Pasco County Citizens Academy 2017 Origin of the

Pasco County Citizen’s Academy 2017

Origin of the SOE: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary…” -James Madison The Federalist Papers #51

Mandated per Article VIII, Section 1(d) Florida Constitution The Supervisor of Elections is the county's voter registrar and is responsible for conducting ALL elections in Pasco County. Supervisor of Voters and Elections… It’s about more than just Election Day!

Voter Registration Myth… We only work two times every two years

Supervisor of Elections

Office Locations and Employees • Locations: • East Pasco Gov’t Center • West Pasco Gov’t Center • Land O’Lakes Professional Ctr • Elections Support Center at BOCC Technology Center • Employees: • 22 full time employees • 50 part time employees • 1, 200 pollworkers (4 th largest employer during election cycle)

2016/2017 Budget Total Budget: $3, 194, 841 $410, 457 $89, 600 12% 3% $662, 198 19% Personnel Services Other Services and Charges Materials and Supplies $2, 398, 691 69% Capital

Voter Registration • Register voters • Provide current and historical voter registration statistics • Maintain voter registration records • Conduct file maintenance

Voter Registration • Pasco County Voter Registration Statistics as of March, 2017 Republican … 131, 206 Democrat …. . 107, 241 Others ………. 98, 995 Total ………… 337, 442 Over 81% of Voting Age Population registered per the 2013 Census Demographics

Voter Education and Outreach • Conduct voter registration drives • Encourage voters to register and keep info up-to-date • Public events, schools and libraries • Community organizations • Jury pool presentation • Conduct educational programs for all grade levels

Election Administration Administer ALL elections in Pasco County • Local Candidates • Qualify and provide support • Receive campaign contributions and expenditures reports • Provide Local Candidate Information to the public • Accept local Financial Disclosure Filings

2017/2018 Elections Election Book Closing Date Election Date Municipal 3/13/2017 4/11/2017 Municipal 3/12/2018 4/10/2018 Primary 7/30/2018 8/28/2018 General 10/8/2018 11/6/2018

Voting Options … • Election Day • Vote By Mail • Early Voting

Voting Statistics by Type 2016 General 2004 General Total Votes 191, 909 Total Votes 244, 950 Vote-by-Mail 34, 799 Vote-by-Mail 68, 178 Early Voting 29, 584 Early Voting 76, 630 Election Day 127, 526 Election Day 99, 899 Election patterns are shifting!

Election Administration • Vote-by-Mail Ballots • Accept and process requests • Receive, verify and canvass ballots • Provide sample ballots prior to each election • Maintain precinct and district boundaries

Election Administration • Mail ballots are mailed to domestic voters 35 days prior to an election • In 2018 … July 24 and October 2 • UOCAVA 45 days out from the election • July 14 and September 22

Election Administration • EVERY mail ballot returned with proper certification IS counted … whether a close election or not! • In fact, early voting and mail ballot results are the first to be released election night … after polls close

Election Administration • Recruit and train pollworkers • Maintain convenient and accessible polling places • Verify signatures for petitions • Manage and secure voting equipment

Pollworkers About 1, 200 pollworkers are trained for each major election • On-line training • Live classroom training

Pollworkers There are seven pollworker positions in each polling place: Precinct Supervisor • responsible for all activity at a polling place Voting System Specialist • responsible for the voting equipment at the polling place Attendant • responsible for attending the DS 200 and assisting the VSS

Pollworkers EVi. D Specialist • responsible for assisting voters at the help desk and making changes to voter records as needed EVi. D Operator • responsible for verifying voter eligibility and issuing voting passes Ballot Distributor • responsible for collecting voting passes and issuing a paper ballot to all eligible voters Poll Deputy • maintains law and order outside the polling place and assists voters as needed

Early Voting Sites 8 Early Voting Sites • Hudson Library • South Holiday Library • Land O’Lakes Library • New River Library • Regency Park Library • New Port Richey Gov’t Center • East Pasco Gov’t Center • Quail Hollow Country Club in Wesley Chapel Hope to add 3 more for 2018 and forward

Early Voting Dates Early Voting in 2018 Primary – August 18 – August 25 General - October 27 – November 5

Polling Places 112 precincts • 108 physical polling locations In 2012, there were 154 precincts in 129 locations. Redistricting allowed for consolidation saving tax payers money.

Equipment Preparation Per Florida Law, ALL equipment must be tested and prepared for deployment to the polling place 200 DS 200 ballot tabulators 380 EVi. D electronic precinct registers 135 Express Vote ADA compliant units

Equipment Preparation 3 DS 850 ballot tabulators 2, 400 Privacy booths

Supply Preparation All supplies used on Election Day must be packed and verified prior to delivery to polling places

Petitions • Initiative petitions • Constitutional amendment ballot placement • Certified 86, 541 petitions in 2016 • Candidate petitions – certified 38, 844 in 2016 • Candidates qualify by paying a filing fee or collecting a predetermined number of petitions. Each petition is manually verified against the voter’s record.

Candidates Types of candidates • Federal • State • Multi-County • Judicial • County • Special Districts • Misc (HOA, USEP) election support

Local Candidates Each county candidate is trained by SOE staff on campaign laws and contribution and expenditure reporting

Post Election Day duties • Return of supplies from polling places • Return of Election Day equipment • Reconciliation of voting history • Receive and research provisional ballots • Canvassing Board obligations • Post Election audit

Partnerships • Clerk of Court • Jury pool presentation • Felon data • Non-citizens via jury notices • Property Appraiser • New Pasco residents • IT functions and equipment • Tax Collector • Motor Voter/training • BOCC • Staff for delivery and pick up of equipment

Election Related Legislative update for 2017 • Online Voter Registration (OVR) • “Curing” of mismatched signatures on VBM ballots • Join Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) • Secretary of State to elected position • Exemption for 16 -17 years olds who pre-register