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YES. OKAY. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS MEETING FOR MARCH 13TH. IT'S 931, SO WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.THERE IS A QUORUM PRESENT. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE NOW.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 13TH. OH.
ANY CORRECTIONS? I HAVE ONE ON PAGE ONE UNDER DECLARATION OF QUORUM. PRESIDENT. I THINK IT SHOULD BE 930 INSTEAD OF 9:00.
ANY OTHERS? I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF.
FEBRUARY 13TH WITH A CORRECTIONS. SO MOVED. SECOND.
THE MOTION. OKAY. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.
ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OKAY.
REQUESTS FOR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.
ON THE. PRECINCT VOTER COUNT REPORT. DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT? WELL, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IT. OKAY.
DO YOU HAVE A MINUS FOUR DOWN THERE WITH NO COLUMN HEADING? I I'LL HAVE TO ASK TAMMY. I'M NOT CERTAIN. AFTER UNAFFILIATED.
OKAY. YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE IT PROBABLY GOES UNDER OTHERS BECAUSE SEE, IT WAS 385 AND THEN. OH, YEAH, 81. YEP. YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S JUST.
YEAH. SO FOR SOME IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN. YEAH.
SO YOU'RE RIGHT. THE FOUR JUST NEEDS TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT.
ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? ELECTION DIRECTOR'S REPORT. OKAY. GOOD MORNING.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE ADMINISTRATION MEETINGS.
THE STAFF VIRTUALLY ATTENDED MULTIPLE SB AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
THAT TOOK PLACE HERE IN THIS BUILDING, IN THIS ROOM WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND THERE, I MEAN, THERE WEREN'T REALLY MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
IN GENERAL THEY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GAVE THEM THE REVISED.
YES. YEAH. THEY DO UNDERSTAND THAT. A LOT OF OUR BUDGET IS OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
AND SO THE MARYLAND STATE ETHICS DISCLOSURES, AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER, DUE APRIL 30TH, 2026, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE THAT. ARE WE STILL THE TWO? PROBABLY. AND VOTER REGISTRATION TOTALS REPORTS FROM FEBRUARY AND MARCH ARE ATTACHED FOR YOUR REVIEW.
ELECTION JUDGES, THE ELECTION JUDGE ASSIGNMENT REPORT AS OF MARCH 4TH, 2026 IS INCLUDED.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE NUMBERS FOR EACH POLLING PLACE.
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION ELECTION SUPPLY PACKING HAS BEGUN.
SO WE'RE. WELL, THAT'S WELL UNDERWAY. EARLY VOTING FORMS HAVE BEEN CUSTOMIZED, AND THEY'RE READY TO BE READY TO BE PROOFED AND PRINTED AS MUCH AS THEY CAN BE. ELECTION DAY FORMS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CUSTOMIZED.
THE ELECTION JUDGE MANUAL HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO SB FOR APPROVAL.
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CUSTOMIZE WITH OUR CONTACT INFORMATION OR WITH OUR COUNTY SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS.SO THAT'S WHAT IS BEING LOOKED AT AT THE STATE.
NOW, ONCE THAT GETS BACK TO US, I'VE ALREADY MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR IT TO BE PRINTED, AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE IT BACK IN TIME THAT IT WILL ALLOW ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO GIVE THEM OUT AT THE TRAINING.
THE SPECIMEN BALLOT IS BEING WORKED ON AND AGAIN WITH THAT, THERE'S A TEMPLATE THAT THE STATE PROVIDES AND WE JUST INPUT OUR LOCAL INFORMATION, SEND IT BACK TO THE STATE FOR APPROVAL.
AND THEN ONCE WE GET IT BACK, WE SEND IT OUT FOR PRINTING AND MAILING.
RISK LIMITING AUDIT, WHICH WE REFER TO AS RLA BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAS AN ACRONYM.
AND SO AFTER THIS UPCOMING ELECTION, THE STAFF WILL NEED TO PERFORM A RISK LIMITING AUDIT.
AND IT HAS TO BE DONE PRIOR TO OUR STATE CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTION RESULTS.
WE DID A TRAINING OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND IT WENT PRETTY WELL. SO THE STATE STATE WILL PICK THE CONTEST THAT IS TO BE AUDITED. AND THEN THEY WILL RANDOMLY SELECT WHICH MEMORY STICK FROM THE SCANNING UNIT GETS AUDITED, WHICH IS REFERRED TO AS A BATCH.
AND SO IT'S THIS, IT, IT, IT BASICALLY THEY ROLL A DICE LIKE A TEN SIDED DICE AND THEY GET THIS RANDOM NUMBER AND THEY PUT THAT, WHICH IS CALLED A SEED INTO A SOFTWARE, WHICH IS CALLED ARLO.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRAINED ON DURING THE PAST TRAINING.
AND THEN THAT SEED GENERATES WHICH MEMORY STICKS ARE RANDOMLY SELECTED.
SO WE RAN THROUGH THAT. IT WAS PRETTY SEAMLESS.
AND HOPEFULLY WHEN WE DO THE REAL THING, IT WILL BE JUST AS SEAMLESS AS THE TEST WAS.
YES. SO HOW MUCH TIME DOES THAT TAKE? HONESTLY, IT, IT DIDN'T TAKE A LOT OF TIME BECAUSE WE WERE DOING IT ON A SMALL SCALE, A TEST SCALE, BUT THE PROCESS THAT'S INVOLVED FOR US IS THAT ONCE WE FIND OUT WHICH MEMORY STICK IS SELECTED AND WHICH BALLOTS ARE CHOSEN FOR AUDIT, WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT THEM IN BATCHES, MANAGEABLE BATCHES OF BALLOTS, LIKE INTO STACKS OF 25.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE MOST TIME CONSUMING PART OF IT IS JUST BATCHING THOSE BALLOTS AND PUTTING A HEADER SHEET WITH EACH ONE, SO THAT WHEN WE DO THE AUDIT, WE WOULD TALLY THOSE STACKS OF 25 BALLOTS.
AND LIKE THE PREVIOUS AUDIT, WE WOULD HAVE A TEAM OF A COUPLE PEOPLE, NONPARTISAN PEOPLE WHO ARE ONE IS CALLING OFF THE CONTEST AND THEY'RE SORTING THEM AND THEY'RE TALLYING.
SO IT'S A, A BALANCE. IT'S A CHECKS AND BALANCES THE PROCESS.
BUT OUR TEST CAME OUT FINE AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE WORKING JUST FINE.
SO HOPEFULLY AGAIN, IT SHOULD BE A SMOOTH PROCESS, BUT IS THAT PART OF THE CANVAS? NO, IT'S NOT PART OF THE CANVAS. THIS IS A, A SEPARATE SEPARATE STAFF FUNCTION.
THAT WOULD BE DONE AFTER ALL OF THE CANVASES AND ALL OF THE BALLOTS ARE COUNTED.
OKAY. BUT THE STAFF, THE STAFF WILL DO IT, NOT YOU.
RIGHT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PULL IN EXTRA PEOPLE TO DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL USE SOME ELECTION JUDGES OR NOT.
BUT IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO OBSERVE AS WELL.
OKAY. IN THE PAST, WE ALWAYS USE OTHER LOCAL ELECTION OFFICE STAFF, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE DOING IT IN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAME, IT'S PROBABLY NOT FEASIBLE. SO. OKAY. ANYWAY, THAT WAS ONE THING THAT WAS DONE RECENTLY ALSO I DIDN'T INCLUDE IT ON HERE, BUT I DID HAVE TO SUBMIT A DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN FOR 2026, WHICH IS BASICALLY A CONTINGENCY PLAN TO
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COVER OUR BASES SHOULD ANYTHING UNFORESEEN OCCUR DURING ELECTION TIME.AND THEN WITH LEGISLATION WE HAD THE BOARD COUNCIL BILL.
YAY. SO ON FEBRUARY 25TH, I DID GO TO THE SENATE AND PROVIDED WRITTEN AND ORAL TESTIMONY TO THE EDUCATION, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE IN FAVOR OF SENATE BILL 443.
AND SO I THINK IT'S WELL ON ITS WAY TO PASSAGE.
GOOD. IT HAS MOVED THROUGH THE HOUSE AND HAS RECEIVED A FAVORABLE REPORT FROM THE TRIPOLI COMMITTEE AND IN THE SENATE, AND WITH NO AMENDMENTS THUS FAR. SO WELL, WELL ON ITS WAY.
LET'S HOPE FOR WALT SAKE THAT IT PASSES AND IT IS AN EMERGENCY BILL, SO IT SHOULD TAKE EFFECT.
YOU KNOW, SOONER THAN LATER. SO KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT.
ARE WE THE ONLY COUNTY LIKE KIND OF ASKING FOR THIS OR.
SO NO, WE ARE NOT AT THIS MOMENT ALONE. GOOD.
LET'S SEE. HAVE. I KIND OF LIKE, I HATE TO GET, YOU KNOW, TO PUT WORRY OUT THERE WHEN SOME OF THESE THINGS MIGHT NOT EVEN OCCUR.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER BILLS THAT COULD CAUSE YOU KNOW, SOME LAST MINUTE CHANGES OR PROCESS CHANGES. ONE TO NOTE IS THE ABILITY FOR UNAFFILIATED VOTERS TO AFFILIATE WITH A POLITICAL PARTY AT EARLY VOTING AND VOTE A PARTY BALLOT PROVISIONALLY.
YOU KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO PASS, BUT IF IT DOES, I THINK IT'S BEEN AMENDED.
SO IT WOULDN'T TAKE EFFECT THIS PRIME, THIS PRIMARY ELECTION.
ALSO THE REDISTRICTING BILL, I DON'T THINK THAT'S MOVING FOR THIS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THIS TIME.
THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS INTRODUCED A DEPARTMENTAL BILL FOR EARLY VOTING CENTERS TO HAVE BUS STOPS, WHICH WE DO. CURRENTLY, THIS IS CURRENTLY A BUS STOP FOR OUR LOCAL TRANSPORTATION, SO WE'RE ALREADY COVERED WITH THAT.
THERE'S ALSO A BILL THAT'S BEING THAT'S BEEN INTRODUCED ESSENTIALLY A TRIGGER BILL TO BIFURCATE OUR CANVASING PROCESS BETWEEN FEDERAL AND STATE AND LOCAL CONTESTS, DEPENDING ON THE TIMELINESS.
SO THERE IS CURRENTLY A, LET ME GET MY NOTES.
SO IN RESPONSE TO AN UPCOMING US SUPREME COURT CASE RULING THIS TRIGGER LEGISLATION HAS BEEN INTRODUCED. AND IF THE SUPREME COURT RULES THAT FEDERAL BALLOTS WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE COUNTED IF RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY, THEN THIS BILL WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE AND ESSENTIALLY HAVE US SEPARATE AND ONLY COUNT DIVIDE UP THE BALLOTS AND ONLY COUNT THE LOCAL CONTESTS ON THE BALLOTS THAT ARE RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY VERSUS BOTH.
EVEN IF, EVEN IF IT'S POSTMARKED. YEAH. EVEN IF IT'S POSTMARKED BEFORE.
YES. BECAUSE THE, LIKE I SAID, THE SUPREME COURT IS HEARING THIS CASE AND, AND ABOUT WHETHER TO WHETHER OR NOT TO ACCEPT BALLOTS THAT ARE RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY, REGARDLESS OF THE POSTMARK.
OKAY. SO TO BE DETERMINED, I ALMOST HATED TO SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT JUST PUT IT ON YOUR RADAR THAT THAT IS BEING HEARD IN THE SUPREME COURT.
AND ONCE WE FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION THAN WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY LET YOU KNOW.
BUT THE LOCAL, YOU KNOW, OUR STATE LEGISLATURE IS, IS KIND OF BEING PROACTIVE WITH INTRODUCING A BILL ON HOW TO HANDLE THE STATE OR THE LOCAL CONTESTS AND THE AND THE STATE CONTEST SHOULD THAT SUPREME COURT RULE THAT WE CAN'T ACCEPT THOSE BALLOTS THAT ARE RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION
[00:15:06]
DAY, AND WE'D HAVE TO DO THAT BY HAND. I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE, HOW WE WOULD.I KNOW THAT, RIGHT. WELL SO THE STATE ADMINISTRATOR IS IN TALKS WITH THE WITH MS, WHO IS ISSNS, WHO IS OUR VOTING EQUIPMENT COMPANY TO FIND OUT IF THE MACHINES COULD BE PROGRAMED TO ONLY COUNT THE STATE AND LOCAL CONTESTS.
SHOULD THAT SUPREME COURT RULE THAT WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, COUNT THE FEDERAL RACES AFTER ON THOSE BALLOTS THAT ARE RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY. OKAY. I THINK I'LL TAKE EFFECT THIS ELECTION.
I DON'T I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT CERTAIN. USUALLY THE SUPREME COURT RULINGS ARE LONGER DOWN THE ROAD.
YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD THINK, BUT I'M NOT I'M NOT 100%.
SO I DON'T REALLY WANT TO SAY. HONESTLY, I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW.
AND THAT'S VERY BARE MINIMUM AT THIS POINT. SO JUST PUTTING IT ON YOUR RADAR.
ALSO CANDIDATE FILING THE LIST OF STATEWIDE CANDIDATES CAN BE VIEWED ON THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE AS OF FEBRUARY 24TH, WHICH WAS THE CANDIDATE FILING DEADLINE, WE HAD 29 CANDIDATES FILE FOR LOCAL CONTEST IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS THAT DURING THE PRIMARY ELECTION, WE WILL NOT HAVE A NONPARTISAN BALLOT, BECAUSE THAT CONTEST JUST GOES RIGHT ON THROUGH TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.
SO WE'LL ONLY HAVE A REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC BALLOT STYLE FOR THE PRIMARY.
IS THAT RIGHT? I, I DID SEND AN EMAIL. I BELIEVE I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
SO. AND I THINK YOU SAID HE COULD NOT. OH, SO YOU'RE ASKING ME THE QUESTION.
HE CANNOT BE ON THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE. I DON'T THINK SO.
YOU'VE CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT I SENT.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU TEXTED ME. I DON'T REMEMBER.
THAT'S BEEN LIKE TWO MONTHS AGO. I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS HE DOES KNOW THAT.
YEAH, I DID COMMUNICATE WITH THEM. OKAY. I JUST DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I SPECIFICALLY COMMUNICATED.
AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN LOOK AT MY EMAIL AND WE CAN TALK AFTER THE MEETING.
THAT'S WHAT THEY USED TO DO. I MEAN. I'M SURE THE CHAIRMAN CAN APPOINT.
WHATEVER. GOING ON? OH. ARE YOU DONE? OKAY. I'M SORRY. BOARD MEMBERS REPORT.
BOARD ATTORNEYS REPORT. OKAY. FIRST, I APPRECIATE MISS MURPHY GOING OVER FOR THE HEARING.
I DEBATED IT GOING OVER. AND I APPRECIATE YOU GOING.
WELL, AND YOU GOT THERE AT ONE 130 WAS. YEAH.
KNOWING YOU, YOU PROBABLY GOT THERE AT 115. OH, NO, I GOT THERE BEFORE THAT.
I WAS GOING TO SAY YOU GOT THERE EARLY. YEAH.
AND THE PARKING WAS JUST NON-EXISTENT. I HAD TO PARK WAY DOWN BY SB.
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IN FACT, EVERY GARAGE IN ANNAPOLIS WAS FULL. SO I PARKED DOWN ON ON WEST STREET BY SB THAT GARAGE WHERE WE WOULD TYPICALLY PARK FOR AN SB MEETING WAS FULL. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PARK IN THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR'S SPOT AT SB BECAUSE SHE WASN'T IN THE OFFICE THAT DAY. SO IT JUST WORKED OUT.BUT YEAH, IT WAS IT WAS A BUSY DAY IN ANNAPOLIS.
BLESS YOUR HEART FOR GOING OVER THERE. AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE LETTER AND THE KIND COMMENTS.
OH THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALSO. MAYOR WAS THERE.
SO THERE WERE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE FROM THE MAYO LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AARON PERONE AND STEVEN FARIS AND AMANDA BEANBLOSSOM WERE ALL THERE WITH ME, SO I WASN'T ALONE.
AND AARON DID SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE, ON BEHALF OF MAYO IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL AS WELL, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WORCESTER IS THE ONLY OTHER COUNTY THAT'S DIRECTLY AFFECTED. NOW, I KNOW THAT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE DORCHESTER BOARD OF ELECTIONS IS A FRIEND OF MINE, AND SHE'S BEEN CURIOUS ON HOW IT'S GOING TO TURN OUT.
YES. I'M HOPING BECAUSE YOU BECAUSE YOU KIND OF FEEL LIKE YOU GOT TO FIND YOUR SUCCESSOR.
SO I THINK SHE'S WORRIED THAT WHEN SHE DECIDES NO LONGER TO.
YEAH. AND IT'S TOUGH. DEFINITELY. WE'VE WE'VE FOUND THAT IT'S IT'S.
AND IF YOU KNOW IN MY LETTER, YOU CAN SEE I MEAN WE'RE ALL STATE LAW IS STATE LAW.
SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHERE YOU RESIDE, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW. YEAH. LET'S SEE. WAY BACK WHEN, WHEN I RETIRED THE FIRST TIME I HAD CONTACTED A LAWYER WHO ACTUALLY LIVES IN CAROLINE ABOUT IT AND HE WAS INTERESTED AT THE TIME AND HE SAID, BUT HE WASN'T SURE. HE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS LIKE EARLY 2025 THAT HE MIGHT DECIDE TO RUN FOR SOMETHING.
I THOUGHT THE IRONY WOULD GET THE BILL PASSED AND I FIND SOMEBODY LOCAL.
YES. GOODNESS. WELL, IF YOU WANT TO PASS THE INFORMATION ALONG TO ME AFTER THE MEETING OR JUST SEND IT AN EMAIL, I CAN REACH OUT AS WELL. OH, OKAY. AND OTHER THAN THAT THE FIRST I HAD MENTIONED LAST TIME THAT THE LAWYER UPDATES WOULD BE STARTING SOON, I HAD FORGOTTEN TO CHECK MY CALENDAR BEFORE I SAID THAT THE FIRST ONE IS EARLY MAY.
OKAY. SO I'M FIGURING IF I MEAN, WE'LL KNOW BY MID-APRIL IF THAT LEGISLATION PASSES BECAUSE THE SESSION ENDS, THEN YES. SO MY THOUGHT IS TO GET SOMEBODY IN PLACE AND ME TO COME WITH THE PERSON FOR A COUPLE MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, UNPAID PAY, PAY HIM OR HER, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL JUST COME AND AND MAYBE COME WITH THE PERSON FOR THE CANVASING. ELBOW HIM TO KEEP HIM FROM FALLING ASLEEP.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NOTHING. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING SHOWING THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WE ON THE ATTORNEY LEVEL SHOULD BE GETTING HOT AND BOTHERED ABOUT. YET THAT TENDS TO COME CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL DATES ANYWAY.
NEW BUSINESS APPOINTMENT OF THE 26 PRIMARY ELECTION JUDGES.
OKAY, SO I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU THE NUMBERS FOR THE JUDGES, SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK.
I ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO OFFICIALLY APPOINT THE ELECTION JUDGES FOR THE 2026 PRIMARY ELECTION.
YOU DID A FINE JOB OF GETTING DEMOCRAT. REPUBLICAN? I MEAN, IT'S PERFECT, AND THAT'S THANKS TO TAMMY.
SHE HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO TO MAINTAIN THAT PARITY BETWEEN.
I MEAN, IT'S PERFECT. THE JUDGES. AND LET'S JUST KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, SUBMITTED INTEREST STAYS INTERESTED.
YES, YES. AND SHOWS UP. YES. SO IF IF YOU HAVE A REQUEST FOR A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO ACCEPT THE APPOINTED ELECTION JUDGES, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE APPOINTED ELECTION JUDGES FOR THE
[00:25:07]
2026 PRIMARY ELECTION. SECOND. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED TO APPOINT THE OR AFFIRM THE APPOINTED ELECTION JUDGES. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.OKAY. TELL TAMMY WE CONGRATULATE HER FOR A JOB WELL DONE.
YES. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE EQUAL, DO THEY? I MEAN, AS LONG AS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
YEAH, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THEY DO HAVE TO BE WELL, 2 IN 1.
I MEAN, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. THAT'S THE. YEAH.
ESPECIALLY I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE CHIEF JUDGES I MEAN.
YES. YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. AND AND THAT'S YOU DID IT ALL THE WAY THERE.
YEAH. YEAH. YOU WON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE PRESS RELEASES.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD TIME TO READ THEM OR NOT.
SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THEM.
YEAH, WELL, THEY WERE THEY WERE WELL DONE. YEAH.
THE RELEASES WERE. SHOULD THERE BE A LINK TO THEM FROM OUR WEBSITE? I'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS THAT RELATE TO THESE PRESS RELEASES.
OKAY. AND I MEAN. I REFER THEM TO THE STATE. OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO SEARCH A LITTLE BIT.
WELL, IT'S UNDER PRESS RELEASES AND IT JUST I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD IF I'M GOING TO TRY AND ANSWER QUESTIONS, WHICH I REALLY CAN'T.
I WILL, I WOULD PREFER TO REFER THEM TO OUR WEBSITE.
PLUS I'D LIKE THEM TO SEE OUR WEBSITE ANYWAY, SO I PUSH IT A LITTLE BIT.
MAYBE THEY'LL KEEP LOOKING AT IT. YEAH. OKAY.
WELL, I CAN DO THAT. THANK YOU. SURE. I THINK IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.
OH, I DO. LET'S SEE. I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, AND I THINK I TALKED ABOUT THIS DURING THE LAST MEETING THAT THE STATE HAD PICKED THE VENDOR FOR THE NEW VOTING SYSTEM, BUT I COULDN'T RELEASE THE NAME OF THE VENDOR AT THE TIME.
AND THE EQUIPMENT IS ACTUALLY THE NEWER MODELS OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY FAMILIAR AND OUR VOTERS.
BUT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT LET'S SEE A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THE SCANNING UNITS ARE FASTER AS FAR AS SCANNING. AND SO THAT'S A PLUS.
AND THEN THE BALLOT MARKING DEVICE HAS THE ABILITY TO ALLOW MULTIPLE COLUMNS OF CANDIDATES.
SO THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. BECAUSE OUR CURRENT BALLOT MARKING DEVICE, YOU'VE GOT PAGES AND PAGES AND PAGES THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND IT MAKES YOU CLICK LOAD MORE, YOU KNOW, AND SOMETIMES THAT'S CONFUSING TO THE VOTERS.
THIS WILL ALLOW THAT. SO IT'LL BE LESS PAGES OF CANDIDATES ON THE SCREEN.
AND LET'S SEE, A PRESS RELEASE ACTUALLY JUST POPULATED IN MY EMAIL TO LET US KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS AVAILABLE FROM THE VENDOR OF THE NEW VOTING SYSTEM AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE HELD MARCH 23RD THROUGH MARCH 25TH FROM 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M.
AND THE THREE LOCATIONS ONE IS GOING TO BE HILTON BALTIMORE, INNER HARBOR, HILTON GARDEN INN, ROCKVILLE, GAITHERSBURG. AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS ON THE EASTERN SHORE AT THE HILTON GARDEN INN,
[00:30:05]
KENT ISLAND MARINA. OKAY. SO I'M TELLING YOU NOW BECAUSE IT JUST CAME THROUGH AND IT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, OUR NEXT MEETING WOULD BE TOO LATE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU IN THE BOARD PACKET.SO I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THIS PRESS RELEASE IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT IT WILL ALSO BE ON THE WEBSITE.
BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE USED UNTIL 28, RIGHT? CORRECT. YEAH. IT SEEMS A LITTLE EARLY FOR A DEMONSTRATION.
IT'S PART OF THE BID AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER.
THESE DEMONSTRATIONS TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE PROCESS.
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO FAR OUT. YEAH. OKAY. IT ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SUBMIT COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED VOTING SYSTEM'S FUNCTIONALITY, EASE OF USE, AND OVERALL EXPERIENCE.
AS PART OF THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR BUSINESS BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD? YOU HAD TO CANCEL THE OPEN HOUSE.
I'M CURRENTLY TRYING TO PREPARE FOR JUDGES TRAINING RIGHT NOW.
SO I, I HAD NOT DECIDED WHETHER TO DO IT OR NOT.
YEAH. BECAUSE NOT ONLY THAT, THERE'S JUST A BUNCH OF OTHER IN-OFFICE STUFF THAT IS BEING DONE.
YEAH. THAT'S KIND OF TAKING PRECEDENT, BUT THAT TRAINING IS ROLLING UP PRETTY FAST.
YES, YES. SO. WELL, AND THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR ME IF THEY COULD COME IN EXTRA TIME IF THEY WEREN'T COMFORTABLE. YEAH. WE ALWAYS. YEAH. YEAH. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN TRYING TO SCHEDULE A WHOLE EVENING OF.
I KNOW, BUT IF IF WE DO I WILL DEFINITELY NOTIFY YOU.
YEAH. ASSUMING YOU RECEIVED THE TEXT MESSAGE.
YES. OKAY. AND THE PHONE CALL? YEAH. YES. YEAH.
SO I DID SIGN UP FOR THAT SERVICE. I'VE USED IT IN THE PAST.
IT'S LIKE A MASS TEXT MASS MESSAGE SERVICE. AND I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL.
SO WE'LL PROBABLY USE THAT FOR YOU KNOW, REMINDERS OR JUST THINGS LIKE THAT.
NOTICES. SCHEDULE THE NEXT MEETING APRIL 10TH AT 930.
OH, EVERYBODY AGREED TO THAT. IF ALL GOES WELL, I'LL MISS THE MEETING.
BUT YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M HOPING TO BE ON THE TRAIL ON THE 10TH.
ALL RIGHT. THEY HAVE BEARS OUT THERE. DON'T FORGET THAT.
AND THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING, YOU MAY HAVE SNOW, RIGHT? IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
WE ADJOURN THE MEETING. SECOND. MOTION HAS BEEN MADE.
AND SECOND, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
I. SEE YOU ALL IN APRIL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.