Forsyth County Board of Voter Registrations & Elections  Regular Monthly Meeting February 7, 2023 at 9a.m. 1201 Sawnee Drive Cumming, Georgia 30040  Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections Office  MINUTES  Present at the meeting: Barbara Luth, Chairman Joel Natt, Vice Chairman Carla Radzikinas, Secretary Anita Tucker, Member Mandi Smith, Director  Jamain Whyce, Coordinator - Elections Equpmentwarenouse Stephen Joyce, Coordinator - Voter Registration and Absentee Bryce Wilson, Coordinator - Communications and Training  Carol Balcome, Assistant to the Director Absent: Dan Thalimer, Assistant Secretary  I.  Call Meeting to Order  Chairman Luth called the meeting to order at 9 a.m.  II.  Pledge of Allegiance III. Adoption of Agenda  Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Secretary Radzikinas made a motion to postpone item IV. Election of Officers until the March 7, 2023 regular meeting. Motion carried 4-0 with Assistant Secretary Thalimer absent. Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Member Tucker made a motion to adopt the agenda as amended. Motion carried 4-0 with Assistant Secretary  Thalimer absent. IV. Election of Officers  Postponed until the March 7, 2023 regular meeting.  V. Adoption of Minutes    A. Regular meeting of. January 3, 2023  Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Member Tucker made a motion to adopt the minutes as prepared by staff. Motion carried 4-0 with Assistant  Secretary Thalimer absent.  VI. Old Business  A. Parks and Recreation Architectural Design Liaison update Secretary Radzikinas stated there was no update. She said she would reach out the new Interim Director of Parks & Recreation and introduce  herself.  VII. New Business  A. Discussion of evaluation of precinct and polling places  Director Smith presented the board with an evaluation of the current precinct and polling places. She gave an update on the status of the Parks & Recreation facilities and discussed the precincts that staff are reviewing Vice Chairman Natt asked Director Smith if she had made a request with Parks & Recreation to use the Coal Mountain Park Community Building and Old Atlanta Recreation Center for Advance Voting. Director Smith stated staff has been discussing what community buildings may be available. She said the recreation centers have not been available Director Smith also discussed the possibility of using the Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Technical College for voting if necessary. Vice Chairman Natt asked if Cumming Precinct needs to be split into two precincts. Director Smith reported she had met with Jeff Honea with the City of Cumming and he would discuss this issue with the mayor and city council. She also stated there may be a way to make the city polling location more effective by using two rooms and working with the city Vice Chairman Natt asked that a separate line be added on the voter registration stats by precinct showing how many of the voters in the  prior to the 2024 election cycle.  in the past because of programmed activities.  regarding parking.  Cumming Precinct live in the Cumming city limits.    Director Smith briefly discussed the survey submitted to the polling locations, upcoming site visits to polling locations and looking into the area Vice Chairman Natt asked Director Smith to arrange a meeting, if necessary, with the chairman of the Board of Commissioners and county manager to discuss the retention of First Redeemer Church as the Big  ofc compensation for polling locations.  Creek Precinct.  B. Discussion of 2024 budget  The board was given a budget comparison report for 2020-2023 and a Director Smith reported she is researching inventory systems, poll worker management systems, whether to stay in house for the absentee ballot The board discussed possible additions to the budget such as the expense for delivering the equipment, whether poll pad printers would be Vice Chairman Natt asked Director Smith about the benefits of direct deposit or paper checks for the poll workers. Director Smith stated she had an upcoming meeting with Employment Services regarding these Vice Chairman Natt stated he had spoken to Commissioner Levent and the commissioner suggested we put together a proposal for an additional Director Smith said she would like a satellite office in the new administration building. Vice Chairman Natt said he would also like an Advance Voting location in the new administration building.  copy of the respective budgets for those years.  process, staffing and additional space in the office.  purchased and snack boxes for the poll workers.  issues.  building to add to the SPLOST 9 list of projects.  VIII. Director's Report  Director Smith and Coordinators Joyce, Wilson and Whyce presented the  Director's Report.  Voter Registrations & Elections Department  Director's Report February 7, 2023  Board Members  The Director submitted the signed BRE Resolution seeking to amend local law    amendments via email to the local delegation for their consideration. Several follow-up emails have occurred. The Director has not received a positive response to date. Vice Chair Joel Natt was re-appointed by the Republican Party; the Board of Commissioner's (BOC) ratified his re-appointment 5-0 at their February 2, 2023 meeting. Vice Chair Natt's current term expires on August 31, 2023.  Board Member Barbara Luth Joel E. Natt Anita Tucker Dan Thalimer  Party Chief Registrar & Chairperson Republican Democratic Democratic  Took Office 4/2/2019 7/1/2021 2/3/2015 9/1/2019 3/1/2022* 9/1/2019 4/4/2016 9/1/2021 9/1/2021 9/1/2021  Current  Current 6/30/2025 8/31/2023 8/31/2023 8/31/2025 8/31/2025  Term Start Term End  Carla Radzikinas Republican *Filled the unexpired. term of Randy Ingram  Staff  Current filled staff/positions: 11 full-time (0 unfilled) and 6 part-time (2 unfilled). Legislation pendinglapproved bills)/Change to Election Code/State Election The legislative session started on Monday, January 9, 2023. As of February 5, ACCG is currently tracking at least 5 bills related to elections. You may review pending legislation  Board (SEB)  The next SEB meeting is scheduled for today, February 7, 2023. on the ACCG's website at: htps/www.acgorleg biltracking.php. 2023 possible Election Dates (from the SOS comprehensive calendar)  Election Information  March 21: Special Election to fill a vacancy and/or propose a question*  April 18: Special Election Runoff** June 20: Special Election to fill a vacancy" July 18: Special Election Runoff** September 19: Special Election to fill a vacancy* October 17: Special Election Runoff** November 7: General Election /Special Election*  December 5: General Election Runoff/Special Election Runoff**  *Special Election, ifneeded **Runoff, ifneeded  Polling Places and Precincts  Staff has been in contact with existing polling places regarding their 2022 election cycle experiences. Areas of review will be presented to the BRE in today's meeting.  Ethics Reporting /Candidate Qualifying    Open Records Request(s) (ORR) #r received b/w 01/01 - 01/31/2023 3  2023 Cumulative 2022 Cumulative 2021 Cumulative Budget/Finance  3 109 48  Initial 2024 budget discussions will be held in today's BRE meeting. Voter Registrations & Elections Activity Statistics  Voter registration totals Active total Inactive total Cumulative total Pending voters Pending age Pending verification Pending 40-day clock Pending 26-month clock Total Cancelled voters Moved out of state Moved out of county Voter requested cancellation Felon = cancelled Felon - challenged status Deceased Rejected Total Notes: Voter Registration  As of January 31, 2023 164,860 13,527 178,387 141 0 13 231  As of January 31, 202  1 894 0 0 9 149 0 1053  Staff are currently transitioning from the old ENet statewide voter registration system to the new GARVIS system. As instructed by the SOS, Staff concluded all registration activities in ENet on Tuesday January 31. Access to GARVIS opened on Monday February 6. Processing registrations will resume upon the successful re-opening of the GARViS system. Internal registration procedures will be revised to reflect the new  GARViS system.  Election Equipment/: Supplies  Routine charging and inventory of the touchscreens and printers are in progress. Any pieces of election equipment identified needing possible repairs or additional attention will be handled accordingly upon the completion of the charging/inventory process. Charging and inventory of ballot scanners and UPS units will be conducted next.    Sa7/Sefrwarelarware Building Update Disaster Recovery Training/Outreach Athens, GA.  The Director as well as two Coordinators attended the training being held by the Secretary of State's (SOS) Office on GARVIS and ePulse from January 4 through 6 in The Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials (GAVREO) conference will be held February 12 through 15, 2023. The Director as well as the three Coordinators will be attending in person. Staff and BRE members will attend virtually. One-on-one discussions have been held with several poll managers to hear feedback on their experience as a poll manager and gather their input to help prepare for future elections. These discussions are scheduled to conclude by next Thursday. Staff is in the process of preparing for poll worker training for 2023 and 2024. Staff met with the Communications Department to discuss recruitment strategies for new poll workers as well as preliminary discussions on overall marketing of the department. Staff plans to begin New Poll Worker Orientation Sessions in spring before school is let out.  Calendar of Upcoming Events  February 7 February 12-15 March 7 April 4 May 2 May 29 June 6 July 4 July 11 August 1 September 4 September 5 October 3 November 7 November 10 November 14 December 5  Board Meeting GAVREO Training Conference Board Meeting Board Meeting Board Meeting Board Meeting Board Meeting Board Meeting Board Meeting Board Meeting Election Day Board Meeting Board Meeting  Memorial Day; county holiday; offices closed Independence Day; county holiday; offices closed Labor Day; county holiday; offices closed  Veteran's Day; county holiday; offices closed  November 23 &24 Thanksgiving; county holiday; offices closed December 25 &26 Christmas; county holiday; offices closed  Respectfully Submitted, Mandi Smith  Director, Voter Registrations and Elections IX. Recess Regular Meeting    X.  Executive Session (if needed) No Executive Session was needed.  XI. Adjournment  Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Secretary Radzikinas made a motion toa adjourn at 10:18 a.m. Motion carried 4-0 with Assistant Secretary Thalimer  absent.  Today's Date:  March 7, 2023  Bognl bA Barbara Luth,Chairman  Natt, Vice Chairman Dah Biyibuas Carla Radzikinas, Secretary  A  Chout fim Puctiy Daniel Thalimer, Assistant Secretary DTch Anita Tucker, Member