HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 02 Approval of Elections Services Contract with the SOE
City of Ocoee ▪ 1 N. Bluford Avenue ▪ Ocoee, Florida 34761
Phone: (407) 905-3100 ▪ www.ocoee.org
STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: January 7, 2025
Item #: 2
Contact Name: Victoria Parks Department Director: Melanie Sibbitt
Contact Number: Ext. 1023 City Manager: Craig Shadrix
Subject: Approval of Elections Services Contract with the Orange County Supervisor of
Elections and Allow Them to Open and Run Unquestionable Vote-By-Mail Ballots for the
March 2025 General Municipal Election Utilizing the Orange County Canvassing Board
Criteria. (City Clerk Sibbitt)
Background Summary:
The Supervisor of Elections Office has submitted a contract for the March 11, 2025, General Municipal
Election. Attached for your review is the 2025 Vote Processing Equipment Use and Elections Services
Contract for Municipal Elections.
City staff requests approval to authorize the Supervisor of Elections to process all vote-by-mail ballots deemed
non-questionable through the tabulator on Election Day (March 11th, after 9:00 a.m.). This approach will
significantly reduce the workload for the Canvassing Board, as those ballots will be processed before their
arrival. The Canvassing Board will then focus solely on reviewing and deciding on any vote-by-mail ballots
flagged for issues, such as missing signatures or mismatched signatures, in accordance with the established
criteria.
Issue:
Should the Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners approve the Elections Contract and allow the
Supervisor of Elections to open and run all vote-by-mail ballots through the tabulator on Election Day (March
11th after 9:00 a.m.) that are not questionable utilizing the Orange County Canvassing Board criteria?
Recommendations:
Staff recommends that the Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners approve the 2025 Vote Processing
Equipment Use and Elections Services Contract for Municipal Elections to be in effect for the 2025 Election
and approve the Supervisor of Elections to open and run all vote-by-mail ballots through the tabulator (March
11th after 9:00 a.m.) that are not questionable utilizing the Orange County Canvassing Board criteria.
Attachments:
1. 2025 Municipal Election Vote Processing Equipment Use and Elections Services Contract
2. Orange County 2024-2025 Canvassing Criteria
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City of Ocoee ▪ 1 N. Bluford Avenue ▪ Ocoee, Florida 34761
Phone: (407) 905-3100 ▪ www.ocoee.org
Financial Impacts:
The cost of the election is adequately funded in the City Clerk Department’s Budget.
Type of Item: Consent
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Canvassing Board Criteria Chart
Revision Adopted : October 23, 2023 Page 1 of 3
Vote-by-Mail Accept Reject Case by Case CB Review?
No Signature [101.68(2)(c)1], if left uncured * X
No signature, with cure affidavit [101.68(4)(b)]X
Signature does not match** [101.68(2)(c)1] [98.077(4)(a), 101.65-must match the signature on file upon
return of ballot], if left uncured or incomplete cure * X
Signature does not match, received completed cure affidavit 101.68(2)(c)1]X
Signature printed and does not match the signature on file [101.68(2)(c)1] [98.077(4)(a), 101.65], if left
uncured/or incomplete cure * X
Signature printed does not match, with completed cure affidavit [101.68(4)(b)]X
Voter signed someone else’s envelope, both voters had a request on file (only one envelope returned)X
Voters signed each other’s envelope, both voters had a request on file (both envelopes returned)X
Certificate envelope has two signatures and both voters requested ballots, and both received the same
card numbers X
Voter sends ballot in blank envelope that does not have the oath [101.64(2)]X
Voted wrong ballot card (voter has moved/party change, only one ballot card returned) [101.045]
If two ballot cards returned, refer to Special Instances.X
Voter deceased or canceled since ballot returned [101.68(2)(c)2] (postmarked)X
Late return of vote-by-mail ballot (Except UOCAVA voters) [101.67(2)]X
Voted early or at the polls [101.69]X
Two or more vote-by-mail ballots for the same election are returned in one mailing envelope
[101.68(1)(c)]X
Vote-by-Mail - Cure Affidavit
Cure Affidavit received with Tier 1 Identification [101.68(3)(a)]X
Cure Affidavit received with Tier 2 Identification and the cure signature matches a signature on record.
[101.68(3)(b)]X
Cure Affidavit received with Tier 2 Identification and the signature on the cure does not match** a
signature on record.* X
Cure not received prior to 5PM on the 2nd day after the election.X
First time voters who registered by mail - Special Vote-by-mail Accept Reject Case by Case
Voter provides proper identification or indicates exemption [101.6923]X
Voter does not provide proper identification or indicate an exemption by 7 pm [101.6923]X
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Provisional Ballots [F.S. 101.048]Accept Reject Case by Case CB Review?
Voter is eligible, signature matches, correct precinct X
Voter is eligible but did not have proper ID - Signature matches that on file X
Voter given the provisional in error--should have voted a regular ballot X
Voter's application was not verified by State, voter furnished additional information prior to 5 p.m. of
second day. Voter deemed eligible X
Ballot cast in wrong precinct X
Voter name not found - not registered to vote X
Voter moved into county- Eligible, signature matches, correct precinct [101.045]X
Voter moved out of county X
Voter was canceled as a Felon or for other reasons X
Voter registered after the books closed X
Voter's application was not verified by State, voter did not furnish additional identification by 5 p.m. of the
second day X
Voter's application was incomplete so not eligible to vote X
Voter's signature does not match** and voter does not sign "Signature Differs" Affidavit; but signature on
Provisional matches that on file in the SOE office X
Voter's signature does not match and voter does not sign "Signature Differs" Affidavit; but voter completes
the cure affidavit X
Voter's signature does not match and does not sign "Signature Differs" Affidavit; but left
uncured/incomplete X
Voter had been sent a vote-by-mail ballot, did not surrender it, but vote-by-mail ballot not received by
SOE
X
Voter's right to vote has been challenged X
[PPP or Primary Only] Voter has disputed party affiliation; provisional ballot is the wrong party according to
SOE research X
Voter has already voted by vote-by-mail or at an early voting center X
Voting hours extended - voter is eligible and in the correct precinct [101.049]X
Voting hours extended - voter is eligible and NOT in the correct precinct X
Absentees from Overseas Voters (10 days after the election)Accept Reject Case by Case
No Postmark or date [101.6952 and 1S-2.030]X
Dated or postmarked on or by election day [101.6952 and 1S-2.030]X
Dated on or before election day but postmarked later or no postmark X
Dated and postmarked after election or dated after election with no postmark X
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Canvassing Board Criteria Chart
Revision Adopted : October 23, 2023 Page 3 of 3
State Write-In Ballot 101.6951 Accept Reject Case by Case
Wait to see if we have requests - never had one X
Special Instances
Voter submitted a voted sample ballot with clear voter intent, inside of their Certificate Envelope that has a
valid signature. Duplicated ballot created. X
Voter’s ballot delayed due to staff error.X
Voter changed address, sent two ballots in separate envelopes; both ballots received, correct ballot
accepted X
[PPP or Primary only] Voter changed political affiliation, sent two ballots in separate envelopes; both
ballots received, correct ballot accepted X
Segregated vote-by-mail received from voter pending felony final determination. Voter contact attempted.
[101.67(1)(b)]X
Voter leaves unscanned ballot***X
Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot [F.S. 101.6952, 102.166]Accept Reject Case by Case CB Review?
Not a registered voter in the county X
Signed the FWAB and the signature verified, no other issues X
No date and no postmark - received after election day X
Dated or postmarked on election day or earlier X
No request received, FWAB returned X
Challenge of overseas voter based on not meeting definition of [97.021(24)]X
Not registered by deadline - all voters X
Signature Issue - Refer to vote-by-mail Section
10-Day Extension for Overseas Voters: A federal write-in absentee ballot may not be canvassed until 7 p.m. on the day of the election. A federal write-in
absentee ballot from an overseas voter in a presidential preference primary or general election may not be canvassed until the conclusion of the 10-day
period specified in subsection (5). Each federal write-in absentee ballot received by 7 p.m. on the day of the election shall be canvassed pursuant to ss.
101.5614(5) and 101.68, unless the elector’s official absentee ballot is received by 7 p.m. on election day. 101.6952 (2)(a) An absent uniformed services
voter or an overseas voter who makes timely application for but does not receive an official absentee ballot may use the federal write-in absentee ballot to
vote in any federal, state, or local election.
*Provisional Rejection: Per F.S. 101.68(4) until 5pm on the 2nd day after the election, the supervisor shall allow an elector who has returned a vote-by-mail ballot that
does not include the elector's signature or whose signature does not match to submit an affidavit with copy of identification to cure.
**Beyond reasonable doubt; a finding by the Canvassing Board that an elector's signatures do not match must be by majority vote and beyond a reasonable doubt.
[101.68 (2)(c)]
***any races marked with clear voter intent are counted as votes, any unmarked races are counted as undervotes
Date Adopted:County Canvassing Board
County Judge
County Commissioner
Supervisor of Elections
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