Voter Education Task Force
Minutes of First Meeting
I. Date & time: April 4, 2003
9 AM – 12 Noon
II. Location: Room 308
Legislative Office Building
III. Attendance:
A. Task force participants:
Orville “Bud” Fitch (Department of Justice); William Hamilton (American Association of Retired Persons - NH); Thomas Manning (Department of State); Carol Nadeau (Governor’s Commission on Disability); Anthony Stevens (Assistant Secretary of State); Charity Ross (House Democratic Leaders Office); Terry Voth (Granite State Independent Living);
B. Observer: Jim Demers (The Demers Group)
IV. Business:
The objective of the meeting was to develop a draft of the mission, vision, goals, objectives, and measurements to cover the portion of HAVA dealing with voter education.
1) HAVA Section 301(a) (1) (B) requires that, by January 1, 2006, a state or jurisdiction that uses a paper ballot voting system… or a central count voting system (including mail-in absentee ballots …) may meet the (Voting Standards Section of HAVA, such as how to correct a ballot [spoil and obtain a new ballot, etc], the effects of under-votes and over-votes):
(i) by establishing a voter education program specific to that voting system that notifies each voter of the effect of casting multiple votes for an office, and
(ii) providing the voter with instructions on how to correct the ballot before it is cast and counted (including instructions on how to correct the error through the issuance of a replacement ballot if the voter was otherwise unable to change the ballot or correct any error).
2) HAVA Section 302(b) requires that, by January 1, 2004, voting information is posted at each polling place on election day, including:
(i) a sample version of the ballot that will be used for that election
(ii) information regarding the date of the election and the hours during which polling places will be open
(iii) instructions on how to vote, including how to cast a vote …
(iv) instructions for mail-in registrants and first time voters under Section 303(b)
(v) general information on voting rights under applicable Federal and State laws, including information on the right of an individual to cast a provisional ballot and instructions on how to contact the appropriate officials if these rights are alleged to have been v9ilated, an d
(vi) general information on federal and State laws regarding prohibitions on acts of fraud and misrepresentation
3) HAVA Section 254(a)(3) requires that each HAVA State Plan explain how the State will provide for voter education, election officials education and training and poll worker training which will assist the State in meeting the requirements of Title III.
New Hampshire should be a model for the nation in the area of voter education and voter participation.
1) Voter participation. Since adoption of same day registration, New Hampshire is among the top 8 states in voter participation in state and federal elections. Age demographics of voters? Rule of thumb: national voter turnout is approximately equal to the voters’ age, i.e. 20% of 20 year-olds, 30% of 30 year- olds, 40% of 40 year-olds, 50% of 50 years-olds and 60% of 60 year-olds.
a) Strategy:
i) Design education programs based on age groups.
ii) Children accompanying parents in the voting process.
2) College Communities – educational programs promoting voter registration and where appropriate the use of absentee voting at the student’s home town.
a) Voter registration drives timed to the deadlines for submission of requests for absentee ballots.
b) Resources to make absentee voting as easy as choosing to make the college town the student’s domicile.
i) Measurement: tally colleges participating in the program.
3) Educate voters with disabilities regarding their rights and the existence and use of voting machines.
a) Public Service Announcements
i) Presidential primary 2003/2004 – changes to New Hampshire law
ii) 2005 first HAVA DRE voting machines in use in test towns and cities
iii) 2006 statewide use of HAVA DRE voting machines, at least one in each polling place.
(1) Measurements:
(a) Tally of the number of PSAs
(b) Exit poll info on whether voter heard/was influenced by PSAs
b) Mock elections – trials of Direct Recording Equipment (“DRE”) in libraries, schools, malls, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and access expo.
i) 2005 demonstration project.
(1) Measurement: Tally demos.
c) Disabilities Community publications/AARP
(1) Measurement: Request submission of copies to SOS.
4) 1-800-VOTENH – establish a toll free telephone number for voter inquiries.
a) Ensure availability of a telephone available to voters at each polling place
b) Poster advertising the 1-800- number at each polling place.
c) Staffing, possibility multidisciplinary, a call answering center for the Presidential primary in 2003/2004 and based on experience at future statewide elections.
i) Measurement: Tally types and volume of calls.
5) Grant programs for voter education, to include options such as:
a) Kids Voting
b) Mock Elections
c) Other programs serving communities of interest.
i) Measurement: As a component of the grant requirements.
6) Media participation in the education of voters regarding candidates and issues.
i) Measurement: research available.
7) Elections with a large number of ballot issues.
a) Is advance distribution of ballots or sample ballots a possibility when the ballot is long, e.g. SB 2 towns that include many long questions?
b) Would allow voters to prepare ballots in advance, bring them to the polling place, check in and cast the previously marked ballot.
i) Measurement: Time to vote – by monitors and/or exit polling
8) Time required to vote is a critical component of voter participation.
a) Drive through voting?
i) Measurements: Determine sample time taken to vote, using:
(1) exit polling
(2) polling place monitoring
9) Publications
a) How to vote/voter rights guide?
b) Posters with information and graphics
c) Video on voting –
i) play at the polling place
ii) distribute to media
iii) distribute to community/cable community access/school television systems
iv) audio version for radio
v) Youth in Government/Model government programs.
d) Web sites
i) separate pages focused at different demographic groups
e) Media
f) Statewide distribution
g) Available at the polling place
i) Measurement: Exit polling on use
10) 2004 Presidential Primary targets:
(a) College absentee ballot initiative
V. Action item: Develop a survey instrument to document the experience of individuals with disabilities and others who test the voting machines on display on April 15, 2003.