Forsyth County Board of Voter Registrations & Elections  Regular Monthly Meeting May 7, 2024 at 9 a.m. Forsyth County Administration Building 110 East Main Street, Suite 220 Cumming, Georgia 30040  MINUTES  Present at the meeting: Barbara Luth, Chairman Joel Natt, Vice Chairman Carla Radzikinas, Secretary Anita Tucker, Assistant Secretary Dan Thalimer, Member Mandi Smith, Director Carol Balcome, Assistant to the Director Karen Pachuta, Jarrard & Davis Stephan Bartelski, Challenger  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 Member Thalimer made a motion to adopt  the agenda as published. Motion carried unanimously.  IV. Adoption of Minutes  A. Regular meeting of April 2, 2024  Assistant Secretary Tucker with a second from Vice Chairman Natt made a motion to adopt the minutes as prepared by staff. Motion carried unanimously.  B. Special called meeting of April 2, 2024  Assistant Secretary Tucker with a second from Member Thalimer made a motion toa adopt the minutes as prepared by staff. Motion carried unanimously.  V. Public Comments  The following person addressed the Board:  Stephan Bartelski    VI. Old Business  A. 2025 Budget  Director Smith reported she met with the Budget Team last week and will be Vice Chairman Natt ask whether the state has billed us for the cellular service for the poll pads and whether we included this amount in the budget. Director Smith stated the State has not billed us and we have accounted for this possible charge Vice Chairman Natt asked Attorney Pachuta if the City of Cumming will be charged for their election in 2025 since there will be a statewide race on the ballot. Attorney Pachuta stated we would not charge the City of Cumming to hold B. Discussion of May 21, 2024 General Primary and Nonpartisan General  meeting with the Finance Committee on May 22.  in the budget.  their election. Election  1. Early opening of absentee ballots  Director Smith asked the Board for the option to open and scan absentee ballots starting no earlier than Friday, May 17, 2024 at 7 a.m. ADRAFT Discussion regarding the request followed. Vice Chairman Natt said he personally has reservations about opening absentee ballots early because they will be opened in the room were voting previously took place. Chairman Luth with a second from Vice Chairman Natt made a motion to start opening absentee ballots no earlier than 7 a.m. on Saturday, May 18 Motion carried 4-1 with Assistant Secretary Tucker opposed.  Public Notice was provided to the board.  2. Election Day early tabulation  Director Smith requested to begin the early tabulation process for absentee ballots beginning at 3 p.m. on Election Day, May 21, 2024. Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Assistant Secretary Tucker made ar motion' to begin the early tabulation process for absentee ballots beginning at 3 p.m. on Election Day, May 21, 2024. Motion carried  unanimously. 3. Risk Limiting Audit  Director Smith stated the Risk Limiting Audit will be held May 30-31.    Assistant Secretary Tucker asked Director Smith when she needed volunteers. Director Smith said it would depend on the race being audited. Vice Chairman Natt recommended the audit start no earlier than 8 a.m. on  May 30.  VII. New Business  A. Discussion of Supplemental Process-Guidance Policy for voter challenges  The Board reviewed the revisions to the policy.  Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Secretary Radzikinas made a motion to adopt the policy as prepared by legal with an adjustment to the numbering on the B. Discussion of list of challenged voters affected by Georgia Election Code O.C.G.A. 21-2-229 - April 24, 2024 Bartelski Challenge (742 names on the Assistant Secretary Tucker stated we are within the 90 days of an election and she wanted to know if the Board was able to dismiss the challenge today. Attorney Pachuta said the statute on a challenge pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-229 mandates a hearing date be set. Letters are required to be mailed to all voters. Assistant Secretary Tucker with a second from Member Thalimer made a motion to set the hearing date for August 6, 2024. The motion failed 2-3 (Luth, Natt and Chairman Luth with a second from Secretary Radzikinas made a motion to set Challenger Bartelski stated he would possibly be out of the country on July 2. Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Member Thalimer made a motion to reconsider the previous motion and hold the hearing on Friday, June 28, 2024 at 9a.m. at the Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections Office located at 1201 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, 30040. Motion carried unanimously. Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Assistant Secretary Tucker made a motion should any other challenges pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-229 be submitted between now and June 1 they will automatically be placed on the June 28  policy. Motion carried unanimously.  list)  Radzikinas).  the hearing date after the regular meeting on July 2, 2024.  agenda. Motion carried unanimously.  C. Soil and Water District Supervisor Special Election  Director Smith stated there was a recent vacancy for the Upper Chattahoochee River Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. She said since this race    was on the 2022 ballot we will need to hold an election to fill the unexpired term of the District Supervisor. The Board will need to agree to hold the election on the Discussion was had regarding possible issues with the candidate qualifying notice that was drafted and published by Soil and Water. Attorney Pachuta stated the Soil and Water District have their own election section in the Agricultural Code. She said their notice for qualifying, which has already been published, only gave 16 days notice instead of the required 30 days notice before the start of qualifying. Attorney Pachuta and Director Smith have been working with the Soil and Water District staff to ensure all notices and paperwork is completed. Given the outstanding questions, Attorney Pachuta said we do not have a set qualifying date at this time but it will probably be in July. Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Assistant Secretary Tucker made a motion to authorize the Director to work with Soil and Water so the Board can consider the Intergovemmenta Agreement to hold their special election at the  November ballot.  June regular meeting. Motion carried unanimously.  VIII. Director's Report  Director Smith presented the Director's Report.  Voter Registrations & Elections Department  Director's Report May 7, 2024  Board Members Board Member Barbara Luth Joel E. Natt Anita Tucker Carla Radzikinas Dan Thalimer  House Bill 837 was not passed during the 2024 legislative session. Additional legislation to clarify the term start and end date oft the BRE members will need to be considered during the next legislative session.  Party Chief Registrar & Chairperson Republican Democratic Republican Democratic  Took Office Current 04/02/2019* 07/01/2021 02/03/2015* 09/01/2023 03/01/2022* 09/01/2023 04/04/2016* 09/01/2021 09/01/2021 09/01/2021  Current Term End 06/30/2025 06/30/2027 06/30/2027 08/31/2025 08/31/2025  Term Start  *Filled the unexpired term of outgoing member  Staff  Current filled staft/positions: 9 full-time (2 unfilled), 4 part-time (4 unfilled) and 3i interns. Legislation pending/approved bills)/Change to Election Code/State Election Board (SEB)  The next! SEB meeting is scheduled for today, May 7.  Ac case involving a Forsyth County registered voter is listed on today's SEB agenda (SEB 2022-2024 - Forsyth County (Residency Issue). The case involves a registered voter who was briefly registered to vote at an incorrect residential address. Thev voterinadvertentlyi transposed numbers on a voter registration application and their address was updated to an incorrect address. This casei is recommended for dismissal.    Multiple pieces of legislation regarding elections passed in this year's legislative session.  Election Information  May 21, 2024 General Primary and NonPartisan General Election  Logic & Accuracy testing oft the election equipment: starting April 5, 2024 See update in Election Equipment /Supplies section.  Voter Registration deadline: April 22, 2024 Elections Office ONLY  Advance Voting schedule (as was voted on by the BRE in the 06/06/23 BRE meeting)  Week 1: 04/29/-05/03, M-F Saturday: 05/04 Sunday: 05/05  As of Saturday, May 4, 769 ballots have been cast byi in-person voters during  Advance Voting. Week: 2: 05/06-05/10, M-F Saturday: 05/11 NO Voting: Sunday, 05/12 Week 3: 05/13-05/17, M-F M-F:8a.m.1 to6p.m. Sat/Sun: 8 a.m. to 51 p.m. Absentee Ballot drop box days, hours and location Forsyth County Elections Office March 41 through May 10  Elections Office, Hampton Park Library, Sharon: Springs Park, Midway Park  Voting hours:  Same days and hours as the Advance Voting days and hours. Timeline for submitting absentee ballot applications (for civilian voters): Mailing ballots: Monday, April 221 through Friday, May 10  As of Saturday, May 4, over 1,239 absentee ballots have been issued to civilian and  UOCAVA voters.  Timeline fori issuing absentee ballots for military and overseas voters per the UOCAVAAct  No earlier than April 2 (49 days prior to Election Day) and no later than April 6, 2024 (45 days As of Saturday, May 4, 319 voted absentee ballots have been returned to our office, plus an additional 4 absentee ballots that are currently classified as provisional ballots due to  prior to Election Day  Early opening of absentee ballots: to be discussed at today's meeting  missing/ncomplete information on the Oath of Elector. Certification of election results: Tuesday, May 28, 2024 9:00 a.m. at the Forsyth County Elections Office Risk limiting audit (RLA) as required per GAI Election Code  May 30 through May 31  Candidate Qualifying nominating petition.  The candidate who qualified as an Independent candidate for School Board district 3 submitted a signed affidavit to withdraw his candidacy on April 24, 2024. He had not collected any signatures on the required    Polling Places and Precincts and Redistricting Department of Parks and Recreation  The! bidi for the Bennett Park Redevelopment was awarded byt the Board of Commissioner's (BOC) during their April 23 Work Session and was ont their consent agenda on May 2, 2024. Acommunity building to be available  for votingi is included as part oft the design. Ethics Reporting/Candidate Qualifying  Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports (CCDR) Candidates and elected officials who qualified for a local contest during this year's candidate qualifying period, March 4 - 8, 2024, are classified as 'being in their election year.' Those in their election year will follow the State Ethics Commission Election Year schedule. Elected officials who did not qualify to run for an office in 2024 are in their non-election year and will follow  the State Ethics Commission Non-Election Year schedule.  2024 CCDR Due Dates: Election) Year  January 31 April 30 June 30 September 30 October 25 December 31 June 30 December 31  five-business day grace period five-business day grace period five-business day grace period five-business day grace period five-business day grace period five-business day grace period five-business day grace period five-business day grace period  2024CCDRI Due Dates: Non-Election Year  Personal Finance Disclosure Statements (PFDS) are financial reports for the previous calendar year. PFDSS  do not have a grace period. 2024 PEDS Filing Period: Election Year 2024 PEDS Filing Penoa.Non.ectionear Open Records Request(s) (ORR) #r received b/w 04/01/2024 - 04/30/2024  January 1, 2024-1 15 days after the day the candidate qualifies to run for office  January1 1,2024-J July 1, 2024  Number in parenthesis indicates the number, from  the same month last year 5 (3) 15 51 109 48  2024 Cumulative 2023 Cumulative 2022 Cumulative 2021 Cumulative Budget/Finance Voter Registration  The Director and Assistant to the Director met with the budget team on April 29, 2024 to discuss the. department's 2025 proposed budget. We are. set to meet with the Finance Committee on May 22, 2024.  Voter Registration Statistics by Status: As of May 2, 2024  Countywide Total registered voters:  179,815(177,612) 163,596 (164,472)  Active voters:    Inactive voters: Active voters: Inactive voters: Pending voters Total: Pending age Pending verification Pending citizenship Challenged voters Total: Felon Voter challenge Cancelled voters Total: Deceased Felon Hearing Mentally Incompetent Moved out of county Moved out of state Not verified Voter requested Notes:  16,219(13,140) 4,476 4,036 440 273 196 9 30 38 38 38 0 324 192 55 0 0 Not available 68 0 0 9  City of Cumming Total registered voters:  Pending nisin/ncompetencore. information  No Activity for 2 General Election cycles  **An MOCI report is not currently available in GARVIS.  Election Equipment/Supples scanners and UPS battery units are ongoing.  Routine charging and inventory of touchscreens and printers are in progress. Routine charging of ballot Logic and Accuracy (L&A) testing of the election equipment to be used in the May 21, 2024 General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election began on April 13,2024. Election equipment for all Advance' Votingl locations and: 27 oft the 29 Election Dayl locations has been: successfullytested. To date, 410 ballot marking devices, 205  UPS batteries, 133 poll pads, and 67 scanners have been tested with no issues to report.  5&T/Software/Hardware Building Update Disaster Recovery Training/Outreach poll workers:  In-person outreach efforts for poll worker recruitment took place throughout the month of April. Staffhosted at table for several hours at the following locations on the noted dates. The tables were supported by current  Tuesday, April 2 - Cumming Library    Wednesday, April 3 - Post Road Library Thursday, April 4 - Sharon Forks Library Friday, April 5 - Hampton Park Library Saturday, April 6- Halcyon Trailhead Monday, April 8 - Central Park Recreation Center Wednesday, April 10 - Fowler Park Recreation Center Thursday, April 11 - Old Atlanta Recreation Center Saturday, April 12- Fowler Park Trailhead  We thank the Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department and Forsyth County Public Libraries for allowing us the opportunity to station an outreach table at each of these facilities. And we thank the poll workers whoi took their time to assist with poll worker recruitment efforts. MeaehppprgpathNisen Supervisor' Wilson and two staff members attended and manned at table at the Aging Well Expo hosted by the Forsyth County Senior Services Department on Thursday, April 18. The event was attended by approximately 51 New Poll Worker Preview Sessions were held in April. There were 66 attendees and 62 expressed. an interest All required and previously: scheduled poll worker training sessions for the May 21, 2024 General Primary and Nonpartisan General Election have taken place. There were at total of15in-persont training sessions conducted between Friday, April 12 and Thursday, April 25. This equates to 491 hours ofin-persont training over the course of14 days. 471 total seats weret filled between the 343 poll workers who attended one oft thei in-persontraining  potentially new poll workers were met at each of the locations.  1,000 members of the community.  in continuing to become a poll worker fort the 2024 election cycle.  sessions. The remaining online poll worker training will be released to poll workers soon.  New Poll Worker Training 5 22.5 98  New and Experienced Poll Worker Training 5 12.5 239  Management AV Supply Checkoff Total  Number of Sessions Total Hours Number of Attendees  4 12 89  1 2 45  15 49 471  Staff is in the process of scheduling makeup training sessions and New Poll Worker Preview Sessions for Staff is preparing the poll worker assignments schedule for Election Day. As of today, all 29 Election Day Poll  those still interested in working during the upcoming election. Calendar for Poll Worker and Outreach Upcoming Events  Manager positions are confirmed.  Communications  Department web page views: 9,836 Press releases issued: 2 Social media posts: 23 Billboard messages: 1  Calendar of Upcoming Events    2024 Election Dates (dates calculated internally; SOS has posted with some outstanding questions regarding March 4-8: Candidate Qualifying for the May 2024 General Primary and Nonpartisan General  events that fall on holidays) Election  March 12: Presidential Preference Primary May 21: General Primary & Nonpartisan General Election June 18: General Primary Runoff November 5: General Election & Special Election December 3: General Election Runoff  2024 May 27 june 4 July2 July 4 August 6 September 2 September: 3 October1 November 11 November 12 December 10  Memorial Day; county holiday; offices closed BRE regular monthly meeting BRE regular monthly meeting Independence Day; county holiday; offices closed BRE regular monthly meeting Labor Day; county holiday; offices closed BRE regular monthly meeting BRE regular monthly meeting Veteran's Day; county holiday; offices closed BRE regular monthly meeting BRE regular monthly meeting  November 28 &29 Thanksgiving county holiday; offices closed December 24&25 Christmas; county holiday; offices closed  Respectfully Submitted, Mandi Smith  Director, Voter Registrations & Elections  Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Chairman Luth made a motion to recess at  10:09 a.m. for ten minutes. Motion carried unanimously. Chairman Luth called the meeting back to order at 10:20 a.m. IX. Hearings Pursuant to Georgia Election Code O.C.G.A. 21-2-230  A. Hear challenges to the qualifications of voters and their eligibility to vote pursuant to Georgia Election Code 21-2-230(a) - April 9, 2024 Bartelski Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Secretary Radzikinas made a motion to submit the 51 names on the list of challenged voters into the records. Motion Challenger Bartelski requested the challenge be withdrawn and the names be moved to a challenge pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-229. Discussion followed. Challenger Bartelski said O.C.G.A. 21-2-230(f) states if the challenged elector  Challenge (51 names on the list)  carried unanimously.    does not cast an absentee ballot and does not appear at the polling place to vote and the challenge is based on the grounds that the elector is not qualified to remain on the list of electors, the board of registrars shall hear the challenge Assistant Secretary Tucker said the challenge has to be adjudicated before it can  pursuant to Code Section 21-2-229.  be heard as a challenge pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-229. Challenger Bartelski said the challenge was adjudicated in March.  Assistant Secretary Tucker with a second from Member Thalimer made a motion to move the challenge pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-230 to a challenge pursuant to Chairman Luth with a second from Vice Chairman Natt made a motion to accept Challenger Bartelski's request to withdraw the challenge with 51 names pursuant Chairman Luth asked Challenger Bartelski to submit a letter requesting the challenge pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-229 be heard at the June 28, 2024 special B. Hear challenges to the qualifications of voters and their eligibility to vote pursuant to Georgia Election Code 21-2-230(a) - April 22, 2024 Bartelski Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Secretary Radzikinas made a motion to submit the 749 names on the list of challenged voters into the record. Motion Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Member Thalimer made a motion to submit into the record the evidence provided by the challenger. Motion carried Assistant Secretary Tucker asked Challenger Bartelski if he knew anyone on the Assistant Secretary Tucker with a second from Member Thalimer made a motion to dismiss the challenge pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-230 due to the evidence Vice Chairman Natt asked Challenger Bartelski if he did any validation of the evidence. Challenger Bartelski stated all the evidence has been manually reviewed. He said they use the NCOA permanent move list and then compare Challenger Bartelski asked the Board to remove voter #749 from the challenge.  O.C.G.A. 21-2-229. No further action was taken on the motion.  to O.C.G.A. 21-2-230. Motion carried unanimously.  called meeting.  Challenge (749 names on the list)  carried unanimously.  unanimously.  list of challenged voters. Challenger Bartelski said he did not.  being from a third party.  the NCOA list to the voter rolls in other states. He said the voter should not be on the list.    Assistant Secretary Tucker asked Attorney Pachuta if the Board can use the evidence from Eagle Al, LLC since it is questionable. Attorney Pachuta said part of the process is for the Board to weigh the evidence submitted by the  challenger.  Challenger Bartelski said we are working with eight million voter records in the State of Georgia. He said if we are matching with other states that cannot be done by one person and we need to use a company that helps us. Challenger Bartelski stated if such a service is not acceptable for evidence he would take Chairman Luth said the Challenger stated the evidence given to the board was from other state's databases. She said we do not have those databases and there is no way the Board can prove the evidence is from those databases.  this issue to the State Election Board.  The motion carried 4-1 with Vice Chairman Natt opposed.  X. Recess Regular Meeting XI. Executive Session (ifneeded)  No Executive Session was needed.  XII. Adjournment  Vice Chairman Natt with a second from Assistant Secretary Tucker made a motion  to adjourn at 11:17 a.m. Motion carried unanimously.  The above and foregoing minutes are hereby certified as being correct and ordered recorded.  Today's Date:  June 4, 2024  Bas hschn Barbara Luth, Chairman  Vice Chairman Cukhegbn Carla Radzikinas, Secretary Aiich Anita Tucker, Assistant Secretary B 7Ar Thalimer, Member    -  Dan