Virginia for Election Transparency

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Locality: Madison County

File Name: Madison Survey 20210819




ObserversToni Sheads, Eileen Ehreth
Date of interview08/18/2021
Time and date of initial call and email:08/16/2021
Time and date of response:08/16/2021
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?Not really a concern but wondering if early voting is going to continue to be as big as it was in 2020
2. Any other major concerns?No other 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?
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?Refused
6a. Provide DetailsMore Democrat election officials, but we added 10 republicans to help even it out
7. Is the county Board of Elections engaged in your work year-round, or mostly near elections?Mostly
7a. Any additional information?Involved year round but mostly near elections.
8. When was the last audit of the voter file in your county?
8a. No. of days since last audit:
8b. Any additional information?Rolling process. They check obituaries each week.
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?No
9b. If no, how often do they send a list?They send it to the State and then the Sate sends to Madison Co. through computer. Send out when it pertains to this county.
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?Only get when State has a match to this county
Record date and other list(s), if relevantOnly get when State has a match to this county
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):
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:Don't know how to figure out how to get this.
14. During registration, how do you verify that voters are citizens?They check the box but we don't verify
15. There are three types of voting machines used in Virginia. Can you tell me which machines you use?Hart Intercivic
16. Who calibrates the voting machines, and can you please explain the process?Registrar and County Technician do logic and accuracy testing with the Electoral Board. Done 2 days before election then locked up
17. Do you invite party representatives to witness the calibration?Yes
17a. Any additional information?
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?The company that we got machine from will send someone to do the updates
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?Refused
19a. Any additional information?Registrar wants to stay non-Partisan so she wouldn't answer
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?Rreceived money from State but came from CARES Act
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?Registrar trains her staff - they meet to look at both signatures on ballot. 2 fill time, 2 part time
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?For early election voting the drop box is in from of the office and at end of day under video surveillance . The ballots are brought in office and entered and then locked in safe
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?Registrar and IT person
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?We have a page program and we do the training. We didn't use them for 2020 election due to COVID - but we want to bring it back
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?One non-partisan observer for every affiliated representative
27. Would you authorize international non-partisan observers from recognized election monitoring organizations?Yes
27a. Any additional information?I don't see a problem with that
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 asHelpful Polite




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