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Home / About The Board / Press Releases and Board Meeting Notices / February 9, 2021 Meeting Agenda

February 9, 2021 Meeting Agenda

February 9, 2021

February 9, 2021 Meeting Agenda

February 9, 2021

HAMILTON COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS FEBRUARY 9, 2021 AGENDA

I. Call Meeting to Order at 8:30am

II. Pledge of Allegiance

III. Proper notice given as required under O.R.C. 121.22

IV. Approve: Board Meeting Minutes for January 19, 2021 V. Review: November 2020 Presidential General Election Anomaly Report

VI. Approve: November 2020 Presidential General Election Precinct Election Official Assessments VII. Certification: Partisan Candidate Petitions

VIII. Certification: Questions and Issues – May 2021 Primary/Special Election

IX. Approve: Election Equipment Allocation – May 2021 Primary/Special Election

X. Approve: Ballot and Provisional Envelope Quantities – May 2021 Primary/Special Election

XI. Approve: Precinct Realignments

XII. Approve: Full-Time Staff Appointment

XIII. Other Business

XIV. Adjourn Next Meeting: Tuesday, March 2, 2021 @ 8:30am

 

HAMILTON COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS 

MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 9, 2021 at 10:00AM

The meeting of the Hamilton County Board of Elections was called to order at 10:00am by Chair Gwen McFarlin. The meeting was delayed from its' original start time of 8:30am due to inclement weather. Present were members Mr. Triantafilou, Mr. Gerhardt and Mr. Faux. Also present: Director Sherry Poland and Deputy Director Sally Krisel and David Stevenson with the Hamilton County Prosecutor's office. Due to Social Distancing and limited space in the Board Meeting Room, the meeting was live streamed for public viewing. Ms. McFarlin noted that proper notice was duly provided as required by O.R.C. 121.22. Ms. McFarlin opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.

I. APPROVE: BOARD MEETING MINUTES: JANUARY 19, 2021

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to approve the Board meeting minutes for January 19, 2021; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

II. REVIEW: NOVEMBER 2020 PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION ANOMOLY REPORT

The Board reviewed the anomaly summary and spreadsheet listing 120 voters. Ms. Poland reported that of the original 120, Staff has had a response from all but 36 voters. Ms. Poland reported that of those that were contacted, Staff is asking for Board review of the following (as numbered on the spreadsheet):

Voter #84: Voter admits to purposefully voting twice; stating he did it to see if he could, given the talk of fraud. The Board was reminded that only one of the votes counted.

Voter #119: The Board received information that this Voter did not live at the address in which she is registered to vote; she lives in New York. A letter was sent to the voter and she responded, stating she has lived and worked in New York since 2014; she maintains an Ohio Driver's License and is registered from the address that appears on her Ohio ID (her parent's address); and she has not registered in New York because there is always a possibility she may move back to Ohio. Staff was able to confirm that she is not registered in New York (her spouse is registered in New York). A discussion regarding this voter and potential Board action ensued. The Board concluded a strongly worded letter in which her actions and the potential consequences thereof are explained, together with a registration cancellation form, should be sent to the voter.

Voter #120: The Voter is registered to vote in Butler County and voted early at the Butler County Board of Elections; the voter then came to the polling location in Hamilton County on Election Day and cast a Provisional Ballot. The Provisional ballot was not counted as the early vote in Butler County was revealed through Board procedures. The Provisional envelope did, in fact, change the address of the voter to Hamilton County. A letter has been mailed to the voter at the Hamilton County address; there has been no response. A discussion regarding this voter and potential Board action ensued.

The Board directed Staff to make another attempt at contacting the 36 voters who have not yet responded by sending a second strongly worded letter to each voter.

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to refer voter #84 for further investigation and consideration by the Hamilton County Prosecutor; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

III. APPROVE: NOVEMBER 2020 PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION PRECINCT ELECTION OFFICIAL ASSESSMENTS 

The Board reviewed the Precinct Election Day Performance Assessment Staff Summary Report:

110 Voting locations require no action.                                                                                                          12 Voting locations had "no issues" and will be sent a letter of commendation.
172 Voting locations will be sent Retraining information.
25 Voting locations will be required to complete Online Retraining before they are reappointed.
3 Precinct Election Officials are being recommended to retire/not rehire.

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to Approve the Staff Summary Report; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

IV. CERTIFICATION: PARTISAN CANDIDATE PETITIONS

The Board reviewed the Staff recommendation of Partisan Candidate Petitions for Certification. Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to approve the Staff recommendation of Partisan Candidate Petitions; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously. A separate list of four Candidates Petitions was presented for Board review. It was noted that each candidate on this list had been notified that their petitions may be insufficient and were given the option to withdraw and refile new petitions; all have declined to do so.

Ross Donald Bittner - Part-petition page 3, side 1: "Petition for Candidate" section left blank. The Board was advised this is an issue of "substantial compliance".

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to accept the part-petitions; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Denise Lingo -All five part-petition pages, side 1: Dated "Declaration of Candidate section with the year "2012" instead of "2021".

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to accept the part-petitions; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Robert Parsons - Two of Three part-petitions side 1: "Political Party" left blank.

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to accept the part-petitions; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Cyndi McCarthy Tincher - Part-petition page 1, side 1: "Office" left blank in "Declaration of Candidacy" section as well as incorrect date entered for "date of primary election". Part-petition page 2, side 1: Incorrect date entered for "date of primary election". The Board discussed and determined that the missing "office" sought caused the part-petition to not be
"substantially compliant".

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to disqualify the part-petition in which the "office" is left blank; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

V. CERTIFICATION: QUESTIONS AND ISSUES - MAY 2021 PRIMARY/SPECIAL ELECTION 

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to approve the list of five Questions and Issues for the May 2021 Primary/Special Election; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

VI. APPROVE: ELECTION EQUIPMENT ALLOCATION - MAY 2021 PRIMARY/SPECIAL ELECTION 

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to Approve the Election Equipment Allocation for the May 2021 Primary/Special Election; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

VII. APPROVE: BALLOT AND PROVISIONAL ENVELOPE QUANTITIES - MAY 2021 PRIMARY/SPECIAL ELECTION 

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to Approve the Ballot and Provisional Envelope Quantities - May 2021 Primary/Special Election; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

VIII. APPROVE: PRECINCT REALIGNMENTS

The Board was advised of the ongoing efforts to monitor the status of precinct registered voter totals to ensure none exceed the number of active voters allowed by law to be in a precinct (1400). To that end, Staff is recommending Precinct realignments/consolidations in 23 Precincts and the creation of one additional Precinct in the City of Harrison (24 total).

Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to Approve the Staff recommendation of Precinct Realignments; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

IX. APPROVE: FULL-TIME STAFF APPOINTMENT

Ms. Poland reported that Staff recommends the Appointment of Laurel Bauer as a Registration Official in the Registration Department.

Mr. Faux made a motion to Approve the Full-Time Staff Appointment; Ms. McFarlin seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

X. OTHER BUSINESS

Ms. Krisel acknowledged that this meeting is the last Board meeting for Mr. Faux. Ms. Krisel thanked him for his 11 years of service to the Board. Chair McFarlin, Mr. Triantafilou and Mr. Gerhardt each expressed praise and appreciation to Mr. Faux for his service to the Board of Elections. Mr. Faux expressed his appreciation to the Board and to the Staff.

Mr. Faux brought up one final issue - that of a letter from a voter inquiring about voting machines used by Hamilton County. Mr. Faux suggested and Ms. McFarlin concurred, that a response to this voter should be drafted, to be approved by the Board and sent to this voter.

There being no further business to come before the Board, Mr. Triantafilou made a motion to adjourn; Mr. Faux seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

 

APPROVED DATE: March 2, 2021

CHAIR: Gwen McFarlin

DIRECTOR: Sherry L. Boland