Observers | Tammie Shoemaker, Richard Shoemaker |
Date of interview | 09/01/2021 |
Time and date of initial call and email: | 08/26/2021 |
Time and date of response: | 08/26/2021 |
Did the registrar refuse to meet you: | No |
If yes, please provide the reason given for not meeting: | |
Survey Answers |
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1. What is your biggest concern about the upcoming election? | Voter Confidence |
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2. Any other major concerns? | N/A |
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3. Do you feel like you have the resources, equipment, personnel, and training needed to run an effective election in November? | Yes |
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3a. Any additional information? | |
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4. If no, what is missing? | |
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5. The county election board is supposed to consist of 2 Democrats and a Republican under a Democrat governor, but in some areas, boards have had trouble finding willing Republicans and have appointed an Independent instead, or another Democrat. What is the situation in this county? | 2D+R |
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6. What about precinct staff? Are you able to have equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans? | No |
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6a. Provide Details | Predominantly democrat area, have some republicans willing to serve but not equal |
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7. Is the county Board of Elections engaged in your work year-round, or mostly near elections? | Yearly |
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7a. Any additional information? | |
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8. When was the last audit of the voter file in your county? | 2021-01-01 00:00:00 |
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8a. No. of days since last audit: | |
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8b. Any additional information? | In off season; sometimes in June or July |
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9a. Does the Health Department send a list of deceased people to your office every month so they can be removed from the voter roll? | No |
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9b. If no, how often do they send a list? | Bureau of vital statistics sends list to state board of elections which trickles down to registrar |
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10. When was the last time the Clerk of Courts submitted a list of individuals who declined to serve on jury duty on the basis of being a non-citizen? | |
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10a. Any additional information? | Prior years more often; current clerk seldom |
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Record date and other list(s), if relevant | Prior years more often; current clerk seldom |
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11. When was the last time you had access to the National Change of Address List or any other change of address list? | 2021-07-01 00:00:00 |
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Other list(s): | Other lists came through list maintenance |
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12a. Are you confident that the voter file is accurate and up to date? | Yes |
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12b. If no, what is/are your main concern(s) about the list? | Never 100% because of inactivity |
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13. How many households in your locality have more than 7 individuals registered at the same address? Number: | Unknown; knowledgeable on elderly living, women's homes |
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14. During registration, how do you verify that voters are citizens? | Voters certify that they are citizens, registrar takes it at face value |
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15. There are three types of voting machines used in Virginia. Can you tell me which machines you use? | DS-200 & Express vote through ES&S |
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16. Who calibrates the voting machines, and can you please explain the process? | Print Elect & ES&S maintain equipment & also perform L&A testing |
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17. Do you invite party representatives to witness the calibration? | Yes |
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17a. Any additional information? | Rare that party representatives attend unless its a national election. Candidates attended a few times |
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18a. Are voting machines ever connected to the internet? | No |
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18b. If they are not connected to the internet, how and when are they updated? | Neither are the electronic poll books. Internally within the L&A |
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19. As an election professional, do you think the changes made in the election process in Virginia in response to COVID have weakened election integrity, strengthened election integrity, or made no change in election integrity? | Weakened |
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19a. Any additional information? | Slightly due to removal of the witness signature |
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20a. Did you receive any funding or in-kind contributions for training, staff, voter education or equipment, or any other purpose from outside the state of Virginia? | Yes |
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20b. If yes, what was the funding or contribution used for? | CTCL grant - $89,000 CARES ACT - $66,000. Purchased electronic poll books, new DS200, aditional training, COVID gear, drop boxes, voter education via pamphlets / sample ballots & postage |
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21. Effective Jul 1, 2021, Senate Bill 1097, eliminated requirements for voters to have a witness signature on absentee ballots for any election during a declared state of emergency. The Governor has now rescinded the state of emergency. How are you training your staff to ensure that there is a signature match for the upcoming elections? | Verify that a signature os present |
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22. There is a lot of concern in Virginia and across the country about the security and integrity of the ballot drop boxes. What are the chain of custody procedures for ballot drop boxes? | (2) drop boxes in use (1) outside of office & (1) street side - use external cameras; (2) members of registrar office retrieve ballots & log them |
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23. Was there any time during the last election cycle when your drop boxes did not have video monitoring? | No |
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23a. Any additional information? | |
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24. Who is responsible for reviewing the video? | Registrar on Electoral Board only if an issue was brought to attention. No review by party observers |
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24b. Were party observers present during the review? | No |
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25. Would you provide training and support, or designate us to provide training and support, for an election day page program as described in 24.2-604.3? | No |
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25a. Any additional information? | Because of no parental support. Registrar will support if engaged by student(s) |
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26. Would you authorize non-partisan election observers with the same rights as party representatives; as described in 24.2-604.5 A? | Yes |
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26a. Any additional information? | If approved by Electoral Board |
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27. Would you authorize international non-partisan observers from recognized election monitoring organizations? | Yes |
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27a. Any additional information? | Once supported a team of (12) African governors during election |
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28. Have your local party chairs been notified that they are entitled to send observers to your office each day it is open and receiving in-person absentee ballots? | Yes |
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28a. Any additional information? | |
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29a. Do you have a publication that you provide to your election officials regarding rights and responsibilities of observers? | Yes |
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29b. If no, would you be willing to distribute such a publication that we would prepare based on Virginia law? | Yes |
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30. Question – Please characterize your interaction with the Registrar as | Helpful Polite |