electionline Weekly

Election News This Week

II. Election News This Week

• Last week during the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s roundtable on election preparations, sever swing state election administrators noted that they are not seeing the interest in the 2016 election by young people they way they did in 2012/2008. A new poll by USAToday and Rock the Vote seems to contradict that a bit. The poll found that 60 percent of the Millennials surveyed plan to vote in 2016, but that 55 percent agree “there are better ways to make a difference than voting.” At the same time three of four say voting is way to change things their communities and a majority believe their vote could decide an election. “These poll numbers should put to rest the notion that Millennials are unaware of the value of their vote,” said Ashley Spillane, president of Rock the Vote. “But the numbers also underscore how critical the work we do to engage young people in the entire civic process — from demystifying registration and voting to providing key information about candidates and issues. It’s on all of us to make sure new voter to know how much critical they are to the future of our democracy.”
• County officials in Fairfax County, Virginia want the county’s schools, 167 of which serve as polling places, to be closed for the primary election out of fear that supporters of Donald Trump, angry with the state’s loyalty oath, could cause mayhem at the polls. Electoral Board Secretary Katherine K. Hanley told the board of supervisors she believes the risk of arguments or fights over the pledge is significant enough to justify canceling classes for more than 180,000 students. The school system is already planning on opening two hours late that day and according to The Washington Post, Superintendent Karen Garza said she would consider the supervisors’ request.
• The Texas secretary of state’s office has approved Smith County to become a permanent vote center county after a successful pilot in November 2015. “We are very excited to be able to give convenience and flexibility to voters by giving them the decision on where they cast their vote on Election Day,” Smith County Elections Administrator Karen Nelson said in a news release. Fort Bend Count is still waiting to hear from the state, but is hopeful. “
• Chad is back! No, not those pesky pieces of paper that plagued the 2000 election, but Chad Vader! Chad Vader, the alter ego of Dane County, Wisconsin Clerk Scott McDonell is back with an updated message about the state’s new voter ID law.
• Personnel News: Bruce Sherbert is the new Collin County, Texas elections administrator. He replaces Sharon Rowe who retired in late 2015. Sherbert previously served as elections administrator in Dallas County and Ellis County. Tena Pate, chairwoman of the Florida Commission on Offender Review has thrown her hat into the ring for the Leon County supervisor of elections seat. Terry Etter has been appointed to serve as the Madison Township, Michigan clerk. He replaces Arnold Harper who resigned after more than 16 years on the job. Bernalillo County, New Mexico County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver announced that she will seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for secretary of state. Tara Knight is the new Ross County, Ohio board of elections deputy director. Former Colorado Secretary of State Donetta Davidson and Colorado attorney John Moye both received the National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion for the extensive service to the state and voters of Colorado. The Rhode Island Board of Elections has voted to allow Robert Kando to keep his job as executive director but he must enroll in management classes and faces a 15-day unpaid suspension. Edward Leineweber and Victor Manian have been tapped by Gov. Scott Walker to serve on the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board until its demise in July. Indra Arriaga has been hired as the Alaska Elections Language Assistance Compliance Manager. Susan J. Kelsey has been appointed the Falls Village, Connecticut Republican registrar of voters. Canton Township, Michigan Clerk Terry Bennett announced that she will not seek re-election this fall after 21 years in office. Mike Long has retired as the Johnson County, Tennessee administrator of elections after 10 years on the job. Tina Podlodowski, a former Seattle city councilmember has announced that she will challenge incumbent Kim Wyman for Washington’s secretary of state position.

In Memoriam: Freda Baca, Colfax County, New Mexico clerk died on December 25, 2015. She was 57. Baca had served as the county clerk for three years after being elected in 2012.

Legislative Updates

 III. Legislative Updates

Florida: State Sen. Aaron Bean filed legislation pressing Congress to reform voter registration by allowing states to identify noncitizens who may be voting by allowing states to verify citizenship during the voter application process.

Rep. Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) has introduced a bill that would add two new forms of ID to the acceptable forms of ID the state requires to vote. The types of ID are the VA health ID cards and concealed carry permits.

Illinois: Lake County officials are pushing for a change in state election law that gives military and overseas voters 24 less hours to cast a ballot than their domestic counterparts. Under current law, military and overseas voters must have their ballots postmarked by midnight on the day before the election but those mailing their ballots domestically have until midnight on Election Day.

Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) is sponsoring Senate Bill 2134 which would allow for automatic voter registration. The bill would impact those who apply for or renew a driver’s license.

Kentucky: A bill that would allow Kentuckians to clear class D felonies from their criminal records has been approved by a House committee and Speaker Greg Stumbo (D-Peterson) said he expects the full House to approve it. If approved, thousands of ex-felons would regain their right to vote.

Maryland: The Hyattsville city council recently introduced a motion directing the city attorney to draw up a charter amendment that would allow non-U.S. citizens — even those without proper documentation — to vote in municipal elections.

Also in Maryland, the Baltimore City Council approved a resolution calling the General Assembly to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of a bill that would have restored ex-felons right to vote sooner.

Missouri: A photo voter ID measure passed out the House Elections Committee even though not one person testified in favor of it during a committee hearing.

Nebraska: Sen. Adam Morfeld (Lincoln) has introduced legislation that would allow voters to take a ballot selfie at the polls. Current law prohibits voters from showing anyone their marked ballot and in 2015 Secretary of State John Gale said that includes taking a picture of the ballot.

Ohio: Legislation is pending that would allow Ohio residents who have been victims of domestic violence, stalking and other crimes to shield their addresses including on voter registration information.

Also in Ohio legislators are making progress on allowing voters to register online to vote. The bill was approved 31-1 by the Senate in June 2015 and is championed by Secretary of State Jon Husted. Husted urged the House to move the bill by the end of February to give his office time get the system up and running and allow voters to use it before the November election.

Wyoming: The Legislature’s Management Council voted to sponsor a bill that requires groups to submit proposed initiatives in proper bill format before the secretary of state decides whether it meets the requirements to be certified.

Legal Updates

IV. Legal Updates

Alabama: More than two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Shelby County in Shelby v. Holder, the county is still fighting to be reimbursed $2 million in legal fees it says the U.S. Department of Justices owes it. Two lower courts disagree with the county’s interpretation of the Voting Rights Act in reimbursement of fees and now the county wants the Supreme Court to once again take up its case.

Also in Alabama, a fourth person has been sentenced for voter fraud in connection with a 2013 election in Dothan. Daniel W. Reynolds III was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to three counts of absentee ballot fraud.

Arizona: Without comment, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to disturb lower court rulings upholding a 2011 Arizona law that only the two parties with the highest number of members get to be listed on voter registration forms.

Michigan: Ba County Clerk Cynthia A. Luczak has filed suit against county officials alleging that the approximate 50 percent reduction in her staff makes it difficult for her to do her job. In her suit, Luczak alleges that she has made repeated requests to address her limited staffing, but that she’s been subjected to unreasonable demands from county officials.

North Carolina: The North Carolina NAACP has filed papers requesting that the court postpone the upcoming voter ID trial until after the March primaries. The hearing is set to start Jan. 25. The group argues that the state has not done enough to educate voters about the law and thinks the trial and law should be delayed until after the primaries.

Ohio: A federal judge has set an April trial in a dispute involving the accessibility of paper absentee ballots to blind Ohio voters. Plaintiffs have dropped a request for the court to provide relief before the primary.

Pennsylvania: Three former Philadelphia elections officials pleaded guilty Wednesday in Common Pleas Court to misdemeanor charges of violating the state’s election code and were each sentenced to one year of probation. Under a plea deal, felony fraud charges were dropped against Robin Trainor, 56; Laura Murtaugh, 57; and Cheryl Ali, also 57.

Virginia: The Augusta County board of supervisors has approved a resolution to settle a civil lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice over inaccessible polling places.

Ten current and former Republican members of Congress asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to stop a new, judge-selected redistricting plan in Virginia or risk the state having to postpone congressional elections.

Tech Thursday

V. Tech Thursday

National Tech: This week Clear Ballot launched the ClearCast precinct voting unit. ClearCast is comprised entirely of commercial off-the-shelf components. The voting unit allows ballots to be case and processed via the Intel NUC mini PC and ballots are then deposited in a durable ballot box that is both detachable and collapsible.

Alaska: Quietly, in the waning hours of 2015, the state of Alaska became one of a growing number of states to offer online voter registration. The state launched the system in late November and since then 592 voter registrations have been completed.

Nevada: In an effort to save money, Clark County is offering voters the option of receiving their sample ballots electronically. The county spent $1.5 million to print and mail sample ballots in 2014.

Opinions This Week

 VI. Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Student voting | Voter fraud | Ex-felon voting rights

Florida: Election reform

Guam: Voting rights

Michigan: Election reform, II, III, IV

Nebraska: Online voter registration

New Jersey: Ballots

New Mexico: Online voter registration, II

Ohio: Online voter registration

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia elections

Wisconsin: 2016 elections

Wyoming: Secretary of state

Available Funding/Partnerships

VII. Available Funding/Partnerships

ERIC Grants
The Pew Charitable Trusts is inviting new members and states considering joining ERIC to apply for grants to help defray the costs of their initial outreach, which includes bulk mail service, provider charges and postage. States interested in applying for mailing grants can do so here. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. EST on Feb. 29, 2016. Instructions for submitting an application and information on the timeline and selection process are included on the application form. States that are awarded grants must join ERIC by May 31, 2016, to receive the funds. For more information, please contact Keara Castaldo at kcastaldo@pewtrusts.org.

Upcoming Events

VIII. Upcoming Events
Please email upcoming events — conferences, symposiums, seminars, webinars, etc. to mmoretti@electionline.brinkdev.com.

Election Law Continuing Legal Education: The Bipartisan Policy Center will sponsor two Election Law Continuing Legal Education (CLE) sessions just before/after the NASS & NASED meetings in Washington, D.C. in February. The first session will focus on PCEA, Election Day and the Law and the second session is Civil Rights and Diversity: Ethics Issues. The full agenda for both sessions is available here. When: February 10 & 13. Where: Washington, D.C. For more information and to register, click here.

NASS Winter Conference: The National Association of Secretaries of State will hold its 2016 Winter Conference at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C. February 10-13, 2016. This event will bring together government and industry leaders to showcase Secretary of State initiatives and highlight all the latest developments in state and federal policymaking circles. NASS President Kate Brown and other speakers will focus on many important topics and leadership opportunities for members, including a special new member orientation session for newly-elected or appointed Secretaries of State! Where: JW Marriott, Washington, D.C. When: Feb. 10-13, 2016. For more information and to register, click here.

NACo Legislative Conference: The NACo Legislative Conference is held on an annual basis in Washington, DC. This meeting brings over 2,000 elected and appointed county officials from across the country to focus on legislative issues facing county government. Attendees hear from key Administration officials and members of Congress and are offered a myriad of additional educational opportunities addressing current and hot topic issues. A day of lobbying on Capitol Hill the last day rounds out an information-packed conference. Where: Washington, D.C. When: Feb. 20-24, 2016. For more information and to register, click here.

NACRC Winter Education Conference: National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks (NACRC) has its winter education conference in February in Savannah, GA.  Among the topics will be a presentation by the Brennan Center for Justice report on the aging electronic voting machines across the country, and what elections officials can do about it.  We’ll also discuss the movement to lower the voting age to 16, how to maintain clean voter registration databases, and a nationwide elections-only roundtable discussion. Hear from veterans and newcomers in the field about their innovations to tackle issues faced across the country. All this networking and learning will earn you credits towards the NACRC Certified Public Official Program. Where: Savannah, Georgia. When: Feb. 22-23. For more information and to register, click here.

Job Postings This Week

IX. Job Postings This Week
electionlineWeekly publishes election administration job postings each week as a free service to our readers. To have your job listed in the newsletter, please send a copy of the job description, including a web link to mmoretti@electionline.brinkdev.com. Job postings must be received by 5pm on Wednesday in order to appear in the Thursday newsletter. Listings will run for three weeks or till the deadline listed in the posting.

Account Manager, Florida, ES&S — account managers are responsible for managing all activity required to position customers to execute successful elections and assure quality customer service. The Account Manager oversees all activity and communication between customers, internal departments, partners, and vendors within a specified territory and is responsible for assuring that all customer issues and questions are resolved and/or answered in a timely fashion. This Account Manager position is a State of Florida based position and the primary responsibility will be to support ES&S’ Florida customer base as deemed necessary by the existing Florida Account Management Team. Travel to other territories outside the State of Florida will also be necessary. Deadline: February 5, 2016. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Customer Relations Associate, Reno, Nevada / Carson City, Nevada area — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a highly motivated and skilled, Customer Relations Associate, in Nevada! This role will responsible for managing one or more customer accounts to include product support, problem resolution, and placing product and service orders. As well as managing customer projects such as election support, new product implementations, trainings, upgrades and any additional customer services. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus target & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Deputy Director of Elections & Deputy Registrar, Norfolk, Virginia — must “wear many hats,” including meeting all qualifications of the Director of Elections & General Registrar (Director). The Deputy must be fully capable of assuming the duties and responsibilities in the Director’s absence, including being able to fully administer and direct all activities for a local, State or Federal elections. This requires an understanding of the subtleties of politics, government, history, business and finance and the development of comprehensive operational plans to ensure elections are administered in compliance with all State and Federal Election laws. The Deputy is an Election Administrator for the Office of Elections and is responsible for oversight of staff activities connected with the administration of all elections held in the City of Norfolk. The Deputy also responsible for managing staff and the daily operations of the Office of Elections, which includes monitoring work processes and procedures for compliance with State and Federal laws. Deadline: January 25. Application: Interested applicants should submit their resume with cover letter and two (2) letters of reference to vote@norfolk.gov and for the complete job listing, click here.

Elections Manager, Placer County, California — the County ofPlacer, California is seeking a highly skilled professional for the position of Recording-Elections Manager (Elections Manager).  The position serves the citizens of Placer County through active supervision of the county’s elections needs and interacts with elected officials, school and special district personnel, county department heads and managers, the media and the public.  The manager provides the necessary day-to-day management and administration of the division in an efficient and transparent manner, focused on customer service and in compliance with all applicable laws, codes and regulations.  The Elections Manager recommends priorities for division resources, serves as a member of the department’s management team, exercises direct supervision over supervisory, professional, technical, clerical and temporary personnel and reports directly to the Assistant Recorder-Registrar of Voters.  This position has management responsibility for planning, organizing and directing the day-to-day operations of all elections program areas, including voter registration and outreach, candidate and campaign services, polls and precincts coordination and vote-by-mail processing. Salary: $42.13-$51.21/hourly. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Hardware Engineer III, Toronto, Ontario — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic Hardware Engineer III for our downtown Toronto office. The key responsibilities for this role will be to work as a lead member of the mechanical engineering team helping to develop new products from concept to production, as well as supporting production runs and any field requirements for existing and legacy products. Salary: $70k base + benefits (negotiable). Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.  

Junior Product Support Specialist, Toronto, Ontario— Dominion Voting Systems is seeking an out-going, technology savvy, Junior Product Support Specialist, to be based in our downtown Toronto office. This position is responsible for supporting installation, operation, repair, and maintenance of all Dominion Voting Systems products; as well as developing and executing training sessions; and assisting with warehousing and logistics. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus target & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here

Network & Systems Specialist, Denver, Colorado — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a tech-savvy and detail oriented, Network & Systems Specialist, to be based in our downtown Denver, Colorado office. This role is responsible for assisting with the deployment and troubleshooting of advanced elections hardware and software system configurations; providing support to the logistics associated with procuring elections systems and equipment; performing tests and evaluations of various voting solutions; and providing election support to customers both remotely and/or on-site. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus target & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Product Support Specialist, Toronto, Ontario — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking an experienced and motivated, Product Support Specialist, to be based in our downtown Toronto office. This position is responsible for supporting installation, operation, repair, and maintenance of all Dominion Voting Systems products; as well as developing and executing training sessions; and working closely with the Operations and Development Teams on a number of critical projects. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus target & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Program Director, Rock the Vote, Washington, D.C. — the Campus Engagement Competition Program Director will lead the program and oversee its strategic development and execution. The Director will serve as the lead ambassador for the Campus Engagement Competition to colleges and universities. The Director will be responsible for overall program management, managing staff and consultants, recruiting high level partners and managing those relationships, development of contest structure, marketing and promotional initiatives to attract campuses to participate, facilitation of communication amongst stakeholders, and support of fundraising efforts. The Program Director should have a demonstrated interest in youth civic engagement, rigorous project management skills, strong marketing and presentation skills, and be comfortable in a fast paced work environment. Deadline: January 15. Application: Submit a cover letter and resume online at www.grossmanheinz.com (click “Submit Resume” to be directed to the job description and application page). Only applications submitted through this website will be considered.

Programming Specialist, Toronto, Ontario — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a highly-driven and detail-oriented, Programming Specialist, to be based in our downtown Toronto office. This position is responsible for elections design and programming; ensuring elections systems meet all performance criteria, standards and requirements; developing and executing trainings; implementing Dominion Voting System products; and providing technical support to customers, co-workers and election officials. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus target & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Project Coordinator (Temporary), Future of California Elections, Los Angeles — The Future of California Elections (FoCE), a project of Community Partners, seeks a temporary full-time Project Coordinator to serve as a California-based staff person responsible for administration and program support of all the activities of the Future of California collaboration, a coalition of election officials, civil rights organizations and reform advocates dedicated to an open, transparent and well-functioning system of democracy in California. The position is based in Los Angeles from January 11, 2016 – March 4, 2016. The project coordinator will accomplish the following duties: 2016 conference planning, project management/member relations, policy and other duties as specified. Salary: $14-$17/hourly based on experience. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Project Manager, ES&S — project manager is responsible applying professional principles, practices, and techniques to lead project teams and control project schedules, costs, and quality and performance risks to ensure achievement of corporate goals and objectives. This role has responsibility and manages each of the tasks required for all assigned projects with the goal of delivering on-time, high-quality product releases. The ultimate objectives of the Project Manager are to maximize throughput, productivity, and ultimately the marketability and profitability of ES&S Voting System products. Deadline: February 5, 2016. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Regional Sales Manager, North Carolina / South Carolina — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a highly-motivated and experienced, Regional Sales Manager, in the North Carolina / South Carolina region. This position will be responsible for long term sales (3-5 years) of the company’s election products and services in a specified geographic region to governmental agencies. This position uses technical, organizational and customer knowledge to influence customers and assist them in applying the products and services to their needs, resulting in revenue generation. In addition, the position provides input and participates in the marketing, market planning and technical development of products and services. Salary: Negotiable base + commission & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Regional Sales Manager, Texas — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a highly-motivated and accomplished, Regional Sales Manager, in Texas. This position will be responsible for long term sales (3-5 years) of the company’s election products and services in a specified geographic region to governmental agencies. This position uses technical, organizational and customer knowledge to influence customers and assist them in applying the products and services to their needs, resulting in revenue generation. In addition, the position provides input and participates in the marketing, market planning and technical development of products and services. Salary: Negotiable base + commission & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Research Specialist (Junior Specialist), California Civic Engagement Project at the UC Davis Center for Regional Change — under general supervision of the Director of the CCEP, the research specialist will work as a researcher on CCEP projects. Position includes statistical research, data research, data management, event coordination and other duties as needed. 85% RESEARCH: Work in statistical software, databases and various files to collaborate on the design of qualitative research methodology with Project Investigator and others. Manage all qualitative and quantitative data. Assist with acquisition of secondary data. Conduct analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data. Work with Project Investigator to synthesize findings. Use results of data analysis to produce high quality narrative reports that incorporate maps, charts, and diagrams. 15% OTHER: Coordination of CCEP internship program. Event planning and assistance. Writing and editing of CCEP documents. Deadline: January 15. Application: Applications and/or questions should be submitted via email to Mindy Romero at msromero@ucdavis.edu. Applicants should submit: a resume and/or curriculum vitae; a cover letter summarizing interest in the position as well as the most relevant background/skills; and names, addresses, e-mail, and telephone numbers of two references.

Sales Director, Everyone Counts— Everyone Counts is transforming the $31 billion public and private sector voting/elections industry from purpose-built, antiquated hardware and error-prone manual paper processes to a Software as a Service (SaaS) model.  Every democracy in the world, and every organization that has members who vote, needs Everyone Counts solutions. Support the often lengthy buying process from prospecting to closing of deals valued at $200k – $10M+. This involves education, support in developing RFPs and competently working with buyers in understanding the benefits of switching to our solution vs. competitive offerings or the status quo. Our sales are achieved through teamwork internally and externally. Build a valuable and convertible pipeline. You will expertly segment the market, qualify for relevance and size while prioritizing for timing and likelihood of winning. Your relentless drive to understand the pursuit context and details will allow us to make good decisions. Become expert at the “Election 2.0 pitch approach” at all relevant levels of a buyer’s constituencies. Adopt a modern data-driven lead generation and sales approach. You employ an effective and state-of-the-art sales methodology. Using CRM tools and working in an open and challenging team setting greases your engine to consistently meet and exceed the set targets. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Software Engineer, Center for Technology and Civic Life, Chicago or Washington, D.C. — We’re looking for a Software Engineer with a passion for civic engagement to help us continue to provide relevant, local civic data to people across the country. The Software Engineer will be the technical lead on the execution of CTCL’s civic data programs. The Software Engineer will, in collaboration with the Director of Civic Data, be responsible for the maintenance and expansion of CTCL’s existing codebase that standardizes and publishes the datasets created by the Civic Data team. Additionally, the Software Engineer will be responsible the technical implementation for new civic datasets, from database construction to publication. In addition, the Software Engineer may be asked to consult on or assist with the creation of technical assets for CTCL’s programs more broadly, with the understanding that any such responsibilities will be of secondary priority to the execution of civic data work. This position reports to the Director of Civic Data. Salary: $65,000-$70,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Voting Rights Attorney, Disability Rights California — Voting Rights Attorney shares responsibility with other legal and advocacy staff for providing information, technical assistance, outreach and training and representation in administrative and judicial proceedings to clients with disabilities.  This position works under the direct supervision of the Supervising Voting Rights Attorney and in collaboration with other Disability Rights California attorneys and advocates in their legal, advocacy, and outreach efforts. This position shares responsibility with other legal and advocacy staff for providing outreach and training, information, and technical assistance and direct representation to clients regarding voting rights. This position will collaborate with other agencies and organizations, including county election officials, to resolve barriers faced by voters with disabilities. This position works to ensure the full participation in the electoral process for individuals with disabilities, including registering to vote, casting a vote and accessing polling places. This position may supervise a voting rights advocate. Salary: $51,816-$60,024. Deadline: January 22. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Marketplace

 X. Marketplace
electionline provides no guarantees as to the quality of the items being sold and the accuracy of the information provided about the sale items in the Marketplace. Ads are provided directly by sellers and are not verified by electionline. If you have an ad for Marketplace, please email it to mmoretti@electionline.brinkdev.com