Elections / Voter Elections / Voter RegistrationRegistration

Study SessionPresented by: Ana Wayman-Trujillo and Lynn Constabile

StatisticsStatistics

Presidential Election Years

General Election

Voter Registration

Amt Increase

% Increase

1996 88,600 ---- ----

2000 93,291 4,691 5.29%

2004 99,842 6,551 7.02%

2008 (March 1) 111,355 11,513 11.53%

StatisticsStatistics

Presidential Election YearsGeneral Election

Turnout %

Ballots Cast

% Increase Amt Increas

e

1996 68.88% 61,026 ---- ----

2000 73.62% 68,682 12.55% 7,656

2004 88.22% 88,076 28.24% 19,394

2008 ?? ?? ?? ??

StatisticsStatistics

Presidential Election Years

General Election

Polling Place

Ballots

Early/Provisional

Ballots Counted

Early/Provisional Rejected

1996 46,507 14,732 214

2000 41,769 26,913 1,067

2004 47,396 40,687 1,020

2008 ??? ??? ???

Permanent Early Voter ListPermanent Early Voter List

• What is it?• Allows voters to receive early ballots for all

elections without having to specifically request them each time

• A.R.S. §16-544 – Requires the County to:• Maintain a permanent early voter list as

part of the voter registration roll• Verify the signature on the request form

with the voter’s signature on the voter’s registration form

Permanent Early Voter ListPermanent Early Voter List

• Send a 120 day notice to voters that will:• notify the voter of the upcoming elections• request the voter to designate a political party ballot

should they be of an unrecognized party for the purposes of that upcoming election

• change the mailing address for the ballot in the voter’s county of residence

• update the voter’s residence address in the voter’s county of residence

• request to not be sent a ballot for the upcoming election or elections indicated on the notice

• request to be removed from the permanent early ballot list

Permanent Early Voter ListPermanent Early Voter List

• Initial signup letters mailed to every registered voter (111,000) from January – March 2008

• Signed up = 30,000 (so far)• Plan on doing newspaper ads with “cut out”

form• Daily Courier County Rates:

• 1/4 page: $220.72/day• 1/2 page: $459.24/day• Full page: $918.48/day

• Approx cost = $2,000• Voters can also print out form on website

Cost of Holding ElectionsCost of Holding Elections

County-wide Special Elections• Affects all Yavapai County’s

registered voters (111,000)• If it’s a district, can be either a

vote-by-mail or polling place election if held in 2009

Cost of Holding ElectionsCost of Holding Elections

Cost Options• November 2008 Election = $27,840

• Question would go on Federal Election Ballot – no additional printing cost

• Normal charge to special districts - 25¢ /reg. voter

• March 2009• Vote-By-Mail estimated cost = $176,500• Polling Place estimated cost = $192,500

Special District Fee Special District Fee ScheduleScheduleCurrent sliding scale fees (since July 2006)

# Registered Voters Cost per Reg. VoterVote-by-Mail

Cost per Reg. VoterPolling Place

1 - 1,999 $1.00 $1.25

2,000 - 5,999 $0.75 $1.00

over 6,000 $0.50 $0.75

Current cost estimate• Vote-by-Mail = $1.33 per registered voter• Polling Place = $1.48 per registered voter• Postage and Material Costs have both increased

Special District Fee Special District Fee ScheduleSchedule

Special Districts vs. Cities/Towns

•Cities/Towns help with special district elections and the State/Federal elections by:

•Checking ballot drop boxes

•Handing out replacement ballots

•Acting as conditional provisional ID site

Poll WorkersPoll Workers

• Average age of poll workers in 2006 General Election• 64 years old

• Need more computer literate poll workers with the new touch screens now at the polls

• Have student program in place, working to place one student per polling place for Primary & General

Poll WorkersPoll Workers

• Other Arizona County’s poll worker programs• Maricopa County

• Called Civic Duty Leave• Employees can volunteer – Need Supervisor’s approval• Leave is with regular pay – not paid as a poll worker

• Coconino County• Called Democracy Day• Employees are encouraged to volunteer• Local businesses & public agencies are encouraged to

participate• Leave is with regular pay - also paid as a poll worker &

for training

Poll WorkersPoll Workers

• Other State’s poll worker programs• Minnesota state law

• Leave with pay minus poll worker compensation• 20 days written notice to employer• No more than 20% of work force

• Nebraska state law• Leave with pay• Reasonable notice to employer

Poll WorkersPoll Workers

• Our proposal:• Employees can volunteer – Need appointing

authority’s approval• Leave is with regular pay – not paid extra as a

poll worker or for training• If county buys in, we will market to other local

businesses & public entities to participate – City of Prescott already expressed interest

• Savings estimate $25,000 in temp salaries for one poll worker per precinct for both Elections

Polling PlacesPolling Places

112 Precincts using 94 Polling Places

New Precincts – • Diamond Valley – Liberty Kia• Pinon Oaks – Church of Spiritual Waters• Granite – Central Yavapai Fire Station (forest

station)• Horseshoe – still trying• Granville – Granville Community Center• Rose Lakes – Word of Life Church• Orchard – Clarkdale Baptist Church• Spruce – Windmill House

Polling PlacesPolling PlacesChanges –

Precinct Old Polling Place New Polling Place Reason for Change

Antelope Granite Gate Resort St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

Declined to renew

Badger First Assembly of God Church

Prescott Adult Center Closer to Precinct

Bagdad Bagdad Community Center

Bagdad Justice Court Declined to renew

Bridgeport Verde Valley Christian Church

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

Church Moved

Chino Valley 2 Chino Valley Community Church

First So. Baptist Church ADA Issues

Polling PlacesPolling PlacesChanges –

Precinct Old Polling Place New Polling Place Reason for Change

Holiday/ Wells Fargo

Prescott Canyon Estates Clubhouse

York Motors Declined to renew

Lynx Creek Yavapai Hills Clubhouse

York Motors Closer to Precinct

Stoneridge Bethel Baptist Church

Stoneridge Community Center

Located in Precinct

Middle Verde Verde Valley Church of Christ

Seventh Day Adventist Church

ADA Issues

Prescott Country Club 1 & 2

Prescott Golf & County Club Clubhouse

Bradshaw Mtn. Christian Assembly

ADA Issues & Declined to renew

Polling PlacesPolling Places

• We will need to do 2 to 3 newspaper announcements to advertise changes• Daily Courier County Rates:

• 1/4 page: $220.72/day• 1/2 page: $459.24/day• Full page: $918.48/day

• Approx cost = $2,000

• Will also advertise on website• Printed on Sample Ballot

Polling Place ChallengesPolling Place Challenges

ADA accessibility issues:• Hearing April 28th

• Seeking additional state/federal grant funds – have not spent all of HHS grant

• Met with Development Services and Attorney’s offices for guidance

• Development Services has offered to accompany Election staff in checking for ADA compliance

• Challenges:• Finding already ADA compliant polling places• Storage of additional equipment for temporary

compliance• Manpower to install and remove equipment

Polling Place ChallengesPolling Place Challenges

• Old equipment• Poll Booths need replacement

• Lights broken• Privacy panels broken• Need 1 booth for every 150 registered

voters (rule of thumb) = 742• Have 677 usable and 66 broken booths

Polling Place ChallengesPolling Place Challenges• Secretary of State’s replacement policy for

voting equipment • 38 original optical scan units – purchased 1998

“Equipment Refresh Policy - Election equipment is a major capital expense for Arizona’s counties. As with any technical equipment, election equipment eventually wears down, becomes antiquated, may cause problems, and therefore requires replacement. A standard equipment refresh policy ensures that all counties have adequate systems to effectively run accurate elections. It also provides the criteria necessary for counties to properly plan for the expense of equipment replacement.It is therefore recommended that the counties plan and budget to have all voting system hardware replaced at a minimum of every 10 years.”

Polling Place ChallengesPolling Place Challenges• Number of Provisional Forms to

supply• We can only make a best guess on how

many provisionals will be needed• Reasons for provisionals:

• No ID or Insufficient ID• Moved • Changed Name• Early Voter• Not on Roster (Not Registered to Vote,

Incorrect Precinct, etc.)

Polling Place ChallengesPolling Place Challenges

• Number of Ballots for Primary Election• Non-Partisan, Independent and Non-

Recognized Parties can vote their choice of a Democratic or Republican ballot

• Have to order enough DEM and REP ballots to cover all the “Other” voters

New Polling Place New Polling Place ProcedureProcedure• Problem: ID at the polls causes line

backups and extensive voter wait time• Solution:

• 2 to 3 ID clerks with complete signature rosters can help any voter who arrives

• Voters would sign in at same time that ID is checked

• Budget increase for one extra clerk per polling place– approx. $9,000 for General election

• Budget increase for 2 extra signature rosters per polling place – approx. $6,200

Early/Mail Voting Early/Mail Voting ChallengesChallenges• No Signature/Signature Different on

Ballot Affidavit EnvelopeElection # Voters - called # Voters –

corrected

May 2007 479 48

Sep 2007 579 130

Nov 2007 136 32

Feb 2008 26 4

Mar 2008 39 4

CHANGED ENVELOPE

Other Cost Savings IdeasOther Cost Savings Ideas

• Currently rent U-Hauls to deliver polling place supplies • Pinal Co. uses Public Works employees and trucks for

delivery• Switched from personal cars to county cars for

travel boards• Cross-trained Recorder’s staff in:

• Signature Verification• Petition processing• Posting voting credits• New registrant entry• Ballot batching

• ID at the polls – piggyback with SOS advertisements

BOS Guidance for BOS Guidance for BudgetingBudgeting• Special District Fee Schedule

• Different for Cities/Towns?• County Poll Worker Program?• Work with Public Works for Deliveries?• ADA Compliant Polling Places

• Storage of temporary fixes• Manpower to install and remove temporary

fixes• Poll Booth Replacement?• Optical Scan Replacement?

Budget Wish ListBudget Wish List

• Needed: 1 working crystal ball

Questions?Questions?