam

elas

Ju

dge

Ger

ald

C. N

icho

l Ju

dge

Tim

othy

Voc

ke

K

evin

J. K

enne

dy

Wis

cons

in G

over

nmen

t Ac

coun

tabi

lity B

oard

Wis

cons

in

Ru

les-

at-a

-Gla

nce

W

isco

nsin

Adm

inis

trat

ive

Rul

e G

AB

Cha

pter

4

Elec

tion

Obs

erve

rs

Th

e St

ate

of W

iscon

sin p

erm

its in

divid

uals

to

obse

rve

votin

g an

d th

e el

ectio

n ad

min

istra

tion

proc

ess

at p

ollin

g pl

aces

on

Elec

tion

Day.

It a

lso

perm

its o

bser

vers

to v

iew

the

abse

ntee

vot

ing

proc

ess

in th

e m

unic

ipal

cle

rk’s

offic

e, th

e ab

sent

ee v

ote

canv

ass,

cen

tral c

ount

pro

cess

es,

reco

unts

, and

vot

ing

in re

siden

tial c

are

facil

ities

an

d nu

rsin

g ho

mes

. Th

ese

Rule

s-at

-a-G

lanc

e sh

ould

be

viewe

d in

co

njun

ctio

n wi

th W

isco

nsin

Adm

inis

trativ

e Ru

le

GAB

Cha

pter

4.

STR

EET

AD

DRES

S

Oct

ober

201

4

MA

ILIN

G A

DDR

ESS

INTE

RN

ET A

DDR

ESS

EM

AIL

AD

DR

ESS

MEM

BER

S O

F TH

E B

OA

RD

DIR

ECTO

R &

GEN

ERA

L C

OUN

SEL

TELE

PHO

NE/

FAX

Obs

erve

rs

Elec

tion

-3-

At th

e Po

lling

Pla

ce, a

n El

ectio

n O

bser

ver m

ust:

N

otify

the

chie

f ele

ctio

n in

spec

tor s

he/h

e

is a

t the

pol

ling

plac

e to

obs

erve

F

ollo

w th

e di

rect

ives

of th

e

chie

f ele

ctio

n in

spec

tor o

r des

igne

e

P

rovid

e ph

oto

iden

tific

atio

n

C

ompl

ete

and

sign

an e

lect

ion

obse

rver

log

W

ear a

n El

ectio

n O

bser

ver t

ag o

r bad

ge

Rem

embe

r: •

The

chie

f ele

ctio

n in

spec

tor i

s in

cha

rge

of

the

pollin

g pl

ace.

All i

nqui

ries

shou

ld b

e m

ade

of th

e ch

ief e

lect

ion

insp

ecto

r or d

esig

nee

• Ch

alle

nges

to v

oter

s m

ust b

e file

d wi

th th

e ch

ief e

lect

ion

insp

ecto

r or d

esig

nee.

Fol

low

the

proc

ess

outlin

ed b

y W

iscon

sin

Adm

inis

trativ

e Ru

le G

AB C

hapt

er 9

• Ca

ndid

ates

are

allo

wed

in th

e po

lling

plac

e on

ly af

ter i

t has

clo

sed

at 8

:00

p.m

.

• Po

lling

plac

es in

Wis

cons

in a

re o

pen

from

7:

00 a

.m. u

ntil 8

:00

p.m

.

View

ing

docu

men

ts

Obs

erve

rs a

re n

ot e

ntitle

d to

vie

w re

gist

ratio

n fo

rms,

pro

of o

f res

iden

ce d

ocum

ents

or t

he

obse

rver

log

on E

lect

ion

Day.

Obs

erve

rs m

ay a

sk

the

chie

f ins

pect

or o

r des

igne

e to

vie

w ot

her

docu

men

ts, s

uch

as th

e po

ll lis

t, th

at a

re a

vaila

ble

when

doi

ng s

o wi

ll no

t del

ay o

r dis

rupt

the

proc

ess,

but

this

may

not

be

poss

ible

whe

n po

lls

are

busy

, and

they

may

not

vie

w co

nfid

entia

l in

form

atio

n. T

he c

hief

insp

ecto

r or d

esig

nee

has

sole

disc

retio

n to

det

erm

ine

whet

her s

uch

docu

men

ts m

ay b

e vie

wed

durin

g vo

ting

hour

s.

Elec

tion

Obs

erve

rs m

ay n

ot:

• En

gage

in e

lect

ione

erin

g*

• Vi

deo

and

still

cam

eras

are

not

allo

wed

•

Hand

le o

fficia

l ele

ctio

n do

cum

ents

• Ha

ve c

onve

rsat

ions

abo

ut c

andi

date

s,

par

ties

or b

allo

t que

stio

ns

• M

ake

calls

/ us

e ce

ll pho

nes

for v

oice

cal

ls

insid

e th

e po

lling

area

(tex

ting

or o

ther

s

ilent

usa

ge is

acc

epta

ble

if it

is n

ot d

isrup

tive

• W

ear c

loth

ing

or b

utto

ns re

late

d to

c

andi

date

s, p

artie

s or

refe

rend

a th

at is

in

tend

ed to

influ

ence

the

elec

tion

• In

tera

ct w

ith v

oter

s, e

xcep

t whe

n re

ques

ted

• Vi

ew c

onfid

entia

l info

rmat

ion

on th

e po

ll list

, or

take

pho

tos

or m

ake

phot

ocop

ies

of th

e po

ll

li

st o

n El

ectio

n Da

y •

Ente

r veh

icle

s of

cur

bsid

e vo

ters

* Ele

ctio

neer

ing

is d

efin

ed in

Wis

cons

in la

w a

s an

y a

ctiv

ity w

hich

is in

tend

ed to

influ

ence

vot

ing

at a

n E

lect

ion.

§ 1

2.03

Sta

ts.

Com

mun

icat

ions

Med

ia:

Obs

erve

rs fr

om c

omm

unica

tions

med

ia

orga

niza

tions

sha

ll ide

ntify

them

selve

s an

d th

e or

gani

zatio

n th

ey re

pres

ent t

o th

e ch

ief

insp

ecto

r upo

n ar

rivin

g at

the

pollin

g pl

ace.

The

insp

ecto

r sha

ll re

cord

the

info

rmat

ion

on th

e G

AB-1

04, I

nspe

ctor

s St

atem

ent.

Vid

eo a

nd s

till c

amer

as a

re a

llowe

d if

thei

r use

is n

ot d

isrup

tive

or s

how

how

an

elec

tor h

as v

oted

. Po

lling

Pla

ce A

cces

sibi

lity

Asse

ssm

ents

:

Indi

vidu

als

may

ass

ess

acce

ssib

ility

requ

irem

ents

in W

isco

nsin

pol

ling

plac

es

if th

e fo

llowi

ng ru

les

are

obse

rved

:

• As

sess

ors

shou

ld n

otify

the

mun

icip

al c

lerk

at

leas

t 24

hour

s in

adv

ance

•

Asse

ssor

s m

ay w

ear i

dent

ifyin

g na

me

tags

or

shi

rts

• As

sess

ors

may

wor

k ou

tsid

e th

e ob

serv

ers’

area

unl

ess

thei

r wor

k is

judg

ed to

be

disr

uptiv

e •

Asse

ssor

s m

ay ta

ke s

till p

hoto

s or

vid

eota

pe

for d

ocum

enta

tion

if th

eir u

se is

not

di

srup

tive

• El

ectio

n of

ficia

ls -

clerk

s, c

hief

ele

ctio

n in

spec

tors

and

pol

l wor

kers

-sho

uld

facil

itate

th

e wo

rk o

f acc

essib

ility

asse

ssor

s

)

-4-

Wis

cons

in E

lect

ion

Obs

erve

r Log

Toda

y’s D

ate:

___

____

___

E

lect

ion

Dat

e: _

____

____

___

Mun

icip

ality

: ___

____

____

____

____

_

Pag

e N

umbe

r: __

____

____

Site

: □Po

lling

pla

ce, w

ard

# __

____

____

□

Cle

rk’s

offi

ce

□C

entra

l cou

nt lo

catio

n □R

esid

entia

l Car

e Fa

cilit

y or

Ret

irem

ent H

ome

□

Oth

er (s

peci

fy) _

____

____

____

___

With

thei

r sig

natu

res b

elow

, the

sign

ees a

ttest

to th

e fo

llow

ing

stat

emen

t:

“IunderstandWisconsin’srulesforelectionobservers,assetoutinW

isco

nsin

Ele

ctio

n O

bser

vers

Rul

es-a

t-a-G

lanc

e,andagreeto

abidebythoserulesw

hileobservingthiselectionorelectionadministrationevent.”

PrintedNam

eSignature

StreetAddress

Municipality,

State

Representing

PhotoID

Verified

GAB-109|

Rev

201

4-09

| G

over

nmen

t Acc

ount

abili

ty B

oard

, P.O

. Box

798

4, M

adis

on, W

I 537

07-7

984

608

-261

-202

8 | g

ab.w

i.gov

| ga

b@w

i.gov

-5-

_______________________________________________________ Date and time

_____________________________________ Name of location

_____________________________________ Street address

_____________________________________, WI Municipality name (indicate Town, Village or City, i.e., “Town of Leeds”)

Order to Leave Polling Place, Clerk’s Office, or Alternate Absentee Ballot Site

_____________________________________________ name of observer

____________________________________________ organization, if any

The observer listed above, is hereby ordered, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 7.41(3), to leave the polling place, clerk’s office, or alternate absentee ballot site immediately for the reason(s) described below: ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________ ___________________________________ Signature of chief inspector Signature of inspector

___________________________________ ___________________________________ Printed name of chief inspector Printed name of inspector

A copy of this document is required to be filed with the Government Accountability Board within 7 days of the incident.

GAB-110 | 2014-07 | Government Accountability Board, P.O. Box 7984, Madison, WI 53707-7984 | 608-261-2028 | w eb: gab.wi.gov | email: gab@w i.gov -6-

State of Wisconsin \ Government Accountability Board

____________________________________________________________________________________

JUDGE THOMAS H. BARLAND

Chair

KEVIN J. KENNEDY

Director and General Counsel

212 East Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor

Post Office Box 7984

Madison, WI 53707-7984

Voice (608) 266-8005

Fax (608) 267-0500

E-mail: gab@wisconsin.gov

http://gab.wi.gov

Delivered by email only

October 16, 2014

Dear Election Observer Organization:

We are providing this reminder regarding the rules which govern the conduct of election

observers for the 2014 General Election. The Government Accountability Board (G.A.B.)

encourages citizens to observe the election process because such activity promotes fair and

transparent elections, and assists in detecting issues which require attention at an early stage

in the process. Once again, the Board is emphasizing that election observers are welcome at

locations where voting and ballot counting occurs, but that observers must take care to ensure

that they do not disrupt with or interfere with the election.

The rules for election observers will be the same as those used at the August 12, 2014 Partisan

Primary. This correspondence highlights provisions that were first in effect for the Partisan

Primary, serves as a reminder of the code of conduct that applies to election observers, and

seeks your assistance in ensuring that observers comply with Wisconsin Statutes governing

their conduct.

Attached to this correspondence is a copy of the observer regulations which the G.A.B. has

advised clerks to apply and enforce at the General Election, which may also be located on our

website at http://gab.wi.gov/publications/rules/gab004. Also attached is a tri-fold brochure

summarizing the observer rules which we encourage you to share with representatives of your

organization who will serve as observers, and which may also be found at

http://gab.wi.gov/publications/brochures/observer-rules. The rules are marked as a draft

because they have not yet received final approval from the Legislature but no legislative

action on the rules will occur prior to the November General Election.

Key provisions of the rules for election observers include the following (provisions that are

new for 2014 are underlined):

1. Election observers must notify the chief inspector upon arriving at the polling place, and

present photo identification. Observers must sign in with their full name, address, and the

name of the organization or candidate the observer represents, if any, and must also

legibly list their name on the Observer Log. The Observer Log is not available for

inspection by observers or the public until after the election.

2. The chief inspector may reasonably limit the number of observers representing a

particular organization or candidate if necessary due to physical limitations.

-7-

Election Observer Rules

October 16, 2014

Page 2

3. The chief inspector shall provide the observer with a tag or badge which reads “Election

Observer.” An observer shall wear this tag or badge at all times when inside the polling

place.

4. Observers shall remain in the areas designated as the observation areas by the chief

inspector. The observation areas must be situated to enable observers to observe all public

aspects of the voting process without disrupting the voting process. The observation areas

shall be from three to eight feet from the table at which electors announce their name and

address and from the registration table. Election officials must note any deviation from

the three-to-eight-feet standard on the Inspectors’ Statement and notify the Board within

seven days following an election. Election inspectors shall repeat the voter’s name and

address if observers are unable to hear the voter.

5. All of the observers’ questions and challenges shall be directed to the chief election

inspector or the chief inspector’s designee, except that an observer may ask other

inspectors to repeat a voter’s name and address if it cannot be heard by the observer.

Observers shall not have direct contact with electors in the polling area, unless

requested by a voter to assist with casting a ballot.

6. Observers do not have a right to view an individual’s proof of residence document

displayed for purposes of voter registration. However, subsequent to the voter’s

registration, the chief inspector may permit observers to view a voter’s registration

application and any proof of residence document the voter leaves with election officials if

time permits and if doing so does not delay or disrupt the voting process. Observers may

not view confidential aspects of the documents, including date of birth, driver’s license or

state ID number, social security numbers, account numbers and information regarding the

voter’s financial transactions or medical history, or the address of a confidential voter.

7. Observer conversations shall be kept to a minimum. Observers shall not engage in

electioneering, which includes wearing any clothing or buttons intended to influence an

election, regardless of whether a candidate is mentioned or portrayed. Observers shall not

use cell phones to make voice calls but may use them for text messaging or other non-

audible uses. Observers also may not use any video or still cameras inside the polling

place while polls are open, but may do so after the polls close provided that such use is not

disruptive or interferes with the administration of the election. Observers shall not handle

an original version of any election document, including ballots, poll books, registration

applications or proof of residence documents.

8. Observers who are qualified electors of the State may challenge for cause any person

whom the challenger knows or suspects is not a qualified elector, subject to the provisions

of Wis. Stats. §§ 6.92 – 6.95 and Wis. Admin. Code GAB 9. Challenges are limited to the

categories noted in Wis. Admin. Code GAB 9.02 related to voter qualifications (except

that the residency requirement is 28 days rather than 10 days). Challenges must be

supported by specific evidence related to the individual voter. Any individual who abuses

the right to challenge may be subject to a lawful order of an election inspector to cease

making challenges and removal from the polling place if the individual refuses to obey

such an order.

-8-

Election Observer Rules

October 16, 2014

Page 3

9. As required by Wis. Stat. § 6.875, any individual wishing to observe voting at a location

served by special voting deputies must notify the municipal clerk at least 24 hours in

advance of the voting. The observation area at a nursing home or adult-care facility must

not be located to permit an observer to hear conversations between a voter and an

individual providing assistance to the voter. Please note that voters have a constitutional

right to a private ballot, and observers must not be permitted close enough to a voter to

hear how an elector instructs an assistor to mark their ballot.

10. Observers may accompany election inspectors who conduct curbside voting and may

observe that process, but are not permitted to enter the vehicle transporting the curbside

voter.

11. Observers shall comply with lawful commands of the chief inspector or shall be subject to

removal from the polling place. Observers shall not engage in loud, boisterous or

disruptive behavior, or interfere with voting or the conduct of the election. The chief

inspector shall warn any offending observer, and if the conduct continues, law

enforcement may be summoned to remove the observer. In that case the individual will

not be permitted to act as an observer at the same or another polling place for the duration

of the election.

12. If an observer is ordered to leave a voting location, the chief inspector is to provide the

observer with a written document summarizing the reason for the order, signed by the

chief inspector and an inspector of the opposite political party, if applicable. The chief

inspector has the sole authority to decide to remove an observer and the other inspector

may note their concurrence or disagreement with the decision on the Inspectors’

Statement. Municipal clerks are also required to provide the G.A.B. with documentation

regarding the removal of any election observer within seven days of an election.

The G.A.B. encourages the responsible exercise of the right to observe the election process.

If an observer believes an issue or irregularity has occurred, and is not satisfied with the

response of the chief inspector or the municipal clerk, your organization or the individual

observer is welcome to contact our staff to determine whether it is appropriate for the G.A.B

to intervene. However, behavior that is disruptive, including conversing with or intimidating

voters, or causing undue delays in the registration or voting procedures, will not be tolerated.

We appreciate your organization reminding your observers of the code of conduct which they

are required to follow at upcoming elections. For questions regarding this correspondence,

please contact the G.A.B. Help Desk at (608) 261-2028, or gabhelpdesk@wi.gov, or contact

me at (608) 266-0136 or michael.haas@wi.gov.

Sincerely,

Michael Haas

Elections Division Administrator

Government Accountability Board

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