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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-27-2015 Canvassing Board Minutes MINUTES OF THE CITY OF OCOEE CANVASSING BOARD MEETING HELD OCTOBER 27, 2015 CALL TO ORDER — OCTOBER 27, 2015 City Clerk Eikenberry called the Canvassing Board to order at 4:19 p.m. in the office of the Supervisor of Elections, 119 W. Kaley Street. BOARD MEMBERS: Jean Grafton, Victoria Laney, and Martha Lopez- Anderson. ALSO PRESENT: City Clerk Eikenberry, City Attorney Cookson, Supervisor of Elections Representative Daughtry, Supervisor of Elections Representative Melendez and Recording Clerk Sibbitt. ABSENT: None. OPEN ABSENTEE BALLOTS /PROCESSING THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS (through the tabulator) The opening of ballots and separating of the certificate (outer) envelopes from the secrecy envelopes as well as the processing of the ballots were handled by the SOE prior to the convening of the Canvassing Board. BRIEFING Supervisor of Elections Representative Melendez briefly explained the absentee ballots received as well as the questionable ballots that were separated and to be reviewed by the Canvassing Board. VOTE TO ACCEPT THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS ACCEPTED BY THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OFFICE City Clerk Eikenberry advised a motion would be required to accept the 969 absentee ballots that the Supervisor of Elections Office ( "SOE ") has reviewed and deemed acceptable. Canvassing Board Member Laney, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Grafton, moved to accept the 969 absentee ballots reviewed and deemed acceptable by the SOE. Motion carried unanimously. City Clerk Eikenberry announced that they received eleven (1 1) questionable absentee ballots for the Canvassing Board to review. REVIEW OF QUESTIONABLE BALLOTS City Clerk Eikenberry and SOE Representative Melendez gave a brief explanation as to why the following ballots were deemed questionable: Questionable Ballots #1 and #2: Robb Zurek and April Zurek — Same address; Robb Zurek's ballot was received in the certificate envelope for April Zurek. April Zurek's signature did not match name on file for that specific absentee ballot. Ocoee Canvassing Board October 27, 2015 Motion was unanimous to accept the ballot of Robb Zurek whose absentee ballot was found in the certificate envelope of April Zurek, who resides at the same address. Canvassing Board Member Lopez- Anderson, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Grafton, moved to reject the ballot of April Zurek due to signature not matching what is on file with the SOE. Motion carried 2 -1 with Canvassing Board Member Laney opposing. Questionable Ballot #3: M C Johnson - Signature did not match name on file for that specific absentee ballot. Canvassing Board Member Lopez- Anderson, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Grafton, moved to reject the ballot of M C Johnson due to signature not matching name on file for that specific absentee ballot. Motion carried unanimously. Questionable Ballot #4: Hilda Baerga - Signature did not match name on file for that specific absentee ballot. Canvassing Board Member Lopez- Anderson, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Laney, moved to reject the ballot of Hilda Baerga due to signature not matching name on file for that specific absentee ballot. Motion carried unanimously. Questionable Ballos #5, #6, and #7: Diderot Jean Baptiste, Cynthia Brennan, and Lyn Sewell Lawrence — No signature on certificate envelope. Canvassing Board Member Lopez- Anderson, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Laney, moved to reject the ballots of Diderot Jean Baptiste, Cynthia Brennan, and Lyn Sewell Lawrence due to no signatures on certificate envelopes. Motion carried unanimously. Questionable Ballot #8: Tyler Reed — Same person different addresses; no signature on certificate envelope for the first ballot received. The first absentee ballot sent to Mr. Reed was a military ballot. The SOE office received an update status that he was no longer military as well as a change in address so another absentee ballot was sent. Mr. Reed returned both absentee ballots; however, the military ballot was not signed but the subsequent ballot received was signed. Supervisor of Elections Representative Melendez advised that the law reads that the first ballot in would be the vote cast; however, the Canvassing Board could make the determining decision on whether to accept or reject a ballot. The Canvassing Board was briefed by the City Attorney. 2 Ocoee Canvassing Board October 27, 2015 Canvassing Board Member Laney, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Grafton, moved to reject the first ballot of Tyler Reed and accept the second ballot as his ballot cast. Motion carried unanimously. Questionable Ballos #9, #10, and #11: Dorothy Zappitelli, Joyce Price, and Marcel Williams — Signatures did not match signatures on file with the SOE Office. Canvassing Board Member Lopez- Anderson, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Grafton, moved to reject the ballot of Dorothy Zappitelli due to signature not matching what is on file with the SOE. Motion carried 2 -1 with Canvassing Board Member Laney opposing. Canvassing Board Member Lopez- Anderson, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Grafton, moved to reject the ballot of Joyce Price due to signature not matching what is on file with the SOE. Motion carried unanimously. Canvassing Board Member Grafton, seconded by Canvassing Board Member Lopez - Anderson, moved to reject the ballot of Marcel Williams due to signature not matching what is on file with the SOE. Motion carried unanimously. City Clerk Eikenberry advised she was just informed that they will not be conducting the manual audit of the ballots this evening since one provisional ballot was cast and the voter is allowed additional time to present his or her evidence supporting that they are eligible to vote. The Canvassing Board will reconvene on October 29 at 2:00 p.m. POST LOGIC AND ACCURACY TEST & ZERO TAPE SOE Representative Daughtry advised he ran the test tape and just needs it to be confirmed that the accuracy test and zero tape reads the same as the initial public test conducted on October 15th. He further confirmed with City Clerk Eikenberry that she had signed the test tap from October 15 SOE Representative Daughtry advised that the test tape she signed was placed in the box with the public testing so he will have her sign and confirm the accuracy test and zero tape on Thursday, October 29 when the Canvassing Board reconvenes for the audit of the ballots. PROVISIONALS SOE staff advised there was one provisional ballot therefore the Canvassing Board continued the Canvassing Board Meeting to Thursday, October 29, 2015, in accordance with F.S. 101.048(1), allowing the voter "the right to present written evidence supporting his or her eligibility to vote to the Supervisor of Elections by not later than 5 p.m. on the second day following the election." Provisional Ballots will be held unopened until the meeting is reconvened on October 29, 2015. If a voter is able to produce such evidence before October 29, 2015, at 5:00 p.m., the ballot must be 3 Ocoee Canvassing Board October 27, 2015 counted using the tabulator; they may NOT be hand counted. If both provisional ballots are such that they are not awaiting written evidence, they will be canvassed on October 29 and then the election will be certified prior to the Voting System Audit at 2:00 p.m. Adiournment The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. APPROVED City of Ocoee Rd .ikenberry, City Clerk 4