11/3/23 News Update - Early Voting Grant Application Update, Time Change, Information Sharing Room, and more

Michigan Secretary of State sent this bulletin at 11/03/2023 03:59 PM EDT

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November 3, 2023

Regular Edition News Update #2023-26

Early Voting Grant Application Update 

The Bureau is actively reviewing and prepping to get orders fulfilled based on Early Voting Grant Application submissions. Counties received or will be receiving emails if additional information is needed for your application or to confirm the quantities of equipment requested. If you are receiving a confirmation email, that confirms the equipment listed in the email will be funded by the Early Voting Grant. Information on reimbursement for additional supplies like ballot containers, secrecy sleeves, etc. will come later after we've finalized the funding used for tabulators, VATs, Ballot on Demand (BOD) systems, laptops, and staffing.  

Counties, if you or your jurisdictions have already placed an order for a tabulator, VAT and/or BOD system, please forward your invoice information to BOEReimbursement@michigan.gov so that BOE can determine if reimbursement or payment to vendor is necessary, and so we can fulfill the true number of needed devices. Thank you for your patience as we work through logistics. If you have any questions or need clarification on the Early Voting Grant application process, email BOEReimbursement@michigan.gov. 

 

information sharing room

November 7, 2023 Local Election Officials Election Day Information Sharing Room

The Bureau of Elections invites all local election officials who are participating in this November’s election to join the Election Day information sharing room. The purpose of this room is to share election related information, in particular information regarding incidents that have occurred, between local government officials, local election officials, and the Michigan Election Incident Response Team. You may log in and use the chat area to stay informed and report any election security related incidents directly or request guidance on security related issues. Information shared in this room should be considered raw information and should not be shared with the public or the media. The room will be open November 7, 2023, from 7:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Attendance in this room is optional, and you may drop in and out throughout the day for updates.   

Access to this room is by request only. Once requested you will receive a link to the session. The session will be on the Adobe Connect Platform, which may require a download on your system. Please e-mail David Tarrant at Tarrantd2@Michigan.gov to request a link.  

forms

Signature Cure, Part 2 (Public Act 82 of 2023/Senate Bill 370)   

Under the Proposal 2022-2 amendment to the Michigan Constitution, if a local clerk determines that a voter’s signature on their absent voter ballot application or absent voter ballot envelope either does not match their signature on file or is missing from that application or return envelope, the voter “has a right to be notified immediately and afforded due process, including an equitable opportunity to correct the issue with the signature.” 

Public Act 82 sets forth the timelines governing the review and notification process local clerks must follow for determining a signature deficiency:  

  • Between 45 and 6 days before an election: The clerk must make a reasonable effort to verify or reject the AV ballot application or AV ballot return envelope received during this time by the end of the next business day following receipt. If the clerk determines that the voter’s signature on the application or return envelope is deficient, the clerk must notify the voter by telephone, email, or text message, if available, or by U.S. mail if the other methods are unavailable. 
  • Beginning five days before an election and on Election Day: The clerk must verify or reject the AV ballot application or AV ballot return envelope received during this time by the end of the calendar day of receipt. If the clerk determines that the elector’s signature on the application or return envelope is missing or does not agree sufficiently with the signature on file, the clerk must notify the elector by phone, email, or text message, if available, or by U.S. mail if the other methods are unavailable. 
  • After 4 p.m. on the Friday before the election: If the clerk determines that the voter’s signature on an AV ballot application is missing or does not agree sufficiently with the signature on file after this time, the clerk must immediately notify that voter of the rejection of their application.  

In addition, Public Act 82 describes when an absent voter ballot application or absent voter ballot return envelope is considered to be received by the local clerk’s office: 

  • Before or during the scheduled business hours of the clerk’s office: If an AV ballot application or AV ballot return envelope comes into the physical control of the clerk’s office during this time, it is received by the clerk on that day. 
  • After the end of the scheduled business hours of the clerk’s office: If an AV ballot application or AV ballot return envelope comes into the physical control of the clerk’s office after business hours, it is received by the clerk the next day the clerk has scheduled business hours. 
  • On a day on which the clerk does not have scheduled business hours: If an AV ballot application or AV ballot return envelope comes into the physical control of the clerk’s office on such a day, it is received by the clerk on the next day the clerk has scheduled business hours. 

Reminder: Even though PA 82 did not get immediate effect, the Michigan Constitution still requires voters to have an equitable opportunity to cure their signature. In order to provide voters an equitable opportunity to cure in a uniform manner across the state, for the November election clerks should afford voters the 3-day period after the election provided in the legislation to cure any signature issue. Refer to the Bureau’s Signature verification training and Signature verification and voter notification for guidance on signature matching. (Note that these documents do not include all the new deadlines in PA 82.) The Absent Voter Ballot Application Signature Cure Notice and the  Absent Voter Ballot Return Envelope Signature Cure Notice are also available in eLearning. 

 

Configuration Sets for Early Voting Pollbooks and Tabulators (Public Act 81 of 2023/Senate Bill 367) 

voter merge

Public Act 81 of 2023 (Senate Bill 367) outlines the tabulator configuration(s) allowed when programming Early Vote site tabulator(s). Tabulators must be programmed using one of the following configurations: 

  • All tabulators are programmed identically and will accept ballots from any precinct included in the Early Vote site’s region/coverage area.  Identically programmed tabulators will be treated as a single tabulator when balancing and completing the physical pollbook.  
  • Tabulators are programmed to accept a subset of ballots from precincts included in the Early Vote site’s region/coverage area.  This option prohibits programming a precinct on more than one tabulator within the site.  Each uniquely programmed tabulator will have a corresponding physical pollbook.   

Best Practice suggestions:   

  • Ideally, program tabulator(s) to accept a subset of no more than 10 precincts on each.  This option takes into consideration not only the time necessary to open and close equipment and secure materials, but it also considers balancing, canvassing, recounts, and post-election audit activities.
  • Distribute precincts across tabulators based on registered voter counts to avoid one tabulator potentially creating a bottleneck.
  • Manage voter flow by increasing the number of check-in stations available. Greeters and problem help desks are also good options for additional line management. 

 

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BOE Support for the November 7 Election 

The following technical QVF and election administration support will be available prior to and on November 7:  

Saturday, November 4: 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.  

Sunday, November 5: 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.  

Monday, November 6: 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.  

Election Day, November 7: 6 a.m. until 10 p.m.  

NOTE: If your call goes to voicemail, please leave only one message with detailed information about the problem you are encountering. This allows Bureau staff to return calls effectively and to provide help to everyone efficiently.  

Phone numbers: 

QVF Technical Questions: 800-310-5697  

Election Administration Questions: 517-335-3237 

 

Tips for Success from the Training and Election Assistance Team 

We encourage clerks to reduce their pre-election stress and practice downloading their Electronic Pollbook (EPB) files and installing them on your EPB laptop. This practice may require some housekeeping to ensure that your EPB software from a previous election was successfully uninstalled from your laptop. Once you have practiced downloading your EPB software from the QVF and installing the software on your EPB laptop, please make sure you uninstall your practice attempt download so you have a fresh start on November 7. These procedures remain unchanged and can be found in our Electronic Poll book Manual. 

If you are a clerk who is hosting voters from a neighboring jurisdiction in a combined precinct due to a consolidated school election, we don’t want you to exclude your neighbors. Please check the Precinct List that will be downloaded into your Electronic Pollbook to confirm all eligible voter records will be visible on Election Day. Refer to our Quick Reference Guide for Combined Precincts including Voters from Other Jurisdictions. If you do not have access to all voters in each combined precinct, check the Duty List report to verify assignments, and check your selections. If a correction is needed to a duty list assignment, please email the request to Electiondata@michigan.gov with the subject line: duty list correction needed. 

 

In this issue:

  • Early Voting Grant Update
  • Correction - Early Voting Sites
  • Time Change - Daylight Savings Time Ends
  • November 7, 2023 Local Election Officials Election Day Information Sharing Room
  • 2022 Election Post-Election Audit Report
  • Signature Cure, Part 2 (Public Act 82 of 2023/Senate Bill 370) 
  • Saturday and/or Sunday Office Hours, AV Ballot Issuance and Voter Registration 
  • August/November 2024 Calendar of Election Dates 
  • REMINDER: Remember to Log into Your eLearning Account Regularly 
  • Emergencies on Election Day 
  • Configuration Sets for Early Voting Pollbooks and Tabulators (Public Act 81 of 2023/Senate Bill 367) 
  • BOE Support for the November 7 Election 
  • MOVE Ballots Postmarked by Election Day and Received within 6 Days after Election Day 
  • Tips for Success from the Training and Election Assistance Team
  • Drop Box & Postage Reimbursement
  • Early Voting Feedback

 

CORRECTION – Early Voting Sites 

Please note that PA 81 of 2023 requires that early voting sites be provided for early voting by the board of county election commissioners if municipalities are parties to a county agreement. Our Regular Edition #2023-25 News Update, dated October 12, 2023, omitted the word “election.” 

 

Save Time

Time Change – Daylight Savings Time Ends 

Clocks will turn back one hour at 2:00 am on Sunday, November 5, 2023. Most tabulators and Voter Assist Terminals must be manually adjusted to the correct time. Review the Time Adjustment Instructions for step-by-step instructions for each vendor system.  

 

2022 Election Post-Election Audit Report 

A report on post-election audits conducted for the November 2022 Statewide Election can be found at this link at Michigan.gov/Elections. The report describes the work of municipal and county clerks, as well as the Bureau of Elections, to conduct recounts, procedural audits, and a statistical ballot audit of the 2022 elections. Recounts and audits confirmed that Michigan’s election system performed effectively in 2022 and that municipal and county election officials’ extensive work and preparation for the election resulted in a smoothly conducted election with record turnout. The report also describes how recounts, procedural audits, and statistical ballot audits of paper ballot confirmed that tabulators counted ballots accurately in statewide races. 

 

Office Hours

Saturday and/or Sunday Office Hours, AV Ballot Issuance and Voter Registration 

For jurisdictions with a November election, local clerks, or other authorized personnel appointed by the clerk, must be available in the clerk's office for at least 8 hours, offered in some combination of hours, Saturday, November 4 and/or Sunday, November 5. On Saturday and/or Sunday, voters may register to vote with residency verification and/or request an absentee ballot in person. During that weekend, voters may take any AV ballot issued with them - it does not have to be voted in the clerk's office. 

 

calendar

August/November 2024 Calendar of Election Dates 

The calendar for the election dates for the August 2024 primary and November 2024 general election is now available on the Bureau’s website. This calendar includes all dates associated with Proposal 2022-2 legislation (Public Acts 81-88 of 2023), as all will be effect by deadlines leading up to the August election. As a reminder, the 2024 Presidential Primary calendar is also available on the website; the dates on that calendar will be updated, if necessary, when all Proposal 2022-2 legislation is effective.  

 

REMINDER: Remember to Log into Your eLearning Account Regularly 

For your eLearning account to remain active, it's important to log in at least once every 6 months. Beginning in two weeks, if you are not logging in every 6 months, your account will be deactivated because of inactivity.  This means if you have not accessed eLearning since mid-May, your account will be deactivated mid-November. Please take a moment to log into eLearning to ensure your account will remain active.  

It’s also important to report any new accounts, reactivations, or updates to existing employees or deactivation requests to the Bureau of Elections as soon as possible via the Michigan Bureau of Elections - Election Account/Update Request Form. 

 

Emergencies on Election Day 

As Election Day approaches, it is important to review emergency procedures. Remember: County and local clerks cannot shorten or extend the polling hours unless or until directed to do so by the proper legal authority. If an emergency occurs within your jurisdiction that could potentially interrupt the voting process or that closes one or more polling places in your jurisdiction, take direction from local law enforcement officials and call the Bureau of Elections as soon as possible. If it is necessary to evacuate a polling place for any reason, instruct the precinct board to take possession of the pollbook before leaving. 

If an emergency occurs outside your jurisdiction that raises questions about the possible interruption of the voting process or the suspension of the election, do not take action unless or until you receive direction from the Bureau of Elections. Polling hours cannot be extended beyond 8 p.m. without a court order. 

Reminders: 

Tabulators and some VATs will run for a significant amount of time without a power source if properly charged. Keep all devices including electronic pollbooks charging on Election Day! 

Voting can continue in the event of a loss of power. Be sure to use auxiliary bins for ballots and paper backup pollbooks in the event that electronic equipment is not available. Flashlights should be available in each precinct, and if possible, you should make arrangements to have access to a generator if necessary. 

In the event of a wide-scale emergency on Election Day, the Bureau of Elections will send an urgent News Update. 

 

MOVE Ballots Postmarked by Election Day and Received within 6 Days after Election Day 

In early May, Public Act 25 of 2023/Senate Bill 259 was enrolled and signed by the Governor. The new law does the following: 

  • Incorporates into statute the new Constitutional requirement in Article 2, section 4(1)(b) that MOVE ballots postmarked on or before Election Day and received within 6 days after Election Day be considered timely received. In determining timeliness: if the postmark on the AV ballot return envelope is unclear, the local clerk would deliver it to the county clerk and the county clerk would determine whether it was timely received.  
  • Requires that, by the seventh day after the election, local clerks deliver all MOVE AV ballots to their county clerk. In determining timeliness: if the postmark on the AV ballot return envelope is unclear but the county clerk determines that the AV ballot return envelope or voter certificate were dated on or before Election Day, it would be considered timely received.  
  • Requires that timely received MOVE AV ballots are tabulated by the county clerk in a meeting of the Board of County Canvassers. 
  • Provides that, in addition to the instructions sent with all AV ballots, additional instructions are sent with MOVE AV ballots that indicate that ballots received by the clerk within 6 days after the election will be counted and those received beyond 6 days after the election or postmarked after Election Day will not be counted. 

Instructions for processing these ballots are in the eLearning center. 

 

Drop Box & Postage Reimbursement 

We have begun processing reimbursement requests for drop box and postage. Look out for emails from BOEReimbursment@michigan.gov for additional information needed to process your request. Please review the reimbursement forms prior to submitting new requests to ensure you included all the necessary information needed to process.  

 

Early Voting Feedback 

If you are a county or jurisdiction that visited one of the piloting early voting sites and have feedback, please send that information to EASuport@michigan.gov, Subject Line: Early Voting Feedback. 

 

Helpful Links

account requestcalendarElearning Center link