Support for Efforts to Increase Voter Participation
All efforts to increase voter participation in Ward 4 could be offset by congestion at the polling place in St. Mark's Youth Center. All efforts to increase voter participation in Ward 7 could be offset by dissension and confusion about moving back to Hunt School, where access is easier but school will be in session and parking will be limited. Problem-solving and non-partisan public information is needed -- loud and clear, and repeatedly, starting now!
In Ward 4, we are hearing that school construction is behind schedule and voting activity at St. Mark's will conflict with school activity. Currently there are cars filling the parking lot, spilling over onto the lawns and neighborhood streets. Who is in charge of poll logistics like parking and management of traffic congestion? Councilor Kaplan says she will talk it over with the schools and the police dept. State Rep and Councilor Wright says BPD is aware of the problem and he may ask School Supt. to close school at St. Marks that day if needed. Problem-solving and getting information out to voters should not be left to partisan candidates. Lack of public information, and the perception of polling place congestion, can discourage people from going to the polls on election day. Seeing a police officer there directing traffic could even be a red flag for people to stay away! What do you do when you see congestion ahead? U-turn and get out of there if you can. And you tell friends to avoid the area.
In Ward 7, there is a resolution to move the poll back to Hunt School. The school is apparently not enthusiastic. In the past it was a school off day, but no longer.
Leaving it up to candidates to get people to the polls is lousy. Non-partisan public information is needed, loud and clear, repeatedly, and starting now!
Early and absentee voting is an option for some people (like the party faithful) who have made up their minds (and don't want to be bothered by new information), but it is NOT the answer for the majority of voters. MANY independent-minded voters follow the debates, forums, and campaign activities which bring out new information daily, and they vote responsibility when the campaigns end -- after each side has presented their best case and responded to their opponents, after the press has done fact-checking and analysis, and after weighing all sides of the questions and candidates.
Easy for Unregistered Voters to Vote at Burlington Polls
This is how Burlington city government handles voting rights:
Bruce Parker reports for Watchdog.org, Oct. 8, 2014, that in the 2012 presidential election, 17,383 votes were cast in Burlington, Vermont, according to city-published data.However, 639 of those votes or 3.7%, came from election day walk-in voters whose names were not on the voter rolls and whose registration status was unknown.
When Watchdog contacted the clerk/treasurer’s office to find out how many individuals voted in recent elections despite not appearing on the statewide checklist,Scott Schrader, Burlington’s elections chief, said affirmation forms from the 2012 presidential election were discarded. Forms from this year’s Town Meeting Day also went missing with a clerk who no longer works for the city.
The Secretary of State’s office manages the statewide voter checklist, but cities and towns “own” their data and thus are responsible for purging their own checklist. In the City of Burlington, by charter, that body is the Board of Voter Registration whereas in most other cities and towns it would be the Board of Civil Authority.
Budget Cuts Proposed for Board for Voter Registration
The ordinance and statute (Section 43) says the Board makes ALL changes in the checklist, and the role of the CAO is to post it in public places. Council appoints a full time Clerk, and the Board has an office in City Hall, open during regular business hours. The checklist must be available to the public during regular business hours.
Tonight at Finance Board, CAO said the Board Clerk works part time, and the clerk's office does work for the Board for Registration of Voters. BUT the Board has a statutory right to have a full time staff person (clerk). Sec of State offers training, assistance, and advice at no cost to the Board.,
HOW MANY GHOSTS ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
Ask the Clerk's office for list of people on your street who are on the checklist,either Active,Inactive, or Challenged. Return the list to Margaret Poirier, City Hall, with indication of who has moved or is deceased. On the checklist for my house, another person was registered with my address and two people were registered for the vacant house next door!
Several deceased voters are inactive, but one who we know passed 20 years ago is still voting! Here's how one city reaches out to citizens for help:
Something to think about in these computer communication times, especially in a city as wired as Burlington.
Sec of State [Alabama] Establishes Voter Fraud Unit
Secretary of State Beth Chapman has announced a new Voter Fraud Unit within the Secretary of State’s office dedicated to dealing with reports of voter fraud. With claims of voter fraud continuing to come in, Secretary Chapman has appointed members of her legal and elections staff to be trained to speak with those individuals who have such reports. “It is important for the citizens who have reports of voter fraud to know that someone is here to listen and to gather the information in a manner which complies with the law. It is also important for these individuals to know that appropriate action is being taken with their complaint” Chapman stated.
Checklist question: Use of AFFIRMATION OF RESIDENCE/DOMICILE form
If Inactive/challenged are rescinded and changed to Active status because the wrong letter was sent out, should all names removed (purged) from the checklist be rescinded for the same reason? Will the "Affirmation of Residence / Domicile" forms now be used at every polling place? In upcoming elections,will the forms must be available to any voter who has been declared Inactive/challenged or purged from the checklist?
Update: 7904-9000 names will be reactivated on the checklist, and a revised challenge policy and procedure has been prepared by the Burlington City Clerk's Office in cooperation with the Secretary of State. *Request for copy of policy -- not available from Clerk's Office.
Burlington's voter checklist does not appear to accurately track when a registrant last voted. We have a statewide checklist that is updated constantly. Why doesn't Burlington use it? How can Burlington update the state list if our city checklist is out of date?
A ward 4 candidate sent flyers to all residents of a neighborhood, using names and addresses on the current Burlington checklist. Half were returned "no such person at this address." Other returns included a person who had been deceased for 20 years, and a person who was registered using the sender's residence address. Something is very wrong with Burlington's checklist.
UPDATE:It was even worse!"Actually, the person who was listed as living at our house had never lived there. I had never heard of her. It was a totally fictional name."
These question, and others, are being followed up by NEVIS. Next meeting March 19, 9am at MlrCtr.
Is checklist accurate?
Saturday, Mar 12. 9AM
Teen Room, Miller Center
Review issues discussed with City Clerk's office last year, including status of checklist. Challenge letters were inadvertently mishandled (?) and thus the checklist was not purged.
Another issue last year was the absence of a locked ballot box in city hall for deposit of early voter ballots. People who voted early at City Hall in the recent election reported that their ballots were left on a desk, and when they asked for the ballot box they were told "you can trust us."
Seven Days reported this week that following the mayoral election of Bernie Sanders by a 10 vote margin, his party woke a judge at 2am to impound the ballots because they "didn't want city hall messing with the results."
Not saying City Hall would mess with election results, but they sure are messing up. Sec of State's Office can only encourage, cajole, recommend and assist, they have no authority to force Burlington to comply with election law. The people of Burlington are going to have to do that.
Registered voters and turnout numbers Mar 1, 2011, ward by ward:
Biennial Purge. Every two years the board of civil authority is directed by law to thoroughly review and purge the checklist. The biennial purge must be completed by September 15 of each odd-numbered year. The biennial purge involves a process of reviewing each name on the checklist and
considering whether each person on the checklist is still qualified to vote. 17 V.S.A. § 2150(c). As the law explains, "[t]he intent [of this section] is that when this process is completed there will have been some confirmation or indication of continued eligibility for each person whose name
All registered voters of the Democratic Party persuasion are cordially invited to participate in choosing a candidate to run for the open seat in Ward 4 for City Council. Nancy Kaplan has decided to sit the next term out, and will re-enter the fray refreshed in 2013.
Ward 4 Republicans to caucus in January. TBA.
Same caucus ground rules, set out by Vermont State Statute, Title 17:
Republicans contact Kurt Wright or Fred Osier for more details.
Democrats contact Nancy Kaplan or Russ Ellis.
Caucus definitions
By-Laws: A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party. In Vermont, a caucus is a meeting of local members of a political party to elect officers, nominate candidates, plan policy, etc.
Statute: At a caucus, the voters of the party residing in the town/ward meet to elect a town/ward committee, consisting of such number of voters of the town as the caucus deems necessary, to serve during the following two years or until their successors are elected or appointed.
Internet:a meeting of the leaders, members, or representatives of a political party to select the party’s nominees or convention delegates, plan a campaign, or develop party policy or strategy.
Town chairman to give notice
The town chairman or, if unavailable, or if the records of the secretary of state show there is no chairman, any three voters of the town, shall arrange to hold a caucus on the day designated by the state chairman, in some public place within the town, and shall set the hour of the caucus. At least five days before the day of the caucus the chairman shall post a notice of the date, purpose, time and place of the caucus in the town clerk's office and in at least one other public place in town. In towns of one thousand or more population, he shall also publish the notice in a newspaper having general circulation in the town. If three voters arrange to call the caucus, the voters shall designate one of their number to perform the duties prescribed above for the town chairman.
Click on map to bring up the large street map. Or call City Clerk 865-7000
Neighborhood Planning Assemblies, Center for Community and Neighborhood, and League of Women Voters team up to inspire people to GET OUT TO VOTE.
Parade started at the police station, after making signs to carry to City Hall. It was the final day of early voting, and City Hal was open until Noon.
Getting Together to Get Out the VOTE!
Volunteers to canvas for multi-party and non-aligned voter registration -- Get Burlington Out to VOTE! Contact Nancy Ellis -- 862-4584.
Neighborhood Planning Assemblies (NPAs) are grassroots, neighborhood organizations that were established in each of Burlington's seven Wards to encourage citizen participation in City government. A celebration of our right to vote starts with banner and sign making at the Burlington Police Department, followed by a parade to City Hall Park. Sponsored by the Neighborhood Planning Assemblies, League of Women Voters, and the Center for Community and Neighborhoods.
MEET AT BATTERY PARK, 10:30AM, near Beansie's Bus.
The confusion begins all over again, as a city employee tries to provide voter information (location of checklist in Ward 7), but posts the Ward 7 checklist location in Ward 4. Person delegated responsibility for elections (column to the left) quoted statute which apparently nowhere says the City Clerk has to inform people about the availability of checklists before election, etc etc. No wonder Burlington has such low voter turn-out.
VOTER REGISTRATION NORTH END
Sites/opportunities will be added as people volunteer to register voters. No longer required to be witnessed by a notary.
Dialogue in the ONE around a higher voter turn-out. They are doing a registration campaign on 7/3 Fourth of July Weekend! and are looking ahead to a larger event Saturday before the primary. Would the NEVIS group be interested in joining the March in August? Discussion at City-Wide NPA-SC, June 22.
Next Meeting: June 12 Miller Center, 10 AM - Election Day a Celebration
Everyone who wants to contribute ideas is welcome. Bring your own beverage, and wear your thinking cap. All party affiliates are welcome, as well as non-aligned voters and non-voters. One hour.
Topic -- how can we create city-wide celebration and community pride on Election Day, inspiring and welcoming all voters, with emphasis on Freedom and Democracy, rather than parties and candidates and ballot questions.
Task Force forming -- to organize an open, ongoing civics discussion group. A place for people to go who have never voted, or who want to learn more about how votes are counted, about absentee ballots, or about anything else related to voting.
May 15, 10 AM Miller Center - Voter Checklist
Everyone who wants to help with ideas and planning is welcome to join us at the Miller Center on May 15, Sat. morning at 10. Bring your own beverage, and wear your thinking cap. One hour.
Topics for discussion: information about voter checklist and how to get a more accurate measure of voter participation; efforts city-wide to create appreciative, patriotic spirit on election day; whether location matters and whether polls in North End that are appropriate, convenient, and clearly identified; welcoming new voters; involvement of Secretary of State's Office in effort to increase turnout, and candidates for SoS present their ideas at NPA in Spetmeber. Add anything that interests you to the list of discussion items.
Sept 21 NPA -- How to Get People Out to Vote -- #IPTV on Twitter
Reaching out to candidate for Secretary of State (SoS). The problem with GOTV is that focus is on THE VOTE manipulated by a particular party. It's people who vote, the general population, and we've got to get their attention! Challenge to candidates:
SoS candidates are invited to come to the North End to kick off our non-partisan Inspire People to Vote (IPTV) campaign. Here are our challenges (why people say they don't vote), we ask you how we can inspire people to vote! A candidate forum with a mission! Sept. 21, Miller Center, 130 Gosse Court. 6:15pm.
Summer Training for Ward Officials, Sec. of State's Office
The Sec. of State's elections office will be offering training for anyone interested in how elections are conducted. For details and registration information, contact Kathy deWolfe, 828-2304.
When we know the dates, we will post them here. The NPA would like to send at least one person from each ward. Our Action Plan needs to be grounded in the existing system, election law, and the methods/goals of partner plans in the Sec of State's office.
2009 Updates
17 V.S.A. §2454(a) and (b) – This section was amended at the request of several cities so that election officials are no longer required to reside in the ward or district in order to work as an election official in the polling place for a voting district.
Have model elections in schools, so all school children know how to vote -- register, take the oath, go to a forum where candidates are asked questions, vote, votes counted, oath of office. If children are informed, they will encourage parents who have not voted, maybe because they aren't sure how it's done, or they forget, or they think it doesn't matter.
#NEVIS47#BTV North End NPA VOTE signs out on E-Day where NPA signs R traditionally placed: glasanje 投票 voto 투표 голосование kura bỏ phiếu
Next meeting -- April 17, 10AM, Miller Center.
We'll review the list of comments and ideas that surfaced at the Summit, and begin to create an ACTION PLAN. Information being gathered includes voter checklists, process of updating the checklist, voter history in wards 4 and 7, and statistics. We could invite local SOS candidate Jim Condos to see what ideas he has about increasing voter turnout. Kathy deWolfe, Director of Elections, has been very helpful, and we'll check with Bill Dalton, too. Deb Markowitz will be our guest at an NPA related to her candidacy for governor; we can also discuss an action plan with her when she's here.
2010 Town Meeting election results
Click on flag for link to results.
Example of CITY CLERK job description
Definition:
Under administrative direction of the City Council, plans, organizes, provides oversight to and participates in all City Clerk functions, including retaining custody of and maintaining the City’s official records and history; coordinating the conduct of City Council and Special Measure/Initiative elections, ensuring legal notification of various Council, commission and committee meetings, and preparing agenda materials and minutes for City Council meetings; officiates at bid openings, coordinates City response to subpoenas for records, acts as a Notary Public, and performs related work as required. The City’s election official, legislative administrator and custodian of records.
Examples of Key Duties: (Duties are illustrative and not inclusive and may vary with individual assignment.)
Prepares City Council agenda packets, including coordinating and reviewing agenda material, finalizing agendas and overseeing distribution of the packets.
Performs follow-up activities resulting from Council meetings, including transcribing and distributing minutes, ensuring that resolutions and ordinances are in proper format and notarized, tracking committee and commission actions and preparing letters of acceptance or rejection.
Supervises City official records file maintenance, ensures that documents are recorded and filed properly and oversees the monitoring, archiving and destruction of documents.
Oversees City’s Municipal Code ensuring timely update and proper ordinance codification.
Monitors contracts and other agreements ensuring they are signed, recorded in a timely manner and that City insurance requirements are met.
Serves as the City’s Election Official, coordinating all aspects of the City’s General and Special Elections and interfacing closely with the Contra Costa County Elections Department.
Administers oath of office for City Council and Commissioners and maintains custody of official City seal.
Coordinates and administers City Council and Special Measure/Initiative elections and administers oaths of office to Council members and Commissioners.
Administers City-wide programs, including Conflict of Interest, Municipal Code, Records Retention and Storage, Document Imaging and Advertising for Council, Commission and Special Meetings.
Acts as the City’s Public Information Officer (PIO) and Emergency Operations PIO and Liaison; coordinates Council standby officer issues.
Enforces and ensures compliance with the City’s "No Smoking" ordinance, including replying and following up on complaints and educating the public on regulations.
Receives and coordinates responses to all subpoenas for records, lawsuits and depositions to appear served on the City.
Receives bids, officiates at bid openings, returns unsuccessful bid bonds and archives bid documents.
Provides Notary Public services for City legal requirements, residents, staff and the general public.
Verses update of the City Council/City Clerk web page.
Oversees the Passport processing Program.
Supervises assigned clerical and technical staff.
Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.
