Monday, October 3, 2016

TIPS FOR MONITORING OR OBSERVING THE ELECTION AT POLLING SITES


MOVING THE LINES AT THE VOTING SITE

It is important to make every effort to ensure that voter's have a positive experience at the polls when voting.

Be friendly, helpful and polite, but try to keep the lines moving so voters will not have a long wait.


ASSISTING DISABLED AND ELDERLY VOTERS AT THE VOTING SITE

Common Courtesies and Guidelines

  • Be considerate of the extra time it might take for a person who has a disability or is elderly to get things done, and give unhurried attention to a person who has difficulty speaking.  Make chair available for people who have difficulty standing.
  • Speak directly to the person who has a disability rather than to a companion who may be with them.
  • Speak calmly, slowly and director to a person with a hearing problem.  Your facial expressions, gestures and body movements help in understanding.  Don't shout or speak in the person's ear.  If full understanding is doubtful, write a note to the person with a hearing problem.
  • Greet a person who is visually impaired by letting the person know who and where you are.  Provide a guiding device such as a ruler or card for signing forms. 
  • Be aware that dogs that assist people with disabilities should be admitted into all buildings.  Such dogs are highly trained and need to special care other than that provided by the owner.
  • When offering walking assistance, allow the person to take your arm and tell him or her if you are approaching steps of inclines.  Before pushing someone in a wheelchair, ask if you may do so and how you should proceed.

Monday, September 19, 2016

OBSERVERS

What Observers Are Permitted and/or Not Permitted to Do

Permitted

  • Walk to the Registration, Ballot, and Help Tables without impeding voters or precinct officials
  • Make observations and take notes
  • Report concerns to the Chief Judge
  • Walk outside the voting enclosure to view the curbside voting area or for restroom breaks and phone calls at the discretion of the Chief Judge
  • Make a list of voters who have voted in the precinct by viewing ATV forms at the Ballot Tables
    • Observers may view bound sets of 100 ATV forms but not remove binding
    • Make a list of voters who have cast provisional ballots in the precinct by viewing the Provisional Poll Book


Not Permitted

  • Must not enter the voting enclosure before the polls open at 6:30 am  (This includes before Early Voting starts for the day.)
  • Must not speak to voters
  • Must no speak to Judges or Assistants
  • Must not wear or distribute campaign material
  • Must not stand behind the Registration Table or Help Table because Poll/books/Laptops contain confidential voter information
  • Must not enter the voting booth area
  • Must not interfere with the privacy of a curbside voter while the voter is marking a ballot
  • Must not board a bus or other vehicle containing curbside voters
  • Must not provide voter assistance
  • Must no photograph or video curbside voters
  • Must not look at voter IDs

What mistakes, IF ANY, does the Observer make in this video?








Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Please feel free to make comments, suggestions, or ask questions.  We would like this to be a medium to assist both you, as precinct officials, and the board of Elections staff to ensure the voters of Carteret County are provided with fair and accurate elections.

Our only request is that everyone refrains from making any comments that could be construed as being partisan or derogatory.