1
00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,199
Let's go this way.

2
00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:35,200
Good evening everyone. Seeing as it is

3
00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,040
5:00 p.m. I can go ahead and call the

4
00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,800
meeting to order. Uh first item on the

5
00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,320
agenda is of course the pledge of

6
00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:45,239
allegiance. So if everyone would please

7
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:45,239
rise and refer to the flag

8
00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:55,640
of the United States of America to the

9
00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,640
standy.

10
00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,080
Thank you.

11
00:01:04,559 --> 00:01:08,240
Next item on the agenda is the approval

12
00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,760
of the agenda itself. And I would accept

13
00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,360
a motion.

14
00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,680
» Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we

15
00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:15,040
accept the agenda as written.

16
00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,720
» A motion has been made. I'll go ahead

17
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,040
and second that motion. Motion and

18
00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:22,000
second been given. Um I'll go ahead and

19
00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,439
call if there's no discussion. All in

20
00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:26,960
favor signify by saying I.

21
00:01:23,439 --> 00:01:30,880
» I. Motion carries unanimously.

22
00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:33,280
Um seeing uh as it is the February uh

23
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:36,079
meeting of our even numbered years, our

24
00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:38,560
bylaws as they currently stand um

25
00:01:36,079 --> 00:01:40,880
require uh the board to conduct

26
00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:44,479
elections of our board officers and so

27
00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:47,360
um so at this time um I guess we could

28
00:01:44,479 --> 00:01:50,320
accept motions.

29
00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:53,520
Uh Mr. Chair, I make a motion that uh

30
00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:55,040
our chair

31
00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:59,040
motion has been made. I'll go ahead and

32
00:01:55,040 --> 00:02:01,280
second that. Um

33
00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:04,320
any discussion?

34
00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:06,399
Yeah. Um seeing no further discussion,

35
00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,640
all in favor signify by saying I.

36
00:02:06,399 --> 00:02:08,640
» I.

37
00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:12,239
» I.

38
00:02:08,640 --> 00:02:14,879
Thank you very much.

39
00:02:12,239 --> 00:02:17,280
And next item of course the vice chair

40
00:02:14,879 --> 00:02:20,080
position. Um I would go ahead and take

41
00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:22,800
uh my privilege and right as chairman to

42
00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:26,879
make a motion to appoint uh my colleague

43
00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:29,760
member Alexander as vice chair.

44
00:02:26,879 --> 00:02:33,120
motion and second been made. Uh seeing

45
00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:36,000
no uh further discussion.

46
00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,680
Yep. No one on my left over here. Um I

47
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,680
guess we can go ahead and call the vote.

48
00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:42,680
All in favor signify by saying I.

49
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,680
» I.

50
00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,360
I said it before we started the meeting,

51
00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:50,959
but sometimes it feels like bush casting

52
00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:52,800
a sundance kit up here.

53
00:02:50,959 --> 00:02:55,599
Next item on the agenda is of course our

54
00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:57,040
public comments. will be given a five

55
00:02:55,599 --> 00:02:58,640
minute. Excuse me. Director Garrett

56
00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,640
seems to be grabbing my attention.

57
00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:02,000
» Yes, if we could have a couple of

58
00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:04,400
minutes. We're having technical

59
00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,640
difficulties and since we do our public

60
00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,000
comments verbatim with the recording,

61
00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:09,040
can we have a couple of seconds to

62
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,640
figure that out, please?

63
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:15,519
» Sure. Absolutely. Yeah. Thank you for

64
00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:17,120
that flag. Um, I'll say, you know, as

65
00:03:15,519 --> 00:03:20,080
technology becomes almost indispensable

66
00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:23,040
to us all the time, it's wonderful when

67
00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:24,959
it works. Um, so just bear with us on

68
00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,879
this one. Um, I'll tell you actually as

69
00:03:24,959 --> 00:03:28,720
far as technological updates go, we do

70
00:03:26,879 --> 00:03:31,760
have, uh, one small update I wanted to

71
00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,280
publicize further. Um, the, uh, FE

72
00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,799
county government has updated its

73
00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,280
website. Should be a lot more user

74
00:03:34,799 --> 00:03:38,640
friendly now. Um, much more approachable

75
00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,159
and accessible to get through

76
00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,239
everything. Of course, we will be listed

77
00:03:40,159 --> 00:03:43,599
as one of the departments there on the

78
00:03:42,239 --> 00:03:45,440
website itself. So, if you ever want to

79
00:03:43,599 --> 00:03:46,879
reach uh, the election department, board

80
00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:49,360
of elections here, all our information

81
00:03:46,879 --> 00:03:52,000
is on the faccounta.gov

82
00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:53,760
website uh, under elections. Um, we've

83
00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,080
got our public notices there and in fact

84
00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,599
we will actually uh be discussing one of

85
00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:00,080
those public notices a little bit later

86
00:03:57,599 --> 00:04:03,760
in this meeting as far as a polling

87
00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:07,200
location proposal. Um, but just wanted

88
00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:08,239
to again echo that that uh website has

89
00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,720
been updated. It should be more

90
00:04:08,239 --> 00:04:12,480
approachable and thank you to Kyle, our

91
00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:14,159
clerk here who does a lot of work on our

92
00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,320
website. Make sure all our eyes are

93
00:04:14,159 --> 00:04:18,160
dotted and our tees are crossed. But as

94
00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:22,239
far as that, I guess that could conclude

95
00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:22,239
most of my filler at this moment.

96
00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,880
Great turnout. Thank you.

97
00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,880
» Absolutely. You know, typically we

98
00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:32,960
probably have no more than five folks

99
00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,040
come out to our meetings. Um you know,

100
00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,040
it's we're always thankful to have these

101
00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:39,280
larger turnouts because we do want to be

102
00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:42,080
as responsive to the public as possible.

103
00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:43,440
You know, while we do have our uh email

104
00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,960
addresses, our phone numbers up there on

105
00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,560
the website, at the end of the day,

106
00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,160
being face to face is a lot better. I

107
00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,800
know that firsthand. I was in school for

108
00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:52,479
a lot of co um so I I saw that we lost a

109
00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:55,040
lot of the you know relations and our

110
00:04:52,479 --> 00:04:57,520
success so in those so thank you for all

111
00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,800
coming out and uh we can look forward to

112
00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,000
you know using our technology and

113
00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,400
everybody having their voice heard

114
00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,160
during our public comment period but our

115
00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,919
responsiveness is really our strength so

116
00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:09,080
please we can't be responsive if you

117
00:05:05,919 --> 00:05:09,080
don't request

118
00:05:10,639 --> 00:05:14,800
» We're just going to take a risk it says

119
00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:17,919
it's recording is just not streaming um

120
00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:19,680
Jenny's still working on it We will I

121
00:05:17,919 --> 00:05:22,320
will try to record on my phone so at

122
00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:25,919
least we'll have our minutes so we can

123
00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:27,520
move forward with the meeting.

124
00:05:25,919 --> 00:05:29,840
» With that we can go ahead and proceed to

125
00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:31,680
public comments. Um speakers will be

126
00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:33,120
given a fivem minute maximum time limit

127
00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,720
to speak before the board of elections

128
00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,720
about various topics, issues and

129
00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,479
concerns. Speakers must direct comments

130
00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,800
to the board and responses are reserved

131
00:05:38,479 --> 00:05:42,160
at the direction of the board. Um I

132
00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,600
guess just another clarification, we

133
00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,600
will have this meeting recorded. It will

134
00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,600
be on the county's Vimeo page. We might

135
00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,280
just the streaming capability right now,

136
00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,400
but I guess that's a huge benefit of

137
00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:53,039
having a lot of folks in the audience

138
00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:55,120
here that we do have the public here

139
00:05:53,039 --> 00:05:56,479
present as well. Um, so with that, I

140
00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,720
could go ahead and welcome anyone up to

141
00:05:56,479 --> 00:06:01,039
the podium. Um, please state your name,

142
00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:04,440
uh, your county residency and, uh, begin

143
00:06:01,039 --> 00:06:04,440
your public comments.

144
00:06:14,639 --> 00:06:20,400
Good evening. My name is Marilyn Napton

145
00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:22,479
and I live at 705 Grand Teton Circle

146
00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:25,919
here in Fagville.

147
00:06:22,479 --> 00:06:30,240
And um my question is what is the plan

148
00:06:25,919 --> 00:06:31,919
for the um ballot drop off boxes for F

149
00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:35,720
County

150
00:06:31,919 --> 00:06:35,720
for this coming election?

151
00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,600
» Ma'am, the public comment period will be

152
00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,360
uh responses are reserved at our

153
00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,280
direction. So feel free to all your

154
00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,639
comments and then if we see fit, we

155
00:06:47,280 --> 00:06:51,639
could respond to anything that you bring

156
00:06:48,639 --> 00:06:51,639
up.

157
00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:11,280
» My only comments are expansion of of

158
00:07:08,319 --> 00:07:13,919
hours for voting.

159
00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:14,720
I just think we should have done this

160
00:07:13,919 --> 00:07:15,919
years ago.

161
00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,639
» You quickly state your name in your

162
00:07:15,919 --> 00:07:18,960
county res.

163
00:07:16,639 --> 00:07:21,120
» Oh, yeah. Yeah.

164
00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:23,599
Zach knows me, but the others probably

165
00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,599
don't. I'm Jack Bernard. I'm a resident

166
00:07:23,599 --> 00:07:28,080
of Peach Tree City and I've been a

167
00:07:25,599 --> 00:07:30,080
resident for 11 years.

168
00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:33,919
I'm also,

169
00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:36,479
frankly, I've been in both parties and

170
00:07:33,919 --> 00:07:38,080
held elected office.

171
00:07:36,479 --> 00:07:42,080
as a county commissioner, another county

172
00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:45,280
for a couple terms.

173
00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:47,599
What what disturbs me

174
00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:54,599
in terms of

175
00:07:47,599 --> 00:07:54,599
the trend in our country is the trend to

176
00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:59,759
lessen participation

177
00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:02,400
in voting

178
00:07:59,759 --> 00:08:04,240
and that lessens participation in our

179
00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:08,000
government. It lessens support for our

180
00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:09,840
government and That's especially true.

181
00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:13,120
I'll just be very blunt. It's especially

182
00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:16,560
true with some people now trying to

183
00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:19,520
lessen the participation of uh

184
00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:23,280
minorities, of the elderly, of the

185
00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:26,960
infirm and so on. What whatever we can

186
00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:30,960
do to increase participation, we should

187
00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:33,680
do. Uh I was very disappointed with your

188
00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:37,599
predecessors the last time I did this

189
00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:41,039
years ago. uh they really weren't open

190
00:08:37,599 --> 00:08:45,040
to opening uh voting on Sundays for

191
00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:48,480
instance, which that's a natural to me.

192
00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:50,160
Why not vote on Sundays? Uh but anything

193
00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:52,880
we can do to increase voter

194
00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:56,000
participation, we should be doing.

195
00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:59,920
Anything we can do to make our elections

196
00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:03,120
uh continue to be fair and equitable, we

197
00:08:59,920 --> 00:09:06,080
should be doing, including uh coming up

198
00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:08,160
with vote tally as possible and issuing

199
00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:10,959
that publicly

200
00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,240
totally for that.

201
00:09:10,959 --> 00:09:15,279
We should be doing things in a

202
00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:17,120
bipartisan manner. Both parties and I've

203
00:09:15,279 --> 00:09:20,880
been in both parties and both parties

204
00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:22,880
should agree on we need to have free and

205
00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,959
fair elections and once the election is

206
00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:27,680
done we should all accept the

207
00:09:24,959 --> 00:09:30,240
consequences positive or negative of

208
00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:33,240
those elections. That's about it. Thank

209
00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,240
you.

210
00:09:37,279 --> 00:09:40,640
Thank you.

211
00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:42,640
» Good evening. Uh, my name is Anna

212
00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:45,519
Richards. I live at 290 Virginia

213
00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:48,640
Highlands here in Fville and I'm a new

214
00:09:45,519 --> 00:09:51,360
resident to Georgia coming from North

215
00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:53,200
Carolina this summer where I was an

216
00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:55,600
elected official. I was a county

217
00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:58,399
commissioner there. Um, so I'm

218
00:09:55,600 --> 00:10:00,399
interested obviously in

219
00:09:58,399 --> 00:10:04,640
my government, my politics, my

220
00:10:00,399 --> 00:10:06,959
community, and um, in understanding

221
00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:10,160
Fet County, which I'm just tipping my

222
00:10:06,959 --> 00:10:11,519
toe in. Um, first thing I understand is

223
00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,399
that you're considering whether or not

224
00:10:11,519 --> 00:10:17,040
to certify

225
00:10:14,399 --> 00:10:20,160
uh, on Friday or Monday. Monday, I

226
00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:21,920
think, is the statutory requirement.

227
00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:26,160
And so I'm hoping that you would go for

228
00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:29,680
Friday so that something

229
00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:31,600
unplanned happens or you need to do

230
00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:34,079
anything, you would not be pushed up

231
00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:38,320
against the statutory deadline of

232
00:10:34,079 --> 00:10:41,279
Monday. And so I would urge you to

233
00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:45,040
certify at the earliest possible date so

234
00:10:41,279 --> 00:10:48,640
that um we can make sure that every

235
00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:50,880
vote is counted and that everyone gets

236
00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:55,279
an opportunity to have their voice.

237
00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:57,200
That's the first point. Secondly, um I

238
00:10:55,279 --> 00:10:58,880
heard other gentlemen talk about Sunday

239
00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,720
voting. It's my understanding that we

240
00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:03,440
current that there currently is Sunday

241
00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:05,360
voting and the consideration is whether

242
00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:08,560
or not to continue that. And I'm just

243
00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:11,839
urging you again, our objective should

244
00:11:08,560 --> 00:11:13,839
be participation. It was it's always

245
00:11:11,839 --> 00:11:16,640
amazing to me when we hear about other

246
00:11:13,839 --> 00:11:19,440
countries and how they get 80 90% of

247
00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:24,000
their population to vote. And we

248
00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:26,560
struggle in this country to get um even

249
00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:30,320
half our vote registered voters to vote.

250
00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:32,079
And a lot of people work shifts um and

251
00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:35,920
you know I don't know what your family

252
00:11:32,079 --> 00:11:37,839
background is but um you know initially

253
00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,920
my ancestors were not allowed to vote.

254
00:11:37,839 --> 00:11:43,839
Women weren't allowed to vote and unless

255
00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:47,120
you were a a land owner here in America

256
00:11:43,839 --> 00:11:49,440
you weren't able to vote either. So over

257
00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,519
the course of history, we have expanded

258
00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:53,839
as we should to create this more perfect

259
00:11:51,519 --> 00:11:56,959
union and this democracy. And I would

260
00:11:53,839 --> 00:12:00,560
just hope that in Faget County where I

261
00:11:56,959 --> 00:12:02,959
now live that our goal is to increase

262
00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:06,079
the opportunity to vote and that that

263
00:12:02,959 --> 00:12:07,839
would include Sunday voting and expanded

264
00:12:06,079 --> 00:12:10,079
hours. I don't know if that's something

265
00:12:07,839 --> 00:12:12,480
you're considering, but I think we

266
00:12:10,079 --> 00:12:16,880
should be trying to find ways to include

267
00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:19,839
as opposed to exclude voters. So, thank

268
00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:21,760
you very much.

269
00:12:19,839 --> 00:12:24,760
» Thank you. Welcome to FE County. Glad to

270
00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,760
have

271
00:12:26,079 --> 00:12:31,040
» Marilyn Napton again. Um, I was thinking

272
00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:34,079
there might be a back and forth with my

273
00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:37,040
uh concern about the uh Dropbox, but I

274
00:12:34,079 --> 00:12:40,480
just wanted to I feel it's a very

275
00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:43,839
important part of the voting process. I

276
00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:47,680
know the last two elections.

277
00:12:43,839 --> 00:12:49,680
The dropbox was put in the

278
00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:53,519
um

279
00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:55,760
office and only available during office

280
00:12:53,519 --> 00:12:58,800
hours, which to me didn't make much

281
00:12:55,760 --> 00:13:03,200
sense. But um we do have several people

282
00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:06,160
in our county that work multiple jobs

283
00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:10,000
are not available during hours or

284
00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:14,000
possibly Saturday or Sunday or whatever.

285
00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:17,040
Um we might have the um early voting and

286
00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:19,839
I just feel it's really important that

287
00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:24,320
we have a drop box available for those

288
00:13:19,839 --> 00:13:27,480
absentee ballots. Thank you.

289
00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,480
» Thank you.

290
00:13:30,079 --> 00:13:34,040
Any additional public comments?

291
00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,200
One more.

292
00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:46,720
Please state your name, your county

293
00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:50,079
reser.

294
00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:52,320
» Hey, I'm Justin Owens. I'm in Beachree

295
00:13:50,079 --> 00:13:55,760
City.

296
00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:57,600
And I guess uh I had a question that you

297
00:13:55,760 --> 00:14:02,399
could address

298
00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:07,600
all the comments. Um is there like

299
00:14:02,399 --> 00:14:10,320
can do as a county like um to expand

300
00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:16,680
access to absentee ballots or is that

301
00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:16,680
tied up in the state? Thank you.

302
00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:29,600
» Okay, thank you all. Um just I'm going

303
00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:35,600
to tackle a few things that were brought

304
00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:36,959
up. Um, as far as uh ballot boxes, um,

305
00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,360
apologies for the confusion as far as

306
00:14:36,959 --> 00:14:41,760
how this goes a little bit, you know, u,

307
00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:43,440
but as far as the, uh, ballot boxes, I

308
00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:46,480
believe that is a state legislative

309
00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:48,720
issue. Um, to the point where, uh, I

310
00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:50,959
believe it's one ballot dropbox per

311
00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:52,880
county and it has to be in the office or

312
00:14:50,959 --> 00:14:55,040
at least under supervision during hours

313
00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:57,120
in which ballots would be accepted. Um,

314
00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:59,760
and so as a result of that, we have very

315
00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:02,079
little authority as to how the ballot

316
00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:04,480
box for for better or worse. Um you know

317
00:15:02,079 --> 00:15:07,680
that that is a state uh legislative

318
00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:09,600
question. Um and I will say that uh

319
00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:14,000
currently the as a state legislature is

320
00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:16,079
in session. Um they are undergoing uh

321
00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,560
the legislative research um legislating

322
00:15:16,079 --> 00:15:21,279
period in order to look at changing uh

323
00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:23,680
further the parameters of absentee

324
00:15:21,279 --> 00:15:25,519
ballots and ballot dropboxes. So um the

325
00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:27,360
only commitment that I can really firmly

326
00:15:25,519 --> 00:15:29,360
make right now is that we at the F

327
00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,880
County elections would keep public a

328
00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,639
breast of those developments and then

329
00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:35,199
comply as best we possibly can with

330
00:15:32,639 --> 00:15:36,959
state law while also maximizing voter

331
00:15:35,199 --> 00:15:38,320
access at the same time. Um, you know,

332
00:15:36,959 --> 00:15:40,000
our hands are tied as far as a lot of

333
00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,680
this goes, but with the autonomy that we

334
00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,360
do have, we really do want to provide

335
00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:45,839
the greatest experience possible.

336
00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:47,760
Whether that be if a voter chooses to go

337
00:15:45,839 --> 00:15:49,120
down the absentee ballot route, um, we

338
00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:50,560
have folks at our office who can help

339
00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:51,839
them acquire a ballot, who can help them

340
00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:54,160
fill out a ballot in case they're

341
00:15:51,839 --> 00:15:55,519
unfamiliar with that process. Um, and

342
00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:57,839
and guide them through that without

343
00:15:55,519 --> 00:15:59,440
directly doing it for them. Um but you

344
00:15:57,839 --> 00:16:00,800
know we really do try and do our best in

345
00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,880
order to make sure everybody's voice is

346
00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,560
heard. They can engage uh with the

347
00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:07,360
voting process as conveniently as

348
00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:09,199
possible. Um as far as voting voting

349
00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:11,759
hours, you know, we have had uh Sunday

350
00:16:09,199 --> 00:16:14,079
voting in the past in November of 2024

351
00:16:11,759 --> 00:16:16,560
and uh about 1300 people did take

352
00:16:14,079 --> 00:16:18,560
advantage of it on that day. Um so as we

353
00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:19,920
get further into discussing our uh

354
00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:22,000
advanced voting times, dates and

355
00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:23,920
locations, um I believe there is Sunday

356
00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,839
voting included for this general primary

357
00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,519
election. that will be on May 3rd, but

358
00:16:25,839 --> 00:16:29,759
I'm sure Director Garrett will expand a

359
00:16:27,519 --> 00:16:32,079
little bit on the hours and times for

360
00:16:29,759 --> 00:16:36,199
our early voting, so stay tuned in just

361
00:16:32,079 --> 00:16:36,199
a few minutes. Um,

362
00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,920
I hear the uh the certification

363
00:16:38,399 --> 00:16:41,839
question. Um, I know that in our

364
00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,360
calendar that we have before us, um,

365
00:16:41,839 --> 00:16:45,440
there is an instance where we will have

366
00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:47,199
Monday certification. So, I'm almost

367
00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:50,079
half of mine to use that instance as a

368
00:16:47,199 --> 00:16:52,720
test run and see how we could proceed in

369
00:16:50,079 --> 00:16:56,079
the going in the future. Um but we can

370
00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:59,320
discuss that more. Um so with that any

371
00:16:56,079 --> 00:16:59,320
other response?

372
00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:06,400
» Yes, we uh we did expand voting hours as

373
00:17:02,959 --> 00:17:08,959
well for early voting. Um you know uh

374
00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:10,400
there are statutory minimums prescribed

375
00:17:08,959 --> 00:17:12,400
as per state law from the state

376
00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:14,160
legislature that passed them down to us.

377
00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,000
Um we generally try and find that happy

378
00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:19,039
medium which balances both taxpayer

379
00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,480
dollars um as well as our staff's time

380
00:17:19,039 --> 00:17:22,799
and hours, you know, their precious

381
00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:25,520
time. in addition of course with voter

382
00:17:22,799 --> 00:17:28,480
convenience and voter access. So it's a

383
00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,919
a tough kind of uh stool to balance on

384
00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:32,240
those three legs because they're not

385
00:17:29,919 --> 00:17:34,880
always very even. Um but FA County with

386
00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:36,559
100,000 voters and a small but very

387
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:37,760
committed staff we really do our best to

388
00:17:36,559 --> 00:17:39,760
work through all these things and

389
00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:42,240
balance all those different variables.

390
00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:44,559
So see any other comments

391
00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:49,120
» Other than we did extend the hours in

392
00:17:44,559 --> 00:17:53,039
2024. Historically we have been 9 to5

393
00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:55,919
and we extended it to 9 to 7 for every

394
00:17:53,039 --> 00:17:59,679
day including Saturday and then I think

395
00:17:55,919 --> 00:18:01,520
we did 12 to 4 on Sunday. So we did

396
00:17:59,679 --> 00:18:03,760
extend the hours because I think we

397
00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:05,360
realized too many people they can't get

398
00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,600
back from Atlanta or wherever it is

399
00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:09,120
they're working. So we did extend the

400
00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,000
hours and I feel that was the right

401
00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:11,520
thing to do.

402
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,799
» Yeah. And additionally that was for a

403
00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,480
general election too a general

404
00:18:12,799 --> 00:18:15,840
presidential election. So we had already

405
00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,600
a huge

406
00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:19,679
turnout. Um, you know, I think we will

407
00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:21,360
see that uh to a large extent, maybe

408
00:18:19,679 --> 00:18:23,360
less or so because it is a midterm

409
00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:26,480
election, but we do have a full slate of

410
00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:28,400
state constitutional offices uh that uh

411
00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,000
will be turning over. We do have a

412
00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,760
United States Senate election. Um so

413
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,679
there is a lot of pressure building up

414
00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,280
for higher turnout. Um but I think

415
00:18:33,679 --> 00:18:36,799
currently as we get into our plan, it

416
00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,799
seems pretty well balanced as far as

417
00:18:36,799 --> 00:18:40,640
access in addition to our times. Um

418
00:18:38,799 --> 00:18:43,919
while still keeping that Sunday Sunday

419
00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:45,679
voting um into future. Um so with that,

420
00:18:43,919 --> 00:18:47,679
I guess with the Uh closing of public

421
00:18:45,679 --> 00:18:49,360
comments, we can move on to our item of

422
00:18:47,679 --> 00:18:53,720
old business, which is the approval of

423
00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:53,720
the 2026 board meeting calendar.

424
00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:58,480
» Um yes, I did just close public comment,

425
00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,000
but I'll tell you what, actually further

426
00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,919
along in the meeting, we do have an

427
00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,039
opportunity uh for a public hearing

428
00:19:01,919 --> 00:19:05,679
where there will be another set of

429
00:19:03,039 --> 00:19:07,760
public comments. Um while it is

430
00:19:05,679 --> 00:19:09,919
generally focused on a specific polling

431
00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:12,960
location change, you will have your time

432
00:19:09,919 --> 00:19:14,720
to address whichever topics you wish.

433
00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,160
Um, so with that, I'll go ahead and move

434
00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,840
on to the approval of the meeting

435
00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:19,440
calendar, the 2026 board meeting

436
00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,679
calendar, uh, which we have in front of

437
00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:23,200
us. Um, Director Garrett, I would invite

438
00:19:21,679 --> 00:19:24,880
you to describe a little bit about what

439
00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,720
we're looking at. Um, it seems largely

440
00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:29,200
in line with what we've done in the past

441
00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:31,120
with one exception, I believe, for Junth

442
00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,640
as a result of the county's closure. So,

443
00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:35,360
if you could explain a little bit about

444
00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:38,240
this, uh, timeline for us and, uh, your

445
00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:40,480
recommendations as for how to proceed.

446
00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:44,640
» Yes. In your board packet, you have a

447
00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:46,880
2026 calendar. Um, as previously stated,

448
00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:49,919
it is for every fourth Tuesday of the

449
00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:51,600
month with the exception of those

450
00:19:49,919 --> 00:19:53,200
elections

451
00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,600
um certification meetings which are

452
00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:58,960
typically held on the Friday after the

453
00:19:55,600 --> 00:20:01,520
election with the exception of the June

454
00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:03,679
runoff election. That Friday falls on

455
00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:06,000
the Junth holiday and the county is

456
00:20:03,679 --> 00:20:07,760
closed for that day. So, I would like to

457
00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:10,400
recommend that we hold our meeting on

458
00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:12,320
the following Monday at 1:00 p.m.

459
00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:16,840
because by law we have to be certified

460
00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:16,840
by 5:00 p.m. on day.

461
00:20:19,120 --> 00:20:22,960
» I just have a general question since I'm

462
00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:26,080
one of the few that comes and looks at

463
00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:28,960
the election records uh before we have

464
00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:32,760
the certification. I would presume that

465
00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,760
for each of these certifices

466
00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:41,919
Yes, I believe as of right now that's

467
00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,280
still the rule from the state board of

468
00:20:41,919 --> 00:20:45,280
elections. So you would still need to

469
00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:48,159
have three o'clock Friday meeting. I

470
00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:50,159
don't know how that's going to work.

471
00:20:48,159 --> 00:20:52,799
» Well, I would be willing if I could get

472
00:20:50,159 --> 00:20:54,960
the information if I could look at it on

473
00:20:52,799 --> 00:20:57,679
the weekend would be great, but it's up

474
00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:59,840
to you. I just wanted to be sure we we

475
00:20:57,679 --> 00:21:01,679
were still meeting at three for a

476
00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:03,039
review. I'll look into it. I'm almost

477
00:21:01,679 --> 00:21:04,880
certain it's going to be on our extended

478
00:21:03,039 --> 00:21:08,000
calendar with the state that already has

479
00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:09,600
that date as acknowledged as Junth. So I

480
00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:13,880
have to look into that portion. Thank

481
00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,880
you for bringing that up. Okay.

482
00:21:15,919 --> 00:21:21,520
Either way, that is a special call

483
00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:22,960
meeting, so we don't have to worry about

484
00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:23,840
it being on our actual calendar right

485
00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:24,880
now.

486
00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,559
» Okay.

487
00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,880
» And that's the review of precincts

488
00:21:26,559 --> 00:21:31,760
returns. Um we typically have that at a

489
00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:33,520
3M meeting. uh two hours before our

490
00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:35,440
certification meeting on the Friday of

491
00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:37,200
the election week um just to look over

492
00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,799
the results themselves before we

493
00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:41,840
actually add in that last trunch of

494
00:21:38,799 --> 00:21:44,000
provisions as well. Um

495
00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:45,840
and just to echo something that my

496
00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,440
colleague over here vice chair Alexander

497
00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:50,480
has been speaking about you know looking

498
00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:52,159
at the fact that uh having Junth on that

499
00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:53,919
Friday necessitates us to move our

500
00:21:52,159 --> 00:21:55,440
meeting to Monday I think is a kind of a

501
00:21:53,919 --> 00:21:57,120
fair case study and looking at what

502
00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:59,120
would Monday certification look like in

503
00:21:57,120 --> 00:22:01,280
Faget County going forward. So I kind of

504
00:21:59,120 --> 00:22:02,799
like that even though it's by necessity,

505
00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,480
it does give us a glimpse and a good

506
00:22:02,799 --> 00:22:06,880
example into whether we could adopt this

507
00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:08,720
policy in the future. You know, in 2027,

508
00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,960
we have a number of different tasks that

509
00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,480
we will be undertaking, including uh

510
00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,919
lining up combo codes, lining up

511
00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:16,000
precinct lines with our our county

512
00:22:13,919 --> 00:22:17,440
boundaries, making sure everybody has

513
00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:21,520
convenient voter experience as possible,

514
00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:23,200
but also uh as convenient of of uh work

515
00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:25,600
process on the back end for us to

516
00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:27,600
facilitate those elections. So I I like

517
00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,880
this this plan. I think we go ahead and

518
00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:29,840
accept accept.

519
00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,280
» I'm sorry. Excuse me.

520
00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:33,120
» Oh, yes. Director Gary.

521
00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:35,520
» So, one thing that I did overlook is

522
00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:38,480
that our Gabrio conference for the month

523
00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:41,679
of March. Um, our meeting is scheduled

524
00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:43,440
for March 24th. However, most of the

525
00:22:41,679 --> 00:22:46,000
election officials in the state will be

526
00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:49,840
out of town. So,

527
00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:52,000
could we possibly move that meeting up

528
00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:56,039
one week

529
00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,039
or back one week?

530
00:23:00,799 --> 00:23:06,080
And early voting doesn't start until

531
00:23:02,559 --> 00:23:07,440
April, correct? April 27.

532
00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:09,360
» We can move it a week back. Then we

533
00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:13,159
would have all candidates qualify. Then

534
00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:13,159
we could, you know,

535
00:23:13,679 --> 00:23:17,039
» So March 31st.

536
00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:20,280
» Yeah, March 31st. One week later,

537
00:23:17,039 --> 00:23:20,280
» I have two.

538
00:23:20,799 --> 00:23:26,000
» Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we

539
00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:27,760
accept the 2026

540
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:32,080
of elections meeting schedule with one

541
00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:36,720
change and that would be uh

542
00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:41,919
the March meeting would be moved to uh

543
00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:44,159
Tuesday March the 31st from the 24th.

544
00:23:41,919 --> 00:23:46,640
» Okay. Motion has been made. I'll go

545
00:23:44,159 --> 00:23:48,559
ahead and second it. Um any further

546
00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,919
discussion?

547
00:23:48,559 --> 00:23:52,080
Seeing none, I'll go ahead and call the

548
00:23:49,919 --> 00:23:52,960
vote. All in favor of signifying by

549
00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:57,640
saying I

550
00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:57,640
» I motion carries unanimously.

551
00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:03,200
» So that would keep our uh certification

552
00:24:00,559 --> 00:24:04,480
on Fridays at 5:00 p.m. um for our

553
00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,919
elections through throughout this year

554
00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:08,240
with the one exception of course being

555
00:24:05,919 --> 00:24:09,679
that June runoff um which it seems

556
00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:12,080
extremely likely that we will have

557
00:24:09,679 --> 00:24:13,360
runoffs for a number of races given the

558
00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:17,440
large number of candidates in our

559
00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:18,799
primaries. Um so just uh that's our one

560
00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:21,440
exception to our calendar going forward

561
00:24:18,799 --> 00:24:21,440
for this year.

562
00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:26,240
With that, we can go ahead and move on

563
00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:28,240
to a lighter item of business, which is

564
00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:32,159
just the approval of our past meetings

565
00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:34,400
minutes uh from January 2026. And I

566
00:24:32,159 --> 00:24:38,120
would accept a motion.

567
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:38,120
» January 27.

568
00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,000
» Yes.

569
00:24:40,559 --> 00:24:46,720
» Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we

570
00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:48,960
accept the uh January 27th, 2026 meeting

571
00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:50,000
amendments as written.

572
00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:51,919
Motion has been made. I'll go ahead and

573
00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,279
second it. Any further discussion?

574
00:24:51,919 --> 00:24:54,799
Seeing none, I'll call the vote. All in

575
00:24:53,279 --> 00:24:55,200
favor signify by saying I.

576
00:24:54,799 --> 00:24:59,240
» I.

577
00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:59,240
» I. Motion carries unanimously.

578
00:24:59,279 --> 00:25:03,919
And this brings us to our uh sole item

579
00:25:01,919 --> 00:25:05,919
of new business itself, which is the

580
00:25:03,919 --> 00:25:08,559
advanced voting times, dates, and

581
00:25:05,919 --> 00:25:10,159
locations. Um, director Garrett, I know

582
00:25:08,559 --> 00:25:11,919
this is included in your director's

583
00:25:10,159 --> 00:25:14,080
report. Um, but I guess we could just go

584
00:25:11,919 --> 00:25:16,080
ahead and tackle the hours and then move

585
00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:19,080
on to your report.

586
00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:19,080
» Yes.

587
00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:24,080
All right. So, in your packet, you all

588
00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:28,000
have an analysis of weekend voting

589
00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:30,400
trends from 2024, which is the last like

590
00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:32,559
election to the election that is coming

591
00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:34,400
up. I provided this information because

592
00:25:32,559 --> 00:25:36,320
I wanted you all to make an informed

593
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:39,279
decision and I wanted you to see the

594
00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:44,080
impact that it had as far as turnout on

595
00:25:39,279 --> 00:25:48,400
the county. So in uh May 2024,

596
00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:50,960
we had 18,695

597
00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,559
voters cast a ballot. The total

598
00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:56,840
registered voters at the time of the

599
00:25:52,559 --> 00:25:56,840
election was 89,432,000

600
00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:04,000
voters, which is an average of 20.90%.

601
00:26:01,360 --> 00:26:06,240
And you have that on your packet where

602
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:09,039
it says analysis at the very bottom of

603
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:10,159
the first page. Yes. Where's the where's

604
00:26:09,039 --> 00:26:12,480
the percent

605
00:26:10,159 --> 00:26:14,159
» The percentage for May 2024 is not on

606
00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:16,720
there. I looked it up as you were

607
00:26:14,159 --> 00:26:18,000
talking and going back to those numbers.

608
00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,679
I went ahead and pulled the election

609
00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:20,799
summary report because I wanted to make

610
00:26:19,679 --> 00:26:23,039
sure that the information we were

611
00:26:20,799 --> 00:26:26,960
putting out were accurate. Um and that

612
00:26:23,039 --> 00:26:29,760
we were in just calling out numbers. So

613
00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:31,919
again that May 2024 turnout you see

614
00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:34,400
where it says 18,695

615
00:26:31,919 --> 00:26:37,919
voters but your total of registered

616
00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:39,039
voters in the county active. I You like

617
00:26:37,919 --> 00:26:40,000
that word?

618
00:26:39,039 --> 00:26:43,000
» That is active.

619
00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,000
» 89,432

620
00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:48,480
with a 20.9% turnout. We did not have

621
00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:52,000
extended hours nor did we have Sunday

622
00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:54,799
voting during that time period or May in

623
00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:56,799
2024. We did not. I looked it up.

624
00:26:54,799 --> 00:26:57,679
» Sunday voting extended hours for the

625
00:26:56,799 --> 00:26:59,840
November general.

626
00:26:57,679 --> 00:27:03,760
» Yes. So that's where I'm getting to. So

627
00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:05,360
for the November 2024 general election,

628
00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:10,720
which was your first time doing Sunday

629
00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:14,159
voting, you had a total of 75,498

630
00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:18,159
95, I'm sorry, voters that turned out to

631
00:27:14,159 --> 00:27:19,520
vote out of 91,463.

632
00:27:18,159 --> 00:27:20,960
I don't have the percentage. I didn't

633
00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:24,080
have enough time to look that up for you

634
00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:27,120
all talking. But that was a large time

635
00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:29,679
turnout. 58,000

636
00:27:27,120 --> 00:27:32,080
approximate was the turnout for advanced

637
00:27:29,679 --> 00:27:36,080
voting during that election. When it

638
00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:39,279
came to Sunday voting, we had 1,349

639
00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:41,760
voters cast a ballot on the Sundays. Um,

640
00:27:39,279 --> 00:27:43,760
I'm sorry, we only have one Sunday. That

641
00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:46,000
is 1.47%

642
00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:48,159
of registered voters.

643
00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:50,320
If we do the percentage of advanced

644
00:27:48,159 --> 00:27:52,480
voting of the voters that turned out for

645
00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:55,200
that Sunday, just for that election,

646
00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:58,399
that is 2.31%.

647
00:27:55,200 --> 00:28:01,840
of total advanced ballots cast for the

648
00:27:58,399 --> 00:28:04,000
Saturdays, which I'll just skip over

649
00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,600
Saturday. Um, but our weekend turnouts

650
00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,600
are not that high. So, our Saturdays are

651
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:10,480
2.62%

652
00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:12,559
um for one Saturday and 3.18% for the

653
00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:15,679
second Saturday. I want to make sure

654
00:28:12,559 --> 00:28:16,960
that you are equipped with the knowledge

655
00:28:15,679 --> 00:28:18,480
and the turnout in the previous

656
00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:20,080
election, but I don't want to overlook

657
00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,840
or honor the fact that that was the

658
00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:23,600
first time we did Sunday voting. So

659
00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:24,799
Sunday voting wasn't really a thing in

660
00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,720
Faget County. It's something that's

661
00:28:24,799 --> 00:28:28,320
newly introduced. So for my

662
00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:31,600
recommendation,

663
00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:34,480
I do have

664
00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:37,360
that's inside of your director report on

665
00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:40,000
the second page at the bottom. And that

666
00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:45,080
is Monday, April 27th through Saturday,

667
00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:45,080
May 1st from 9 to 5:00 p.m.

668
00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:51,399
The second page on the bottom

669
00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:57,760
So again, that's Monday, April 27th

670
00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:01,919
through Saturday, May 1st from 9:00 to

671
00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:04,720
5:00 p.m. Sunday, May 3rd from 12 to

672
00:29:01,919 --> 00:29:07,679
4:00 p.m. Monday, May 4th through

673
00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:09,200
Saturday, May 9th from 9:00 to 5:00 p.m.

674
00:29:07,679 --> 00:29:13,360
I do want to acknowledge that May 10th

675
00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:16,080
is Mother's Day and I would not like to

676
00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:19,520
ask staff to work on such a glorious,

677
00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:22,640
magnificent, wonderful day.

678
00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:27,240
And then Monday, May 11 through Friday,

679
00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:27,240
May 15th from 9:00 to 5:00 p.m.

680
00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:35,760
Can I ask you,

681
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:38,640
but when you were talking about Saturday

682
00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:42,159
voting and we have and we're looking at

683
00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:44,720
average. Um, but we have percentages. We

684
00:29:42,159 --> 00:29:47,360
don't have numbers. Do you happen to

685
00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:51,360
have the numbers that voted on Saturday?

686
00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:53,279
» Yes. May I have them, please? I will

687
00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:54,480
reforward it to you. So, what what we

688
00:29:53,279 --> 00:29:56,880
did was take, you know, how we have to

689
00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,880
report our daily totals every day. So,

690
00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:01,360
we went back to that email, brought that

691
00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:02,960
up. I gave it to our intern, Musa, who's

692
00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,559
excellent with numbers, by the way, and

693
00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:06,159
he's also the valid Victorian of Fed

694
00:30:04,559 --> 00:30:09,600
County High School. I had to put that

695
00:30:06,159 --> 00:30:11,200
plug in there. Um, but I gave him those

696
00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:12,960
numbers and he put the proposal

697
00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,720
together. So, yes, I can bring that back

698
00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:17,039
up to you. I absolutely can. And it's by

699
00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:19,919
date for both elections. I was just

700
00:30:17,039 --> 00:30:22,000
curious because I thought we had

701
00:30:19,919 --> 00:30:24,159
and we always have. We've had a fairly

702
00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,760
good turnout on Saturday. I mean, not

703
00:30:24,159 --> 00:30:27,840
like through the week, but we've had a

704
00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:30,240
fairly good turnout on Saturday. And

705
00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:33,120
Sunday being the first time, it was

706
00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:36,799
lower, I think, than we hoped, but it

707
00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:38,960
was the first time and I'm not sure how

708
00:30:36,799 --> 00:30:42,080
many people, you know, really knew that

709
00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:44,559
we had that Sunday uh going. I was just

710
00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,840
curious on Saturday, although I think

711
00:30:44,559 --> 00:30:47,919
it's a good thing. There are too many

712
00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:49,600
people working through the week that

713
00:30:47,919 --> 00:30:52,159
Saturday may be one of their only

714
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:54,159
options to to get to the polls. So,

715
00:30:52,159 --> 00:30:56,000
that's okay. Thank you. So, outside of

716
00:30:54,159 --> 00:30:58,159
working hours, that gives them two

717
00:30:56,000 --> 00:31:01,360
Saturdays and a Sunday to be able to

718
00:30:58,159 --> 00:31:03,919
cast a ballot. Um, I love that we're

719
00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:07,440
pushing wanting to vote on the weekends

720
00:31:03,919 --> 00:31:09,840
and I highly support it as long as the

721
00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:12,640
voters come out and vote. Um, I don't

722
00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:14,159
want to waste any taxpayers money by

723
00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,919
having people report and I don't want to

724
00:31:14,159 --> 00:31:18,399
take away from the little time that

725
00:31:15,919 --> 00:31:21,039
election officials are allotted during

726
00:31:18,399 --> 00:31:24,000
election season under such scrutiny

727
00:31:21,039 --> 00:31:25,760
under so many changes um the opportunity

728
00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:28,240
to have some free time to themselves as

729
00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:30,559
well. So, I'm all for it and we are

730
00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:32,159
actively working to also push out

731
00:31:30,559 --> 00:31:33,919
information as well. I know that's one

732
00:31:32,159 --> 00:31:35,679
of the challenges that I had when I

733
00:31:33,919 --> 00:31:37,519
first started. So, it's not that I'm

734
00:31:35,679 --> 00:31:41,840
against it. I just want it to matter and

735
00:31:37,519 --> 00:31:44,720
to make an impact and just on both ends,

736
00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:46,240
help us help the community. So,

737
00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:48,559
» Yeah, with that, I mean, I I think this

738
00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:50,640
is a a great proposal and it balances

739
00:31:48,559 --> 00:31:53,679
both um the lessons that we've learned

740
00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:56,320
from the 2024 primary. Um, of course,

741
00:31:53,679 --> 00:31:59,360
you know, it was a little

742
00:31:56,320 --> 00:32:01,360
a little different because we had at the

743
00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:02,880
time two candidates who seemed like they

744
00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:05,440
would absolutely win their presidential

745
00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:07,200
preference primary. Um, and that was

746
00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,640
separate from the primary itself for

747
00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,799
other offices. So, it was kind of a bit

748
00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:12,159
of a strange situation as well. Um, but

749
00:32:10,799 --> 00:32:14,000
we learned our lessons from that

750
00:32:12,159 --> 00:32:15,039
primary, took it on to November, learned

751
00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,799
our lessons from that. So, as I'm

752
00:32:15,039 --> 00:32:18,960
looking at this proposal, I see that it

753
00:32:16,799 --> 00:32:20,799
balances those successes, um, what we've

754
00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,320
learned and also, you know, takes into

755
00:32:20,799 --> 00:32:25,600
account the changing voter trends that

756
00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:27,600
we've seen and the huge huge embrace by

757
00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:29,760
the public of early voting uh over

758
00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:31,760
election day voting. You know, it's it's

759
00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:34,799
just the voters's choice to choose that

760
00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:36,720
that method. Um and so we will, you

761
00:32:34,799 --> 00:32:39,440
know, uh moderate in order to

762
00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:41,519
accommodate those changes as well. Um so

763
00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:43,200
with this, uh I do have one question for

764
00:32:41,519 --> 00:32:45,840
you, Director Garrett. Uh just to

765
00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:49,519
clarify again the locations as far as

766
00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:52,320
the early uh voting. Um I know in the

767
00:32:49,519 --> 00:32:54,720
past we have had um a number of

768
00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:56,399
locations but uh just want to clarify

769
00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:58,000
exactly which locations we would be

770
00:32:56,399 --> 00:32:59,519
using for this early voting period.

771
00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:01,279
» Though it is not noted in your

772
00:32:59,519 --> 00:33:05,279
recommendation the locations would

773
00:33:01,279 --> 00:33:09,440
include the fet county elections office

774
00:33:05,279 --> 00:33:13,360
city library the tyrone town hall as

775
00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:16,320
well as county library.

776
00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:18,559
I would like to propose a question to

777
00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:22,480
consider.

778
00:33:18,559 --> 00:33:26,200
voting because of the turnout. I'm not

779
00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:26,200
against our for

780
00:33:27,519 --> 00:33:34,159
possibly just doing the election office

781
00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:36,960
and not the library and just Peace Tree

782
00:33:34,159 --> 00:33:40,159
City Library and that should cover the

783
00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:44,320
entire county for Sunday. But I'm not

784
00:33:40,159 --> 00:33:47,679
for I'm open to it. Um the elections

785
00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:50,559
office and the libraries

786
00:33:47,679 --> 00:33:52,799
not far away from each other. So it

787
00:33:50,559 --> 00:33:55,440
could possibly even if we still do

788
00:33:52,799 --> 00:34:00,399
Tyrone Hall town hall and not do the

789
00:33:55,440 --> 00:34:03,679
library but just considering the

790
00:34:00,399 --> 00:34:07,440
what did we do before we I thought there

791
00:34:03,679 --> 00:34:09,599
was one time that we only had one

792
00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:11,440
of the four locations open. I thought it

793
00:34:09,599 --> 00:34:14,159
was only the election office but I'm

794
00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:16,399
wrong. We talked, we discussed it, but

795
00:34:14,159 --> 00:34:19,399
you all ended up passing for all four

796
00:34:16,399 --> 00:34:19,399
locations,

797
00:34:19,679 --> 00:34:24,000
but it was a discussion.

798
00:34:21,599 --> 00:34:25,760
» Yeah. Um, I think my mind first goes to

799
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,359
the potential for voter confusion as to

800
00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:31,200
going to the library if that's been a

801
00:34:27,359 --> 00:34:33,040
location in the past. Um, unfortunately,

802
00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:35,200
um, but at the same time, it is

803
00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:37,040
extremely close to the office and it

804
00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:39,760
would be somewhat reasonable to direct

805
00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:43,040
people to the office. Um and considering

806
00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:47,040
that that Sunday is on the 3, which is

807
00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:50,320
well before um an additional weekend

808
00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:54,399
opportunity on Saturday, May 9th, um we

809
00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:56,639
could just do the office. Um I think we

810
00:34:54,399 --> 00:34:58,320
we probably have to keep Tyrone Library,

811
00:34:56,639 --> 00:35:01,440
excuse me, keep the Tyrone location as

812
00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:04,720
well, Tyrone town hall location, but I'd

813
00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:07,119
be open to your comments as well.

814
00:35:04,720 --> 00:35:08,400
» I mean, as much as we want to encourage

815
00:35:07,119 --> 00:35:10,240
people to

816
00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:14,880
every opportunity

817
00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:17,440
uh to vote. Um

818
00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:19,920
we've had several changes like in Tyrone

819
00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:23,760
uh where the facilities have changed and

820
00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:25,839
we're having to use the town hall which

821
00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:29,520
is a little different and it's a

822
00:35:25,839 --> 00:35:32,240
different type of facility for us to you

823
00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:34,000
know bring voters through etc with

824
00:35:32,240 --> 00:35:37,280
council chambers. I think the jail is

825
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:40,640
there. So um

826
00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:43,040
I'm not sure that I think that the town

827
00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:44,640
of Tyrone

828
00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:46,240
necessarily needs I don't know that

829
00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:49,119
we've ever looked. I can go back and

830
00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:52,240
look at the turnout. I think Tyrone is

831
00:35:49,119 --> 00:35:54,079
third, you know, between the

832
00:35:52,240 --> 00:35:59,359
library. So, it makes sense where the

833
00:35:54,079 --> 00:36:01,680
population is, but um I

834
00:35:59,359 --> 00:36:05,680
I don't think I would have heartburn if

835
00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:07,680
we if we did two two locations. I mean,

836
00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:10,880
because the library and the election

837
00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:14,079
office are so close. They're a mile

838
00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:15,839
apart. Um

839
00:36:14,079 --> 00:36:17,920
I don't think I have a problem with us

840
00:36:15,839 --> 00:36:20,640
not using especially considering the

841
00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:24,240
situation we've got where

842
00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:25,599
we really don't have a place to to vote.

843
00:36:24,240 --> 00:36:26,160
Does that make any sense what I'm

844
00:36:25,599 --> 00:36:27,680
saying?

845
00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:28,880
» Yes. But for the record, we do have a

846
00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:31,040
place to vote.

847
00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:35,760
» Huh. Well, we do, but it's in the town

848
00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:38,079
hall in May. um which to me

849
00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:42,440
in my discussions is not the best place

850
00:36:38,079 --> 00:36:42,440
for us to be. Um

851
00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:46,480
I would agree with that. I mean I think

852
00:36:44,240 --> 00:36:48,320
also considering this is the the primary

853
00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:50,079
we are going to have uh increased

854
00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:51,599
turnout but in balancing everything out

855
00:36:50,079 --> 00:36:53,119
together. We could do those the

856
00:36:51,599 --> 00:36:55,040
elections office and the street city

857
00:36:53,119 --> 00:36:57,839
library those two locations for the

858
00:36:55,040 --> 00:37:00,079
Sunday um voting and that would I mean

859
00:36:57,839 --> 00:37:03,280
it hits the major population centers. Um

860
00:37:00,079 --> 00:37:06,560
it also you know considering that we had

861
00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:09,280
349 voters on that one Sunday for four

862
00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:11,760
locations. Um, you know, you split that

863
00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:14,320
in four ways. It's about 350 voters per

864
00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:16,320
location. Um, throughout the entire of

865
00:37:14,320 --> 00:37:18,240
the period that we were open, um, which

866
00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:20,560
I think comes out to about, you know,

867
00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:22,480
uh, just under about a voter every

868
00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:24,160
minute. So, it seems like logistically

869
00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:27,040
on Sundays we could do this with two

870
00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:29,280
locations. Um, and could also balance

871
00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:31,760
our staff's time and, you know, still

872
00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:32,640
keeping uh to being responsible stewards

873
00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:35,599
of

874
00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:37,920
as well. So, I guess um our advanced

875
00:37:35,599 --> 00:37:39,440
voting recommendation would be the four

876
00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:43,359
locations

877
00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:48,240
um for the Monday through Monday, April

878
00:37:43,359 --> 00:37:50,800
27th through uh Friday uh May 15th. Um

879
00:37:48,240 --> 00:37:53,680
those would be 9 to5 on those weekdays

880
00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:55,920
and Saturdays. The exceptions being

881
00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:57,920
Sunday, May 3rd, which would be 12 to 4

882
00:37:55,920 --> 00:38:01,520
at those two locations, the elections

883
00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:02,960
office and the city library. And then uh

884
00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:04,480
Mother's Day, which is that Sunday, May

885
00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:06,400
10th, we would not have any early

886
00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:09,040
voting. Um so we would still have the

887
00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:11,280
Sunday um still have Sunday voting

888
00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:13,200
available for all voters in our county,

889
00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:14,800
have those locations be in the

890
00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:17,839
population centers in our county as

891
00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:20,320
well, and uh still balance our needs on

892
00:38:17,839 --> 00:38:23,800
the back end uh as far as conducting our

893
00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:23,800
work as well.

894
00:38:24,079 --> 00:38:31,200
So that's a pretty long worded motion,

895
00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:31,200
but I guess I could accept it.

896
00:38:31,521 --> 00:38:34,960
» [laughter]

897
00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:37,280
» Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we

898
00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:40,720
accept the following advanced voting

899
00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:44,400
recommendation. that we would have

900
00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:48,079
advanced voting Monday, April the 27th

901
00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:51,920
through uh May the 15th, Friday May the

902
00:38:48,079 --> 00:38:56,079
15th, 9 to5 which includes

903
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:59,599
um two Saturdays also at 9:00 to 5 and

904
00:38:56,079 --> 00:39:02,320
then one Sunday opportunity which would

905
00:38:59,599 --> 00:39:04,640
be at the elections office and at the

906
00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:08,720
Beach City Library

907
00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:10,640
uh from 12 to 4.

908
00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:14,000
Motion has been made. I'll go ahead and

909
00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:16,480
second it. Um, any further discussion?

910
00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:18,079
Seeing none, I'll go ahead. All in favor

911
00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:20,240
of accepting our advanced voting

912
00:39:18,079 --> 00:39:24,000
recommendation to include our Sunday

913
00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:26,079
option and our uh balanced schedule for

914
00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,200
the rest of the week signify by saying

915
00:39:26,079 --> 00:39:27,680
I.

916
00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:31,720
» I.

917
00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:31,720
» I. Motion carries.

918
00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:42,800
I will ask director I think that we've

919
00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:46,960
said that we actually look at and vote

920
00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:50,560
on the advanced voting the locations and

921
00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:51,839
the days and the time uh for every

922
00:39:50,560 --> 00:39:55,079
election. Correct.

923
00:39:51,839 --> 00:39:55,079
» That's correct.

924
00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:02,240
» Okay. Brings us to our next item on the

925
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:04,640
agenda which is of course our public

926
00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:06,880
hearings. Um, initially, let me get

927
00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:08,720
through this uh mouthful of words. Uh,

928
00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:10,720
this is initially our public hearing on

929
00:40:08,720 --> 00:40:12,320
staff's challenges to remove registered

930
00:40:10,720 --> 00:40:13,680
Bay County voters from the electors list

931
00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:15,440
who are registered in the state of

932
00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:17,040
Georgia Secretary of State voter

933
00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:19,359
registration system as deceased,

934
00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:21,200
mentally incompetent, canceled or felon

935
00:40:19,359 --> 00:40:23,280
as well as precinct and or polling

936
00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:26,880
location changes. Um, of course, this

937
00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:28,400
item is as needed. Um, really the the

938
00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:30,160
real underlying kicker about this

939
00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:32,560
situation is that this is what we call

940
00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:34,079
list maintenance. Um this is conducted

941
00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:36,880
at the state level by the secretary of

942
00:40:34,079 --> 00:40:38,560
state. So again, hate to harp on this

943
00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:40,240
underlying lesson for throughout this

944
00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:42,480
entire meeting, but we have very little

945
00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:44,800
autonomy. We do the best with what we

946
00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:46,160
can and what we have. Um but this is

947
00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:47,920
conducted at the Secretary of State's

948
00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:49,359
office. So we don't have much control

949
00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:50,880
over it. We just get the lists and the

950
00:40:49,359 --> 00:40:52,880
numbers. Um so with that, Director

951
00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:54,240
Garrett, I would invite you to describe

952
00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:55,680
some of the numbers that we see among

953
00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:59,720
these categories.

954
00:40:55,680 --> 00:40:59,720
» Yes. So for the record,

955
00:41:00,319 --> 00:41:07,640
Our last board meeting we have cancelled

956
00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:07,640
for the deceased 49

957
00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:13,040
for the duplicate 47

958
00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:15,440
I'm sorry for cancellations which

959
00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:20,079
includes duplicates moving out of state

960
00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:23,680
voter requested 47 and for felons 10 and

961
00:41:20,079 --> 00:41:26,160
that is a total of 466.

962
00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:29,599
So for deceased is 409, for

963
00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:32,400
cancellations is 47, and for felons is

964
00:41:29,599 --> 00:41:34,160
10, totaling to 466.

965
00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:36,160
And I do want to um acknowledge it's

966
00:41:34,160 --> 00:41:39,680
part of my board report, so I'm not

967
00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:41,359
going to say it later. Um that we are

968
00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:43,359
doing our vote review, which we talked

969
00:41:41,359 --> 00:41:44,640
about um the last election. So that's

970
00:41:43,359 --> 00:41:46,480
when the state gave us over a thousand

971
00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:47,760
voters. We had to review for businesses

972
00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:51,200
and commercials and we worked through

973
00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:53,839
those. Um as soon as our new registar on

974
00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:56,640
Wallace started, they decided us another

975
00:41:53,839 --> 00:41:59,760
300 plus additional deceased voters in

976
00:41:56,640 --> 00:42:02,880
which um our election clerk Kyle did a

977
00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:04,800
magnificent job of leading that project

978
00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:06,319
and working through those. So that's why

979
00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:08,400
their deceased number is so high this

980
00:42:06,319 --> 00:42:10,960
time is because we did go through our

981
00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:13,040
deceased voters from the secretary of

982
00:42:10,960 --> 00:42:16,319
state's audit that they sent. So they

983
00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:18,560
sent us a list of voters to look up and

984
00:42:16,319 --> 00:42:21,560
do some kind of information and research

985
00:42:18,560 --> 00:42:21,560
on

986
00:42:22,480 --> 00:42:25,720
any question.

987
00:42:26,319 --> 00:42:32,200
Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we

988
00:42:28,640 --> 00:42:32,200
accept cancer.

989
00:42:32,640 --> 00:42:37,760
» Do we need any action on this?

990
00:42:34,079 --> 00:42:41,119
» I don't think so. No.

991
00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:43,200
» I guess the motion carries.

992
00:42:41,119 --> 00:42:45,119
Okay. This brings us to public hearing

993
00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:49,280
which is the uh polling location

994
00:42:45,119 --> 00:42:53,359
proposal. This is number 2026-06.

995
00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:55,760
This is the proposal. Um and any

996
00:42:53,359 --> 00:42:57,280
elections junkies or big time fans of

997
00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:59,520
our wonderful show over here will know

998
00:42:57,280 --> 00:43:04,000
that at our last meeting uh we did take

999
00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:07,200
some action on the Flint precinct. Um

1000
00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:08,960
because uh we you know just as we've had

1001
00:43:07,200 --> 00:43:10,880
uh difficulty in turnover on the board

1002
00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:13,359
in our office as we're trying to move

1003
00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:15,359
through our growing to get to a a state

1004
00:43:13,359 --> 00:43:17,359
of stability for all our voters and our

1005
00:43:15,359 --> 00:43:19,119
operations. Um, you know, we we're not

1006
00:43:17,359 --> 00:43:21,680
the only one that's true of right now.

1007
00:43:19,119 --> 00:43:22,880
Um, and so as we uh are trying to

1008
00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:24,800
increase our convenience for the voters

1009
00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:26,560
and make sure that everyone has a

1010
00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:28,560
convenient lo close location to where

1011
00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:31,040
they live in order to vote, um, we do

1012
00:43:28,560 --> 00:43:32,480
need to take some action uh to get our

1013
00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:34,240
Flint precinct back to where it really

1014
00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:35,599
needs to be um, to its original

1015
00:43:34,240 --> 00:43:36,880
location. So, Director Garrett, I'd

1016
00:43:35,599 --> 00:43:38,800
invite you to describe a little bit more

1017
00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:41,280
about the situation before we uh, take

1018
00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:43,920
any action on this. So after our last

1019
00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:45,599
meeting, um the church reached out

1020
00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:48,560
reached out to us and informed us that

1021
00:43:45,599 --> 00:43:50,560
they in fact would like to continue

1022
00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:52,800
serving as a polling location and

1023
00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:54,160
apologize for the misunderstanding. I

1024
00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:56,319
did inform them that we would need the

1025
00:43:54,160 --> 00:43:57,920
polling reservation form completed

1026
00:43:56,319 --> 00:43:59,839
because that binds us to using them as a

1027
00:43:57,920 --> 00:44:01,440
polling location. They have completed

1028
00:43:59,839 --> 00:44:04,000
that. They have turned it in. They do

1029
00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:05,599
they do have some new leadership or some

1030
00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:07,359
kind of transition in the leadership,

1031
00:44:05,599 --> 00:44:09,920
but they would like to continue serving

1032
00:44:07,359 --> 00:44:12,880
as a polling location. So I have the

1033
00:44:09,920 --> 00:44:14,720
documentation that I need for 2026 to

1034
00:44:12,880 --> 00:44:16,480
revert and reverse back. The good thing

1035
00:44:14,720 --> 00:44:19,119
is we haven't touched it because that

1036
00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:21,119
was the same week as our last um board

1037
00:44:19,119 --> 00:44:24,960
meeting. So, I have everything that I

1038
00:44:21,119 --> 00:44:27,520
need to be able to reverse this polling

1039
00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:29,200
location. I just need a motion from you

1040
00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:31,040
all.

1041
00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:32,640
» Okay. Well, I guess with that, we can go

1042
00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:36,400
ahead and open up the public hearing

1043
00:44:32,640 --> 00:44:39,599
portions of this. Um take action. Um I

1044
00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:41,680
guess the uh public hearing be operating

1045
00:44:39,599 --> 00:44:43,200
under the same rules. Um, speakers will

1046
00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:44,960
be given a fiveminute maximum time

1047
00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:46,720
limit, speak before the board of

1048
00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:48,640
elections about various topics, issues,

1049
00:44:46,720 --> 00:44:50,160
and concerns. Uh, speakers must direct

1050
00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:52,160
comments to the board and responses will

1051
00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:53,520
be reserved at the direction. So I would

1052
00:44:52,160 --> 00:44:54,880
invite anybody who wishes to speak on

1053
00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:56,000
this subject, please come to the podium,

1054
00:44:54,880 --> 00:45:00,280
state your name, your fate county

1055
00:44:56,000 --> 00:45:00,280
residency and begin your comments.

1056
00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:17,119
Good afternoon. My name is Lindsay Cobra

1057
00:45:14,800 --> 00:45:18,640
and I would like to speak on two

1058
00:45:17,119 --> 00:45:21,359
portions

1059
00:45:18,640 --> 00:45:24,400
as far as the location. I'm happy to the

1060
00:45:21,359 --> 00:45:26,079
church worked everything out and also

1061
00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:28,480
thank you all for the work that you are

1062
00:45:26,079 --> 00:45:31,200
doing. The two issues that I wanted to

1063
00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:33,599
address were the issue that you all

1064
00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:35,520
voted on which was the fact that voting

1065
00:45:33,599 --> 00:45:40,720
in the elections office. I'm in the

1066
00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:42,800
community here speak of a mother and

1067
00:45:40,720 --> 00:45:45,839
how important it is for a mother not to

1068
00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:48,800
take her child

1069
00:45:45,839 --> 00:45:51,760
next to a jail. And so that was my first

1070
00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:55,119
thought when I heard about

1071
00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:56,960
Tyrone, oh

1072
00:45:55,119 --> 00:45:59,960
there

1073
00:45:56,960 --> 00:45:59,960
go

1074
00:46:04,400 --> 00:46:08,000
and you can bring your child with you.

1075
00:46:06,079 --> 00:46:09,440
They can experience it. The last time I

1076
00:46:08,000 --> 00:46:10,880
went to vote there were plenty of high

1077
00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:12,880
school students. It was their first time

1078
00:46:10,880 --> 00:46:15,920
and everybody clap for them. You just

1079
00:46:12,880 --> 00:46:17,680
want to kind of um create a culture of

1080
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:21,280
creating civic engagement for the

1081
00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:24,880
children as well. being at a library

1082
00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:27,040
would be better than I think

1083
00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:29,359
and then also I did hear that you will

1084
00:46:27,040 --> 00:46:31,520
have 9 to5 voting on those days. I know

1085
00:46:29,359 --> 00:46:35,319
you already

1086
00:46:31,520 --> 00:46:35,319
in the future just

1087
00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:40,359
for this particular time

1088
00:46:40,880 --> 00:46:45,240
I don't want anybody stay too late

1089
00:46:45,359 --> 00:46:50,160
but nevertheless we just want to

1090
00:46:48,240 --> 00:46:54,920
for those of us who are coming with

1091
00:46:50,160 --> 00:46:54,920
children after hours.

1092
00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:02,079
» Thank you, Miss Coper. Any additional uh

1093
00:46:59,599 --> 00:47:07,160
comments

1094
00:47:02,079 --> 00:47:07,160
and please podium state your name res9

1095
00:47:12,252 --> 00:47:14,272
[clears throat]

1096
00:47:28,960 --> 00:47:33,200
Just wanted to comment

1097
00:47:31,119 --> 00:47:36,240
something

1098
00:47:33,200 --> 00:47:38,880
in great

1099
00:47:36,240 --> 00:47:41,880
comment about the Monday

1100
00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:41,880
certification

1101
00:47:51,839 --> 00:47:55,960
of the balance.

1102
00:47:56,960 --> 00:48:02,240
major American history college state

1103
00:48:00,240 --> 00:48:06,800
taught high school American history two

1104
00:48:02,240 --> 00:48:09,680
years in the 1960s been a long time ago

1105
00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:11,920
those times I never thought speaking

1106
00:48:09,680 --> 00:48:15,359
like this today and haven't been I've

1107
00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:18,240
always voted but in politics moving that

1108
00:48:15,359 --> 00:48:20,720
way now I feel like our country is in a

1109
00:48:18,240 --> 00:48:23,920
very bad spot right now personally I

1110
00:48:20,720 --> 00:48:29,280
think that two things we were discussing

1111
00:48:23,920 --> 00:48:32,960
particular today voting hours days

1112
00:48:29,280 --> 00:48:35,119
getting more voters out. I think the two

1113
00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:37,520
voting

1114
00:48:35,119 --> 00:48:40,680
places

1115
00:48:37,520 --> 00:48:40,680
I think

1116
00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:48,880
I never thought I was high school

1117
00:48:47,040 --> 00:48:51,760
teaching

1118
00:48:48,880 --> 00:48:55,040
that worry about this topic. My

1119
00:48:51,760 --> 00:48:56,800
grandchildren both live in Georgia.

1120
00:48:55,040 --> 00:48:58,960
All five of them in Georgia. My two

1121
00:48:56,800 --> 00:49:04,119
children live in Georgia. I worry about

1122
00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:04,119
their future in our democracy.

1123
00:49:04,880 --> 00:49:11,000
Words that are very important and I

1124
00:49:07,440 --> 00:49:11,000
think sometimes we

1125
00:49:14,240 --> 00:49:19,880
thank you very much. Any additional

1126
00:49:16,880 --> 00:49:19,880
comments?

1127
00:49:26,480 --> 00:49:31,920
Thank you for indulging comment. So I

1128
00:49:29,680 --> 00:49:36,200
was shocked. So you have no evening

1129
00:49:31,920 --> 00:49:36,200
hours for voting at all.

1130
00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:41,839
So you do for so for the general are

1131
00:49:39,760 --> 00:49:44,400
there evening hours?

1132
00:49:41,839 --> 00:49:46,960
Is it past? I guess I let me make a

1133
00:49:44,400 --> 00:49:50,960
statement. I know it's a comment. I

1134
00:49:46,960 --> 00:49:55,280
would hope that for the general election

1135
00:49:50,960 --> 00:49:58,079
that there are hours beyond 5 p.m. So

1136
00:49:55,280 --> 00:50:00,880
that was shocking to me. And I guess the

1137
00:49:58,079 --> 00:50:03,280
two Saturdays and the one Sunday

1138
00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:06,800
hopefully will accommodate

1139
00:50:03,280 --> 00:50:08,800
schedules during the primary

1140
00:50:06,800 --> 00:50:10,640
that if I understood it was hard to

1141
00:50:08,800 --> 00:50:13,440
hear, but if I understood right, there's

1142
00:50:10,640 --> 00:50:15,599
two Saturdays and one Sunday. So perhaps

1143
00:50:13,440 --> 00:50:18,319
that So I'm just I guess I would just

1144
00:50:15,599 --> 00:50:21,599
say I would just I hope that during the

1145
00:50:18,319 --> 00:50:23,440
general election there are hours for

1146
00:50:21,599 --> 00:50:26,440
people

1147
00:50:23,440 --> 00:50:26,440
5:00.

1148
00:50:29,200 --> 00:50:34,040
Thank you. Any additional public

1149
00:50:31,040 --> 00:50:34,040
comments?

1150
00:50:36,079 --> 00:50:42,319
Okay, seeing none, uh I will

1151
00:50:40,000 --> 00:50:45,040
quickly just respond to a few of those.

1152
00:50:42,319 --> 00:50:47,760
Um, of course, balancing the the safety

1153
00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:49,599
of our voters um all and all of those

1154
00:50:47,760 --> 00:50:51,440
who come with them, whether the children

1155
00:50:49,599 --> 00:50:53,440
uh are joining them, is a huge concern

1156
00:50:51,440 --> 00:50:55,359
of ours. Um, and of course, you know,

1157
00:50:53,440 --> 00:50:57,760
this is just the primary election, we

1158
00:50:55,359 --> 00:50:59,440
will have another opportunity to set

1159
00:50:57,760 --> 00:51:02,160
these hours and locations for the

1160
00:50:59,440 --> 00:51:04,160
general election. And uh while we will

1161
00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:05,680
have a large turnout for the primary

1162
00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:07,119
elections given the large number of

1163
00:51:05,680 --> 00:51:10,559
candidates and large number of offices

1164
00:51:07,119 --> 00:51:12,720
that are have open seats, um you know,

1165
00:51:10,559 --> 00:51:15,760
really as we look November just as we

1166
00:51:12,720 --> 00:51:18,720
did in 2024. Having Sunday voting,

1167
00:51:15,760 --> 00:51:20,720
having expanded locations and hours um

1168
00:51:18,720 --> 00:51:22,400
to meet the demand from the voters

1169
00:51:20,720 --> 00:51:23,839
themselves during the early voting

1170
00:51:22,400 --> 00:51:26,079
period, I'm sure is something that we

1171
00:51:23,839 --> 00:51:27,760
will look at maintaining uh especially

1172
00:51:26,079 --> 00:51:29,200
you know for the general election when

1173
00:51:27,760 --> 00:51:31,040
we're going to have massive massive

1174
00:51:29,200 --> 00:51:33,119
turnout for a number of different races.

1175
00:51:31,040 --> 00:51:34,880
Um so while this is just uh you know

1176
00:51:33,119 --> 00:51:39,280
going to affect our primary election

1177
00:51:34,880 --> 00:51:42,079
here for uh May uh the May primary which

1178
00:51:39,280 --> 00:51:44,640
will be on the 19th I believe. Um, you

1179
00:51:42,079 --> 00:51:46,720
know, the uh expanded locations will

1180
00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:52,000
absolutely be something that we pursue

1181
00:51:46,720 --> 00:51:54,400
uh for the uh November election. Um,

1182
00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:59,040
you have anything like

1183
00:51:54,400 --> 00:52:01,920
» Um I would just like to say that um

1184
00:51:59,040 --> 00:52:03,839
our board we came on board two two years

1185
00:52:01,920 --> 00:52:06,720
ago. Our board was the first one I

1186
00:52:03,839 --> 00:52:10,000
believe that actually allowed Sunday

1187
00:52:06,720 --> 00:52:12,240
voting and expanded the hours and we

1188
00:52:10,000 --> 00:52:16,240
were to do that. I do feel it's very

1189
00:52:12,240 --> 00:52:18,000
important. Um, and I'm sure that we will

1190
00:52:16,240 --> 00:52:19,599
go ahead and look at that when we have

1191
00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:22,559
we feel we're going to have a bigger

1192
00:52:19,599 --> 00:52:25,280
turnout for the for the general. One

1193
00:52:22,559 --> 00:52:28,319
thing I would like to ask is I

1194
00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:30,240
understand everybody wanting to have the

1195
00:52:28,319 --> 00:52:33,520
most opportunity that they can for

1196
00:52:30,240 --> 00:52:37,680
anybody to go and vote. uh we would like

1197
00:52:33,520 --> 00:52:39,280
that as well. But I would ask

1198
00:52:37,680 --> 00:52:42,880
that those of you that are very

1199
00:52:39,280 --> 00:52:44,640
concerned, would you also help to make

1200
00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:47,920
sure that your friends and your

1201
00:52:44,640 --> 00:52:50,640
neighbors turn out? I mean, that would

1202
00:52:47,920 --> 00:52:54,960
help tremendously for us to be able to

1203
00:52:50,640 --> 00:52:57,119
offer more hours uh in voting. So, I'm

1204
00:52:54,960 --> 00:53:00,160
just asking for your help. We understand

1205
00:52:57,119 --> 00:53:02,960
the need and the request, but please

1206
00:53:00,160 --> 00:53:06,000
help us as well. I say to the gentleman

1207
00:53:02,960 --> 00:53:10,640
from Tyrone, I'm also from Tyrone. 35

1208
00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:13,040
years that are there um and

1209
00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:16,240
this transition is just because the old

1210
00:53:13,040 --> 00:53:18,960
voting location, you know, fell in. So,

1211
00:53:16,240 --> 00:53:20,960
you know, this is not ideal, but I

1212
00:53:18,960 --> 00:53:22,880
believe it's being taken care of. I am a

1213
00:53:20,960 --> 00:53:26,720
Constitution coach and therefore I've

1214
00:53:22,880 --> 00:53:29,760
given uh Constitution Day celebrations

1215
00:53:26,720 --> 00:53:31,839
at the town hall. So, we'll see if I do

1216
00:53:29,760 --> 00:53:33,520
it this year.

1217
00:53:31,839 --> 00:53:35,520
And just to answer one more thing which

1218
00:53:33,520 --> 00:53:37,599
I didn't get to um just to clarify as

1219
00:53:35,520 --> 00:53:43,040
far as what we decided for our

1220
00:53:37,599 --> 00:53:45,599
certification times um for the uh May uh

1221
00:53:43,040 --> 00:53:49,040
general primary that will be the uh May

1222
00:53:45,599 --> 00:53:53,440
27th at 5:00 pm. Um that is our

1223
00:53:49,040 --> 00:53:55,280
certification meeting. Um, and then the

1224
00:53:53,440 --> 00:53:58,240
Monday, June 22nd, which will be after

1225
00:53:55,280 --> 00:53:59,280
the Junth uh celebration holiday, on

1226
00:53:58,240 --> 00:54:00,880
that Friday, we would have our

1227
00:53:59,280 --> 00:54:03,359
certification meeting on that Monday at

1228
00:54:00,880 --> 00:54:04,720
100 p.m. Um, but then of course for the

1229
00:54:03,359 --> 00:54:06,640
general election in November, we'll be

1230
00:54:04,720 --> 00:54:08,400
back to our normal Friday, 5:00 p.m.,

1231
00:54:06,640 --> 00:54:10,800
Friday, November 6th, and Friday,

1232
00:54:08,400 --> 00:54:13,800
December 4th, if there is a runoff

1233
00:54:10,800 --> 00:54:13,800
necessary.

1234
00:54:24,640 --> 00:54:28,079
Director Garrett, just that I'm seeing

1235
00:54:25,920 --> 00:54:30,319
this now before we might need to make a

1236
00:54:28,079 --> 00:54:36,359
small amendment to our action that we've

1237
00:54:30,319 --> 00:54:36,359
taken seeing as uh May 27th

1238
00:54:36,880 --> 00:54:40,760
is a Wednesday.

1239
00:54:40,800 --> 00:54:49,760
So we may need to revise that to May 22.

1240
00:54:46,720 --> 00:54:52,559
which would be the Friday after

1241
00:54:49,760 --> 00:54:53,760
» Um the 19th.

1242
00:54:52,559 --> 00:54:58,480
» That is correct.

1243
00:54:53,760 --> 00:55:01,359
» Okay. So, I guess we could just I would

1244
00:54:58,480 --> 00:55:05,559
Yeah, I would accept a

1245
00:55:01,359 --> 00:55:05,559
polling location after.

1246
00:55:09,760 --> 00:55:13,359
Okay. Seeing as there are no other

1247
00:55:11,359 --> 00:55:16,400
public comments, I guess we can go ahead

1248
00:55:13,359 --> 00:55:18,319
and take uh action on the uh proposal

1249
00:55:16,400 --> 00:55:20,000
itself and then we can amend the

1250
00:55:18,319 --> 00:55:22,160
calendar after that. Just finish the

1251
00:55:20,000 --> 00:55:23,839
public comment period. Um so with that,

1252
00:55:22,160 --> 00:55:26,000
I guess I could accept a motion. Um this

1253
00:55:23,839 --> 00:55:28,240
is of course just maintaining the the

1254
00:55:26,000 --> 00:55:30,720
voting precinct there at our number six

1255
00:55:28,240 --> 00:55:32,800
Flint. U Flint

1256
00:55:30,720 --> 00:55:35,760
the precinct is Mcdana Road Baptist

1257
00:55:32,800 --> 00:55:39,520
Church there 352 Mcdana Road Fil,

1258
00:55:35,760 --> 00:55:41,839
Georgia Postal Press. Um it's been the

1259
00:55:39,520 --> 00:55:43,680
in the past. We're just keeping it uh

1260
00:55:41,839 --> 00:55:45,200
maintaining it in the same location.

1261
00:55:43,680 --> 00:55:47,119
We've had a little, you know, internal

1262
00:55:45,200 --> 00:55:48,799
paperwork to do, but for all intents and

1263
00:55:47,119 --> 00:55:51,920
purposes, nobody in the public needs to

1264
00:55:48,799 --> 00:55:53,599
change their behavior or has uh been led

1265
00:55:51,920 --> 00:55:55,200
to believe too much to that a change

1266
00:55:53,599 --> 00:55:56,960
could happen. So, there really is very

1267
00:55:55,200 --> 00:55:58,799
little impact to the public as far as

1268
00:55:56,960 --> 00:56:01,520
voter convenience. Um, so with that, I

1269
00:55:58,799 --> 00:56:04,640
would accept a motion uh on our uh

1270
00:56:01,520 --> 00:56:06,240
proposal number 2026-05.

1271
00:56:04,640 --> 00:56:09,280
» Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we

1272
00:56:06,240 --> 00:56:12,599
accept the proposal to reverse and go

1273
00:56:09,280 --> 00:56:12,599
back to

1274
00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:17,839
original.

1275
00:56:16,240 --> 00:56:20,400
» Okay, I'll go ahead and second. Any

1276
00:56:17,839 --> 00:56:22,319
further discussion? Seeing none, all in

1277
00:56:20,400 --> 00:56:22,640
favor signify by saying I.

1278
00:56:22,319 --> 00:56:26,079
» I.

1279
00:56:22,640 --> 00:56:29,760
» I. Motion carries unanimously. Okay. And

1280
00:56:26,079 --> 00:56:34,480
then uh at this point I would

1281
00:56:29,760 --> 00:56:37,440
accept a motion to amend the 2026 board

1282
00:56:34,480 --> 00:56:40,799
meeting calendar to clarify that our May

1283
00:56:37,440 --> 00:56:42,079
meeting will be May 22nd 2026.

1284
00:56:40,799 --> 00:56:45,119
» Mr.

1285
00:56:42,079 --> 00:56:46,880
I move I will make a motion that we

1286
00:56:45,119 --> 00:56:50,160
amend

1287
00:56:46,880 --> 00:56:52,960
excuse me our meeting schedule

1288
00:56:50,160 --> 00:56:57,280
or and we'll confirm that we are

1289
00:56:52,960 --> 00:57:01,839
changing Tuesday March the 24th to March

1290
00:56:57,280 --> 00:57:07,280
the 31st as well as Friday May the 27th

1291
00:57:01,839 --> 00:57:09,440
we will change to Friday May the 22.

1292
00:57:07,280 --> 00:57:10,960
» Uh I'll go ahead and second that motion.

1293
00:57:09,440 --> 00:57:13,520
Um,

1294
00:57:10,960 --> 00:57:17,040
seeing no further discussion, um, I'll

1295
00:57:13,520 --> 00:57:20,559
go ahead and I will call vote. All in

1296
00:57:17,040 --> 00:57:25,599
favor of accepting that March 31st is

1297
00:57:20,559 --> 00:57:27,680
our meeting and then May 22.

1298
00:57:25,599 --> 00:57:31,400
All in favor signify by saying I

1299
00:57:27,680 --> 00:57:31,400
» I motion carries.

1300
00:57:33,280 --> 00:57:38,960
» And that brings us to our uh, director's

1301
00:57:36,079 --> 00:57:40,559
report. So, Director Garrett, please uh

1302
00:57:38,960 --> 00:57:44,720
enlighten us.

1303
00:57:40,559 --> 00:57:48,280
» Greetings, board. As of February 24th,

1304
00:57:44,720 --> 00:57:48,280
there are 98,523

1305
00:57:48,319 --> 00:57:55,359
registered voters. 91,352

1306
00:57:52,799 --> 00:57:58,720
of those are active registered voters in

1307
00:57:55,359 --> 00:58:01,040
Faget County. Um,

1308
00:57:58,720 --> 00:58:04,319
qualifying will begin on next week,

1309
00:58:01,040 --> 00:58:07,680
March 2nd, beginning at 9:00 a.m. all

1310
00:58:04,319 --> 00:58:11,520
the way through Friday um March 6 at

1311
00:58:07,680 --> 00:58:14,400
12:00 p.m. We were able to meet with our

1312
00:58:11,520 --> 00:58:17,200
well I held a meeting um yesterday with

1313
00:58:14,400 --> 00:58:20,160
the parties um to answer any questions

1314
00:58:17,200 --> 00:58:22,319
that they may have um and also make sure

1315
00:58:20,160 --> 00:58:26,319
that we are squared away for reporting

1316
00:58:22,319 --> 00:58:29,839
each day um with our elections.

1317
00:58:26,319 --> 00:58:32,319
It's going to be short.

1318
00:58:29,839 --> 00:58:36,640
Um, as far as renovation updates to

1319
00:58:32,319 --> 00:58:38,880
sweet A, um, we are almost complete. We

1320
00:58:36,640 --> 00:58:42,079
are very, very close to being completed.

1321
00:58:38,880 --> 00:58:45,359
We are still waiting on the sink to be

1322
00:58:42,079 --> 00:58:47,440
demolished and removed. So, that is what

1323
00:58:45,359 --> 00:58:49,520
we are waiting on before we can begin

1324
00:58:47,440 --> 00:58:51,520
the moving process. And I'm hopeful that

1325
00:58:49,520 --> 00:58:53,839
we can get an update within the next two

1326
00:58:51,520 --> 00:58:55,280
weeks on when that date will be

1327
00:58:53,839 --> 00:58:57,680
clarified.

1328
00:58:55,280 --> 00:58:59,599
We still are in search of an election

1329
00:58:57,680 --> 00:59:02,400
supervisor, so that position remains

1330
00:58:59,599 --> 00:59:05,599
vacant. Um, we're also looking for

1331
00:59:02,400 --> 00:59:08,480
additional poworkers as always, as well

1332
00:59:05,599 --> 00:59:10,640
as um seasonal technicians in the

1333
00:59:08,480 --> 00:59:14,640
office.

1334
00:59:10,640 --> 00:59:17,040
I do want to address two things from the

1335
00:59:14,640 --> 00:59:19,440
comments. So, you're correct for the

1336
00:59:17,040 --> 00:59:22,160
dropboxes. I just wanted to clarify that

1337
00:59:19,440 --> 00:59:24,960
it is by the OCGA code. So, we can't

1338
00:59:22,160 --> 00:59:27,040
extend those hours. It's during the

1339
00:59:24,960 --> 00:59:28,720
advanced voting days and times and they

1340
00:59:27,040 --> 00:59:31,359
have to be under surveillance or made by

1341
00:59:28,720 --> 00:59:35,200
a person which is in our front office

1342
00:59:31,359 --> 00:59:39,200
and it's one drop box per 100,000

1343
00:59:35,200 --> 00:59:41,760
voters. So with us only having 90

1344
00:59:39,200 --> 00:59:45,760
1,000 voters

1345
00:59:41,760 --> 00:59:47,440
we're only able to have one dropbox. Um

1346
00:59:45,760 --> 00:59:50,240
also we will be holding voter

1347
00:59:47,440 --> 00:59:52,960
registration classes on the March 10th

1348
00:59:50,240 --> 00:59:56,079
and March 18th.

1349
00:59:52,960 --> 00:59:57,839
I will get you all the the location and

1350
00:59:56,079 --> 01:00:00,799
time at a later date and we'll also post

1351
00:59:57,839 --> 01:00:04,720
it on our social media page and on our

1352
01:00:00,799 --> 01:00:08,240
um website as well when that information

1353
01:00:04,720 --> 01:00:10,480
is confirmed. I also wanted to address

1354
01:00:08,240 --> 01:00:13,520
advanced voting for the young lady with

1355
01:00:10,480 --> 01:00:15,200
the young child. I wanted to make sure I

1356
01:00:13,520 --> 01:00:17,280
just wanted to be clear. It seems that

1357
01:00:15,200 --> 01:00:20,319
it might have been um misunderstood. So

1358
01:00:17,280 --> 01:00:22,960
the library is open all of those days

1359
01:00:20,319 --> 01:00:25,040
except for Sunday in which library is

1360
01:00:22,960 --> 01:00:26,880
already closed on Sundays. So, it

1361
01:00:25,040 --> 01:00:28,720
actually just benefits the library of

1362
01:00:26,880 --> 01:00:30,720
not having to have staffing to come in

1363
01:00:28,720 --> 01:00:32,559
and open up just for us. For all the

1364
01:00:30,720 --> 01:00:36,000
other advanced voting days, the library

1365
01:00:32,559 --> 01:00:40,319
will be open and available.

1366
01:00:36,000 --> 01:00:42,880
Um lastly,

1367
01:00:40,319 --> 01:00:45,839
we often talk about our proposals and

1368
01:00:42,880 --> 01:00:50,000
our changes to locations

1369
01:00:45,839 --> 01:00:53,359
and just trying working to clean up

1370
01:00:50,000 --> 01:00:56,079
our polling locations even more so

1371
01:00:53,359 --> 01:00:58,400
solidify locations so that we don't have

1372
01:00:56,079 --> 01:01:01,680
to do continuous moves because it's

1373
01:00:58,400 --> 01:01:04,720
starting to become a trend. So I am very

1374
01:01:01,680 --> 01:01:06,480
excited for 2027

1375
01:01:04,720 --> 01:01:09,599
to be able to at all of our polling

1376
01:01:06,480 --> 01:01:12,240
locations and get some permanency with

1377
01:01:09,599 --> 01:01:13,839
those um facilities so that we don't

1378
01:01:12,240 --> 01:01:16,400
have to keep inquiring these changes.

1379
01:01:13,839 --> 01:01:19,200
And I do understand that things happen

1380
01:01:16,400 --> 01:01:21,599
and I I I will say FA's community is

1381
01:01:19,200 --> 01:01:23,920
very supportive. Um I come from another

1382
01:01:21,599 --> 01:01:27,359
county and we rely heavily on the

1383
01:01:23,920 --> 01:01:29,760
schools because it was so much to kind

1384
01:01:27,359 --> 01:01:32,079
of rely on those community facilities.

1385
01:01:29,760 --> 01:01:36,160
But here in Fyet, the community is very

1386
01:01:32,079 --> 01:01:39,040
supportive. However, we've been notified

1387
01:01:36,160 --> 01:01:41,040
that um on yesterday, just over clipped,

1388
01:01:39,040 --> 01:01:43,440
so this is yesterday's emergency polling

1389
01:01:41,040 --> 01:01:46,079
location for our future consideration

1390
01:01:43,440 --> 01:01:48,240
that Fet Friendship Community Church

1391
01:01:46,079 --> 01:01:50,799
will be closing its doors and they're

1392
01:01:48,240 --> 01:01:53,599
not available for the May 19th election

1393
01:01:50,799 --> 01:01:56,559
nor the June election. That's also the

1394
01:01:53,599 --> 01:02:00,400
facility that we just colllocated with

1395
01:01:56,559 --> 01:02:01,920
number eight for New Hope.

1396
01:02:00,400 --> 01:02:04,720
Is that the name of the precinct? the

1397
01:02:01,920 --> 01:02:06,400
church at New Hope closed down Oakidge.

1398
01:02:04,720 --> 01:02:10,520
» Well, Oakidge is 28. I just can't

1399
01:02:06,400 --> 01:02:10,520
remember number 28. I mean,

1400
01:02:11,040 --> 01:02:16,559
» Yes. So, we just colllocated that

1401
01:02:14,000 --> 01:02:18,960
location. So, now staff will be going

1402
01:02:16,559 --> 01:02:20,720
back to look at

1403
01:02:18,960 --> 01:02:22,400
in my own recommendation just

1404
01:02:20,720 --> 01:02:24,400
colllocating with another precinct

1405
01:02:22,400 --> 01:02:25,920
that's touching it. So, I just received

1406
01:02:24,400 --> 01:02:27,359
that information yesterday. I haven't

1407
01:02:25,920 --> 01:02:29,920
had a chance to look at it, but I just

1408
01:02:27,359 --> 01:02:33,040
wanted to give you the heads up that we

1409
01:02:29,920 --> 01:02:33,040
will be addressing that

1410
01:02:33,520 --> 01:02:37,520
We're talking something like six or

1411
01:02:35,119 --> 01:02:39,440
seven thousand registered voters between

1412
01:02:37,520 --> 01:02:41,040
those two. Yes, I believe it was around

1413
01:02:39,440 --> 01:02:42,799
6K.

1414
01:02:41,040 --> 01:02:45,040
But whatever change we make, we will.

1415
01:02:42,799 --> 01:02:46,559
So, um, register on baller has hold off

1416
01:02:45,040 --> 01:02:48,559
on sending them precinct cards at the

1417
01:02:46,559 --> 01:02:50,319
beginning of this year. Um, they're

1418
01:02:48,559 --> 01:02:51,920
they're called special precinct cards

1419
01:02:50,319 --> 01:02:54,720
because we want to make sure that we

1420
01:02:51,920 --> 01:02:56,000
don't confuse them. So once we make a

1421
01:02:54,720 --> 01:02:58,400
determination, we'll be sending their

1422
01:02:56,000 --> 01:02:59,920
precinct cards along with a notification

1423
01:02:58,400 --> 01:03:01,680
from our office on colored sheet of

1424
01:02:59,920 --> 01:03:03,200
paper so that hopefully they'll pay

1425
01:03:01,680 --> 01:03:05,520
attention to the notification when they

1426
01:03:03,200 --> 01:03:07,440
receive it in the mail once we figure

1427
01:03:05,520 --> 01:03:09,599
out what it is or determine what will be

1428
01:03:07,440 --> 01:03:12,240
done for the May election. And I do

1429
01:03:09,599 --> 01:03:15,440
appreciate them giving us a heads up now

1430
01:03:12,240 --> 01:03:17,599
versus closer to the election. That will

1431
01:03:15,440 --> 01:03:21,599
also require the additional signage at

1432
01:03:17,599 --> 01:03:23,839
those locations as well.

1433
01:03:21,599 --> 01:03:26,559
That concludes my

1434
01:03:23,839 --> 01:03:31,160
report.

1435
01:03:26,559 --> 01:03:31,160
Do you all have any questions for me?

1436
01:03:46,000 --> 01:03:50,640
No further questions.

1437
01:03:48,160 --> 01:03:52,799
Um, with that, I'll reach out to uh

1438
01:03:50,640 --> 01:03:54,799
Patrick St, our county attorney. Do you

1439
01:03:52,799 --> 01:03:57,760
have a report for us this month, sir?

1440
01:03:54,799 --> 01:03:59,520
» Uh, just uh wanted to brief you on the

1441
01:03:57,760 --> 01:04:02,720
state board of elections meeting last

1442
01:03:59,520 --> 01:04:04,640
week. We did we were um requested to be

1443
01:04:02,720 --> 01:04:06,400
there on two cases that we were

1444
01:04:04,640 --> 01:04:08,400
responding. I think there were actually

1445
01:04:06,400 --> 01:04:10,640
five total FA County cases, but we were

1446
01:04:08,400 --> 01:04:13,839
the respondent on two of them. One

1447
01:04:10,640 --> 01:04:16,160
involved um ballot paper left in a

1448
01:04:13,839 --> 01:04:18,559
printer that was used at an elections

1449
01:04:16,160 --> 01:04:20,720
location. Um received a letter of

1450
01:04:18,559 --> 01:04:22,799
instruction on that. We've taken steps

1451
01:04:20,720 --> 01:04:25,440
to correct that going forward. And then

1452
01:04:22,799 --> 01:04:30,160
the other one was an accessibility ADA

1453
01:04:25,440 --> 01:04:33,280
issue at at uh it was a ADA

1454
01:04:30,160 --> 01:04:36,160
accessibility issue at Holy Trinity,

1455
01:04:33,280 --> 01:04:37,760
» Holy Trinity Church. Um at the time this

1456
01:04:36,160 --> 01:04:39,680
complaint was made, apparently there was

1457
01:04:37,760 --> 01:04:42,319
a rise of I believe two and a half

1458
01:04:39,680 --> 01:04:44,319
inches going into the location. Since

1459
01:04:42,319 --> 01:04:46,079
then, we've actually moved the polling

1460
01:04:44,319 --> 01:04:49,119
location to another place on that

1461
01:04:46,079 --> 01:04:50,640
campus. longer an issue. So we received

1462
01:04:49,119 --> 01:04:52,960
was it a letter of instruction or a

1463
01:04:50,640 --> 01:04:55,039
dismissal?

1464
01:04:52,960 --> 01:04:57,760
» Letter of instruction.

1465
01:04:55,039 --> 01:04:59,440
So that was that was the result.

1466
01:04:57,760 --> 01:05:01,440
» Just to clarify a little bit for members

1467
01:04:59,440 --> 01:05:03,200
of the audience, um those are very very

1468
01:05:01,440 --> 01:05:06,960
favorable outcomes to those cases. You

1469
01:05:03,200 --> 01:05:08,960
know, as uh we have issues or uh

1470
01:05:06,960 --> 01:05:10,960
self-reported errors in our own election

1471
01:05:08,960 --> 01:05:12,640
system, uh we always report them and

1472
01:05:10,960 --> 01:05:14,000
make sure that they raise them all. flag

1473
01:05:12,640 --> 01:05:15,680
so that way we can work with our

1474
01:05:14,000 --> 01:05:17,520
partners at the state level um to

1475
01:05:15,680 --> 01:05:19,359
resolve anything. Um and so I just want

1476
01:05:17,520 --> 01:05:20,880
to give kudos right now that I've got

1477
01:05:19,359 --> 01:05:22,960
the opportunity to director Garrett and

1478
01:05:20,880 --> 01:05:24,319
attorney style um for developing those

1479
01:05:22,960 --> 01:05:26,319
favorable outcomes and protecting all

1480
01:05:24,319 --> 01:05:27,680
our fate county voters um and working

1481
01:05:26,319 --> 01:05:30,160
with state election board to make sure

1482
01:05:27,680 --> 01:05:31,440
that that happens. Um so with that I

1483
01:05:30,160 --> 01:05:33,920
guess we can go ahead and start board

1484
01:05:31,440 --> 01:05:37,760
me.

1485
01:05:33,920 --> 01:05:41,599
» Thank you. Um I will also address the

1486
01:05:37,760 --> 01:05:44,079
audience and I do appreciate you coming.

1487
01:05:41,599 --> 01:05:46,000
talk about pole workers, understand that

1488
01:05:44,079 --> 01:05:49,920
uh we're trying to provide everything we

1489
01:05:46,000 --> 01:05:52,079
can for voters to be able to to vote. Uh

1490
01:05:49,920 --> 01:05:55,280
but you have to understand it isn't

1491
01:05:52,079 --> 01:05:58,000
really it isn't the cost as much. I

1492
01:05:55,280 --> 01:06:00,400
mean, we do have to look at that, but uh

1493
01:05:58,000 --> 01:06:03,920
it's becoming harder and harder for us

1494
01:06:00,400 --> 01:06:06,559
to get poll workers and uh so I will

1495
01:06:03,920 --> 01:06:10,079
encourage you if you want to have

1496
01:06:06,559 --> 01:06:14,640
additional hours and days uh of early

1497
01:06:10,079 --> 01:06:17,920
voting that you agree that you try to

1498
01:06:14,640 --> 01:06:19,839
submit and you be willing to uh be a

1499
01:06:17,920 --> 01:06:22,160
poll worker or encourage your neighbors

1500
01:06:19,839 --> 01:06:26,079
and your friends. We can't run the

1501
01:06:22,160 --> 01:06:29,280
elections without staff those locations.

1502
01:06:26,079 --> 01:06:32,480
And so anytime we ask for them to be

1503
01:06:29,280 --> 01:06:34,880
there more hours and more days because

1504
01:06:32,480 --> 01:06:37,760
it's the same set uh you know people

1505
01:06:34,880 --> 01:06:40,720
that have to work those three weeks uh

1506
01:06:37,760 --> 01:06:43,920
that we need help from the public for

1507
01:06:40,720 --> 01:06:48,000
y'all to encourage people to be willing

1508
01:06:43,920 --> 01:06:50,720
to work it. Those are long days. uh you

1509
01:06:48,000 --> 01:06:53,920
know election day is 12 hours well it's

1510
01:06:50,720 --> 01:06:55,920
really 14 to 15 uh but we need the

1511
01:06:53,920 --> 01:06:58,480
workers or we can't open the facilities

1512
01:06:55,920 --> 01:07:02,319
so I'm just saying that so that you are

1513
01:06:58,480 --> 01:07:04,480
aware of all the parameters that

1514
01:07:02,319 --> 01:07:08,160
has to go through and we have to take

1515
01:07:04,480 --> 01:07:11,359
into account um to try to provide those

1516
01:07:08,160 --> 01:07:13,839
hours. So

1517
01:07:11,359 --> 01:07:15,760
thank you for coming. Thank you, Vice

1518
01:07:13,839 --> 01:07:17,200
Chair Alexander. Um, just to echo those

1519
01:07:15,760 --> 01:07:19,440
sentiments, yeah, thank you. Thank you

1520
01:07:17,200 --> 01:07:21,920
for coming out to our meetings. Um, you

1521
01:07:19,440 --> 01:07:23,680
know, it's it isn't the Super Bowl, but

1522
01:07:21,920 --> 01:07:26,000
it is important. Um, so it's not as

1523
01:07:23,680 --> 01:07:28,079
entertaining, but it certainly is uh

1524
01:07:26,000 --> 01:07:29,200
critical. Um, so thank you for your

1525
01:07:28,079 --> 01:07:30,319
support. Thank you for coming out. Thank

1526
01:07:29,200 --> 01:07:31,760
you to all those who give public

1527
01:07:30,319 --> 01:07:33,599
comments. And as you see that the

1528
01:07:31,760 --> 01:07:34,960
system, the way that we do it with the

1529
01:07:33,599 --> 01:07:37,200
public comments is a little strange, but

1530
01:07:34,960 --> 01:07:38,640
we do really do our best to uh offer

1531
01:07:37,200 --> 01:07:40,960
responses to everything that's brought

1532
01:07:38,640 --> 01:07:43,760
up. Um, and again, one of the biggest

1533
01:07:40,960 --> 01:07:45,680
things that I think we and accomplish in

1534
01:07:43,760 --> 01:07:48,240
our role is to maximize our

1535
01:07:45,680 --> 01:07:50,640
accessibility and our approachability.

1536
01:07:48,240 --> 01:07:52,720
Um so again, fy countya.gov on the

1537
01:07:50,640 --> 01:07:54,319
elections department website you can see

1538
01:07:52,720 --> 01:07:55,920
our phone number, our email address,

1539
01:07:54,319 --> 01:07:57,839
reach out to us directly or reach out to

1540
01:07:55,920 --> 01:07:59,920
us at the office if any other questions

1541
01:07:57,839 --> 01:08:02,160
or comments or concerns were to arise.

1542
01:07:59,920 --> 01:08:04,160
We really pride ourselves on being as

1543
01:08:02,160 --> 01:08:06,559
communicative and receptive as possible.

1544
01:08:04,160 --> 01:08:08,559
So you know use the levers that you

1545
01:08:06,559 --> 01:08:10,480
have, use the opportunities like Vice

1546
01:08:08,559 --> 01:08:11,920
Chair Alexander just mentioned to get

1547
01:08:10,480 --> 01:08:13,599
involved in the election system to to

1548
01:08:11,920 --> 01:08:15,440
see how it actually works and to see the

1549
01:08:13,599 --> 01:08:17,759
checks and balances that we have in our

1550
01:08:15,440 --> 01:08:20,400
system that protect our rights um up and

1551
01:08:17,759 --> 01:08:22,560
down the ballot for all reasons. Um so

1552
01:08:20,400 --> 01:08:24,560
with that, I've got one more thing. Um

1553
01:08:22,560 --> 01:08:26,000
just, you know, as as we say sometimes

1554
01:08:24,560 --> 01:08:27,920
in our meetings, we like to, you know,

1555
01:08:26,000 --> 01:08:30,080
always respect our staff and give them

1556
01:08:27,920 --> 01:08:32,319
as much kudos as possible. And you know,

1557
01:08:30,080 --> 01:08:35,359
our our intern has been working his rear

1558
01:08:32,319 --> 01:08:37,600
end off. Uh Musa, I guess, is finally

1559
01:08:35,359 --> 01:08:39,679
getting some recognition from the school

1560
01:08:37,600 --> 01:08:42,080
as validictorian. So congratulations to

1561
01:08:39,679 --> 01:08:43,520
him. Um you know, he does work and has

1562
01:08:42,080 --> 01:08:44,880
actually been working on a voter

1563
01:08:43,520 --> 01:08:47,199
education series. I would accept a round

1564
01:08:44,880 --> 01:08:48,719
of applause. Absolutely. Um I don't

1565
01:08:47,199 --> 01:08:51,040
believe he is here right now. He is

1566
01:08:48,719 --> 01:08:54,480
hopefully studying on his homework and

1567
01:08:51,040 --> 01:08:57,359
or preparing for the SATs. Um but uh

1568
01:08:54,480 --> 01:08:59,600
just want to again express our extreme

1569
01:08:57,359 --> 01:09:00,480
uh pride in Musa and the work that he

1570
01:08:59,600 --> 01:09:02,719
does.

1571
01:09:00,480 --> 01:09:04,799
» While you're giving kudos, he has a 4.6

1572
01:09:02,719 --> 01:09:08,159
GPA. Just throw that out there.

1573
01:09:04,799 --> 01:09:10,480
» I can't even count that high. 4.6. Very

1574
01:09:08,159 --> 01:09:15,120
impressive. Um but it really it's with

1575
01:09:10,480 --> 01:09:17,199
uh strong, smart, good faith, kind folks

1576
01:09:15,120 --> 01:09:18,880
like Musa that make our office work so

1577
01:09:17,199 --> 01:09:20,640
well. Um, it's why we're really

1578
01:09:18,880 --> 01:09:22,480
fortunate to have Director Garrett in

1579
01:09:20,640 --> 01:09:24,000
the role that she's in. Um, and

1580
01:09:22,480 --> 01:09:26,080
everybody at our office, um, you know,

1581
01:09:24,000 --> 01:09:27,679
Malcolm and Jenny, uh, who have come on

1582
01:09:26,080 --> 01:09:29,759
the board, uh, come on board with us not

1583
01:09:27,679 --> 01:09:31,279
so long ago, um, but have really become

1584
01:09:29,759 --> 01:09:32,640
indispensable members of the family. So,

1585
01:09:31,279 --> 01:09:34,400
thank you to everybody. Thank you to

1586
01:09:32,640 --> 01:09:36,400
Musa. Congratulations to Musa. And with

1587
01:09:34,400 --> 01:09:39,440
that, I don't have anything else. So,

1588
01:09:36,400 --> 01:09:42,400
» Can I make one other comment in regards

1589
01:09:39,440 --> 01:09:45,199
your question about dropes understand

1590
01:09:42,400 --> 01:09:47,920
that that was a state law change where

1591
01:09:45,199 --> 01:09:50,400
we used to have a lot of drop boxes and

1592
01:09:47,920 --> 01:09:54,480
they were outside. There was difficulty

1593
01:09:50,400 --> 01:09:57,120
and a lot of problems uh in Georgia but

1594
01:09:54,480 --> 01:10:00,719
in other states uh with those being

1595
01:09:57,120 --> 01:10:03,840
abused so they say and but the state law

1596
01:10:00,719 --> 01:10:06,320
changed for that reason uh that it had

1597
01:10:03,840 --> 01:10:09,600
to go indoors where somebody could watch

1598
01:10:06,320 --> 01:10:11,920
it and that's why there's only

1599
01:10:09,600 --> 01:10:15,360
100,000. So, I just wanted you to know

1600
01:10:11,920 --> 01:10:17,679
that wasn't us. That was state law um

1601
01:10:15,360 --> 01:10:19,760
that came down and they've talked about

1602
01:10:17,679 --> 01:10:22,159
doing away with them completely. So, I

1603
01:10:19,760 --> 01:10:26,320
would encourage you to talk to your

1604
01:10:22,159 --> 01:10:27,840
state legislator. Okay. Thank you.

1605
01:10:26,320 --> 01:10:29,760
» Absolutely. With that, I don't have

1606
01:10:27,840 --> 01:10:32,640
anything else. So, I can guess we can go

1607
01:10:29,760 --> 01:10:36,159
ahead and accept a motion to adjurnn.

1608
01:10:32,640 --> 01:10:38,239
» Mr. Chair, I motion been made. No second

1609
01:10:36,159 --> 01:10:40,000
is required. Any further discussion?

1610
01:10:38,239 --> 01:10:42,320
Seeing none, all in favor signify by

1611
01:10:40,000 --> 01:10:45,679
saying I. I. We are joured. Thank you

1612
01:10:42,320 --> 01:10:45,679
all very much.