- We will call. I will call the special meeting of the election board to order. I see online Miss Givens
- is there. Can you hear us and can we hear you? I can hear you OK and we can hear you so that works that
- way. Alright, we have a couple of resolutions that we need to deal with. Resolution is 2026 poll working
- training manual.
- like to make a motion to amend the resolution to not attach the training materials just for safety concerns,
- safety of the poll workers and the voters, and election integrity as well. All right, so that resolution
- is just to change the resolution so we're not attaching materials
- That's cause that won't, so that won't be printed as a safety factor. Okay. All right. I'll second that.
- I have a question. Sure. I have a question, Mr. Chair. I have not received a copy of the resolution
- emailed by Molly, Molly Turner King prior to the meeting. And I want to say it was a couple of days
- ago. I'm not exactly sure of the exact date. It's not Molly hasn't been in Molly hasn't been in all
- week. Yeah.
- she headed out. She said that in the email I have she said they're still concerned about whether the
- absentee training materials meet the statutory requirements as there's nothing contained within the
- packets regarding the election laws and penalties pertaining to the duties. Okay I'm trying to read
- that sorry it's not your fault it's just a little bit
- It comes through a little bit garbled. I'm trying to read it. And it's not showing up. Would you mind
- stating that last thing again? It's an email from Molly that she said that, as previously noted, there
- is still a concern whether the absentee training materials meet the statutory requirements, as there
- is nothing contained within the packets,
- regarding the election laws and penalties pertaining to the duties. She said, although I recognize that
- the training packet is in addition to the in-person training, I would devise the election board, not
- approve the training material until they are provided with some information regarding how the statutory
- requirement required elements of the training are met. All right, am I understanding? I would also like
- to point out that we have never received
- information on the training for the absentee workers, those doing both the mail-in absentee ballots
- and the overseas and military ballots. So the training materials for those individuals are through SVRS,
- which is the statewide voter registration system.
- All of their training is through a course called VRAPSA, and that is where the materials come from.
- Those are state documents, therefore they are not produced by us. And if I could clarify, there was
- an email from Ms. Turner King that was on Tuesday the 17th that has these resolutions to all the board members.
- And I have an email from the State Election Commission that states that the training manual fully meets
- state statute as it is. And then I also want to state that in the packets which I can
- have part of that document sent over to you, Ms. Githins. The packets that are here today, I added in
- a sheet that has a couple of individual codes on there that I brought so that the board could review
- them and determine if they wanted to add that to some of the materials. It's not something that has
- been done in the past because they are items that we go over in person at the training.
- but it is in the packets that was provided. Okay, I have a lot of questions about some of this.
- As you know, I had asked multiple times now too about the fact that there is nothing in the training
- materials for the inspectors especially about what to do in cases of emergency with regard to either
- manmade or nature provided emergencies.
- And I think that's critical. It's also was recommended as part of what the training that we have received
- last December at the election administrators conference. And so I don't, since that is not in the training
- material, I, and I have not received an email myself from Indiana election division or the secretary
- of state about approval of our training material. Um, and Ms.
- Paris knew that I would not be available in town today. I don't know if that was conveyed to the chair
- either, but I think that the material that we have is very incomplete. So I don't see how the Indian
- election division could approve it. So on the emergency information, that is all information that is
- given to the inspectors.
- just themselves and those are in the binders that are specified to each polling location for election
- day. Those are completely specified to each location. They have a layout of the location and they also
- have an entire step-by-step guide of what they need to do and what things they need to do before election
- day with their team the night before as they're setting up that
- helps them identify locations for meeting points and all of those other items and details. But those
- have never been included in the training material and has always been in the election day binder that
- the inspector receives the Saturday before the election. And they are encouraged and we tell them multiple
- times during training that we very, very strongly suggest that they go through those binders so that
- they are seeing as much information as possible. But then also with the meeting with the rest of their
- pull workers the day before the election. They are reviewing those. They're reviewing their emergency
- plan. That is mainly the sole thing that they're doing the night before besides oaths. And other than
- that, it's just making sure things are set up and they have everything ready and making sure the equipment
- is set up. So I didn't see anything in the material that indicated that that was actually to happen.
- Can you point me to that?
- items that happen us communicating to them and those are not items that would be found in the training
- materials. The training materials are specified for things to go back to on election day and to help
- them as we're going through all of the training because it is a lot of information that is being given
- to them at these either hour long classes for clerks and sheriffs or the two and a half hour classes
- for the inspectors and judges. And I mean
- truly I know that Mr. Shields has expressed that he is planning to attend at least one or another training.
- I know he has said something about coming to one of the early voting trainings and potentially one of
- the election day trainings as well. I want to see what exactly how the training is done. I
- But a lot of years teaching school, I did not necessarily have to write every comma out on my lesson
- plans, what I was going to do. I've seen the outline. I've seen what the plan is. The state election
- board says it works. I'm not really interested in telling them that they don't know how to do what their job is.
- Again, I have not received that. And in one of the training packets, it's the inspector and judges checklist
- before election day. It does not, it says, I didn't see anything in there for the checklist that indicates
- that they are to,
- review all the emergency protocols.
- So that is an item that we talk to them about the day on the Saturday that they come and pick up their
- materials. Myself, along with most of the staff for voter registration, are there present. And when
- we're there, it's essentially like another day of training. We're going through every item that's in
- their materials. We go through every single piece, explaining to them what everything is, making sure
- that they are comfortable before they leave the polling location. Not the polling location, before they
- leave voter registration with the materials.
- making sure that they know that they can contact us at any point in time to have any questions if they
- need clarification on anything. They have our numbers. They reach out to us multiple times. I remember
- getting a phone call on the Sunday after them picking up their training materials during the 2024 elections
- of them saying, hey, so I'm going through this binder like you told me to. I'm looking at this item.
- Can you please explain this a little bit more? I feel like I understand, but I just want to make sure
- I'm clear.
- That's things that our office has always been doing. I know Ashley takes phone calls at very random
- times and days of just us helping them and making sure everything is clear as possible for them. But
- it's not on their checklist of things to do, and it should be. Again, that's an item that we go over
- when they pick up the materials.
- It should be on the checklist. And I don't understand why you're so opposed to it. There's no reason
- to put every polling site's emergency plan into a training manual that everybody gets. That's a recipe
- to have people be confused as to what they're doing. That's not what I'm saying. There is a checklist.
- I am saying that
- It should say on the checklist that they are to go over before election day that it should be on there
- to show that they have covered that with the poll workers. Okay, I can just go ahead and add that.
- But I mean, all of our inspectors are returning inspectors. They've been doing this for years. I feel
- like this is one of those items that kind of are more so of a
- common sense item of okay this is in my binder I should be going over this. So and I mean in the packet
- itself that gets put into the binder it tells you this is what you need to be doing. Find a location
- with your groups of your meeting point and I mean it's step by step in that inside of the binder for
- them but it can be added to the checklist. Do we have to approve the checklist or is that just something you have?
- It's in what the training material you the board could make a motion to amend it and then go from there
- All right, so you have a motion that we amend the Resolution To take it's been a few minutes now say
- read it again to me, please Yeah, please. Yeah, I make a motion to amend the resolution to not actually
- training materials for safety concerns and safety of poll workers and voters and the integrity of the
- election itself. That's the first part. So we've got a motion. I'll second that. Those in favor, aye.
- Aye. Opposed? And now I would make a motion to have. You need to do a roll call vote. I'm so sorry.
- A roll call vote because she's online. A roll call vote. That's fine. We should have had it.
- attendance or roll call at the beginning of the meeting. Mr. Fegg? Present. And how do you vote on this?
- Are you voting on this? Yes. Mr. Shields? Yes. Givens? No, because I think some of this material should
- be out in the public domain. And now I will make a motion that you add
- to your checklist, that they be sure to read their safety procedures. Second. That's not what I'm asking
- for. I'm asking that safety procedures be reviewed with all the poll workers. Go ahead. Go ahead. Or
- is the motion, Mr. Figg? Yes. Mr. Shields?
- I don't understand what the motion is. It was the motion exactly to just read the material. And the
- checklist that election office staff goes over with the people who are being trained include a thing
- to make sure that they go over their emergency procedures.
- I'm asking something different. I'm asking that inspectors go over the emergency procedures on the Monday
- before the election with all the poll workers. It's very different than asking them to read it or telling
- them during training to read it.
- of the training but it's also you're going to do it with okay yeah yeah so it's going to be read both
- times so we'll review it during the training but then it will also be put down on the checklist for
- the inspectors to review the training the emergency plan with poll workers the Monday night before the
- election okay so we're still appreciate that
- We're still in the vote. So we need your vote on this motion is. Yes. Motion carries three to one.
- All right, so now we're ready for a to actually deal with the resolution on the training materials.
- I will move to approve the training materials with the earlier amendment to be used for training for
- poll workers. Second. Okay, discussion. Yes, I had a lot of comments on the various portions of the
- training packet. Some of them are minor things like for early voting
- It shouldn't say inspector. It should say leads, things like that. And at one point, I believe we heard
- that only two of the three phone numbers into the election office were operational because of all the
- move and stuff. I just want to verify that some of these things are valid. I will state that all three
- numbers for voter registration are currently in functioning order.
- two of them are still on county cell phones. Mine is also still on a county cell phone. And the one
- for absentee is on desk phones. And there are four individuals who are able to pick up that line at
- this time. So there's only one person that can pick up one or more of the lines. Is that what you're saying?
- So the 2690, which is the main line for voter registration, is a county cell phone. Only one individual
- is able to answer that line at this time. 2692 is also a number for voter registration. That is our
- second full-time staff member. It is also a county cell phone, only able to be answered by one person.
- Then my extension 2719 is also a county cell phone, only
- It's answered by one individual currently. And then the 2612, which is the absentee and early voting
- line. Those are answered by four lines at this time. Okay. And one of my questions about some of the
- training material too is, is, is there is any log kept of the calls that come in, especially during
- the election, on election day and
- what is recorded in the log, whether or not it presents the question that was asked and the answer given.
- We're having to read these because it's not coming through very clear.
- audio. So we're reading the transcript. Ms. Githans, are you referring to the poll workers calling in
- or individuals calling into the office? I'm referring to poll workers calling in both during early election,
- absentee workers and election day workers.
- So all of the early voting workers, they would not be making any phone calls to our office due to us
- being, well, at least one staff member being present there. They would just communicate directly to
- the early, the voter registration staff member. And then on election day, all calls that are brought
- into our office, that we could pull a log from TSD just like we could in the past.
- that mean to pull a log from TSD? That only shows what number called. Correct. I mean, that would be
- the same as in the past as well. There has not been a general log kept since I have been in the voter,
- the election supervisor position. Most calls actually go in between
- I know that Clerk Brown gives out her cell phone number as a reference number. We have all of the office
- numbers that are down. My cell phone and Ashley Laro's phone number have also been put down as reference
- calls so that if they're not able to get through to one line, they can get through to somebody at least.
- That doesn't answer the question about keeping a log.
- What are you asking the log to categorize? I think we ought to know what kinds of problems occur, especially
- in the farm area, so that we can look to avoid those kinds of problems when it comes to the general.
- And I also think that it would let us know if there are problems that could have been avoided if other
- kinds of information had been shared with the poll workers.
- I will say from experience our phones are ringing way too much and there are too many calls coming in
- and out for us to be able to keep a log of every single phone call that's coming through. I mean on
- election day I can tell you from experience that one of our individuals who are in our office
- at one point had her desk phone, my cell phone, Ashley's cell phone, and her own cell phone, because
- I and Ashley were both pulled away to handle a situation with part of something with Bob White.
- We were taking care of that. So she was answering phone calls for us while we were busy and unable to
- take those calls so that they were at least getting somebody to answer them to make sure that they were
- OK, that there was an emergency going on. And if it was something that could hold off for a little bit,
- then we would call them back. But if it was something that needed to be answered, they would come and
- get us to answer those questions while we were trying to take care of something else. That's why it's
- so important on election day that the election board is there, present, ready
- to answer phone calls as well, just to help with the mitigation of all the calls that are coming in
- at one time. And as Ashley just said, a lot of it is people just calling to see if somebody's registered
- to vote because they didn't pull up in, no, sorry, to see where they're registered to vote.
- Voters calling in, checking their polling location on election day, and us having to help with those,
- but then also us helping individuals with making sure that they have the information to look up their
- own polling location, or if they're needing directions of how to get somewhere. We're getting all of
- these calls into our office. And I mean, just trying to keep a log of every single conversation that
- we have, it would be very difficult just with how busy the day is in general.
- I mean, at that point, I'm not asking for it. I'm not asking for every single call. I said specifically
- for poor workers. Right. And I mean, a majority of them are going to be the inspectors who are calling.
- It's only the inspectors who call our office. That's why they are there. They are the manager of that
- location, and they could be calling any one of our numbers at any point in time of the day. I still
- think it's critical to keep a log. OK, I mean, and again, everybody
- That's why there's three people here. We have people have different opinions and we'll vote on what
- we want to do with it. If there were to be a log, I would suggest that we have people who are stationed
- at voter registration or Election Central to specifically answer the calls to be able to take those
- logs if that is the case, just because of how busy everybody else is on Election Day.
- I move that a log be kept of all phone conversations with the election workers on election day. I'm
- reading that. What I'm seeing is I move we keep a log
- of all phone conversations with the election workers on election day. That's a little bit broad. Can
- you narrow that down into what you actually want? Do you want us to pay somebody to be sitting there
- and writing down, Johnny Jones called in because he's not sure where he's registered? No, that's not
- an election worker.
- No, I could be an election worker that would be calling and asking that situation. Well, then you would
- have a list of who all the election workers are on that given day. And according to the training materials,
- they are only to be working if they're working on a poll there and want to vote on Election Day. They're
- only to be working at a poll where they vote. So that person should not be calling in on Election Day
- if they're calling on behalf of a
- Individual who is at the poll is what I'm trying to clarify. If I think that is that in the poll book.
- I'm sorry. Repeat that. Isn't that listed in the equal book? Yeah.
- I will state that there have been times that if there is a line at the polling location and somebody
- is in line they have had one of the poll workers give a phone call to the office to make sure that they
- are at the right location. That happened at the IMU actually multiple times in 2024 because of students
- unsure of where their polling location is due to them being close to campus assuming that their location
- would be the IMU and in most cases were actually at Bloomington High School North and so poll workers
- were trying
- trying to eliminate the issue of them not having enough time to get to their correct polling location.
- So they were going through and asking and making sure that the students knew where they were registered
- to vote. And if they were at the wrong location, they were trying to send them to the correct location
- in time for them to be able to cast their vote. Would there be a way to post something outside the polling
- place saying, if you want to double check
- where your polling place is, go to such and such a URL or use a QR code. That would probably alleviate
- a lot of headaches, at least at a few of the polling locations. We could, yes. Well, the QR code probably
- free up staff time too. A QR code probably would be easier than having the person who's working there
- have to look it up.
- Now the problem is, are those people going to be able to find said QR code when it's on the, I assume
- going to be on the door of the building when they walk in? Yeah, most times it would probably be on
- the door just because there isn't a great place at most of the locations to post things. And with the
- sample ballots taking up most of the spaces right next to the entrance, that's not a great place for
- it to go either.
- Can I clarify, Ms. Githans, if you're making a motion for a call log, can it be a call log of phone
- calls from the inspectors? Could it be for issues only and not just be phone calls from them? Because
- we get many phone calls from inspectors who they're not busy, and they'll just ask random questions
- of, hey, how is things going at Election Central?
- We get some of the strangest calls if they are very, very slow. Burgun is one of those. We love and
- appreciate them for being out there. But they are slow, so they give our office a phone call quite a
- bit just to have somebody to talk to. And if we're making a log of every single phone call, I feel like
- it would be a very long list, where if it is just of issues or concerns, that would not be as long of a list.
- I will move to amend the motion to state that you keep a log of calls with issues that might create
- a voting problem. Is there a second to the amendment? They haven't had a second to the initial vote
- motion. That's true.
- I would be happy to amend my motion to say that it is for calls from poll workers that are related to
- issues for voting. Can you guys handle that in the office with what? Okay. Yeah. All right. Then I'll
- second that motion. Would you please
- Actually, please take, call a roll. I'm sorry. You asked for a roll call, correct? Okay. Mr. Figg? No.
- Mr. Shields? Yes. Giffins? Yes. Motion carries two to one. That works. All right. Now at this, are you?
- I would also say I believe we have another
- I think we're in the middle of a roll call vote for the actual approval of the resolution. If I'm not
- mistaken, Mr. Figg and Mr. Shields have already voted yes. So I believe that the roll call vote is to
- Ms. Giffin's approval of the resolution regarding the training materials with the amendments to strike
- the exhibits. I already said no, because I thought some of the exhibits could be attached.
- Sorry. There was, there was something that was difficult to understand that I took as a no vote a little
- earlier. Okay. If I misunderstood, I apologize. That's fine. That's fine. Not a deal. Okay. So now we
- will. Okay, go ahead. I have, I do have other questions. I don't have my, my manual with me from our
- training because of I'm involved in some family obligations here. Um, but on the,
- Information that's there for the, like the poll workers, their information and instructions. It says
- that a worker cannot be related to a candidate on the ballot at that polling location. Is it true also
- that a poll worker cannot be the campaign chair or treasurer of a candidate that is opposed on a ballot
- that's being cast at that location? That was one of the items that were amended.
- and it was added that they cannot also be a campaign chairman, a campaign chair or treasurer of a candidate.
- When and where was that amended? When and where was that amended? That was in the ones for today. That
- was from the questions that was sent to us by Ms. Givens yesterday at 11 a.m.
- When are the oaths issued for poll workers and who administers the oath to the inspector and when? Is
- this for early voting or Election Day?
- Early voting the oath is administered by clerk Brown and they are done at the training sessions before
- early voting begins and the election day oaths are done by the inspector and then the inspectors oath
- is done by the Republican judge the day before the election. So Monday night while they are setting
- up. Thank you.
- Were there other changes that were made that haven't been sent out?
- We went through the list that you had sent this morning and Ashley and I have sat and made some changes.
- Those are the amendments that were discussed during the
- approval of the training materials and once we have those finalized we are going to send another copy
- to the election board so that it is the final copy but when we do that the plan is to have them set
- up in the packets that the inspector judges clerks and sheriffs will actually see and the way that it's
- actually given to them and those will be presented to the election board so that it's better understanding of
- where the packets go. When the packets were sent, they were just sent, every packet that is used was
- sent to the election board. It wasn't specified of who gets what unless if the document actually said
- who is intended for. Okay. Now on the information too about the poll worker, one of the packets was
- for early voting. What did you amend that to indicate stuff about how many challengers, watchers, and
- poll book holders could be in the physical location at one time? So all of our poll workers also get
- the poll worker book that comes from the Secretary of State's office. I can't think of the exact name
- of it currently at this time. They also receive that, and it's very, very important.
- breaks it down by how many can be at each of the locations. With early voting, it is sometimes tricky
- because we have individuals who think that since every precinct is at that location, they could send
- one for every single one of the 83 precincts. And we had to clarify in 2024 that that just would not work in
- an early voting location and that we suggested that it was one for the whole precinct and can and consider
- early voting as one. For the whole polling location. Correct. Yeah. Okay. So, so that that wasn't what
- was in the packet that was sent out that you are going to amend that was one of the amendments from
- your list from the that we received this morning.
- Good, good, good. Also, did you see the issue about on the general poll book manual to remove state
- school ideas, a form of valid? Yes, yes, we did. In the inspector and judges checklist,
- It said on page one in case of emergency that they're to speak to an authority. Can you further define
- who an authority is there? So the list that they get has a non-emergency line for both the Monroe County
- Sheriff's Office, the Bloomington Police Department, and the Indiana University. That a way they have one for
- wherever location they are at, but then also the authority would be the election board so that they
- are informed of what is going on. And that number is the 2690 number of the voter registration office,
- which serves as election central on election day. Okay. So authority in that situation, if they call
- into the election office is the election board. Okay.
- are just a lot of questions that I had here clearly. So I don't know what all your are including and
- aren't including and what you're adjusting. So the whole seven page packet that you have sent to us
- is what we have gone through. And those are the amendments that have been added. I appreciate that.
- Thank you.
- Okay, so I'm gonna go back a few minutes. Do we have a motion to approve the training manual?
- Was that made? We have a motion and we have a second, correct? You already voted on that. Okay, good,
- so we can move on. All right, so I guess now we can move down to the absentee workers and we have both lists.
- Yes, both letters were received. The one from the Democratic Party was received yesterday and the one
- from the Republican Party was received this morning. Both of those were emailed to Molly and Justin
- and they did receive those to amend the resolution.
- hard copy. I assume it wasn't emailed yet. I was going to wait until the resolution to email the resolution
- to all board members. Okay. So you will get a copy of this later in. If you have a question about who's
- on it, I can I will state that the list that we received from both are the same list that we essentially
- received in 2024. This is
- Just a list of workers who could potentially be working at early voting. Not every single one of them
- will be guaranteed to work. Some of them will be backups. Some of them will not. And once the leads
- start working with them, they will start getting the schedule filled in for that as well. My understanding
- is, oh, you have the required positions covered and controlled. Except for on the Democratic side, we
- are still missing an early voting lead.
- Okay, so then we need a motion then to approve the workers and I will make such a motion. Second. Okay,
- discussion. All right, go and call the roll, please. Mr. Big. Yes. Shields. Yes. Mr. Yes. Motion carries
- three to Thank you. We're at the point now. Is there any public comment on anything?
- I see none. I will make a note that I ask a question. Sure. Okay. Um, I understand that absentee ballots
- for people who've already requested absentee ballots have to start to go out at the latest by tomorrow.
- Have absentee ballots already started to go out? Ballots started going out on Monday.
- Ms. Githens, I received your request to be added to the list of labels and I will be submitting that
- to the absentee leads to have you added to that list and they will backdate to the first day. Appreciate
- that, thank you. Ballot testing is scheduled for Tuesday, the 24th at 930.
- At election center, I'll just make that note for people. I've not done that before. How open is that?
- It's completely open to the public. Anybody is welcome to come. Generally, we have an individual from
- the League of Women Voters. And I know Dave Askins is there in the past. It's been just about that.
- Maybe a couple of candidates. But since we are in the new location, I'm expecting a higher turnout than
- normal. Well, Mr. Askins is there. What more could we ask for?
- Dave, you know it. Okay, so that's next up. Tuesday and Tuesday. Okay. A motion to adjourn. Second.
- Roll please. Mr. Fig. Shields. Yes. Yes. We will see you on Tuesday. See you Tuesday.