Chicago Board of Election Commissioners met Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Here are the minutes as provided by Chicago Board of Election:
I. Call to order: Chairwoman Hernandez called the meeting to order at 3:02 P.M.
II. Consideration of agenda: The agenda was approved as presented.
III. Approval of minutes
A. Board meeting: Nov. 22, 2016.
There was a motion by commissioner Swain to approve the minutes of the regular board meeting of November 22, 2016. Commissioner Kresse seconded the motion and the approval of the minutes was passed by unanimous vote of the board.
IV. Public comment
Rebecca Kerlin:
Ms. Kerlin commented on the board's agenda for this meeting. She also stated that she was present for several days of the 5% audit at the warehouse and had specific observations regarding the procedures and the conduct of the audit.
Chaya Rubenstein:
Ms. Rubenstein stated that she observed the 5% audit on November 21, She also had specific observations regarding the procedures and the conduct of the audit.
Don Olson
Mr. Olsen also attended certain sessions of the 5% audit at the warehouse. He also had specific observations regarding the procedures and the conduct of the audit. Mr. Olsen also had general observations regarding the attitude of board staff.
Lora Chamberlain:
Ms. Chamberlain made several general observations with regards to election equipment and procedures and the conduct of the 5% audit, noting improvements from prior audits.
(Commissioner Kresse noted for the record that due to pending litigation regarding the 5% audit, the board, on advice of counsel, would not be able to respond at the meeting to any of the public comments regarding the 5% audit, but asked that, if the attendees were so interested, to put any such questions in writing and submit them to the board. The board, to the extent it can, would respond to any such questions on a timely basis.)
Juan Andrade:
Mr. Andrade provided historical perspective on the cooperation between his organization and the board of elections over the past 30-35 years. He specifically commented on the commitment of Board members to improve the electoral process in Chicago.
V. Executive Director's report - Lance Gough
Mr. Gough introduced a representative from equip for equality - which has a partnership with the board and had monitors at polling places on Election day - and asked that he provide the board with a report.
Mr. Barry Taylor:
Mr. Taylor noted that equip for equality (EFE) has a partnership with the board to address the accessibility of polling places. EFE was able to recruit more than 220 people to assist in the election day project of surveying all polling places on election day looking for any actual accessibility issues. EFE observed 27 of the 51 Early voting sites and visited about 1350 polling places on Election day. The next steps would be to review all of those surveys to identify any barriers, and then to work collaboratively with the board to identify solutions, with the goal of making Chicago polling places 100% accessible by the March 2018 election. EFE will be meeting tomorrow with the Department of justice and board staff regarding this project.
Mr. Gough stated that he will defer on a full report to the board regarding EFE until after the meetings with EFE and the Department of Justice. However, he could report that the survey went very well.
A. Assistant executive director - Kelly Bateman
Nothing to report
B. Communications director - James P. Allen
- Smooth election, already on to the next election. Filing for the 4th ward has concluded and six candidates have filed for Alderman.
- Completed editing the content on the web for the 4th ward special general election including document preparation; by law vote by mail applications should be available as early as tomorrow.
- Candidate petition checking has begun. (Mr. Gough noted that the board's offices will be open until 8 PM for records checking.)
VI. Old business
A. Infrastructure projects and changes in election administration: To be addressed in near future.
B. Electronic poll books: Ms. Bateman reported that she will be meeting with ES&S at the end of this week or early next week to go over November election and then move on to the next.
C. Voting equipment: To be addressed in the near future.
D. Legislation: Mr. Scanlon reported that the Illinois House failed to override the Governor's veto of the automatic voter registration (AVR) bill; that bill is now dead. However, as previously reported, there are two other AVR bills, one in the house and one in the senate, that are slightly different, that have been proposed. He was not sure if the general assembly will get to those in the veto session; perhaps in the spring session.
VII. New business
A. Consideration, approval and adoption of "Tabulated statement of the returns and proclamation of the results of the canvass of the election returns for the November 8, 2016 general election held in the City of Chicago."
Motion to approve and adopt the tabulated statement of the returns and proclamation of the results of the Canvass of the election returns for the November 8, 2016 general election held in the City of Chicago was made by Commissioner Kresse and seconded by Commissioner Swain. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the board.
(Board members signed 12 sets of the "Tabulated statement of the returns and proclamation of the results of the Canvass of the election returns for the November 8, 2016 general election held in the City of Chicago" as approved and adopted.)
VIII. Legal Report - General Counsel James M. Scanlon: Next Monday is the last day to file objections to nominating petitions in the 4th ward. The likely date for the electoral board meeting would be Monday, December 12th if any objections are filed to the nominating papers. He recommended a 10:00 A.M. start, and asked taht the board members keep the date open.
IX. Financial report
A. Balance sheet and voucher listings for the City of Chicago - 2016 appropriation - Number 16-06 dated November 29, 2016 in the amount of $299,444.77
Motion to approve the balance sheet and voucher listings for the City of Chicago - 2016 Appropriation - Number 16-06 dated November 29, 2016 in the amount of $299,444.77 was made by commissioner Swain and seconded by Commissioner Kresse. Balance sheet and voucher listings for the City of Chicago - 2016 Appropriation - Number 16-06 dated November 29, 2016 in the amount of $299,444.77 was approved by unanimous vote of the board.
B. Balance sheet and voucher listings for the County of Cook 2016 Appropriation - Number 16-07 dated November 29, 2016 in the amount of $1,208,377.31
Motion to approve balance sheet and voucher listings for the county of Cook 2016 appropriation - Number 16-07 dated November 29, 2016 in the amount of $1,208,377.31 was made by commissioner Kresse and seconded by commissioner Swain. The balance sheet and voucher listings for the county of Cook 2016 appropriation - number 16-07 dated November 29, 2016 in the amount of $1,208,377.31 was approved by unanimous vote of the board.
X. Executive session: NONE
XI. There was a motion by Commissioner Kresse to adjourn the meeting at 3:53 P.M. and to reconvene on December 13, 2016 for a regular board meeting, or to combine that meeting with a possible December 12, 2016 Electoral board meeting, at the call of the chair. The motion was seconded by commissioner Swain and passed by unanimous vote of the board.
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