2026-10-15 - Board of Supervisors of Elections

Speaker 1: Alright, so today is Thursday, 15 October 2026. My name is Jim Monex and I'm going to like to call this meeting of the board of Supervisors of elections for city Rockville to order. Can we,

can we convene the meeting? Speaker 1: Yes yes ok great so welcome everybody. We got quite a few things on the agenda for today. Oh yeah, let's do the roll call 1st. Thank you. So Jim Mollinax

present. Speaker 4: Happy send those. Speaker 2: Present Juliet Goldman present. Speaker 4: Present. Speaker 1: Yes, and do we have anybody online? Does not appear to be so we do have a quorum, so we

can go ahead and get some business done today. There are quite a few things on the agenda, so in the interest of getting out on a reasonable time, I move that we convene the meeting and go to the 1st

order of business which is approval of minutes. Speaker 2: So this is not the minutes from our last meeting, however, correct? This is the 25th that we have. Speaker 2: Yeah, so I wasn't at that

meeting so I can't necessarily approve. Speaker 2: Then they're apparently. Speaker 4: That wasn't very. Yeah you're the poor. Speaker 2: Like these. Speaker 4: Yeah, you've. Speaker 1: But we are a

little bit behind on approving the minutes, it seems. This is for 25 June 2020 6th and we also have we had a meeting in July and August and September as well and so. Speaker 1: Those meeting minutes I

think I recall that we approved at least some of them previously, so are we like, are we are we outgoing out of order for any particular reason why why are we getting only the 25 June months tonight?

Speaker 2: Staff is. Speaker 4: It's working hard, other things are before as long as the meetings are posted, then it's we'll get there and get them thought out. Speaker 1: Okay, well, obviously.

Speaker 4: Unless you guys watch this when you might want to read the discussion and see if it makes sense to you weren't there I mean I wasn't either. Speaker 4: Wouldn't sense. Speaker 4: I know

we're all missing a page. Speaker 1: Nope. There's nothing on the back. So. Speaker 1: So I would like to move that we do not approve these minutes until we've seen the full table that and we'll ask

you, Judy maybe to supply us with a complete copy at our next meeting. Okay. Fantastic. All right, moving on to the next item on the agenda. Questions for the board. Do we have any questions following

the very exciting city council meeting that we had last or the 1st part of the of the month? Speaker 4: Not for the board. The only question we have for the board is the one from Michelle Wittaker.

So, that's something that we need to discuss. Speaker 1: So let me ask, let me ask you, Sarah, if I could. Do you, have you ever met Michelle Wooker before? Can you help help me understand who she is?

Speaker 4: Michelle wood Occur works for the ranked choice voting and she's been in lots of times advocating for ranked choice voting and so she's been around with the county and and on just ranked

choice voting for the last two years and she's provided a lot of information resources to the marion council regarding ranked choice voting. When you say she's been around the county. Yes, she used to

work with Montgomery County. Speaker 4: Oh yeah because I was just curious with her email address. Yes, she needs to work with Montomy county. Now she's with Brank choice. Which is. Yes. Yeah. Okay.

So you know the following. Speaker 1: With video. Speaker 4: Speaking with other ministerials same thing those who are considering ranked choice voting, they're trying to, you know, help with the

resources and help them understand the methodology and what ranked choice voting is. Speaker 4: Chris roll. Speaker 1: Great. And so she has offered to, to come in and brief the board and answer any

questions that we might have about rainchoice voting, about how it's being implemented in other jurisdictions, and so I think she, if I recall correctly, she provided a couple of dates although I

don't see them in this particular. Speaker 1: But I think I. Speaker 4: That's something she came back Wednesday evening or Thursday. Yeah. Speaker 2: Can I ask a procedural question kind of in this?

Speaker 2: Is this the right time to have those meetings and discussions? Because I would prefer to and and they've been a valuable resource, it sounds like, but with everything else going on, I would

like to recommend as we had mentioned to the. Speaker 2: The previous thing that we'd like to talk to them in February and March or April because right now with everything in our plate to add

additional meetings for that, I would propose that. Speaker 4: We. Speaker 2: Because that's a big thick, waity chunky issue that we're gonna have to really get into and I don't want to have to get

everything spinning and figuring these types of things out and we have so many other priorities right now, it seems to me. I would recommend that we table having them come present to us or having

Michelle present to us until such time as we actually had this pass, we have all of the handbook ready, the January stuff is done and we can sit down and meet with them because that is a key thing and

I want to be able to focus my attention on it and understand more about it. So. Speaker 4: That's time. Speaker 2: Some feelings on the. Speaker 4: Yeah, and I think that's what we had said to the

folks in the meeting a week or two ago that we couldn't until February the earliest so that would be consistent. Speaker 1: Great. So would you like to make a recommendation? Speaker 2: I, I knew that

we agree, you know, that we meet with them, in mid February tomorrow. Speaker 4: I want to say Q1 27th. Yeah. Speaker 2: Q1 27th. Yeah. Speaker 1: Great, thank you. Speaker 1: Alright. I'll favor.

Speaker 4: But I. Speaker 1: Okay, great. So, if we could go back to Michelle and propose we we meet with her maybe 2nd half of the Q1 towards the end of the Q1 27. The Q3 the 1st year. Speaker 1:

March. Hello March. February March. Speaker 1: Great, let's do that. Okay, great. Thank you for that. Questions? Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah. It was so got it. Speaker 1: As long as it was seconded by.

Speaker 4: Yeah, I got it. I got it off. I'm here. Speaker 1: Great, ok. Other, other questions to the board? You said this is the only one? Speaker 4: That's the only one for right now. I do want to

inform the board that the public hearings dates for 2nd and 9th have been published into washing posts. They're on the website, they're out there. We have a social media. I have Veronica from my

office, you will probably get the notice too from her that we're pushing out to all the boards and commissions in the community that this public hearing, these two public hearings are being held and

that we want to hear from the community. Speaker 1: Fantastic. Speaker 4: We'll see what we get back. He said we'll probably hear from her at this. Oh, you will hear from her. Okay ok cool. You'll get

an email from her. Yes. I'm just saying you're not excluded from all the boards and commissions. Speaker 4: I think. Speaker 1: Alright, very good. If there's NO further discuss NO further questions,

then let's move on to section three discussions, a few things on the agenda. 1st is the review of the handbook for candidates, and we've all had it now for several days. Thank you very much Sarah for

sharing that. It will give me one moment I'm gonna pull it up on my computer I made some. Speaker 4: You're pulling that up. We finally, I think got our collective email box set up for the SharePoint.

Speaker 4: To Try it tomorrow and send it to you and see if it works and if it does, we're good. Speaker 1: Alright, ok, so, you know, I was, I was very happy to had a chance to look through all of

this. I had a few questions, I hope others also did maybe some suggestions as well. Speaker 1: I'll maybe start by saying that I I understand that this is a draft and so if there are amendments to the

charter regarding voting age and and other issues, then there may have to be some additional changes. So I'm not gonna, well I did flag those I'm not talking. Speaker 4: Need to open the door for you

and the and the sections that it's related to. We need to. Speaker 2: Yeah so sorry for you. Speaker 1: So one of the, one of the things that I noted, and maybe if you don't mind, I'll go 1st and I'll

ask everybody else to go around and get other comments, but one of the key things that I noted was that during our. Speaker 1: Through the court, throughout the course of the, the handbook, we

reference the city code when we talk about deadlines, certain filing of certain reports. We also say specifically you know what what the date of the election is in this handbook. And so I'm wondering

if there's any reason why we shouldn't just rather than saying 45 days before election. Speaker 1: Day we just say, we specify the date. So e.g. 45 days before the election day for registration, you

have to be registered by 18 September or 45 days before i. E 18 September. And there are several instances of that kind of. Speaker 1: You know, reference to so many days before the election or so

many days before this or that. If we can just spell those out be useful for whoever is reading it. Speaker 4: We are gonna spell that out in the campaign, requirements and also we'll spell that out in

here too. Okay. And in the can and in the candidates calendar that is provided to them because that's very important that those dates are specified because in breeding this is still is a little

confusing and I'm gonna have you all check behind me to make sure we counted the dates back from the dates and make sure we got it. Speaker 4: That we're gonna work on those dates. That's another

calendar. I tried to get that ready today, but it's just so much that needs to go in as to. Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I don't think it's it's crucial to, you know, since we're having this conversation

now, you know, I'm just. Speaker 2: This is something I think we're gonna come back to several times. Speaker 1: A couple of other things I'd like to raise, so in part D, section three, A. Speaker 1:

Each candidate must also designate a campaign depository for funds and contributions received, which must be deposited by the candidates designated treasurer, not having run a campaign myself, I'm

curious how electronic donations are handled in under this sort of. Speaker 1: Format. If I want to, you know, as a candidate if I want to set up a QR code or something so people can donate directly

to me, how, how, what does it mean to be, to be deposited by the treasurer? I guess. Speaker 4: It just need I don't think we should use the closet should say recorded, I think. Speaker 1: Okay, this

is this is. Speaker 1: City code section eight-seventy four. Speaker 4: Yeah, we have to make sure. Speaker 2: The sentence doesn't actually make sense. Each candidate must also designate a campaign

campaign depository for funds and contributions received period. Speaker 4: It's just a campaign account there. Speaker 2: Well, NO, that part, that part's fine with me but it's then you say which

must be deposited, and that means a campaign depository must be deposited. So you should just say period saying something. Speaker 1: Like I read it differently. Speaker 2: These deposits must be

recorded by the candidate treasurer. Okay. Just because the object. Speaker 1: Yeah. Whoever deposits I mean, I, I don't want to be too pedantic here, but whoever deposits it that had the treasurer is

the one who's the holder of the account and has to be responsible for recording it, right? Speaker 2: I'd say reported and reviewed. And the reason I would add reviewed to that would be because it is

the nature of how they're doing a lot of the electronic contributions now, like. Speaker 2: Blue or somebody like that, you just need to review it. You're not actually recording. In some cases it

maybe recording, but I would say recorded the deposits must be recorded and reviewed by the trader because sometimes they're not actually recording that gets. Speaker 4: It's dropped into the day.

Speaker 2: The base itself depending on the format that you're using, but it needs to be reviewed by the treasurers, so I'd say review, recorded and reviewed. Speaker 1: Okay, that makes sense to me.

Speaker 1: My next point under E one, talks about the campaign contribution limits under E or actually nowhere in the campaign handbook, does it note that every donation needs to receive some kind of

a receipt? And I think that's important information to include as well and I feel like section E might be the right place to include some. Speaker 1: Reference and I unfortunately did not reference

exactly where it says in the code that you need to provide a receipt but but I'd be happy to dig that up real quick if if anybody needs that. Anyway, I think that would be a good addition there in

section E. Speaker 1: And I think the last thing I wanted to add was, let's see. Oh, under section I make candidates former joined slates, I think it'd be useful to define what a slate is in this

section, maybe make that .1 and then go on from there. And that is the extent of my comments at this time. Speaker 1: Yeah, it's not. Speaker 4: I just wanted to say too, where should we include the

electronic petition forms since that's something new. Speaker 4: Where should that go before campaign finance? And I really do think it needs to be. Speaker 2: It's how it's So you have, so these are

all basically this handbook right as FAQs, right? We're just answering the basic questions that they get. So you have C who can run for office and D you have, how does an individual become a certified

candidate? Speaker 2: It said the petition, so you have the petition here in D under D one so I would then add under D one you know the information that it can be electronic or whatever. So that's.

Speaker 2: It should go you're talking about that right there. Speaker 1: Yep. Speaker 2: Also, we've talked. Speaker 1: Sorry. Yeah, NO NO NO. Speaker 2: That's another point altogether so. Speaker

1: Okay. So the I'm I've exhausted my comments for this issue, but who would like to be next? Speaker 2: I just have really a few I, a few questions 1st. So this, this is I'm looking to run for office

and I go to the website and I download or click a link that has this. Speaker 2: Do we need anything? Speaker 2: Will this be clickable to, here's where. Speaker 4: Are you filed. Speaker 2: All this

or here's where you do that. Is this gonna be in so it's gonna be that they can download a PDF and print it out because I went to the site to do that and I can do that. But can it be a form where the

candidate can then click on here's the petition and I do that. So this will be a clickable form and so I think there should be like a beginning paragraph to. Speaker 2: Which said, you know, below

you'll find the most commonly whatever questions you'll be able to access. Please note at all times in the city government website at the BSC section, you can find this information. We have but I

would do like a. Speaker 4: It's you all staying. Yeah, you gotta come up with. Speaker 2: Yeah, and I can. Speaker 2: I just think that there's something like as a when I downloaded it, I wanted

more. Speaker 2: I just a little bit up in the beginning just to say this is something and then I was thinking about, you know, it'd be good if you could click through and actually click to. Speaker

4: Your links there. Speaker 2: That I think, so that's just a general comment overall I can help look at what you want to say at the very beginning, but I think there needs to be some sort of intro

and then. Speaker 2: I did have a question when you're actually looking at text on D2EI think we talked about when we were doing the code, it says all campaign contributions and expenders must pass

through the hands of the designated treasurer. That language is two. Speaker 1: Specifically. Speaker 2: You're saying hands and a lot of it's gonna be electronic. I would almost say we change the

wording on the charter. Yeah. Speaker 4: So whatever. Speaker 2: Whatever we did for there, let's put that language there. And did you go back? Where are you at now? Two in. Speaker 4: You know.

Speaker 2: D2E. Speaker 4: Okay ok. Speaker 2: Just cause I read that and I realized I remember we had this conversation about the thing, so if we can just make that and I didn't go back to see if all

the code had is still the same but I figured that. Speaker 1: Let's. Speaker 2: I think that those were my more those were my questions and you asked a couple of months now. Speaker 2: Mine with.

Speaker 4: Is around H twelve. I'm not sure I was familiar with this one before. A candidate that does not intend to receive or spend 300 or more. Speaker 4: Doesn't need to file a detailed CFR. So it

raised the question, are, are you allowed to change that? So I don't intend to receive $300, but I really don't know, right? Who's gonna make contributions to my campaign and I do. Speaker 4: Receive

more than three. That just triggers that you need to file a campaign finance report. So, do we then need to instead say that you only need to file a campaign file finance report for more than $300?

Speaker 1: Well, you still have to file. Speaker 4: Father affidavit. Speaker 1: Yeah so let let's say I am a candidate and correct me if I'm wrong misunderstanding, but let's say I'm a candidate, I

don't tend to spend more than 300 300 bucks, I, when I. Speaker 4: Have contributed. Speaker 4: I don't know but. Speaker 1: Yeah, I I decline all contributions and I'm not gonna spend any money and

so I go to, when it's time for me to file my campaign finance report rather than actually filing a report, I file an academic. Right. Speaker 1: That I didn't receive, I didn't spend. But you know, in

the next reporting period I'm like, hey, I got more ambition. Give me 500 bucks, you know, I'm like, ok, let's do it. And so now suddenly I do have that obligation. I can't file that affidavit 2nd

round. I've gotta file an actual campaign finance. Speaker 4: Right, right. I got all of that I'm just not sure that that's what this says. This says you do not intend to receive or contribute $300.

Speaker 1: So it's forward looking I see what you're saying. Speaker 3: Okay. Speaker 2: So you could. Speaker 4: We could just say. Speaker 2: Yeah. Speaker 2: To add to. Speaker 4: I I think that's

how it's written in a code. We need it. It is we don't need to make it did not receive, doesn't need to be in the past. Speaker 4: I think we have to look at that section and see how it's written.

Okay, that's ok like this yeah because so we need to really verify all of those sections because they don't match now. I can tell you know the verbiage is strange. Speaker 2: Yeah and I. Speaker 4:

Learning these things. Speaker 2: I would even say late fees maybe assessed here on 13 the next sentence. I would say what the late fees are. Speaker 4: I know we don't want to. Speaker 2: Come away

but we've really we've really under 13. Speaker 2: What all the late fees are because that's a key thing. Yeah. Speaker 4: Definitely. Speaker 2: But you said define slates, by the way it says that in

that sentence. A group of candidates that campaign for offices of. Speaker 1: But that's not the definition. Speaker 4: I don't think it is now. Oh, so. Speaker 2: We have to redo our new ok so.

Speaker 4: That's the whole thing about us and this this is a start, but we're gonna have to go back now changed. Speaker 2: Yeah Yeah Kathy in your notes? Speaker 4: This year. Speaker 1: Okay, start

one thing. Speaker 4: All right. Speaker 4: Alright, so who wants to take sections and do them? Rewrite, and cross reference. Speaker 1: Okay, well i'm happy to I'm happy to, you know, add in all the

dates. Okay. But again, you know, we're gonna have to redo this once we actually have all the the. Speaker 4: I think we can take the ordinance that we have now and use the air we're they're not gonna

change now. Yeah, yeah. Speaker 4: They've been introduced. Speaker 2: So we can. Speaker 4: Take what we got introduced and go with it. Speaker 2: I'm happy to. Speaker 4: Give a second. Speaker 1:

Right, so, the biggest, the biggest piece of this is drafting some kind of a, of an introduction or reload. Speaker 2: I'm happy to you. Speaker 1: I'm. Speaker 2: Because I actually, I did some

bullet point notes on myself so. Speaker 1: Fantastic. Speaker 1: Why don't we, why don't we do that? Speaker 4: Thanks. Speaker 2: I like intros, I like executive summaries to have like a definitive,

this is what this document will tell. Speaker 1: No I think it's a great idea and instead of it it makes a little bit less of a FAQ or Q and A kind of thing and let's see then the other thing you know

we had about dates. Speaker 2: But to check the. Speaker 4: Cross reference of the. Speaker 1: Codes, you know, why don't we, we've got eleven sections it looks like. Not all of them are the same

link, but you know just for the for ease of. Speaker 2: I can do H through the end because I already started to look at the reports that would be filed, so that's one that I happen to start looking at

for H So I'll do H through the end although some of those are very short. Speaker 2: I can do more if you need. Speaker 1: Okay so. Speaker 1: Would you like to do A through A through D or would you

like to do through E through G? Speaker 1: Either or either or. Speaker 1: Why don't you do. Speaker 4: I think he's taken aid through. Speaker 1: A through D And I will do E through G. Speaker 2: Now

do H through n. Speaker 4: Where is. Speaker 1: Okay, great. Speaker 1: Okay and let's let's say that we want to have this done by the next meeting. Okay. Is that ok? Speaker 2: Is our next meeting as

a reminder for me? Speaker 1: November. Speaker 4: And then. Speaker 1: No, that's that's a later part of the agenda, right? Speaker 2: No problem. We can, we can come back to it. Speaker 4: Welcome,

that should be on the agenda, sorry. We'll make sure. Speaker 1: I have it as the 19th. Speaker 4: Okay, November minute. Speaker 4: That's good. Speaker 1: Okay, fantastic. Any other questions or

comments on the review of the handbook? Alright, can we move on to the next discussion item, which is electronic petition form demo follow up I was very grateful to Kenny. I'm sorry, not. Will.

Speaker 1: Willie sorry that's ok. Very grateful to Willy Cho for coming in and showing me the the positions and that is really I think a good and effective way to make it easy for people to collect

those necessary signatures or sort. Speaker 4: And staff administratively checking on. Speaker 1: Yeah and it should ease the burden on the staff as well, checking all those registrations. You know, I

am, you know, I had all of my questions answered in that in that session myself for following and so thought it was very useful. I'm sorry we couldn't all join at one time to to see it so we could

have all asked the same. Speaker 1: Had to the same questions, but I think Julia, you also had a chance to see that this last week. Did you have any questions or concerns? Speaker 2: No concerns. I

was just very excited about the process and one of the only comments that I made, was that we need to make sure that we put in this section in this handbook and everywhere we have that we want the

candidates to. Speaker 2: Use the electronic petition that if any other way, you know, they can do paper if they really must, but we want to use the electronic petition cause finding out the work that

you guys have had to do with that is just ridiculous. So pushing it, pushing it in here, pushing it in our, in our, you know, briefings that we give for candidates and all those other meetings, we

really want to push. Speaker 2: I also like that the backend data that's being collected also supports additional types of graphs or information that can be broken down and that's very helpful and

Willie said they can. Speaker 2: He's got the data, it takes nothing to do with graph. Like if you had additional data that you wanted to see and drill down into precinct performance and things like

that, we can do that from our standpoint very easily. I like that. But I would just like to say, put it out everywhere. Electronic, electronic electronic petition. Speaker 2: Whether they do a QR code

or like vote a registration when you guys had the little tablets and gave them to people to do it so that the candidates had these at their bems. Major marketing campaign to push this. Speaker 2:

Because the time for all of you all that you had to take for each of those petitions is just absurd. And if we have electronic and it can do it like that, let's let's push it. So that was my only

comment really. Speaker 1: And I I share that with enthusiasm for for the data analysis piece of this as well. I guess my only question is that my only concern is that we are able to protect that data

appropriately and that, you know, it's not we're not sort of sharing things that we, that we shouldn't be necessarily that people don't need to share. Speaker 1: So I'm, you know, I'm cognizant that

that's part of the system as it exists now. We we just want to make sure that whatever types of graphs or other sort of public information that is disseminated does keep people's data as private as,

as sure possible. Speaker 4: It's through the DocuSign and that's a platform that is very secure through the city and other banks. Speaker 1: Sure It's the data analysis piece when we're doing graphs

and other kinds of things about, you know, sort of who's where and. Speaker 4: I think. Speaker 1: The best, the more we can do to sort of aggregate that data in ways that protect people's identity,

the better. Speaker 4: Think I think it's only limited to certain people having it. Speaker 1: Anyway, so. Speaker 4: Only distributed out. Speaker 1: Great. Kathy, I understand maybe you didn't get a

chance to see the e petition demonstration. Speaker 4: That's correct. Speaker 1: Would you like to schedule time to do that sometime later or? Speaker 4: Yeah, I can work that off. Speaker 1: Yeah, I

mean, you also are not obligated to do so I thought it was I thought it was interesting and well worked good so you'll work offline to get that done. Fantastic. Ok. Anything else on the electronic,

the electronic partition demonstration? Okay, moving on, let's talk about. Speaker 1: The Additional steps for the election code and update. We've got a couple of events coming up November, what,

second 9th with on Mondays. Speaker 1: So I actually am interested to hear your thoughts about what role if any, the board should play in these public forums. And so I'd be, I'd welcome your thoughts

you know as somebody who's been through several of these forums before and Kathy as well. Speaker 4: Yeah, so I'm trying to remember what year it was. We had one, a session, I guess maybe it was two

years ago, a public. Speaker 2: Work. Speaker 4: Where we had a facilitator broken to groups. Speaker 4: And took recommendations that each of us were assigned to one of the groups and then another

time we just everyone came, you know, like they typically do to the pedestal and made their recommendations. I I would prefer the latter. Speaker 4: Only because, do you, do you know what I'm talking

about? You're talking about the we what we do as staff, I schedule post election forms after the election for lessons learned and you know for the candidates, anybody who's ran it for office, other

municipalities, sorry. I was talking about the ones we had with the recommend for recommendations with the Exactly. That's, that's a consultant, we're over. Speaker 4: Right, that's I'm not suggesting

that another consultant I was just saying that that was an option that we used in the past where anyone who showed up at the public forum we broke into groups and took feedback and that was our public

hearing board. Speaker 2: And I will. Speaker 4: Out for instead the traditional way where people come up to the suggestions. Yeah, cause you all's recommendations are already incorporated and right

now we're right now just waiting to the the marion council want to hear the communities on these recommendations and then, then our goal is. Speaker 4: We don't have the time is to get this approved

and we get the implementation and get started on it because otherwise if it doesn't get approved, we're not, we're not gonna be able to. We're not gonna be doing we're gonna revert back to the old

code and go from there. Speaker 1: Right, we'll still have an election just for the record. Speaker 4: You definitely have an election and just. Speaker 1: Any of these updates anything. Speaker 1:

Based on the. Speaker 4: Go back to where it was before. Speaker 1: That's right. Speaker 4: Yeah, that's right. Absolutely. And it will be an election. It may not be what is being proposed now.

Right. Speaker 4: Your question, are you asking how you all should participate? Yes. Speaker 1: And. Speaker 4: November second and NO. Speaker 1: That is exactly what I understanding. Speaker 4:

Typically I mean, well, the charter review, you know, the charter change process under state law required that we have the public. Speaker 4: So, I mean, I don't know what they've done in the past.

Most boards and commissions, if there's some kind of related charter change, maybe just come and listen. I mean, it's really your input is I think what Sarah's saying is like your input, have you've

already been. Speaker 4: Giving your input all along because you've been working with us on the code changes which require the charter changes. So I think it's really more for other people who haven't

had an opportunity to say anything or, you know, to get their views out. I mean honestly the only two charter changes are the 16, well, 31617 year olds, and then you have to be 18 to served. Speaker

4: Can't just be a registered voter and then the term limits and it'll be interesting. I wonder if people are gonna come out and say stuff about rank joy voting it's. Speaker 1: Topic, but. Speaker 4:

Yeah. Speaker 1: Each, is it, is the format similar to a council meeting in that each person has two or three or whatever? Speaker 4: Certainly 5 min depending on exactly what happens. Speaker 1: It's

almost like. Speaker 1: That's great. Speaker 2: Okay. Is there is there some way to cut some of that off in your remarks by saying now we know one of the subjects that we're gonna be talking about

you know we're going to be addressing next spring because that will be something that won't be affected by the 20, you know, by the 2027 to at least cut some of it out because. Speaker 1: And I I

would, I don't know who actually, I mean I assume that the mayor runs the meeting is that right? Is there a way any way that we can encourage her to define the disc the the topic of discussion and

encourage people to stay on. Speaker 4: Supposed to be a public hearing on those. Speaker 1: One of those three issues, right? Speaker 4: Don't. Speaker 1: I mean not to say that people can't talk

about whatever they want. Speaker 4: All right. Speaker 4: Oh like the this isn't like community form where you can just get up and talk about it. Right. Speaker 1: Well, I guess, I guess you could.

Well. Speaker 2: The council members who the last one kept talking. Speaker 2: But but also about the ranked choice voting and they had a whole conversation well I really feel whatever, that's not

what we're talking about. You just wanted to be able to like be the chair at that moment and bang the little gir. Speaker 2: That's great. Let's save that for the next time when we're actually talking

about. Speaker 1: Right. So, you know, I I think I would, I would support some kind of communication to the mayor and council as appropriate, asking them to, you know, to try to focus attention on the

issues at hand as much as possible, understanding that people can say whatever they want. I mean it's public forum, so they want to talk about the price of beans and, you know. We got it. Right.

Speaker 1: Yeah, but let's you know let's try to keep people on task, right? To the extent we can. Is that is that appropriate? Speaker 4: Think it's appropriate. I mean I can put it out there and not

to say it'll happen. Speaker 1: Oh, of course. Speaker 4: I mean the mayor candidly can get, you know. Speaker 1: There you. Speaker 4: There are cases about 1st amendment. Speaker 4: However, there

you are allowed to have some, you know, rules and, you know, rules of the quorum and to limit, you know, there's cases to say you can limit it to what is supposed to be on the agenda. You can't just.

Speaker 1: Can I also ask for these these two meetings, is there a time I mean, there's a start time, is there an end time? Speaker 4: It's the estimated time, but public hearings are estimated for 20

to 30 min out, but it depends on how many speakers you get to sign up. Yep. And that's all, you know, that's all we can do. Any sense of what you might expect, would you think something like this

would get? I have not heard from anybody yet, but when that last email goes out and as you get closer. Speaker 1: Will show up. Speaker 4: Well, and and you all have shown us some. Speaker 4: I guess

their show and we're. Speaker 2: That's right. Speaker 4: Yeah, we're out there. Speaker 1: What are the. Speaker 2: I must have gotten ten people sent me that link to the banner. I heard you were

doing elections. What do you think about. Speaker 1: Good, so ok thank you for answering my questions about this. Are there any other questions regarding the upcoming hearings? Speaker 2: Can I ask

about the subject prior to the hearings issues? You you sparked my brain here when you said lessons learned and that you guys have talked about that at that. Are there some pieces of the lessons

learned from the previous election that we. Speaker 2: Would use to be added to the handbook of candidates. Was it ever written down of these or someone's, can you send me a copy of. Speaker 4: He's

online. Okay, I'll send you the links. Speaker 2: We send me because I. Speaker 4: I'd like to. Speaker 2: Look at that. Speaker 4: I would like you all to read the last report. It's all in there.

Speaker 2: And I. Speaker 1: I would say because. Speaker 2: I read it. Speaker 2: Prior to coming on board just by reading through everything but not in the same context because I am a best practices

person. I feel to reinvent the wheel is ridiculous, and if we've learned something, make sure the next time we do it, we take those lessons into account. So if there's something something that.

Speaker 2: You know, people were confused about X then we make it more understandable or something. So I will, if you can make sure to send that link, I will please I will read all of that before

doing this. Thank you very. Speaker 4: Very much. Speaker 1: Are there other issues under this discussion point? Next steps and discussion on the marion council meeting on co work with the update

production code and trigger amendments? Speaker 1: I feel like we're we're. Speaker 4: Just want to make sure we stay on target on the timeline and that's what we're pushing for the marion council

from the last meeting we were like look we need to get give us the amendments, but we need to introduce tonight in order to stay on the timeline to get this done. So that's our hope with the. Speaker

1: For the for the board of supervised elections, I I think at this instant, our work on chapter eight is. Speaker 1: And so, you know, more to come in the future, certainly, but you know for now

we're just waiting for the public hearings, and then the and then the approval in November hopefully. So, ok. Any other comments or questions? Speaker 2: I have a question on the next. Speaker 1:

Calendar. Let's, let's move on to the calendar and work plan, which is going to be a Bible for our coming year. This is just so thank you so much. Speaker 1: Thank you so much for drafting this

incredibly helpful document and so maybe I could ask you Sarah to kind of walk us through what, what this is and we talked a little bit about the public hearings, I think we can kind of skip over some

of the 1st bits as. Speaker 1: More quickly, but then really, I want to spend a lot of time talking about page two. Yes. Speaker 4: H two is where we. Speaker 4: January February is when I reach out

to the state via the county and I try to set up a meeting for us to go down and meet the state board of elections director and that I usually invite the county to come with the saw down there. Meet

with them, speak with them, talk to them, get to know each other. Now that they are requesting that municipalities fill out a questionnaire and what we are asking for assistance is. Speaker 4: Really

gonna be important that we get that meeting, sit down with them, go through our MOU when what we're asking for their assistance and via the county, so I will try to get in there NO later than February

with their election, you know, we don't know what's gonna happen, so they have to reconcile everything they have on their end before they really even consider setting up a meeting with us. So that's

where I am with the January February. Speaker 4: May one, I'm walking you through May one is our date to work all of this, all of these tasks within that May one need to be completed by May one.

Speaker 2: Okay, that's what my question was because I had in my notes March one but from something before, but May one we must have all of these. So March is when we're really gonna focus on making

sure we have everything done, all the we we've outlined all the SOPs, get all that. So 1 May is the deadline when all these will be done, so really we're. Speaker 4: Because that really made 1st the

deadline, that's our that's when the candidate's information packet must be ready to go and get to. Speaker 4: So we've got to get. Speaker 2: And we have a lot of so so really March for us, March and

April, you know, extra slots added here for March and April. That's when we need to really be focusing on all the stuff to meet this information packets, the petition forms, everything, ok. Speaker 4:

Yeah, I I, you know, as we're kind of stuck in this holiday period and everything, we really as soon as approval starts, all of this should be starting to play in and we should be hitting the ground

running right in order to try to meet that deadline. Speaker 2: So for instance, like, we're taking the handbook and breaking it down and maybe the next time we break up the candidate information

packet or whatever the other sections are. Speaker 2: You let us know what you need. Speaker 4: To do for that. Yes, because the candidate I would I would focus on the candidate information on the

campaign financing. That's a whole separate piece which is not on here and I'm meant to call that out because the campaign finances the biggest bulk of candidates. Speaker 4: Materials. That's a whole

separate training and that everything all those changes that we have implemented in the up and the updates needs to go into the new instructions training and the workbook itself. Speaker 4: So that's

a big carry itself, and we have to get ourselves. Speaker 4: Knowledgeable and up to par with it and work with IT because we have to do the training for those candidates and the treasurers. So that's

gonna be the next piece that I think that really needs to be the focus as well. Okay. The petition online, I think that's. Speaker 4: When Willie Willie can kind of give us instructions, we'll throw

that in on that candidate information on the campaign, but I think that's gonna be a little of, you know, here's the handbook. We will speak to it, but it's not a lot. They'll have a QR code and

they'll give it to their people. That's not a big heavy lift. The biggest lift is gonna be that candidates information packet and those other forms that are in there and the updates to the charter and

the chapter eight. All those. Speaker 4: Forms that are required in that book and I will have to print that I call it the big old suitcase. It's a lot in there, a lot of forms, a lot of information,

and we're gonna have to go page by page, update those, make sure this the sections are cross referenced with the new update of the ordinance. So there is a lot there, it's a lot of time that we're

gonna have to spend there. Speaker 1: So, you've identified here three separate part pieces of information, the handbook, the online partition form, and the information packet. Speaker 4: I didn't put

the campaign. Speaker 1: Finance should be. Speaker 4: Yeah campaign finance. Speaker 1: Let's see, I'm just gonna add this by hand here. Speaker 1: So, I think the sooner we have access or the sooner

we can get all of these documents in one place the better or the easier it will be for us to actually go through and do all of the work that we need to do. You know, you mentioned March and April I

mean, I would love to get started earlier. Yeah, yeah. Speaker 4: Earlier of the better. Speaker 1: Let's start. Speaker 4: Really gonna. Speaker 1: Reviewing the some of these sounds like you know

quite large blocks of forms and other information and so I'm wondering if I could ask you to maybe provide all the members of the board with, the current information packet either in in hard copy or

online whichever whichever is. Speaker 4: That's what I'm doing now with our SharePoint. I'm dropping those documents working to drop the documents in. Speaker 2: That's our. Speaker 4: Start point

and we're gonna work from those documents. Great. Speaker 1: Okay that's fantastic if you could, if you could do that before the before 19 November and get every as far as we know everything that will

be needed to be reviewed into that SharePoint site at our next meeting in November, we can start dividing up. Speaker 1: The responsibilities for that and maybe talk about a timeline for when we wanna

get that completed. Speaker 4: One thing though, I want you to work from the amended introduction of that ordinance. So Cindy has to provide that to us. That's what you're gonna that's gonna be your

guide. Right. And you're gonna work from that. Right. Speaker 1: We're hoping that by the time of our next meeting, the, the code will have actually been adopted by the 16th should be should be excuse

me, it should be adopted by the 16th of our next meeting is the 19th and so with with any luck, we'll have clear direction about what we're supposed to be. Speaker 4: Yeah, right. Speaker 1: So that

that can be one of our, one of our tasks for the the 19 November meeting is to go through that and talk briefly about each section and we can sort of divide up responsibilities and set some, some

deadlines for when we started. Speaker 4: So I've kind of like broke it up like into sections on SharePoint under top. Speaker 1: Thanks. Speaker 4: That weekend. Speaker 1: That's correct. Speaker 4:

So kinda flow that way. That's. Speaker 1: That's perfect. Okay, other, other comments about the the candidate forms and packet? Little bit out of order I see on the, on, on this schedule, but 1 March

starting preparation for community engagement. I love community engagement can't wait to get started doing that kind of stuff. That's gonna be super fun, I think. Love to hear your thoughts about.

Speaker 1: But what kinds of things we should be doing and what we've done in the past, and then we can maybe talk a little bit about how we wanna. Speaker 4: So once that, once the charter amendments

and all that have been approved, we can start pushing out the 1617 year old vote. We can also push out any changes that I think this board really needs to. Speaker 4: Focus on the 1617 year olds and

also voters because we, they have access to dropboxes and there's 13.1 mi, let's please use the dropboxes because I'm so unsure about the postal service and therefore, I think that's gonna be a real

hard campaign push for us. I know people. Speaker 4: Want to put it in the mail, it's free to come back, but if I I really encourage Dropbox Dropbox and we have enough dropboxes in every location that

they need to use to dropbox. The other thing you're gonna be going to a lot of the city events some. Speaker 4: Judy is gonna pull out this event sport that week after the approval what we have. I

think the 1st one might be hometown holidays. Weekend. It's a three day weekend, and I usually try to get us a boost set up for the whole week. Speaker 4: Again for photo registration, for any

outreach that we wanna push as board members that's usually a good weekend and it kind of gets the whole community route up and and and and. Speaker 4: Informed that there is a municipal election

because they get confused with the county and state elections and municipal elections. A lot of people like down in that Twinbrooke corder don't even know that they're part of the municipal election,

they can vote. So. Speaker 2: Holidays is Memorial Day Week. Speaker 4: Yes, yes. Speaker 2: Yeah, so that. Speaker 4: That is an area that we have to do some engagement and really try to focus in

that area, and now I also have to we also have to look for where we're gonna put a dropbox down there. Speaker 2: You also mentioned too before about doing a time with the MCPS regarding the high

schools in. Speaker 4: We need to tap into the community resources for the schools in our areas high schools and see if they will let us come in and do a second engagement. Speaker 4: Set up this.

Speaker 1: With kids at the RM. Speaker 4: Yes. Speaker 1: I'm eager and excited to get involved in some of this. Speaker 4: And we definitely need to do that as well. And even if I. Speaker 4: So

we'll work on some outreach materials and get some things going and for us to be really engaged and set our and not get what we want to push to the community. Speaker 1: Okay, fantastic. Great. Well

I'll look forward to seeing a calendar of events and and then we can think about maybe some other creative ways to fill in some of the blanks if we choose to do so, but at least we'll have some.

Speaker 4: Because I think we had a very good photo registration turnout that day. I think it went very well. So I mean, even if we gotta go set up a little slide again in town square. I mean, we can

do it. Speaker 1: Yeah, there's a lot of opportunities out there and there's a lot of, you know, there's a lot of city sponsored events and and other community sponsored events. Speaker 4: And that's

the ones I usually try to tap into. Speaker 2: Do you do the fair? Speaker 4: No, NO NO, because it's outside the city. Right. Speaker 4: Yeah, we try to keep them within the city limits in there. We

had enough of community. Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not questioning. I mean there's Hoh. Speaker 4: You can visit, you know, Their monthly meetings. Speaker 4: Type of thing also. Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a

really good point. There are also a number of retirement communities. Speaker 2: I'm sorry. Speaker 1: Oh yeah. Speaker 4: We'll be going to them during election time. Yes, you will, yeah. Speaker 1:

Oh really nice. Speaker 4: Yeah and go over and talk to them and actually take their boats. Speaker 4: Yep, we didn't leave everybody has that right and we don't really try to tap into everybody.

Speaker 4: As many as we can. Speaker 1: Absolutely. Speaker 2: Good question. I in reading through. Speaker 2: This is when I was 1st looking at at joining the board and looking at some of the

comments from the last selection. There was questions on people taking votes from the Dropbox to the county centers and. Speaker 2: Just sticking things in their in their cars and then driving off and

there was questions on this blog about, well, she should have a police escort and things like these types of. Speaker 4: Good things. Speaker 2: I I read some of that and wednesday. Speaker 2: Cause

you just said you we collect votes from there. And what is the procedure like, what are we allowed to do? Are we allowed to take things from a dropbox? Do we need to have a police escort to do some of

these things? Speaker 4: Here's, here's the situation. Please escort is only used when we are transporting from our location to the secured location. Otherwise, there are two members of a board. You

have your board, your use take office, you swear you you you are a trained official to handle these ballots, there's a chain of custody there is. Speaker 2: Just remember reading a lot and there

wasn't and it's. Speaker 2: To me. Speaker 4: There is nobody that is out there able to even touch a Dropbox. Speaker 4: How would they even get a key to get in to direct the dropbox if they weren't

the you know officially the person to do that? Yeah, you do have, you're in your clothes, you may have a vest if you want a vest. With your name, your official, you have the keys to that lockbox.

Speaker 1: That we have clothes on. Speaker 4: Yeah, you might be in your street clothes, but handling these ballots, otherwise you wouldn't have a key to that dropbox. Speaker 1: I think I think the

the question is probably well probably well intentioned and I know that from working in a very in elections in Montgomery County that when ballots are transported from the polling place, you know,

there is a chain of custody the box is locked. Speaker 1: Old sealed and brought by two people to the. Speaker 4: These two people in different. Speaker 1: Party people above different parties since

we're non partis in two people. And so as long as we have, I mean I know we do, as long as we have following those, I feel like we should be you know we should be in very good shape. I think it's

entirely appropriate for us to make it known what those SOPs are anytime somebody has a question about it. I mean I would think. Speaker 4: That's a good. Speaker 4: And what about. Speaker 2: Yeah.

How often do we, I mean excuse my ignorance asked by the silly things but like how often do you collect the balance? Do you just do it one time or you collect it every week or every day I mean it's

it's during that period, It's more often, right? Speaker 4: And we don't put it out there. Speaker 2: Because I'm not but I'm just. Speaker 4: Security purposes, but it's it's collected at least two

to three times a day at different times. And it's it's taken to a secured location maybe two or three times a day depending on how many come in and, and, you know, cause like I said, this is not a

secured location it's taken to the county and a vault. And when that happens there is because there is more than maybe what was in a blue band and you collected that one. Speaker 4: Okay. Oh, it's

it's a whole production. Speaker 2: So yeah I'm sure it is. I look forward to it. Speaker 4: And it's a whole projection and I tell you as you get up to a lecture day that week up, we're all looking

at each other's sideways and yeah. Speaker 2: Madeline and kathy. Speaker 1: Okay. Other, other questions about the election calendar and the work plan? I I note that you mentioned that we'll need to

identify a dropbox location in Twinbrook area and that's something that we don't need to do tonight, obviously, but you know we'll have to probably revisit that early in 2027. Speaker 4: Yeah, I think

I'm gonna have to talk to our IT department and our chief of police and get them involved because it needs to have a camera. Speaker 4: An area where a camera can survey a dropbox, so I'm gonna have

to see on where city property is down there. Speaker 4: And where it can be what's that the Twinburg Community Center. We have an indoor there but because of that location and how it's hard to get in

and out of that location that wouldn't be a car location dropping in and. Speaker 4: Because of the traffic that it's already hard enough to get in and out of there. We're talking about down at

Twinburg quarters where we're gonna do some outreach and then we can also say, by the way, there's dropbox right here and, you know, that's where we need to focus on. Yeah. Speaker 1: Other comments

or questions? Speaker 4: Just if we could, you know, when we get to it, talk some more about that, that location. Speaker 1: Okay other issues that anybody would like to bring up under the discussion

portion of the agenda, right? Hearing none, I suggest we move on to old and new business. Old business I. Speaker 1: I have one, request and that is I would appreciate an update on getting new numbers

to the board. Speaker 4: Well, I did reach back out to those potential applicants and did an interview with them and submitted the interview. Speaker 4: Com question responses back to the marion

council. It is now back, the marion council have the information or reviewing the information. I have heard from two members of the marion council to put forth one of the applicants who attended the

meeting, but I have not heard. Speaker 4: Anything further and I hope to I tried to push her down this week to get that appointment as soon as possible. Okay, great. I thought your update said that

the other two pulled withdraw their names. The one, the one that joined us in the last one the one that did withdrawal was, the lady, she could time commitment was she has her own business. The other

person we tried to reach out email phone. Speaker 2: She was. Speaker 4: It's really interested. Speaker 4: No response back this time. Yeah, so we really just had one candidate, yeah. Speaker 1:

Okay, ok. So, we. Speaker 4: Still advertise. Speaker 1: Advertise. Please, I ask everybody to. Speaker 1: Ping your contacts and, you know, make sure that they're aware that there's a wonderful

opportunity here waiting for them and you know we'll, we'll see if we can get some other, some other candidates lined up, but I mean it would be really great to have. Speaker 1: Have a full board be

really great for a full board. Is there any indication that the board, I'm sorry that the city council will take up the nomination for I can't remember. Speaker 4: Well I think you said you heard

positively from two of them. I've heard positively and I understand the mayor was gonna push out to her colleagues again to see if we could confirm nomination. Speaker 1: Fantastic. Okay, new

business. 1st of all, is there any other old business that anybody would like to raise? No, hearing none, new business. Speaker 1: Is there a new business that we should discuss? There was a lot.

There was a, a very helpful email that you sent with a whole bunch of information with respect to the University of Maryland's research. Speaker 1: On various aspects, aspects of the election process

and you you suggested that maybe this would be a good topic for new business. I I'd love to hear your thoughts about what you know what you think we can do with the information that's being provided

by this, this. Speaker 4: I think we could use them on some of these SOPs, you know, see if they're willing to do some research for us. Like if we write up some of this stuff, see if they would review

it and see what their thoughts were and if they would be willing to come in and meet with us and have somebody work with us for a couple months on until we get all this drafted and ready to go, maybe

they can help. Speaker 2: That's a great idea. Speaker 4: I like that. Speaker 1: But yeah. Speaker 4: Right. I mean we are a very limited hands on and you know so I think that might be something that

we could reach out and see what we could get if the board wants me to, I can do that. Speaker 2: Yeah, please. Speaker 2: I would say please. Speaker 4: Let me. Speaker 1: Great I I've heard it moved

and seconded and I agree that you know, it would be great if you could reach out to. Speaker 1: The University of Maryland and see if they have any interest in having a conversation with us and maybe

discussing how we could cooperate with them in order to accomplish some of the things that we need to do over the next several months. Speaker 1: Fantastic, thank you for your for raising that and

yeah and and forwarding that that information. Ok. So any other new business? No. All right, future meetings. Speaker 2: November second 19 November is our meeting and the. Speaker 1: Yep and the 16th

is. Speaker 2: The 16th is the. Speaker 1: There's the city. That's a lot. Oh, oh. Speaker 1: Yes. Keep our fingers crossed for that. Yeah on my whole that it's a lot and you know, I appreciate

everybody's willingness to spend the time to be present. I think it's really useful for us to be present at the public hearings. You know, I look forward to being present at the, the board sorry the

city council meeting on the 16th as well. Speaker 1: And if we, if we've done all the things we need to do, our own meeting on the 19th can also be a quick one, so alright any other business that we

need to raise in this, in this forum, right? Hearing none. Speaker 4: Into a journ. Speaker 1: Document. That's great. All a favor. Thank you all for coming and we can close the, close the.