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June 30, 2016
Precinct Delegate Reminders
As you prepare for the August Primary election, remember Precinct Delegates require additional forms in the precinct. Ensure your precinct supply kits have the following documents:
Be sure to remind your election inspectors that precinct delegates may file to be write-in candidates on election day and that the election inspectors are responsible for certifying (determining the winner(s)) the precinct delegate race after the polls close. The certification of the precinct delegate race, by law, cannot be completed by the Board of Canvassers. A Precinct Delegate training video is available on the BOE's YouTube channel and available for viewing and download in the eLearning Center.
Review Ch. 5 of the Election Officials' Manual for more information.
Preparing for Statewide Elections – Polling Place Layout & Logistics
This article is the first of a series of articles designed to assist in planning for the larger turnout that comes with the even year Primary and General elections.
As the Primary approaches and the General Election looms, ensure you are looking ahead and evaluating your Primary preparations in anticipation of larger turnout in November. Your polling place can have a big effect on Election Day operations.
First, review your interior layout. If you have the resources to do this at the August Primary on Election Day, you can observe the precinct in action. Well thought out layouts on paper, don’t always work as well in practice. Make sure your layout:
- Allows for an orderly flow of voters
- Gives your election inspectors control of the environment
- Uses one door as an entrance and another as an exit when possible
- Maintains privacy and accessibility for voters throughout the process
- Provides a public area for poll watchers
In addition to reviewing your polling place layout, take a look at your signage. Is your signage clearly marking the path for a voter unfamiliar with the location? Is there signage showing the entrance to the parking lot, the polling facility, and the polling room? Is the font size large enough to be visible and hung at eye level? Review the Guiding voters through the polling place Field Guide by the Center for Civic Design for more tips.
Make sure the accessible path is noted as well and if you anticipate campaigning activity on election day, take the time to mark or identify the 100’ for the polling place entrance boundary line.
Lastly, for the November General Election, you’ll need to provide more voting booths. Provide no less than one voting station for every 80 to 100 registered voters in each precinct. The Voting Technology Project provides useful line optimization calculators for use by election administrators. The Line Optimization tool can be used to simulate many different numbers of voting booths, voters, and arrival patterns. If you anticipate needing additional booths for
November, start planning now to allow for sufficient time to finalize numbers
and place orders.
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