Board of Elections & Registration - Regular Meeting

[Music] Sorry. Camden County Board of Elections and Registration Regular Board meeting is now called to order. Uh we'll begin our opening ceremonies. We will have the invocation which will be delivered by Mr. Joe Stale and after which we'll have the pledge of allegiance led by Mr. Ray Holland. Dear heavenly father, we thank you for the time that we can come together to serve you and to serve the citizens of Kendum County. Lord, we ask for your guidance on us and that we will do everything within our power to ensure a safe and just election process. Lord, I pray that you will bless the board members, the staff, and others who are so actively involved in this process. In your son's holy and precious name, amen. Amen. Say the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Have your seats. Sorry, that was me. We'll now go to item B for our roll call. Uh we'll do a roll call of all our members of the board. When I call your name and district, if you will, please acknowledge by raising your hand and um saying present or here.

Robin Mayor Knight, chair, district 1, present. Miss Clara Harden, member, district two, present. Mr. Joseph Stale, member district three here. Dr. Julia McCulla, vice chair, district 4 is absent. Ray Holland, member district five, present. All right, moving on to item C, adoption of agenda. At this time, uh, we I do believe that we need to make an amendment. I would like to the agenda. I would like to make a motion to amend the agenda by adding another due miss item H3 which will be a discussion concerning polling location for the runoff election. Uh it has been motioned by Mr. Joseph Stale to make an amendment to the agenda, existing agenda by adding item number three to under new business in section H. Um, can I get a second? Second. All right, it's been motioned and second. All in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. Any opposes? No opposes. Okay, moving on to approval of minutes for May 15, 2025 regular board meeting. Has everyone had the opportunity to review the last meeting's minutes? Yes. Yes. May I get a motion to approve the minutes, please? So moved. Second. All right. It has been moved and second that the last minutes be approved. Uh all in favor? I. Any opposes? No opposes? Approved. Uh on to item E, which are public comments. And this is for agenda items only. Um, we do

ask that if there are any public comments that you please keep them at a minimum of three minutes, please. Being there aren't any, we will move on to item F, our financials, uh, Maymon report from our election supervisor. Please, Miss Shannon. Good afternoon, board members. Thank you for being here today. I've presented in your binders the May budget for May financial report for uh ending May 31st. We are still at about 79% of our 2425 fiscal year budget. Uh a few overages to note. I'm checking on the cell phone um charges because really we're almost over twice twice what we budgeted for that. So I am checking on that to see um maybe if we got mischarged for something. It's only supposed to be about $125 a month for all three cell phones that that the elections office has. advertising and publishing were just well over for additional um ads that were made and a different um rate that was being charged via the tribune that wasn't initially known at the beginning when this budget was made. Um, and I think another big item is that travel on page top of page two shows like whatever that is five 600 600%. Uh, some of that was supposed to be charged to education and training two lines below that. Uh, we'd be fine if if that was put in the correct location. I am checking also moving down a little bit in supplies uh

on the janitorial supplies. We did pick up the annex since uh planning has moved out of there. So we do that expense on our own now. So that might be part of those additional janitorial supplies. Um, and I've asked for a report moving down a little bit further on other supplies and small equipment just so I can verify what those charges were exactly for the entire year. But overall still we are under budget at just under 79%. Are there any questions? Okay, thank you. All right, we'll move on to item G, election supervisor update. Miss Shannon Nettles, please. Sure. Um, I just would like to talk about I guess the numbers from uh early voting. Dennis and Rock are also going to talk about election day numbers as well. Um, and overall I think we had 888 voters for the entire three weeks plus the election day. So a fairly low turnout. However, that was kind of par for the course across the state. um most of the time and I don't know how exactly it ended up Dennis might have this percentage but we had more voters per our um active voters than the majority of counties around us. So we did have a better turnout than a lot of other counties in the state. Um and I'll let Dennis talk for a minute. Is this where you want to go over a little bit of your report? Sure. So if you'll not I turn out well actually here let's before we start on that I'll start on reconciliation I know that's a hot topic

a lot of people that likes to be covered so regarding reconciliation um we have completed preliminary reconciliation on this election and I can tell you that based on the sources that we have access to that we are 100% reconciled and that every name this is such a small election that every name can match perfectly to to how they voted what precinct they voted at and what method they used to vote. So, uh, there were 888 total voters. Um, we had about an even 5050 split on advanced voting and on election day voting. And then additionally, we had a further 43 voters that received an absentee by mail ballot. I used the voter participation history report and I cross checked that against the statement of votes cast which is included to yield a 100% match to the methods and precincts of those of the um reported outcome of this election. So that being said we're 100% reconciled on the on this given election. We know that our results match what we reported. That being said, now I'll move over to the uh report that that I handed you earlier before this meeting started. So this is a question I believe Mr. Stell brought forward added to the agenda at a later time item number H3. So this is just a preliminary report about the specifics of the turnout. Um so as you know that we're looking into code section 21-2-270 which I will leave for explanation at a later time. However, part of that code states

on page two that few% of the county's registered voters voted at the primary of the political party by which a candidate or candidates are to be nominated at the runoff primary. So looking at those numbers for the runoff primary, we are expect we are anticipating that after all counties have certified, we will have a Democratic runoff primary for the uh special primary for the public service commission. We have a total of 404 uh voters request a Democratic ballot and vote that ballot which makes for8% of our total registered voters. That being said, it is the opinion of the election staff that Camden County does meet for the qualifications of Georgia code 21-2-27. Thank you, Dennis. And we're going to talk a little bit more about that a little bit later on. Um I I wanted to give a few comments from pole workers and then I'll let Do you have any thing to add? Right. You have some stuff. Yeah. Uh I have a few things I just want to add. We I sent out um our pole workers were great this uh early voting time, three weeks of early voting and election day. many were um um trying to find some busy work to do because it was so slow. Um and they handled that well and we appreciate them. And I just want to read you some comments from some of the poll workers. We thank them in an email um for all their hard work and dedication to the voters of Camden County. And here's a couple of their replies back to us. Uh, one of the poll workers said, "Our

team always makes us proud of the election integrity here in Camden County." Another gentleman said, "You are welcome with the constructive criticism, the regular pop quizzes and consistently positive reinforcement. We are fortunate as pole workers to have all of you as mentors. God bless and see you at the runoff." Another um lady said, "Thank you for your staff for such a great leadership, for such great leadership." Another lady said, "It is my honor and pleasure to serve as a pole worker. I thank all of this awesome staff for teaching us, for your patience, and for your kindness. I've met a lot of great fellow Camdenites." Let's see. I had another good one I wanted to read. Um, this one, working with such amazing people reminds me once again how lucky we were to settle in Camden County. This is a a newer pole worker who hasn't been in the area too too long. So, that's awesome. Um, another lady said, "I enjoy working for you all. It takes a team to accomplish what's required of us. Thank you for the opportunity." Um, thank you. We pray God continues to bless Camden County pole workers and your office staff. Thanks again for your support and kind words. And Mr. um well I won't say a name. Um I had another gentleman say it was an honor to serve as a pole worker. And then another lady said it was truly my pleasure. So I just wanted to give you feedback. We have some amazing poll workers that work with us on election

days and during early voting and that's something um I don't want to take for granted because without them and what they provide their services to us and to the voters the four of us right here wouldn't be able to do our job. So just a special shout out to the pole workers who were there and I will let Mr. Rock give some additional numbers. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Uh, also I'd like to thank our pole workers as well because um they show up, they take the constructive criticism to heart and they want to do a good job and they pass the pop quizzes most of the time. However, when they do not, they do take that information to do a better job the next time. So they do not um look at it as browbeating but they look at it as a continuous learning since it is a little bit of time from training to the actual advanced voting and when they have to you know put the rubber to the road. Okay. All righty. Uh in terms of numbers, because of our very low turnout, um we'd like to propose our advanced voting hours of 9 to5 from July the 7th through the 11th at the annex. Also, that would ensure that the south end voters will have the opportunity to participate because on election day we will we're hoping to have the one polling place open here in Woodbine. Okay, that's all I have. Do you want to say how many early voters we had versus the election day? Do you have that number? Early voters were 423.

had 45 absentee ballots. 45 absentee ballots that came in. Uh we actually received two more today, but they had to be rejected because the deadline 7:00 on election day. Okay. And of the 45 that actually went out, we had 43 that came in. So we only missed those two. All right. All right. Thank you, Rock. And I just have a couple more uh comments to share. Our highest uh poll location, I thought this was pretty interesting because it never usually happens like that percentage-wise though with the active voter count for our voters. Um and this includes election day advanced voting and any absentee by mail ballots. But our highest turnout was Waverly's precinct. Um Mr. Vernon, that's our amazing poll manager sitting in the audience with us today. He manages that poll. Um, and we did have a few concerns at that polling location. That, uh, polling location was getting a new, um, parking lot paved right in the front where the voters would come in. Um, we were not aware of that situation until the day before the poll um, actually was to be opened when Mr. Mr. Vernon went over there to set up and we had also heard from a a staff member at the or the pastor of the church. Um, but he was able Mr. Vernon was able to figure out a way that we could make sure safely to get voters into the precinct or into the polling place. And our handicap accessible access ended up being in the back of the location instead of in the front where it usually is. And again, Mr. Vernon Higgins was responsible for making sure that happened as well. But that that polling location did have the

highest turnout. Um they they have a 1875 voters registered there and a total of 73 voted over the course of early voting, election day, and absentee by mail. And while that's not a lot, neither is their their count for um registered voters at that that precinct area. Okay. The next highest, which is no surprise, was West St. Mary's. They always have a great turnout. And in comparison, they have 3,500 voters in their precinct. And of their 3,500, they had 131 turn out to vote. So, it's 3.7%. um our lowest polling location and this is usually always the case also we have almost 2900 people that are registered at the North St. Mary's precinct. Um of that 36 people voted for a 1.24 uh% turnout. So I just thought those were interesting numbers and wanted to share them with you. Okay, I think that's all I have for my election supervisor report, but we can move on to the next item. That's it. So, you want to go on to the new business? Yes. Well, before we go into the new business, I do want to thank you all for everything that you do. Miss Shannon, Mr. Rock, Dennis, Miss Leona, thank you, Mr. Vernon, for being quick on your feet with thinking and making sure that things run smoothly. We appreciate you. We appreciate everything you do. All righty. So, we're going to go on to our new business, which is the pre-certification of the June 17, 2025 special primary. Miss Shannon, yes. So, we have no provisional ballots. We had obviously no UACava ballots for this election. So, there is no need for us to

adjudicate any provisional ballots or to adjourn the meeting to process those. So, we can go right into the certification of the June 17th, 2025 special primary. And all votes we believe were cast and our numbers were exact match. We didn't have any issues. We had 888 voters turn out. That is what our voting registration system shows as well. So, we'd like to request that this election be certified by our board. Can I get a motion to um accept or approve the um certification of the special primary? So moved. Second. All right. It has been moved and second that the election of June 17, 2025 be certified. All in favor? I. Any opposes? All right. And is approved. And if you all will give us a few minutes as we do our signatures. Yes. Thank you. Mine's red. What color do you have? Is that black? That's fine.

Thank you. All right. So, we're going on to item H, um, which is new item to discuss on item three, please, Miss Shannon. Yes, ma'am. So, thank you all for certifying the election. We appreciate that. Uh we did add a new uh number H3 to our um new business and the the staff would like to request that the board approve a uh single polling location for the July 15th runoff. Uh this is a code in our book that the Secretary of State's office has reached out to us about to uh let those counties know that had under 1% of the of the runoff voters actually turn out in their county. And we did, you heard Dennis say earlier, we had um 888 is what it rounded up to percent of Democratic um ballots that were selected in the primary. Okay. So, that was 404 people. If you didn't vote in the primary election or um or you voted the Democratic ballot, that's the only two groups of people that can vote in the runoff election. So, if you voted a Republican ballot in the election day, the primary, you won't be able to partake in this runoff election, which makes sense. Um, so we expect still probably around 400 people at the most would be what we would be looking for on um election day. The law allows for us to provide one polling location in the precinct where the county courthouse is located. Our county courthouse obviously is right here in in Woodbine.

The precinct um where those the voters of Woodbine precinct vote at the Woodbine First Baptist Church. that church has uh agreed to allow us to be there for July 15th again for a runoff. Um we have also provided the code and the guidance to our attorney and to our county administrator and we have the full support of uh our county administrator and the board uh and the attorney to move forward with just one polling location. Now that would just be on election day. Um, we're still mandated to have a minimum of five days of early voting for a runoff election because it takes time to turn around a new ballot, a new project. We have to do logic and accuracy testing again. Uh, so those things take time. We have to set staff, have a precinct open, an early voting precinct open. Um, we would like to utilize the Kingsland uh annex, the Camden County annex located in Kingsland. We think that will help offset uh those voters coming from the southern end of the county in Kingsland and St. Mary's. They could vote early um there at the annex or they can wait until election day and vote in Woodbine, especially maybe if they live on the northern part of the the county lines. So, we'd like to request that the board approve the utilization of just one poll on election day. Um, I did provide you with a little summary of the code, the savings that this would provide a minimum of a $10,000 savings by opening just one polling location. Uh, and I think if we're open for five

days in Kingsland that those six days would be sufficient for the number of individuals that we had previously. Uh, 9 to five are the hours that are required by the state and that's what we'd like to open the annex for. So, if I could get maybe someone to make a motion on or if you have any questions for me before you make a motion. um regarding this scenario with the with the code. I'm we're happy to answer those. Do we have any questions for any board members? Uh, I know this isn't here, but um I think that is it possible for us to hear from um our constituents before we go to the motion? Yeah. Does anyone from the public have anything to ask in regards to the potential change? I uh I appreciate the uh cost savings at um Mary Beckman uh precinct uh district three uh Julia McCullis district. Um, I appreciate the cost savings. Uh, and I know that runoffs are always challenging. Uh, but, uh, if you, uh, only have early voting from 9 to5, uh, on weekdays, uh, that that means that, uh, you're making it really difficult for people who, uh, work out uh, especially people who work outside of the county. And so I wonder if uh you could uh uh take the

savings that you get by having only one polling location open on uh uh election day and uh extend early voting uh into the evening hours for just one of the five days. Uh Dr. Beckman, before you leave, what what are your suggestions as far as extension to what time frame are you saying? Well, I mean the uh the um uh you you can uh extend it to from 7 to 7, right? And so if you if you start at 9:00, which is when you have to start it by, and uh have it until 7, say on Thursday or Wednesday or something, then uh then that would give people who work outside of the county one day at least besides uh election day to try to get back uh and and vote. Yeah. Shannon, did you say it was six days? So is there a Saturday day? No, five days. It's only five Monday through Friday. I did say six earlier, but that included election day. So, five days of early and then election day, which is 7 to 7. We uh looked at the numbers for those voters that because our polls were open at um 8:30. We looked at our numbers from 8:30 to 9:00. I I get hourly updates from each staff member. Um, while there were a couple of voters that voted in the 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. time frame, it was very few. I mean, it there were days they went to 10:00 before we first saw our first voter um during early voting. Now, granted, we were open for 3 weeks. Um, that's why we opted for the 9:00 a.m. and to the 5:00 pm. Um, I you know that let me let me just uh reiterate uh We're not asking that you

uh start earlier uh but rather that uh you know you go ahead start at 9 uh but uh extend at the end of the business day uh so that people who work 9 to5 or 8 to 5 as many people do still have time to get back to Camden County uh and uh vote in the evening for just one day. And I know Dr. Beckman is talking about having time to come back to vote, but I think it's a state law in Georgia that your employer, and I this isn't for people who work in Florida. Um, I don't know what the law is there, but I believe that they have to be given time off um to be able to to go and cast their ballot. So, but isn't that only on the day of the election? That's not for early voting, I don't believe. I'm not actually I'm not sure actually. That's a good point. I'm not I'm not 100% positive on that. Um because Dr. Beckman does have a valid point. So uh is it feasible to do that or to add a a date uh one Saturday that Saturday of that week? But she's correct for the people who work and and if they work out of town not being able to get back in time and it's already a low turnout, so we don't want to do anything to lower the number of voters in the county. Um, Saturday is not an option because I can't confirm that we could technically do a Saturday at this point. It would have to be the Saturday prior to the Monday that we're going to start and we don't know that we'll have our machines and equipment ready by that point. So, we definitely couldn't start until the 7th. Um, and you can't have early voting on the Saturday prior to election Tuesday. Um it I mean I guess it would be possible to do a later a later um hour. I wouldn't go to seven o'clock

though. I'm going to have people sitting there doing nothing until 7 o'clock. Um and we only need to do it one day. Just one day. So we don't need to do it every day. Yeah. Um the part that we don't like about doing just one day is that messes like people get confused and the message is you know they don't know what day we're open till 6. Oh I thought you were open till 600. Well yeah but just on whatever Thursday. Um but you know that's that is a board decision. Staff recommendation was 9 to5 Monday through Friday. We can make it happen. I mean I can keep the staff there an extra hour. I wouldn't really go past six o'clock though. Any more suggestions? Any more discussion? Madam Chair, I I think that's a great suggestion is and I understand completely uh people trying to work and and I'm not certain. I think it's only on election day that the employer has to allow voting to happen with their employees. So um I would I would recommend and and board can take into consideration to you know I think six o'clock for each evening is not a big stretch to add to that and it's not going to cost because it's it's going to be very minimal cost into that $10,000 saving. Is that a motion? It was just a suggestion. Okay. Anybody have any more suggestions or did you have anything else before we move forward? Okay. Can can I say one more thing? Yes. So I think um Mr. Holland saying 9 to6 every day and um I mean I that could work as well. I

think one day late is sufficient. I just we don't see turnout after five o'clock really unless it's maybe 5:45 or something 6 o'clock but by you know by then we have packed up so I can't say with certainty how many people show up late late in the afternoon to vote um and the early voting times need to be a different motion than the H3 okay So, I just want to make sure y'all are keeping those two things separate. It generally in the past, we've provided um the staff suggestion for advanced voting and that hasn't been voted on by the board. Um but we definitely do need a vote on the um just the one poll. Okay. Yeah, Madam Chair, I I move to um to accept the one polling position for the early voting for the which would be the annex. No, she is the the one polling position is for the uh runoff day of Woodbine First Baptist Church. Woodbine I'm I'm sorry. Yes, for the Woodbine First Baptist. I would start over to so be. So yeah, I I moved to to um make the Woodbine Baptist Church the early voting location and the only the single location. No, that is election day. No. Okay. Early voting early voters going to be at the annex annex. The one election is going to be here for the election day. Okay. Okay. I understand that. Okay. So, I will amend my motion to say that the early voting is going to be at the annex and what on election day will be here in Woodbine.

Can I get a second? Uh, I'm sorry, but it isn't that two motions because H3 is only election day voting location, correct? Right. So, I would I would just go with that H3 motion to to um open one polling place for election day on July the 15th to be that Woodbine First Baptist Church, which is mandated. Then you could always make a second motion for the advanced voting days. Okay. So, you need to he really needs to do it over again because then include the the advant the advanced voting as well, right? Right. If he just says I want to amend my motion to Yeah, I'm gonna amend it to just the uh on July 15th here in Woodbine. Okay. The single location. Second. It has been motioned and second that the location site for election day July 15th be held at the Woodbine First Baptist Church. All in favor? I. Any opposes? No poses. All right. So, we need to move on to do the advance. Okay. All right. So, we need someone want to make a motion and then as far as that as well. Okay. And that needs to include the time frame also. Right. I I'll move to um for the early voting to be at the annex from 9 to 6 Monday through Friday. Second. All right. It has been motioned and second that advanced voting for the July 15th election be 9 to6 Monday through Friday at the annex in Kingsland, Georgia. All in

favor? I I. Any opposes? So approved. Um, moving on to item I, important upcoming dates. Miss Harden, do you mind reading those for us, please? Um, not at all. Important upcoming dates. Uh, public service commissioner risk limiting audit uh will take place on Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 900 a.m. to noon. Uh the BOER work session will occur on next Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 300 PM. The Independence Day holiday will be celebrated on Friday, July 4th, 2025. Advanced in-person voting for PSSE runoff um if needed will be at the annex July 7th through the 11th of 2025. and the public service commissioners runoff election if needed will occur on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Do we have any questions in regards to the important upcoming dates or anybody have any comments? Yes, ma'am. One one question on item number two, the work session. Did we set a definitive location? Oh, that's right. I think we talked about Kingsland and the annex. Yeah, the annex or here. Um, and that might tie into what I was going to say about number one. I don't know if I'll have any board members present, but you're always welcome to come to the risk limiting audit. We have two teams of two people. Right now, I have two pole workers that will assist us as one of the team members for each of the teams. So, I do

tend to like to get another um two board members to be on the audit team um or at a minimum to be present during the audit to see how that works. So, you might not want to come to Woodbine at 9:00 and then come back at 3. Um it but I would I would invite you all to attend and and ask that you let me know who will be available to sit on an audit team. If anybody is, that'd be appreciated. If not, I reach out to others to try to find those other two people. The um annex is available for the work session and that's fine with me. It's whatever you all would like to do. Now, Miss Shannon, do you foresee it um conflicting with time since that is the audit that day? Um would it be better? you know, uh I I mean I don't think that the audit even if the uh dice roll that they do uh the state election um or the secretary of state's office does, they do a a dice roll to determine a random selection of what ballots from which precinct that we will audit. Even if they did our largest precinct, which is early voting precinct at the annex, and that's 400 plus ballots, I still don't think it will, just from previous experience, and I believe everyone else can back me up on this. It's not going to take us three hours to do the audit for for that particular um whatever race they give us, which I'm assuming it's going to be the runoff race. Um, I don't think it'll take us more than three hours, but if that's too much in one day, we can always reschedu the work session for a different day. So, that's up to you all. No, what I was saying was, would it make sense since everything is going to be done here for the audit? That's I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt, but for the audit, would it be convened for us just to come

here in um downstairs versus at the annex? That's just my question. But you're saying it's not going to run over, so it shouldn't be a problem. Yeah, I don't I mean I don't think y'all will be here all day if you come at 9:00 and then you'd kind of have to hang out and wait until the 3:00 work session. So, it is entirely up to you all. We can meet in a less formal setting at the annex or downstairs in the um conference room in our little elections conference room, but you've got one event at 9:00 in the historic courtroom that won't take more than three hours and then another event at 3:00. Now, you could change the time of the work session if you wanted to do that. Um, we're open to any and all of those. And make note, this is open for the public as well. Yes. Everybody knows. So, um, this sounds like something we need to discuss as far as location and if we want to change the time. I'm happy with the annex at 3:00. That that either place works for me. So, I can do the annex at 3. Do we need to make a motion for that or it's good? Okay. All right. So, um the work session on June 26 will be at the annex at 3 p.m. as stated. Okay. All right. Moving right along to item J of the agenda. Additional public comments. Mary Beckman, District 3. Um I I hate to have to do this, but um we were far from the highest uh turnout. The overall turnout, according to the uh Secretary of State's election data hub turnout site, the overall turnout was 2.8%. Uh and uh in in just the neighboring

counties, uh uh the county that had the highest turnout was Macintosh with 4.3. Uh and then Chadam with 3.3 uh and um uh uh and then Liberty with 2.5 uh Brunswick uh sorry uh Glenn with 2.3. And so we were of the coastal counties, we were second lowest turnout. Uh only Brian County had a lower turnout. Uh we will we will try to do better in November. I promise. Thank you, Dr. Beckman. Is there anything else from anyone? Mich, I'll just say one last thing. We did have a lot of support from the NAACP and the GOP groups pushing out the dates for us and reminding even people at bulldog club meetings that hey there's an election going on. It was in the paper a couple of times plus the coastal shopper had it in their um the the shopper it was there twice at least and and they have a lot of readership. uh Lighthouse Radio did a couple of broadcasts with me. Um so aside from like billboards or more uh maybe groups um that we have like Rotaries, Lions Club, um Kowanas, getting the information to them. Um, we maybe we can brainstorm on some other things during the work session to get get the word out. Thank you. And I think that you all do a great job as far as trying to get the word out. Um, all the different organizations as well. Um, like you said, just kind of ponder around and see what we can do to make it better. But right now, I believe we're doing a great

job and what we do is trying to educate the the citizens and the community. All righty. If there's nothing else, I'm going to get a motion to adjurnn our regular meeting, please. So move. Second. All right. Motion to second to adjurnn our meeting. Meeting is journ. Thank you. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music]