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JoCo Advance Voting Provisional Ballots



 
Dear Support Group (feels like the beginning of a therapy session!!!):
 
I have just learned that the delivery of the Advanced Voting AVOS Ballots for Johnson County's August 6th Primary Election has met with delays.  I realize that the constraints surrounding the Johnson County, Kansas Primary Election have been and continue to be challenging at best. 
 
I know that Spectrum is fully aware of the unmovable deadlines facing this client with the Advanced Voting By Mail ballots to be mailed on Tuesday by statute, and Advanced Voting In Person voting sites opening on Wednesday.   I have been of the understanding that Spectrum and Johnson County have been operating off of a printing and delivery schedule that will accommodate these constraints.   Now I understand that all the ballots printed on Thursday and due to be delivered in Johnson County today, Saturday, were not delivered today.  Furthermore, all ballots printed yesterday, Friday, are also in transit and are not due to arrive in Johnson County as scheduled.  These delays are affecting the critical path of Johnson County's August 6th Primary Election administration.
 
I am requesting assistance from the DESI support division to help me think through some options so I can work with Johnson County on ways to mitigate these unfortunate circumstances.
 
First of all, this election is a primary election with three parties and 403 precincts.  The Democratic and Republican ballots include Precinct Committee people so each precinct has a different style.  The Non-Partisan ballot only have a few races but with rotation and a city election, ends up with 12 ballot styles.  So, formats = 818 and precinct ballots = 1209.   
 
1)    JoCo is set up for BOD centrally so one option may be to set up a networked printer at the two auxiliary sites to send print jobs to print provisional paper ballots that are needed.  This would keep the file selection central.  If networked printers are not an option then could set up full computer system with all PS files and put an operator at each location.
 
2)  Could resort to paper paper ballot and hand count the first few days of provisional ballots or remake them onto AVOS stock when available.  JoCo could have the proof deck duplicated and made available for the poll supervisor to "copy" the appropriate ballot if there is a copier available at these sites.
 
3)  If ballots are available centrally, could make "hot shot" deliveries on an as needed basis.
 
4) Another thought is to suggest that we enlist the provisional ballot option on the AVTS unit, but I seem to remember some questions about its operation.  Is anyone using this option and is it working in BS 4.1.11?  It is not approved in Kansas, but under the circumstances and the fact that we are only talking about 40-50 voters, JoCo could probably get the SOS to approve it conditionally. 
 
Well guys and gals, let me know what you think and if you have any other creative options to suggest.  I want to run this all by the group before I present to the client.  Thanks for any help you can provide.
 
Lesley
 
 

Sent: Saturday, July 20, 2002 4:33 PM
Subject: RE: Ballot Printing and Delivery Issues
 
FROM JOHNSON COUNTY:  Brian (Spectrum) tells us that he believes that we may have all of the folded ballots by Tuesday, but that the flat will most likely not all be here by Wednesday and it didn't sound like he could guarantee even a Thursday delivery - our big challenge is the expected high voter turnout for this election and the fact that early voting has been delayed one week - this means that we could be "hit" by a large number of voters at all three locations on Wednesday - if we can get all of the flat delivered by early Wednesday morning - the two external satellite sites don't open until 11:00 a.m. - it would be calling it "too close for comfort", but we could get them there before they open.  The Election Office site can rely on the folded ballots on site - if we have enough of those. 
 
It is extremely difficult to estimate voter turnout by early voting location - maximum would probably be 1,000 voters at each site during Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week for a total of 3,000 per day.  My guess is that of that number 40-50 could be provisionals (name and/or address changes).
 
Hope this helps..................this is an incredible election!
 
Connie