Virginia for Election Transparency

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Locality: Botetourt County

File Name: Botetourt Survey 20210831




ObserversPam Sinex, Rose Quinnan, Steve Quinnan
Date of interview08/31/2021
Time and date of initial call and email:08/25/2021
Time and date of response:08/28/2021
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?Covid and changes in practices.
2. Any other major concerns?No administrative concerns. Voter confidence may be an issue.
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?
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?No
6a. Provide DetailsMore heavily republicans. Quite a few independents. Mix as well as she can.
7. Is the county Board of Elections engaged in your work year-round, or mostly near elections?Yearly
7a. Any additional information?Several times per year. Several times close to elections.
8. When was the last audit of the voter file in your county?2021-07-01 00:00:00
8a. No. of days since last audit:
8b. Any additional information?Didn’t scrub names from rolls. Compared names from roster to alphabetic list.
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?Takes care of list every day from local records. Uses state database monthly.
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?DMV submits voter registration to BOE who follows up with anyone who doesn’t check “Citizen”. If a first-time voter does not check “citizen”, application is denied.
Record date and other list(s), if relevantDMV submits voter registration to BOE who follows up with anyone who doesn’t check “Citizen”. If a first-time voter does not check “citizen”, application is denied.
11. When was the last time you had access to the National Change of Address List or any other change of address list?2021-07-01 00:00:00
Other list(s):Department of Elections updates every July.
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:A few. Nursing homes. Group homes, big families.
14. During registration, how do you verify that voters are citizens?Affidavit on application.
15. There are three types of voting machines used in Virginia. Can you tell me which machines you use?ES&S DS200 optical scanner,
16. Who calibrates the voting machines, and can you please explain the process?Test deck of ballots prepared by vendor run through every machine. Non-matches investigated. Always because of missed entering a ballot. Machine then locked for election day.
17. Do you invite party representatives to witness the calibration?Yes
17a. Any additional information?Also independent candidates.
18a. Are voting machines ever connected to the internet?No
18b. If they are not connected to the internet, how and when are they updated?Annual preventive maintenance by vendor. Software update by flash drive.
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?No change
19a. Any additional information?Made job more difficult. Many last minute changes.
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?Received CARES funding through state, used to purchase more electronic poll books, optical scanners and acrylic barriers for precincts.
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?Many July 1 changes reviewed with staff and officers. Not under a state of emergency for the upcoming election.
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?Registrar’s Office has video camera 24/7. Precincts have locked wooden boxes sealed when voting ends. Transported by chief and assistant election officers.
23. Was there any time during the last election cycle when your drop boxes did not have video monitoring?Refused
23a. Any additional information?At precincts monitored by people.
24. Who is responsible for reviewing the video?Will use the registrar’s office box this November for the first time. Registrar and Board will probably review.
24b. Were party observers present during the review?Refused
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?Yes but not last November because of Covid.
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 there is room in the voting room.
27. Would you authorize international non-partisan observers from recognized election monitoring organizations?Unknown
27a. Any additional information?
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?
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 as




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