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.