Managing AB/MB Voting Activities Before Election Week

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Activities involved in managing AB/MB voting the week before an election include receiving and organizing ballots, central counting process, processing AB applications and voter registrations. There is a focus on ballot security, chain of custody, and staff responsibilities in handling and counting ballots. Proper organization is crucial to ensure efficiency and accuracy in the election process.

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Managing AB/MB Voting the Week Before the Election and Drop Boxes 2022 County Election Administration Training Conference

Agenda Overview & Organization Rejected AB Ballots Ballot Security & Change of Ownership Communication & Procedural Knowledge Drop Boxes

Overview & Organization The main activities that you should be prepared for the week before the election: Receiving and Managing Ballots Central Count Process Processing AB Applications and Sorting Voter Registrations Early Absentee In-Person Voting and Direct Balloting

Overview & Organization cont. Managing Ballots Receiving absentee ballots from multiple sources Dropped off, mailed in, left in drop boxes, delivered from cities These ballots are organized, paired with any necessary materials, and then kept in proper storage containers and facilities Accepted ballots are sorted and organized for opening and counting Rejected ballots are marked in SVRS, a replacement ballot is initialized, labels are printed, and then new packets are made Throughout all of this, there must be an organized chain of custody for ballots to go to and from storage for each process Absentee ballot board, central count room, final storage, rejected storage, etc.

Overview & Organization cont. Staff Count ballots through Central Count Process Ballots are moving from locked storage, to the Ballot Board, potentially again to be opened and prepped, and then to the counting machines. These ballots are then secured and sealed, having been tabulated Staff may need to troubleshoot ballot locations Specific reports for tracking ballots in SVRS Specific reports to give accurate data to compare to hand- counts of ballots along the way Summary statements available

Overview & Organization Cont. Processing AB Applications and Voter Registration Receiving and processing absentee requests by mail and online These newly processed applications need labels printed and new ballot packs put together Ballot packs should be clearly marked/separated from replacement ballot packs Received and processed AB applications need to be clearly organized To find an application upon request or if needed for signature comparison To delineate these applications from ones used for early in-person voting To delineate applications that need to be or have been processed Receiving voter registrations that cannot be processed If they do not live in the county, they must be forwarded by mail If they do live in the county, they must be retained for after the election Late registration notices are sent to voters registered past the 21-day period

Overview & Organization Cont. Early Absentee In-Person Voting and Direct Balloting Voters may need to complete an EDR at polling place These voter registrations need to be held separate from other VRAs held for processing after the election Processing absentee applications that need to be stored separately from mailed in ballot requests Handing out ballots at polling place Inventory blank ballots to make sure there is enough between stations Reconciling at the end of each voting day Comparing counts of voted ballots to the count on the voting equipment and a count of the AB applications Organization for moving ballots and applications/VRA to and from storage

Rejected AB Ballots Steps for Rejected Ballots: 1. When rejected, a new label is automatically created by SVRS 2. Reports are run by staff with a list of labels for replacement ballot packets 3. Packets are stamped to signify replacements for rejected ballots 4. Packets are mailed back to the individual 5. If 5 days or fewer to election: Staff will notify voter of rejection and options for returning by election day 6. A rejection reason is included in SVRS report

Ballot Security & Change of Ownership Secure Facility with Adequate Storage Requirements Two people must be present with all marked ballots Diligence sealing retention bins Good practice to use new containers for ballot storage Troubleshooting issues and optics Dealing with something that is "missing" Try to be mindful of how something looks when planning and organizing things

Communication & Procedural Knowledge Follow statutory guidance and be mindful of process Have access to rules and statutes Hide nothing unless it is protected by law Available resources for staff Contact information for assistance should be readily available Vendors, Local Law Enforcement, County Attorney, OSS etc. Communicate with local law enforcement and your county attorney ahead of time Organization System and Materials Labels have an impact on SVRS; time sensitivity is important! Pre-making materials will save time those last 7 days Applications and documents need to be sorted separately Schedule and deadlines

Drop Boxes Grants In 2021 the Legislature authorized $2 million for drop box grants MS 203B.082, specifies the minimum security requirements and standards to establish a 24-hour ballot drop box. Questions about Drop Box Grants can be directed to our Elections Security Cyber Navigator, Bill Ekblad (Bill.Ekblad@state.mn.us) or our Elections Division email inbox (elections.dept@state.mn.us) Procedure and Statutory Requirements Not available everywhere Locations need to be shared with OSS no later than 40 days prior to the beginning of AB voting Locations must be published on the county or municipality website 35 days prior to the beginning of AB voting Unattended drop boxes need to be video recorded 24/7 Must be clear signage on the Drop Box