| Observers | Pam Sinex, Rose Quinnan, Steve Quinnan |
|---|
| Date of interview | 08/31/2021 |
|---|
| Time and date of initial call and email: | 08/25/2021 |
|---|
| Time and date of response: | 08/25/2021 |
|---|
| Did the registrar refuse to meet you: | No |
|---|
| If yes, please provide the reason given for not meeting: | |
|---|
| Survey Answers |
|---|
| 1. What is your biggest concern about the upcoming election? | Law changes create voter confusion. So much change requires voter education and knowledge. Pandemic makes election difficult. Unknown of how things turn out. |
|---|
| 2. Any other major concerns? | Foremost is law changes. No excuses needed to vote absentee. Protocols change. General public confusion. |
|---|
| 3. Do you feel like you have the resources, equipment, personnel, and training needed to run an effective election in November? | Yes |
|---|
| 3a. Any additional information? | Yes and no. Federal mandate but local funding. We have a funding deficit to deal with 46000 registered voters. Bare minimum in funding given. |
|---|
| 4. If no, what is missing? | Need more funds and staff for proper accountability. |
|---|
| 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 |
|---|
| 6. What about precinct staff? Are you able to have equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans? | Refused |
|---|
| 6a. Provide Details | Some locations predominantly Democrat, some predominantly Republican. At least one of each party. Not always possible to have equal numbers. |
|---|
| 7. Is the county Board of Elections engaged in your work year-round, or mostly near elections? | Yearly |
|---|
| 7a. Any additional information? | And more frequently as issues arise in election cycles. |
|---|
| 8. When was the last audit of the voter file in your county? | |
|---|
| 8a. No. of days since last audit: | |
|---|
| 8b. Any additional information? | Address confirmation based on June data. |
|---|
| 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? | Yes |
|---|
| 9b. If no, how often do they send a list? | Based on ERIC program multi state database. |
|---|
| 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? | |
|---|
| 10a. Any additional information? | Never |
|---|
| Record date and other list(s), if relevant | Never |
|---|
| 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 |
|---|
| Other list(s): | Several hundred changes sent and updated. Code requires signature that you moved. |
|---|
| 12a. Are you confident that the voter file is accurate and up to date? | Yes |
|---|
| 12b. If no, what is/are your main concern(s) about the list? | In as much as we can within the law. |
|---|
| 13. How many households in your locality have more than 7 individuals registered at the same address? Number: | Don’t have a way to do this count. |
|---|
| 14. During registration, how do you verify that voters are citizens? | Given vital records, applicant must check “Citizen” box on application and sign affidavit. |
|---|
| 15. There are three types of voting machines used in Virginia. Can you tell me which machines you use? | ES&S, optical scan DS-200 scanner. 36 DS scanners hold all ballots. Tested before the election. |
|---|
| 16. Who calibrates the voting machines, and can you please explain the process? | Registrar, assistant and board members. Two to three day process. All scanners. |
|---|
| 17. Do you invite party representatives to witness the calibration? | Yes |
|---|
| 17a. Any additional information? | Send them date and time. |
|---|
| 18a. Are voting machines ever connected to the internet? | No |
|---|
| 18b. If they are not connected to the internet, how and when are they updated? | Against Virginia law. No USB port is open to anyone on election day. |
|---|
| 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? | Strengthened |
|---|
| 19a. Any additional information? | Tested and verified each possible vote combination. More checks and balances in place. Can stand on what they did to ensure safe voting with integrity. |
|---|
| 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 |
|---|
| 20b. If yes, what was the funding or contribution used for? | Yes, in the past. Express vote for handicapped. $130K to buy, followed by $6K per year maintenance. Center for Tech and Civil Rights gave $39K for renting facility. |
|---|
| 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? | Must now be a signature match. Required to cure ballots statewide. |
|---|
| 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? | Drop box in Registrar’s office. ADA accessible. Open only during voting hours. On election day a drop box was in each election precinct. |
|---|
| 23. Was there any time during the last election cycle when your drop boxes did not have video monitoring? | No |
|---|
| 23a. Any additional information? | |
|---|
| 24. Who is responsible for reviewing the video? | Registrar |
|---|
| 24b. Were party observers present during the review? | Yes |
|---|
| 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? | Yes |
|---|
| 25a. Any additional information? | At one point 34 kids. On hold due to Covid. Packets sent to high schools for student to apply. |
|---|
| 26. Would you authorize non-partisan election observers with the same rights as party representatives; as described in 24.2-604.5 A? | No |
|---|
| 26a. Any additional information? | Not currently. No requests. |
|---|
| 27. Would you authorize international non-partisan observers from recognized election monitoring organizations? | No |
|---|
| 27a. Any additional information? | Not currently. Would have to address case-by-case. |
|---|
| 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 |
|---|
| 28a. Any additional information? | |
|---|
| 29a. Do you have a publication that you provide to your election officials regarding rights and responsibilities of observers? | Yes |
|---|
| 29b. If no, would you be willing to distribute such a publication that we would prepare based on Virginia law? | Yes |
|---|
| 30. Question Please characterize your interaction with the Registrar as | Very helpful. Very polite |
|---|
