Elections Commission
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 Elections Commission Meeting
Wednesday, October 4, 2006 at 7:00 pm
City Hall Room 421
ORDER OF BUSINESS
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. FLAG SALUTE
4. Public Comment on any issue within the Elections Commission’s general jurisdiction.
5. Director’s Report
• Update on re-certification of voting equipment for RCV
• Update on preparation for November 7, 2006 Election
6. Commissioners’ Reports
• Meetings with public officials
• Meetings with nongovernmental organizations
• Oversight and Observation activities
• Long-range planning for Commission activities and areas of study
7. Discussion and possible action on status of current voting system used by the Department of Elections.
• This item will include an update on the status of certification of the entire voting system for Ranked Choice Voting.
• An ES&S (Elections Systems and Software) representative has been invited to discuss the current status of their voting equipment for the November 7, 2006 election.
8. Committee Reports
The Budget and Oversight of Public Elections Committee met on Tuesday, September 26, 2006. (Chairperson Gerard Gleason)
9. Discussion of possible future voting systems in San Francisco after the November 2006 election.
10. Discussion by Deputy City Attorney Ann O’Leary on the role of the Elections Commission in the selection of voting systems, the Department of Elections options for selecting a voting system to be used after the November 2006 election, and an overview of HAVA's requirements regarding the purchasing of voting equipment.
11. Report from the Budget and Oversight of Public Elections Committee and its recommendation regarding holding hearings and receiving public input and recommendations, at the soonest possible date, regarding voting equipment for future elections and the possible use of funds provided under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). (Commissioner Gleason)
12. Discussion and possible action to hold hearings and receive public input and recommendations, at the soonest possible date, regarding voting equipment for future elections and the possible use of funds provided under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).
13. The Director of Elections will provide an overview of the funding and purchasing of new voting system.
14, A Representative of Sequoia Voting Systems has been invited to attend this meeting and demonstrate their voting equipment.
15. A Representative of Election Systems & Software has been invited to attend this meeting and demonstrate their voting equipment.
16, Report from the Budget and Oversight of Public Elections Committee and its recommendation regarding the Election Plan for the November 7, 2006 Consolidated Election. (Commissioner Gleason)
17. Discussion and possible action to approve the Election Plan for the November 7, 2006 Consolidated Election. (Commissioner Gleason)
18. Discussion and possible action to submit a request to the Board of Supervisors for a waiver allowing certain City employees to work on the November 7, 2006 Consolidated Election.
19. Discussion and possible action on legislation related to amendments to the Municipal Election Code. Supervisors Fiona Ma and Sean Elsbernd have proposed legislation.
20. Discussion and Possible Action on Attendance Policy for the Commission.
21. Discussion regarding items for future agendas
22. Public comment on any issue within the Elections Commission’s general jurisdiction.
23. Announcements
ADJOURNMENT
Disability Access
The Elections Commission meeting will be held in Room 421, City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA. The Commission meeting room is wheelchair accessible. The closest accessible BART station is the Civic Center Station at United Nations Plaza and Market Street. Accessible MUNI lines serving this location are: #42 Downtown Loop, and #71 Haight/Noriega and the F Line to Market and Van Ness and the Metro Stations at Van Ness and Market and at Civic Center. For information about MUNI accessible services call (415) 923-6142. There is accessible curbside parking adjacent to City Hall on Grove Street and Van Ness Avenue and in the vicinity of the Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue adjacent to Davies Hall and the War Memorial Complex.
The following services are available on request 48 hours prior to the meeting; except for Monday meetings, for which the deadline shall be 4:00 p.m. of the last business day of the preceding week: For American sign language interpreters or the use of a reader during a meeting, a sound enhancement system, and/or alternative formats of the agenda and minutes, please contact The Elections Office at (415) 554- 4375 or our TDD at (415) 554-4386 to make arrangements for the accommodation. Late requests will be honored, if possible.
In order to assist the City's efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products. Please help the City accommodate these individuals. Individuals with chemical sensitivity or related disabilities should call our accessibility hotline at (415) 554-6060.
Know your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code)
Government's duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils, and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people's business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people's review. For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, Donna Hall, Clerk, City Hall, Room 409, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4683 at Phone No.: (415) 554-7724; Fax No.: (415) 554-7854; E-mail: [email protected] Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can be obtained from the Clerk of the Sunshine Task Force, the San Francisco Public Library and on the City's website at www.ci.sf.ca.us.
Materials contained in the Commission packets for meetings is available for inspection at the Elections Department, City Hall Room 48, in the Commission's Public Binder, no later than 72 hours prior to meetings.
The ringing of and use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices.
Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements
Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code §2.100] to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the Ethics Commission at 30 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 3900, San Francisco, CA 94102; telephone (415) 581-2300, fax (415) 581-2317; web site at http://www.sfethics.org/.
ATTACHMENTS:
For the November 7, 2006 Election Plan
Commissioner Gerard Gleason’s suggested additions and questions about Election Plan
at BOPEC meeting September 26, 2006:
Page 2: II New Equipment:
This is the 2nd Election in San Francisco using the AutoMark device. The
first use of the AutoMark device was during the June 6, 2006 Consolidated
Primary Election.
Page 2: III New Practices:
This is the 2nd Election in San Francisco using the AutoMark remake
procedure. The first use of the AutoMark remake procedure was during the June 6,
2006 Consolidated Primary Election.
Page 3: III New Practices:
Title line: add [Ranked Choice Voting]
This is the 3rd Election in San Francisco using Ranked Choice Voting. The
previous use of the Ranked Choice Voting was during the November 2, 2004
Consolidated General Election and the November 6, 2005 Consolidated Municipal
Election.
Page 3: IV Election Summary, “City And County Offices”
Add: Ranked Choice Voting applies for these offices.
Page 4: IV Election Summary, (2.)
Delete registration numbers by political party and replace with total
registration number on September 8, 2006 [409,406].
Page 8: VII Transporting & Securing
Question 2nd paragraph about PCO assistance and direction.
Page 9: VIII Ballot Processing
Question about Canvass Board (definition)
Page 18: IX Election Results
RCV
Possible: Results of Ranked Choice Voting Contests. First Choice selections
in Ranked Choice Voting offices will be reported with all other election
results. After tabulating First Choice selections, if no candidate for a
particular office for which Ranked Choice Voting applies obtains the required 50% +1
of all votes cast, the subsequent Second and/or Third choice selections will
be tabulated using the prescribed algorithm after all valid First Choice
ballots have been accounted for and tabulated. The Department of Elections may
decide to release ballot images and data sets of ballots cast before the final
accounting and tabulation of First Choice ballots is complete.
Page 21: Voter Outreach: Citywide Mailing:
Question: Sufficient candidates for RCV
Page 23 XI Logic and Accuracy Testing
L&A Board, same as Canvass Board question
Commissioner Jennifer Meek’s suggested additions and questions about Election Plan
at BOPEC meeting September 26, 2006:
Commissioner Meek recommended that Election Plan item #8 on Page 5 include non-English VIP dates; items on pages 20 and 21 regarding presentations, city-wide mailings and public service announcements should have general commencement dates.
Item # 10 (c)
To: Elections Commission
From: John Arntz, Director
Re: Waiver Allowing City Employees to Assist the Department of Elections with the November 7, 2006 Consolidated General Election
The City Charter prohibits, with exception, City personnel other than Department of Elections staff, Election Commissioners, and the Sheriff from performing any function related to the conduct of elections, and prohibits City personnel from assisting the Department of Elections with any work that is unique to the Department (13.104.5).
While the Department seeks to fill all positions with permanent and temporary staff, we find it necessary to utilize the skills of some City personnel who work with other departments. Thus, after considering staffing needs for the June 6, 2006 Consolidated Primary Election, I recommend that the Elections Commission request from the Board of Supervisors a waiver of this prohibition and allow City personnel to assist the Department of Elections.
While the Department requests that this be a general waiver in order to provide sufficient flexibility in planning for the election, I have included a list based on staffing from previous elections that indicates the estimated number of City employees who we would like to assist with the upcoming election.
Please let me know if you have any questions on this matter.
Encl; waiver request list
Re: Waiver Allowing City Employees to Assist the Department of Elections with the November 7, 2006 Consolidated General Election
Technical Support
Number of City Employees: 16
Departments: Telecommunications and Information Services (DTIS), Administrative Services, Controller’s Office, County Clerk’s Office, War Memorial, MUNI, Assessor-Recorder’s Office, Public Utilities Commission, Office of Emergency Services, City Attorney’s Office, Department of Recreation and Parks, and Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS)
Item # 10 (f)
TO: Elections Commission
FROM: Ann M. O'Leary
Deputy City Attorney
DATE: September 29, 2006
In recent weeks, both the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors have urged City Boards and Commissions to adopt attendance policies. This memo provides information on the Board and the Mayor's request that the Commission establish an attendance policy. While these requests are non-binding, the Commission should consider the requests and decide whether to adopt such policies.
Board Resolution
In August, the Board of Supervisors passed a non-binding resolution urging all City Boards and Commissions to adopt an internal policy regarding members' attendance at meetings of the body and requesting each Commission to submit a copy of its policy to the Board by December 1, 2006. In this resolution, the Board urges each board or commission to consider including in the attendance policy how and when members are to be excused and when the body is to report a member's excessive absenteeism to the appointing authority.
Mayor's Memo
On September 18, 2006, the Mayor sent a memo to all City Boards and Commissions making three requests:
- The Mayor asks each Commission to consider incorporating baseline attendance standards into the commission's policies and procedures (the Mayor suggests that all absences be "excused absences" and that the commission has a working goal of 100% attendance for the commissioners and a real goal of 90% attendance);
- The Mayor asks that commission secretaries submit an annual report to his office by the end of each fiscal year detailing commission attendance; and
- The Mayor asks commission secretaries to contact his office if a commissioner misses a meeting without contacting the department in advance.
The first request asks the Commission to establish an attendance policy. The second request is a request for general information as to attendance of all the Commissioners on the Commission. The third request appears to only go to those Commissioners that the Mayor appoints and over whom he has authority. But the Board Resolution suggests that the Commission should consider establishing a policy of reporting a member's excessive absenteeism to the appointing authority (whoever that may be for the particular Commissioner).
Action
The Commission should consider whether to adopt an attendance policy based on these requests and recommendations from the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor.
If the Commission adopts a policy along the lines suggested by the Mayor and the Board, the Commission Secretary would need to provide the attendance policy to the Board by December 1, 2006, provide an annual report on attendance to the Mayor, and report any excessive absenteeism to the appointing authority for each Commissioner.
Please contact the Commission Secretary at 554-7494 for remaining attachments.