Virginia for Election Transparency

Free and Fair Elections are crucial for a Republic to survive.

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Locality: Williamsburg City

File Name: Williamsburg City Survey 20210819




ObserversJerry, Suzanne, Maureen
Date of interview08/19/2021
Time and date of initial call and email:08/13/2021
Time and date of response:08/13/2021
Did the registrar refuse to meet you:No
If yes, please provide the reason given for not meeting:
Survey Answers
1. What is your biggest concern about the upcoming election?Handling the workload
2. Any other major concerns?
3. Do you feel like you have the resources, equipment, personnel, and training needed to run an effective election in November?Yes
3a. Any additional information?All resources are in place. We are fully staffed. Election equipment and election officers are all ready
4. If no, what is missing?
5. The county election board is supposed to consist of 2 Democrats and a Republican under a Democrat governor, but in some areas, boards have had trouble finding willing Republicans and have appointed an Independent instead, or another Democrat. What is the situation in this county?2D+R
6. What about precinct staff? Are you able to have equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans?Yes
6a. Provide DetailsWe have good working relationships with both party chairs + plent of volunteers
7. Is the county Board of Elections engaged in your work year-round, or mostly near elections?Yearly
7a. Any additional information?They are engaged in all aspects. We have monthly meetings and are in frequent communication
8. When was the last audit of the voter file in your county?
8a. No. of days since last audit: Records converted from paper to digital in 2019 and now update on a monthly basis with state of VA
8b. Any additional information?
9a. Does the Health Department send a list of deceased people to your office every month so they can be removed from the voter roll?Yes
9b. If no, how often do they send a list?Also use obituaries but then cross reference with another source including vital records, courts and state police
10. When was the last time the Clerk of Courts submitted a list of individuals who declined to serve on jury duty on the basis of being a non-citizen?
10a. Any additional information?Never - that info is not available
Record date and other list(s), if relevantNever - that info is not available
11. When was the last time you had access to the National Change of Address List or any other change of address list?
Other list(s):Not sure what this refers to but state voter confirmation records were received in July, checked with USPS records. Any conflicts are addressed with a letter to voter
12a. Are you confident that the voter file is accurate and up to date?Yes
12b. If no, what is/are your main concern(s) about the list?
13. How many households in your locality have more than 7 individuals registered at the same address? Number:Many dorms at W+M but students must update registration every year
14. During registration, how do you verify that voters are citizens?We don't have access to that info, they just check the box. They must show ID. Only 3 elder care facilities in town - we go there to register people.
15. There are three types of voting machines used in Virginia. Can you tell me which machines you use?Unisyn optical scanners (vendor) OVO + OVI equipment
16. Who calibrates the voting machines, and can you please explain the process?One vendor: Election Services. They calibrate machines Touchscreens and run ballots to test
17. Do you invite party representatives to witness the calibration?Yes
17a. Any additional information?They are invited to logic and accuracy testing which is coming up at end of August
18a. Are voting machines ever connected to the internet?Yes
18b. If they are not connected to the internet, how and when are they updated?Absolutely not. Software and maintenance updates done yearly and each election details are programmed
19. As an election professional, do you think the changes made in the election process in Virginia in response to COVID have weakened election integrity, strengthened election integrity, or made no change in election integrity?Strengthened
19a. Any additional information?Because people have expanded opportunities for voting
20a. Did you receive any funding or in-kind contributions for training, staff, voter education or equipment, or any other purpose from outside the state of Virginia?No
20b. If yes, what was the funding or contribution used for?Only CARES Act funding from Virginia
21. Effective Jul 1, 2021, Senate Bill 1097, eliminated requirements for voters to have a witness signature on absentee ballots for any election during a declared state of emergency. The Governor has now rescinded the state of emergency. How are you training your staff to ensure that there is a signature match for the upcoming elections?Our staff were fully trained for signature matching before COVID so are prepared for either requirement
22. There is a lot of concern in Virginia and across the country about the security and integrity of the ballot drop boxes. What are the chain of custody procedures for ballot drop boxes?We have only one drop box covered 24/7 by video and only registrar has access to key to the box
23. Was there any time during the last election cycle when your drop boxes did not have video monitoring?No
23a. Any additional information?
24. Who is responsible for reviewing the video?We have never had a request by anyone to review the video but could do so with IT participation.
24b. Were party observers present during the review?No
25. Would you provide training and support, or designate us to provide training and support, for an election day page program as described in 24.2-604.3?Yes
25a. Any additional information?I am familiar with the page program and have trained them in the past.
26. Would you authorize non-partisan election observers with the same rights as party representatives; as described in 24.2-604.5 A?Yes
26a. Any additional information?If the party chariman or candidate provided a latter requesting the person to be a observer. Also, would need to review the law about this
27. Would you authorize international non-partisan observers from recognized election monitoring organizations?Yes
27a. Any additional information?In the past we have had reps from China and UK but only in association with city officials who handled them
28. Have your local party chairs been notified that they are entitled to send observers to your office each day it is open and receiving in-person absentee ballots?Yes
28a. Any additional information?Absolutely and they will be here. A tent and table will be set up for them
29a. Do you have a publication that you provide to your election officials regarding rights and responsibilities of observers?Yes
29b. If no, would you be willing to distribute such a publication that we would prepare based on Virginia law?Yes
30. Question – Please characterize your interaction with the Registrar asPolite Defensive




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