Nov 20, 2025 Elections Commission

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE'LL TAKE UP AGENDA

[II. Approval of meeting minutes from February 12-13, 2025 meeting]

ITEM NUMBER TWO.

APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 12TH, 13TH, 2025 MEETING.

AS YOU RECALL, WE RECESSED ON THE 12TH, RECONVENED ON THE 13TH IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? AYE.

LUCY LEONARD CLARK.

MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? MOTION BY MS. ADOMIC CLARK.

SECOND BY MS. C***S.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SIGNAL BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? MOTION CARRIES.

LET ME TAKE A LITTLE SPECIAL SHOUT OUT MR. EY TO SAY THANK YOU TO JERRY RESPONDENT AND THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR'S OFFICE FOR BEING OUR DILIGENT MINUTES KEEPER.

[III. Public comment]

WE WILL NOW BEGIN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING WITH ITEM THREE EACH.

THESE ARE THE RULES.

EACH INDIVIDUAL SIGNED UP TO SPEAK WILL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE ELECTION COMMISSION.

MR. NOAH, ARE YOU GONNA BE OUR TIMEKEEPER TONIGHT? ALRIGHT.

UH, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING AS A GROUP, UP TO TWO PEOPLE CAN LEND THEIR TIME TO A THIRD FOR A TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES.

SO AT THIS TIME, I HAVE AUDREY FISHER.

YOU MAY STEP FORWARD.

GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, AS AN ELECTION JUDGE, I FELT THAT, UH, THE ELECTION PEOPLE HERE SHOULD HEAR FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO RAN AN ELECTION.

UM, THE PROBLEM FOR ME STARTED

[00:05:01]

IS THAT WE RECEIVED NO, UH, IN PAPER WRITING DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO DO ANYTHING.

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM SOME PEOPLE RAN INTO WAS THAT WE WERE TOLD THREE STEPS IN ORDER TO GET THE PUL PET UP AND WORKING, BUT IT WAS NEVER IN WRITING.

SO IF YOU WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION, THAT WAS LOST TO YOU.

UM, WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY ELECTION GUIDANCE ON MACHINES UNTIL, UH, THE DAY THAT WE PICKED UP OUR PACS, WHICH WAS SATURDAY.

UM, AND SO THAT WAS A PROBLEM FOR MOST ELECTION JUDGES WHO WERE MANIC ABOUT MAKING SURE THEY KNOW ALL THE STEPS.

CURBSIDE PROCESS DID NOT WORK.

UM, AS MUCH AS EVERYBODY THOUGHT IT WAS COOL THAT IT WOULD NOT TALK TO THE, THE MAIN MACHINES.

SO WE WERE FORCED TO DO WHAT WE ALWAYS DO.

WE WALKED OUT AND POLICE SAID, GIMME YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE.

WALK BACK IN, CHECK THEM IN.

PUT THE, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE ELECTION MACHINE IS KIND OF BULKY AND IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND YOU'VE HAD A STROKE ON THIS HAND, UH, VOTING, UH, WAS VERY PROBLEMATIC.

AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL LOOK AT.

UM, AGAIN.

UM, SO BECAUSE ONE, IT DIDN'T WORK, AND TWO, THE IT PERSON SAID, DO IT BOTH WAYS.

ANYWAY, SO WE ARE DOING DUPLICATE WORK FOR ZERO REASON BECAUSE WE, THAT'S OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE VOTE.

AT THE CLOSING OF THE ELECTION NIGHT.

UH, WE HAD A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS. AGAIN, NO GUIDANCE IF PEOPLE ARE NEW TO THE PROCESS, THEY DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW PART OF THE MANUAL OVER THEIR WORK AND THE OTHER PART DIDN'T TALK TO IT AT ALL.

SO THERE WAS SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE CLOSING.

UH, WHEN WE WENT TO, UM, PULL OUT THE, THE BALLOT BOX, WHICH WAS A UNIQUE STEP ALL IN IT OWN ITS OWN, UH, YOU COULDN'T REACH THE FLAPS.

THERE WERE NO DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO GET TO IT.

AND THEN SORT AFTER YOU SORT OF HAD SKINNY HANDS SO WE COULD REACH IN AND TURN IT, AND THEN WE HAD TO DO A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.

IT WAS PROBLEMATIC AND WE HAD HAD NO EXPERIENCE WITH IT, WHICH WAS THE BIGGER THING.

AND THAT JUST TAKES, BY THE END OF YOUR 14 HOURS, YOU REALLY DON'T WANNA HAVE TO MESS WITH STUFF.

UM, THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH WAIT LINES AND, UH, PART OF THAT CAN BE, UH, RESOLVED.

UH, IF EVERYBODY HAS LOTS OF SPARE TIME AND NORMALLY YOU DON'T.

AND I RECOMMEND THAT WE CHANGE THAT LISTING SO THAT IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND SAYS WHAT'S CLOSE, AND WE GIVE THEM THOSE AND I SAID, I DON'T WANNA GO TO THOSE.

YOU HAVE A LIST YOU CAN GIVE THEM.

THE LIST THAT WE CURRENTLY GET IS YOUR VOTE CENTER WITH FIVE LOCATIONS, AND WHERE DO WE PUT IT? WE PUT IT ON THE DOOR TO THE ELECTION BUILDING.

SO ESSENTIALLY YOU ARE ALMOST VOTING OR YOU'RE ALMOST CHECKING IN BY THE TIME YOU GET THERE.

AND THOSE REALLY LONG HOUR LONG WAITS, THOSE PEOPLE NEVER SEE THAT.

SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S AN ISSUE, UH, THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED, UM, THAT WAY.

AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE, I THINK, UH, REP, UH HMM.

UH, JUSTIN RODRIGUEZ CAME UP WITH A PLAN THAT HE USED ONE ELECTION SITE, AND I THINK THAT SOMEBODY SHOULD PROBABLY ASK HIM IF WE COULD LEARN THAT.

UM, E EXCUSE ME, MS. FISHER, THAT THAT'S THREE MINUTES.

COULD YOU PLEASE ARRIVE TO THAT CONCLUSION? THANK YOU.

DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A CLOSING STATEMENT? IF YOU'D LIKE TO? MY CLOSING STATEMENT IS THAT, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO OFFER A JUDGE'S PURVIEW AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE NEW EQUIPMENT BECAUSE WE HAD A LOW TURNOUT.

THANK YOU, AUDREY.

PETE, BURNELL, JUDGE.

YEP.

UH, I HAVE A QUESTION.

SO I, LARRY, I KNOW THE FORMAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT HERE BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE DISCUSSION AND UH, PRESENTATION, BUT I HAD A QUESTION FOR THE PERSON THAT SPOKE.

DO I NEED TO WAIT TILL WE GET TO ITEM FIVE, FOUR, AND SIX? OR CAN I ASK HER NOW? THIS IS REALLY PUBLIC COMMENT.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS.

UM, YOU CAN ASK ON THAT ITEM.

THIS IS FOR THEM TO, TO REALLY TALK TO YOU.

SO JUST WAIT FOR THAT ITEM.

YEAH.

WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE WAIT TILL THE DISCUSSION ITEM COMES UP ON THE AGENDA FOR PURPOSES OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

IN THAT CASE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE LADY THAT JUST SPOKE TO YOU STATE TILL WE GET TO ITEM FIVE.

'CAUSE I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, SIR.

SOUTHWEST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THE ONLY BEAIRD COUNTY THAT FORCES THEIR VOTERS TO CAST TWO SEPARATE BALLOTS, TWO SEPARATE POLLING LOCATIONS, AND UNDER DIFFERENT LOCATION AUTHORITIES THAT ARE ON THE VERY SAME DAY OF THE ELECTION.

MR. BURNELL.

UH, SIR, CAN I PRESENT THIS, UH, JUST A COPY FOR FYI.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BEAIRD COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION.

MY NAME IS PETE AL.

I'M THE MEMBER OF THE GI FORUM OF BEAIRD COUNTY.

TODAY I REQUEST A COMMISSION TO TAKE, UM, TO LOOK INTO SOME ACTIONS, UH, FOR PRACTICES OF SOUTHWEST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

[00:10:01]

AND INCLUDING EARLY VOTING BECAUSE SOUTHWEST ID ISD REFUSES TO HAVE JOINT ELECTIONS WITH BEXAR COUNTY OR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.

THOUSANDS OF VOTERS INSIDE THE DISTRICT MAY HAVE TO VOTE TWICE AT, AT THE COUNTY OR DIFFERENT CENTER, OR AGAIN, OWNING IT GOING TO DISTRICT POLLING SITE.

THE DUAL BALLOT SYSTEM HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED AND CONFIRMED BY MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT NEWS OUTLET.

CASE ACT 12.

WHY WAS SOUTHWEST I'S BORN NEED TO CAST TWO BALLOTS.

TEXAS PUBLIC RADIO UNUSUAL IS RESIDENTS VOTE TWICE AND EXPRESS NEWS CALLING SOUTHWEST SET UP UNNECESSARY OBSTACLES.

VOTING.

THIS IS NOT CONFUSION.

THIS IS NOT ACCIDENT.

THIS IS A PATTERN AND IT SUPPRESSES VOTER TURNOUT IN A HIGH POVERTY DISTRICT.

AREAS WHERE TRANSPORTATION AND TIME, UH, FOR REAL BARRIER, REAL BARRIERS ARE CONSIDERED.

TEXAS LAW IS CON IS CLEAR.

UNDER THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE 1 1 0 5 8 1, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO HOLD JOINT ELECTIONS WITH THE COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

SOUTHWEST ID SITS ENTIRELY IN BEAR COUNTY, ENTIRELY IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, YET IT CHOOSES TO GO WITH CITY OF LIDO, A TINY LITTLE OVERLAPPING MUNICIPALITY SO THEY CAN DO A JOINT ELECTION WITH THEM.

THIS IS A LOOP HOPE IN BAD FAITH.

IT'S DESIGNED TO KEEP ELECTIONS SMALL AND OBSCURE AND DIFFICULT TO ACCESS.

THIS IS WHAT IS TROUBLING WHEN THE PUBLIC STATEMENT MADE BY SOUTHWEST ISD BOARD PRESIDENT DURING THE CASE AT 12 INTERVAL, HE DEFENDS THE SYSTEM BY SAYING, IF SALVAGE JOINT ELECTION, UH, CITYWIDE UNINFORMED PEOPLE WILL VOTE FOR THE WRONG PEOPLE.

THE MEMBERS OF THAT STATEMENT REVEALS EVERYTHING THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD HAS ADMITTED TODAY.

HE DOES NOT WANT BROADER TURNOUT.

HE DOESN'T WANT SAN ANTONIO VOTERS WHO LIVE WORK PAY TAXES AND SEND CHILDREN TO SOUTHWEST ID THIS PARTICIPATES IN FULLY SOUTHWEST ELECTIONS.

HE BELIEVES THAT MORE PARTICIPANTS PRODUCES WRONG VOTERS AND WRONG OUTCOMES.

THIS IS NOT AN ELECTION ADMINISTRATION, THIS IS A VOTER SUPPRESSION TODAY.

I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COMMISSION TO LOOK INTO THIS AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PREPARED ANY EXHIBIT, UM, ANY FREE ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS TO DO SO.

THANK YOU MR. BURNAM.

UH, THE NEXT PERSON IS, IS IT ELISA BORA.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME'S ELISA BORA AND I'M A VOTER REGISTRATION, UH, PROCESSOR AT THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

I REALLY JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.

I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR HIRING MICHELLE CARUS, OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

UM, SHE, UH, HAS A VISION.

HER VISION INCLUDES PROVIDING THE BEST, UH, SYSTEMS FOR US TO DO OUR JOB ACCURATELY.

UH, SHE'S ENCOURAGING US TO, UH, GET CERTIFIED IN ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION.

SO WITH THAT, SHE'S LIFTING US UP TO BETTER OUR DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR DEPARTMENT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU 'CAUSE YOU GUYS GOT IT RIGHT.

YOU HIRED THE RIGHT PERSON FOR OUR DEPARTMENT AND I'M EXCITED AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHERE HER VISION TAKES US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK THANK YOU.

UH, ELIZABETH GARCIA EZ.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME'S ELIZABETH GARCIA EZ AND I WORKED AS A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE FOR THE BEXAR COUNTY ELECTIONS BACK IN 2021, BUT HAD TO LEAVE MY POSITION TO CARE FOR MY HUSBAND AS HE WENT THROUGH CHEMO TREATMENTS.

SO THEREAFTER, I WAS VERY EXCITED WHEN I GOT CALLED TO HELP, UH, WITH THE ELECTIONS, EVEN IF IT WAS ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, WHICH IS WHAT I'M DOING NOW.

I'M WORKING TEMPORARILY.

UH, YOU SEE, THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH ARE A VERY SPECIAL GROUP, UNLIKE ANY I'VE BEEN A PART OF BEFORE.

THE LEVEL OF COLLABORATION, SHARED DEDICATION AND THE WAY THIS TEAM CONSISTENTLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR THE BEXAR COUNTY COMMUNITY IS INSPIRING.

AND SPEAKING OF BEING INSPIRED IN THE SHORT TIME THAT I'VE KNOWN MICHELLE, UM, EVERY DAY, I'M INSPIRED BY MS. CAR'S QUALITIES OF BEING A GREAT BOSS.

UH, SHE'S AN EXCELLENT COMMUNICATOR.

SHE LISTENS, SHOWS RESPECT, UM, AND EMPATHY.

EMPOWERS ENCOURAGES US, IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, HONEST, AND TRANSPARENT, AND SETS GOALS AND THEN TURNS THEM INTO ACTION AND GETS THEM ACCOMPLISHED.

ONE EXAMPLE IS THE NEW ELECTION NIGHT REPORTING SYSTEM, WHICH OFFERS THE CONVENIENCE OF DOWNLOADING REPORTS DIRECTLY FROM THE WEBSITE.

AND SO FOR ALL THESE REASONS AND MORE, I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO WORK UNDER HER LEADERSHIP.

GONNA GO TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION RELATED TO THE AFTER ACTION

I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP.

IS ANYBODY HERE THAT THOUGHT THEY SIGNED UP WAITING FOR ME TO CALL THEM? ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON.

WE'RE

[IV. Discussion and presentation related to an after-action report on the 2025 Joint Constitutional Amendment, General, Special and Bond Election]

[00:15:01]

REPORT ON THE 2025 JOINT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, GENERAL SPECIAL AND BOND ELECTION.

UH, I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, MICHELLE CAR, TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION.

GOOD EVENING JUDGE AND COMMISSION BEFORE YOU TODAY.

I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION TO TALK ABOUT THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO JUMP RIGHT IN AND ADD WHERE I NEED TO.

AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION.

YES, SIR.

FOR EACH OF THE PRESENTATIONS YOU'RE MAKING.

SO FOR THE TWO THOU, THE NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025 ELECTION, WE HAD 1,286,826 REGISTERED VOTERS THAT WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE FOR THIS ELECTION.

UM, OF COURSE, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE, OUR EARLY VOTING NUMBERS BROUGHT IN THE MOST VOTERS, WHICH WAS 57.4%.

ELECTION DAY BROUGHT IN ROUGHLY 40%, AND THEN OUR BY MAIL BALLOTS WAS 2.5%.

OVERALL, WE HAD A 19.4% TURNOUT, WHICH WAS PHENOMENAL.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS FROM THE PAST, AND I, I PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION ONLINE, WHICH I DIDN'T PUT IN THE THIS AS IT WAS REPETITIVE.

THE NUMBERS HAVE SLOWLY GROWN WITH VOTER TURNOUT.

AND THIS, THIS ONE, UH, PROVED TO BE NO DIFFERENT TOTAL.

IN BEXAR COUNTY, WE HAD 248,840 VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOTS.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS CHART, BETWEEN 2019 AND 2025.

THE NUMBERS HAVE GROWN IN 2023.

IT WAS A LARGE TURNOUT HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY, BUT 2025 SURPASSED THOSE NUMBERS BY THE SEVENTH DAY OF EARLY VOTING.

SO WE HAD THE SECOND WEEK OF EARLY VOTING WAS JUST ICING ON THE CAKE.

AND OF COURSE, ELECTION DAY PROVED TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH JUST SOME INFORMATION, TURNOUT HAS INCREASED A SMALL PERCENT OVER TIME.

BUT OUR GOAL WITHIN THE OFFICE IS TO INCREASE IT EVEN MORE BY EVERY ELECTION NOW, HOUR BY HOUR.

ON ELECTION DAY, IT WAS VERY EXCITING.

IN OUR OFFICE, WE WERE AVERAGING, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL THOUSAND VOTERS IN EVERY HOUR AS WE LED UP TO ELECTION DAY, EVEN TO AFTER SEVEN O'CLOCK.

SO AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, WE HAD OVER 3,200 VOTERS IN LINE WHO WAITED TO CAST THEIR BALLOT.

THE LAST BALLOT CAST THAT EVENING WAS AT 8 52.

IN TOTAL ON ELECTION DAY, WE WERE RIGHT UNDER A HUNDRED THOUSAND VOTERS.

WE WERE AT 99,957 VOTERS.

SO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT PLANNING THIS ELECTION, WE DO HAVE VOTE CENTERS THAT WERE PASSED FOR BEXAR COUNTY BACK IN 2019.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OBSTACLES THAT WE MET GOING INTO THIS ELECTION.

ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE, WE SHOULD HAVE 388 VOTE CENTERS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE VOTE CENTER COMPATIBILITY, WHICH WAS PUT FORTH BY THE STATE.

THESE OBSTACLES THAT WE SAW, WHICH ONLY ALLOWED US TO HAVE 285 LOCATIONS OR SCHOOL CLOSURES FROM NORTHEAST ISD, HARLANDALE, ISD, AND CO MALL, ISD, THEY WERE DEEMED UNAVAILABLE, EITHER NOT OPEN FOR PUBLIC USE OR PROVIDING OTHER REASONS TO DECLINE THE SERVICE AS A POLLING LOCATION.

SOME LOCATIONS DID HAVE CONSTRUCTION, SO THE CONSTRUCTION WAS ANOTHER OBSTACLE THAT WE FACED, RIGHT? THEY WERE ALL IN UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE BUILDING THAT REQUIRED THAT WE, THAT WE HAD TO CLOSE THAT LOCATION.

OTHER LOCATIONS JUST SAID NO, THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION OTHER THAN NO.

AND THEN OF COURSE, RENOVATIONS ALSO GOES IN WITH CONSTRUCTIONS, WHETHER IT BE IN A, UM, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE BUILDING.

THOSE WERE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE DID FACE.

AND ALSO THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW LEADING INTO THE PRIMARY.

BUT WE'LL TOUCH MORE ON THAT WHEN WE TALK MORE ABOUT NEXT STEPS, EARLY VOTING RESULTS.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WANTED TO TALK ABOUT.

AND ON AN IDEAL ELECTION, EARLY VOTING RESULTS ARE RELEASED AT 7:00 PM TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION OUT.

I DID REACH OUT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE THAT EVENING BECAUSE I WAS RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS FROM OUR POLLING LOCATIONS THAT THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN LINE AT MANY LOCATIONS.

SO I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO CHRISTINA ATKINS, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF, CAN YOU SLOW DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT? SORRY.

MY HEART'S BEATING .

UM, I SPOKE WITH CHRISTINA ATKINS.

SHE IS THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS AT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.

I EXPLAINED TO HER THE SITUATION THAT WE HAD THAT EVENING, AND SHE PROVIDED TO ME THESE TWO PROVISIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT ME FROM RELEASING THE NUMBERS AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.

I ALSO SPOKE WITH HER AGAIN TODAY JUST TO SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE USED THESE PROVISIONS.

AND TRAVIS COUNTY AS WELL DID NOT RELEASE THE NUMBERS AT SEVEN O'CLOCK DUE TO THE FACT

[00:20:01]

THAT VOTERS WERE STILL IN LINE AND THAT IT COULD CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF AN ELECTION.

SO TO PROVIDE THE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND IN LINE AND MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS RATHER THAN SEE EARLY VOTING NUMBERS AND POSSIBLY EITHER CHANGE THEIR MIND AND NOT VOTE OR CHANGE THE WAY THEY WERE VOTING.

SO I FOUND THAT IT WAS THE BEST FOR BEXAR COUNTY IN GENERAL, AND I WAS ABLE TO HOLD OFF UNTIL THE LAST 20 MINUTES THAT THERE WERE FEWER PEOPLE IN LINE.

AND I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, THAT'S NOT HOW IT WAS DONE IN BEXAR COUNTY, THAT IT WAS ALWAYS RELEASED AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, BUT I FELT THAT IT WAS WHAT WAS BEST FOR ALL BEXAR COUNTY VOTERS TO BE FAIR AND TRANSPARENT AND ALLOW THEM TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS WITHOUT BEING SWAYED.

ANYWAY, SO THESE PROVISIONS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

I DO HAVE THEM IN PRINT SHOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO HAVE A COPY OF IT.

SO, MOVING FORWARD, THERE WAS A SENATE BILL THAT WAS JUST PASSED IN THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH WAS SENATE BILL 27 53, WHICH REQUIRES ELECTION DAY RESULTS AND EARLY VOTING RESULTS TO BE REPORTED AS A SINGLE SET OF EITHER IN-PERSON VOTING, WHICH MEANS THAT BETWEEN 2026 AND 2027, BEXAR COUNTY HAS TO MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHEN THEY WANNA IMPLEMENT THIS, MEANING THAT NUMBERS WILL NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL EVERYTHING IS 100% REPORTED.

SO I WANTED TO BRING THIS FORWARD BECAUSE WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE PRIMARY, THIS IS THE PARTY'S ELECTION, AND I WOULD JUST WANTED TO GET INSIGHT FROM THE ELECTION COMMISSION, WHICH OF COURSE HAS THE PARTY CHAIRS TO DISCUSS HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE 2026 ELECTION, WHETHER THEY WANT TO IMPLEMENT THIS NOW OR WAIT UNTIL 2027.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING THIS FORWARD JUST FOR CONVERSATION AND TO FEEL, TO GET A FEEL FOR WHERE THE PARTIES WOULD LIKE TO BE IN 2026.

SO I UNDER I UNDERSTAND YOUR, UM, THE REASON WHY YOU WITHHELD THE, THE EARLY VOTE COUNT FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, AND I THINK THAT THAT, THAT DOES MAKE SENSE, UH, ASSUMING THAT THE PRIMARY, UM, DOES NOT HAVE LONG LINES AT 7:00 PM I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE PAST, WHICH IS RELEASE EARLY VOTE AT 7:00 PM BUT I I DO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HELD THEM THIS TIME.

UNDERSTOOD.

EXCUSE ME, JUDGE, ARE WE, ARE WE, ARE WE ASKING QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? LET'S SEE.

MICHELLE, HAVE YOU CONCLUDED YOUR PRESENTATION ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR? NO, BECAUSE, OKAY, CONTINUE.

AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK ACROSS A PORTION THAT LED UP TO THE NOVEMBER 4TH ELECTION.

DID HAVE TO DO WITH OUR VOTER REGISTRATION BACKLOG AND THE INTEGRATION INTO TEAM.

SO JUST SO THAT IT'S MADE PUBLIC, THIS WAS NOT AN ERROR THAT IF THAT ANYONE IN BEXAR COUNTY OR ANYONE AT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE PLAYED A HAND IN, WHEN IT CAME TO THE BACKLOG OF VOTER REGISTRATION, IT WAS DUE TO THE UNTIMELY CLOSING OF THE THIRD PARTY VENDOR THAT WE USED.

AND WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE IMPLEMENT TEAM FOR US DURING THE CANVASSING.

IT WAS MENTIONED THAT TEAM GOT US THROUGH THE ELECTION AND SOMETHING I WANNA SAY TO MAKE A CLEAR STATEMENT, TEAM DID NOT GET US THROUGH THE BACKLOG, THE VOTER REGISTRATION WORKERS.

AND EVERYBODY IN MY OFFICE, ALONG WITH THE ATTEMPTS ARE THE, WHO GOT US THROUGH THE ELECTION.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT ANY CLOUDINESS IN THAT STATEMENT.

IN OUR OFFICE, THERE WERE 14 NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED A TOTAL OF 1,353 AND A HALF OVERTIME HOURS.

WE DID HAVE TEMPS COME IN.

WE HAD 68 TEMPS THAT WORKED ALMOST 5,900 HOURS.

AND THE COST TO THE COUNTY FOR THE TEMPS WAS $156,467 AND 87 CENTS.

SO THAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYERS.

AND, UM, THAT IS MY LAST SLIDE.

SO WE'LL NOW OPEN UP TO QUESTIONS.

MS. C***S, UH, THANK YOU JUDGE, AND THANK YOU MICHELLE, UH, FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

JUST ONE, A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS OKAY.

AS TO WHAT YOU PRESENTED HERE.

SO WITH THE NOVEMBER, UM, UH, EARLY VOTING, AND OF COURSE WE WERE ALL ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THOSE RESULTS TO COME OUT AND UNDERSTAND YOUR EXPLANATION.

I DO.

I THINK THE TAKE THAT I'M GONNA HAVE FOR YOU, THOUGH, IS IN THE ELECTIONS AFTER THAT, WHICH I KNOW WE'LL DISCUSS.

WOULDN'T BE WAITING FOR THESE RESULTS? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EVEN PREDICT OR THAT WE CAN NOW WITH FUTURE ELECTIONS, YOU KNOW, THOSE SITES, CAN THAT BE CORRECTED OR PLANNED FOR? ABSOLUTELY.

UM, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE THE LINES OF THOSE PARTICULAR SITES, TO ME THAT'S THE ISSUE HERE.

NOT YOUR POSTING.

I MEAN, DID WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN THOSE LOCATIONS TO PROCESS THOSE PEOPLE QUICKLY, THOSE SITES SO THAT WE

[00:25:01]

SO WE PROVIDED EXTRA CHECK-IN STATIONS AT EVERY ONE OF OUR POLLING LOCATIONS.

THOSE THAT WERE BUSIER HAD UP TO FOUR CHECK-IN STATIONS.

AND AS WE SAW THAT THEY HAD ADDITIONAL, LIKE, INFLUX OF VOTERS, WE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL VOTING EQUIPMENT TO THEM.

SO THE, THE REASON BEHIND THE LONG LINES HAD MORE TO DO WITH THE LENGTH OF THE BALLOT.

THERE WERE THE 17 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, OF COURSE, THAT ARE NOT, IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, THEY'RE IN LEGAL EASE.

AND A LOT OF VOTERS DID NOT STUDY THEIR BALLOT BEFORE THEY CAME IN.

SO IT WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR THEM TO SEE IT.

SO, CAN WE DO BETTER? YES.

AND WILL WE DO BETTER? YES.

OUR TEAM HAS ALREADY MET AND WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT ALL LOCATIONS THAT ARE KNOWN TO BE THE BUSIEST RECEIVE THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED.

AND JUDGE, ONE MORE IF YOU DON'T MIND A FOLLOW UP FOR MM-HMM .

WHICH IS GREAT TO HEAR.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

BUT ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING IS, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME ON THIS, OKAY.

IS THAT I KNOW THAT WE WERE WATCHING HOW MANY CLERKS WE HAD PER LOCATION.

SO IT MAKES ME A LITTLE NERVOUS WHEN WE HAVE THESE LARGE POLLING SITES.

UM, AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE TWO PEOPLE OUT TO DO THE CURBSIDE VOTING, RIGHT? YES.

WHICH LEAVES YOU UP WITH TWO PEOPLE INSIDE.

SO OF COURSE THAT'S GONNA DELAY SOME OF YOUR LINES AS WELL, I MEAN, FOR A 20 MINUTE PERIOD NORMALLY.

SO ARE WE CONSIDERING, LIKE, UPPING THE, THE CLERKS IN THOSE LARGER LOCATIONS, OR DO THEY ALREADY, OR WAS THAT JUST AN ANOMALY IN A FEW OF THESE SITES? I MEAN, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT? I BELIEVE IT WAS AN ANOMALY TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THE MESSAGE THAT I'VE GIVEN TO THE CLERKS WHENEVER I'VE SPOKEN TO THEM IS IF THEY NEED PEOPLE, THEY SHOULD HIRE PEOPLE.

AND IN THE PAST THEY WERE LIMITED ON THE NUMBER THAT THEY COULD BRING IN.

MY MINDSET IS DIFFERENT.

IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY NEED ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.

GOOD TO KNOW.

'CAUSE I, I REALLY, I MEAN, I DIDN'T, WASN'T AWARE OF THAT OR MADE AWARE OF THAT.

BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WAS A, UH, I KNOW WE WERE WATCHING PAYROLL SURE.

WE'RE TRYING TO CONTROL THOSE COSTS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

AND THEN I, I DON'T JUDGE, JUDGE, I DON'T WANNA TAKE ALL THE TIME HERE, BUT I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS.

KEEP GOING.

I'M GONNA GRAB MY WATER REAL QUICK.

OH YEAH.

YES MA'AM.

YEAH, YOU GOT IT.

AND MICHELLE, DON'T LET ME, DON'T LET ME, YOU KNOW, INTERRUPT YOUR QUESTIONS AS WELL, MY FRIEND.

JUST A COUPLE OF ISSUES HERE THAT I WANNA ASK YOU ABOUT.

SO, UM, UH, TELL ME ABOUT, TELL ME ABOUT THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY, YOU KNOW, WHEN, AT THE END OF THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD AND ELECTION DAY.

WHAT TRANSPIRES WITH THAT? BECAUSE I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL JUDGES THAT THEY'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THAT WHEN, YOU KNOW, WITH THE DRIVE THROUGH, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'LL GET INTO AS WELL, THE DRIVE, THE, THE, THE, THE DROPPING OFF PROCESS AS WELL AS THE BALLOT SLASH CHIP.

VERSUS COMING IN AND HAVING TO WAIT AGAIN TO TURN IN THEIR EQUIPMENT AND THEIR, UH, VOTED BALLOTS, OF COURSE, THEIR PAPERWORK AS WELL.

UM, WHEN THAT'S RELEASED FROM THEM TO THE PERSON THAT'S RECEIVING THEM IN THAT LINE, I THINK THEY'RE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

NO ONE'S SIGNING OFF FOR ANYTHING AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH IT.

SO I KNOW THAT YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT TO US.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO OUR VENDOR IS ESNS.

THAT'S WHO WE USE FOR OUR VOTE SYSTEM.

IN THE PAST WE HAD WHAT WAS CALLED A REGIONAL SENDING SITE.

WELL, ESNS IS ABOUT TO ROLL OUT THE VVSG 2.0 SOFTWARE, WHICH NO LONGER SUPPORTS REGIONAL SENDING SITES.

SO WHEN I ACCEPTED THIS POSITION AND MET WITH THEM, THEY ADVISED ME OF THAT.

SO I DECIDED THIS YEAR WOULD BE THE BEST YEAR TO ROLL OUT DELIVERING THE BALLOTS TO OUR LOCATIONS SO THAT THE JUDGES AND ALTERNATES WOULD GET USED TO IT, YOU KNOW, BEING THAT IT'S AN OFF YEAR.

SO YES, IN MAY WE DID HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH TRAFFIC.

UM, THANKFULLY SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS HERE IN THE COUNTY MET WITH US AND WE PUT TOGETHER A PLAN TO WORK WITH THE EOC, WITH A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.

AND OF COURSE, UH, MY TEAM.

SO WE GOT TOGETHER, WE FIGURED OUT HOW WE COULD BEST UTILIZE OUR BACK HALF OF OUR PARKING LOT SO THAT WE COULD HAVE MULTIPLE DROPOFFS.

SO IN MAY WE HAD FOUR DROPOFFS, AND OF COURSE IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF FLAMBE.

THERE WAS TRAFFIC EVERYWHERE, AND IT WAS, IT WAS CHAOS.

BUT WE LEARNED TO DOUBLE WHAT WE HAVE.

SO WE NOW HAVE EIGHT DROP OFFS TO WHERE THE LINE SPLITS AND WE CAN BASICALLY PROCESS EIGHT CARS AT A TIME.

NOW, IN REGARDS TO THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY, EVERYONE THAT WORKS FOR US THAT EVENING HAS TO GO THROUGH THE SAME BACKGROUND CHECKS AS THE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE.

SO EVERYONE HAS TO PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK.

THEY ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THEIR OWN TRAINING, AND THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY.

SO BEING THAT THEY DO HAVE TO DELIVER THE VOTED BALLOTS TO OUR, UM, CENTRAL COUNTING STATION, THEY HAVE TWO OPTIONS.

THEY CAN DRIVE UP AND HAVE US UNLOAD IT FOR THEM, OR THEY CAN PULL IN, PARK THEIR CAR AND STAND IN LINE AND WALK IT UP TO OUR CENTRAL COUNTY, UH, TAB ROOM.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

BUT WE FELT THAT THE WORKERS AFTER WORKING 14 HOURS WOULD APPRECIATE HAVING A DRIVE THROUGH SERVICE

[00:30:01]

BUT OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO NEW WAYS AND INNOVATION TO MAKE THIS EASIER FOR THEM.

ANOTHER OBSTACLE THAT CAME WITH THAT WAS, AND I'LL, I'LL ADDRESS IT AGAIN LATER ON, BUT THE JUDGES WERE NOT AWARE OF THE, IN THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE THAT STATES THAT TWO PEOPLE MUST DELIVER THE EQUIPMENT BACK TO OUR LOCATION.

WELL, NATURALLY, IF THEY'RE COMING IN, THEY DON'T WANNA NECESSARILY COME IN THE SAME CARS OR THEY'RE HEADED OFF IN SEPARATE DIRECTIONS.

WE'VE ADDED A THIRD LANE.

SO IF SOMEONE'S THERE AS THE SECOND PERSON FOR THAT POLLING SITE, THEY CAN CHECK IN AT THAT THIRD LANE, LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE HERE AND BE LET GO.

BUT THE, THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE THAT I'M REFERRING TO IS SECTION 1 27 0.066.

AND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS, JUST, THIS IS SOMETHING I PASSED TO YOU, IT'S UNDER B IT SAYS THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND ELECTION CLERK, AND NOT MORE THAN TWO WATCHERS.

OH, HOLD ON.

I'M READING THAT ONE WRONG.

I APOLOGIZE.

UM, C AFTER THE BOX IS SEALED, IT SHALL BE DELIVERED TO THE CENTRAL COUNTY STATION BY TWO ELECTION OFFICERS.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE NOT AWARE OF THAT.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE IMPLEMENTED, AND OF COURSE IT DID CAUSE SOME BACKLOG, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, BASED ON THE INFORMATION FROM MY TEAM ON THIS NOVEMBER ELECTION, THEY HAD NO MORE THAN FIVE CARS IN THE LINE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE CHANGES, FINE TUNE IT AND GET THE WORKERS OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER.

BUT LIKE I SAID, IF THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, CHAIN OF CUSTODY AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING, THEY'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO FOLLOW THEM IN BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ENTIRE PROCESS SET UP.

IT COMES IN, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE WAREHOUSE WHO VERIFY THE INFORMATION, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE SEAL NUMBERS AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BALLOT BOX THAT'S SEALED IS THE NUMBER WE PROVIDED THEM WITH.

SO THERE'S SEVERAL STEPS THAT WE DO BEFORE IT EVEN MAKES ITS WAY INTO THE CENTRAL COUNTY STATION.

THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT EXPLANATION.

AND I MEAN, I MIGHT WANNA ADD, I I THINK FOR PEACE OF MIND THOUGH, FOR OUR JUDGES, JUST A SUGGESTION OKAY.

THAT THERE REALLY IS POSSIBLY A, A, A SIGN OFF SHEET OUTSIDE WHEN THEY ARE RELINQUISHING THE BALLOTS AND THE CHIP OR WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.

THAT THEY KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DROPPED IT OFF AND TO WHOM THEY DROPPED IT OFF AND, AND MAYBE AN EXTRA STEP.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM FEEL BETTER AS JUDGES, WHICH I CAN'T WAIT TO ASK AUDREY SOME MORE QUESTIONS.

UM, THAT WOULD, I THINK THAT MAY EASE SOME, UH, SOME FEELINGS HERE.

UM, UH, LET ME ASK YOU, WE JUST TOUCHED BASE ON OKAY, YOU MENTIONED THE FOUR CLERKS.

OR I DID TO YOU.

AND YOU SAID THAT THE, AT THE LARGER SITES, OUR, OUR, UH, JUDGES CAN OBVIOUSLY, I MEAN THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF TAKING CARE OF THEIR CLERKS AND HIRING THEIR CLERKS.

THERE'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH YOU LETTING THEM FOR HIRING ADDITIONAL CLERKS TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE BUSY SITES.

I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

SO WALK ME THROUGH, EXPLAIN TO ME PLEASE, I'M SURE IN THE PANEL AS WELL, TALK TO ME ABOUT THE NEW PORTAL SYSTEM THAT WAS SET UP THAT MAYBE WASN'T OPERATIONAL OR, OR DIDN'T DO EXACTLY WHAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME FOR THE POLL WORKER PORTAL? YEAH.

CORRECT.

SO WE HAVE INTEGRATED INTO A NEW SYSTEM THAT IS A POLL WORKER PORTAL, WHICH ALLOWS THE EACH PERSON THAT'S WORKING TO BE ABLE TO LOG IN AND DO MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS, WHETHER IT'S LOOKING AT THEIR SCHEDULE OF WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO WORK, THEY CAN CLOCK IN, THEY CAN CLOCK OUT, IT CAN SPEED UP PAYROLL.

BUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS THEIR, UM, WAS AN ISSUE WITH THEM RECEIVING THEIR EMAILS.

SO A LOT OF THE EMAILS WERE GOING TO JUNK FOLDERS.

SO THEY WOULD COME IN VERY FRUSTRATED.

MY TEAM WAS PREPARED TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS AND EVEN SIT DOWN AND ENROLL THEM SHOULD THEY NEED ASSISTANCE.

SO WE IMPLEMENTED THE SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE AND HAVE ALL OUR COMMUNICATIONS IN ONE PLACE.

SO SHOULD SOMEBODY LIKE A LIAISON OR EVEN THEIR MANAGER BE OUT OF THE OFFICE AND SOMEONE COME IN AND SAY THEY RECEIVED COMMUNICATION FROM THEM, WE CAN GO TO THAT PORTAL AND FIND THAT EXACT COMMUNICATION RATHER THAN BE LIKE, THEY'RE NOT HERE, WE CAN'T LOOK AT THEIR EMAIL.

NOW WE HAVE EVERYTHING ALL IN ONE PLACE.

SO IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT IT WASN'T FUNCTIONAL, IT'S JUST THAT THERE WAS SOME FRUSTRATION WITH OUR WORKERS HAVING TO GO IN AND CREATE A PRO, UH, ANOTHER PROFILE, ANOTHER PASSWORD.

AND IT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYONE IS OPEN TO BEING MORE TECH SAVVY AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE WERE JUST TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH EVERYONE WITH, WITH WITHOUT A, ANY TYPE OF OBSTACLE.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S JUST A MATTER OF LIKE RETRAINING AGAIN AND MAYBE GOING OVER THAT WITH ALL, ALL THE ABSOLUTELY.

THE TEAMS. OKAY, GREAT.

THIS PARTICULAR PORTAL EVEN GIVES US OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD TRAINING.

SO IF SOMEONE'S WANTING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW TO USE THE PORTAL, HOW TO USE THE PULL PADS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE CAN UPLOAD VIDEOS AND THEIR MANUALS TO THESE SITES TO WHERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATE THE PRINTING AND GIVE THEM SOMETHING OF THEIR OWN TO HAVE.

GREAT.

AND THEN, UM, UH, AUDREY MENTIONED, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS FANTASTIC ABOUT, UM, AND THANK YOU AUDREY, FOR BEING

[00:35:01]

A JUDGE FOR US.

WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED, UM, THAT THERE WERE JUST SOME, MAYBE SOME INFORMATIONAL THINGS LEFT OUT OF, OR THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT WOULD HELP ASSIST THEM TO MAKE THE PROCESS EASIER.

SO TALK TO ME ABOUT, UM, YOUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRAINING THAT WAS OFFERED PRIOR TO THESE ELECTIONS AND I MEAN EXACTLY HOW IT WENT.

SO WE HIRED TWO NEW TRAINERS WHO STARTED ON AUGUST THE FIRST.

AND THEIR VERY FIRST TRAINING WAS AT SECRETARY OF STATES CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN OR ROUND ROCK.

SO THEY CAME IN, THEY LEARNED EVERYTHING.

THEY SAT WITH EMPLOYEES WHO HAD BEEN THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 30 YEARS TO LEARN THE INS AND OUTS OF ELECTIONS.

THEY, ELECTIONS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU GO TO SCHOOL TO LEARN.

IT'S UH, IT'S SOMETHING YOU LEARN WHILE YOU DO IT.

SO THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS WERE ABLE TO COME IN AND TRAIN WORKERS.

THEY OFFERED OPEN HOUSES TO WHERE IT WAS LIKE A COMING GO.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, WE'LL SIT DOWN, WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO USE THESE PARTICULAR, UM, NEW DEVICES THAT WE HAD IN PLACE.

BUT WHERE WE DID FAIL, LIKE MS. FISHER MENTIONED, IS THAT WE DIDN'T PROVIDE THEM WITH USER GUIDES.

SO AFTER THE ELECTION, OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM SAT DOWN AND WE TALKED ABOUT COMPLAINTS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC AND EVEN FROM OUR WORKERS CONCERNS.

SO WE HAVE DEVISED A NEW, UM, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION, LIKE A USER GUIDE FOR THEM TO HAVE.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE A TRAFFIC LIGHT, RED, YELLOW, AND GREEN.

AND ONE OF THE TABS WILL BE FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT, WHAT TO OR BEGINNING OF THE DAY, WHAT TO EXPECT, HOW TO SET UP, HOW TO USE THE SYSTEM.

THE GREEN WILL BE, I'M SORRY, THE YELLOW WILL BE FOR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN THE TIME YOU OPEN AND THE TIME YOU CLOSE.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A TAB FOR CLOSING.

SO THE INFORMATION THAT WAS IN THE KITS THIS ELECTION, UNFORTUNATELY DID HAVE WRONG INFORMATION IN THERE, WHICH WE FOUND TO BE A PROBLEM.

BUT WE'VE ALREADY HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NEW SOLUTION.

SO OUR TRAINERS NOW HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS SINCE SELECTION DAY, CREATING THAT.

AND SO WE HAVE, THEY'RE WORKING WITH US AS MANAGERS TO ENSURE THAT THE INFORMATION WORKERS NEED THAT THEY HAVE.

ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE SAW WAS, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO TEACH, IF THEY'VE NEVER BEEN IN THAT SCENARIO, THEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE STRESS THAT OUR ELECTION WORKERS ARE UNDER.

SO I'VE IMPLEMENTED A PROGRAM WHERE EVERYBODY IN MY OFFICE HAS TO WORK DURING EARLY VOTING AT A POLL SITE.

AND THAT'S SO THAT THEY CAN GET FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY'RE CALLING THE OFFICE, WHAT THEIR FRUSTRATION IS AND MAYBE HAVE EXPERIENCED THEMSELF TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. AND, AND I'M SORRY, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRAINING WAS AT FREEDOM COLISEUM, RIGHT? ONE OF THE TRAINING SESSIONS, THE LARGER TRAINING SESSIONS WERE AT THE COLISEUM? YES.

AND WERE YOU ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AS WELL? I WAS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR, IT WAS BOTH TRAINERS AND THE MOST TENURED EMPLOYEE I HAD AT THE TIME WAS THERE.

DO YOU THINK JUST A FRIENDLY SUGGESTION.

AGAIN, I THINK MAYBE, I THINK THEY'D ALSO APPRECIATE YOU, YOU COMING TO A COUPLE OF THOSE TRAININGS JUST SO THEY GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER SURE.

AND KIND OF WHAT, WHAT YOUR STYLE IS ABOUT AS WELL.

SO, BUT I, I KNOW THE TRAINERS I'M SURE DID A GREAT JOB.

THERE WAS, I DON'T KNOW, THEY TOLD ME SOMETHING ABOUT THERE WAS A LOT OF DOUBLE ENTRIES OR WHERE SOMEBODY'S NAME CAME UP TWICE.

UM, UH, I THINK BEFORE WE GET TO YOUR NEXT SECTION ON THE AGENDA, UM, I, I, I THINK, UH, JUDGE, THAT'S REALLY IT FOR ME AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU MR. TOURISTIC.

MICHELLE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

UM, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, I'M SORRY I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

YOUR, ARE YOU ON MICRO? AH, OKAY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR, YOU KNOW, MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE FOR, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AND JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT OUR PURPOSE HERE TODAY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WAS CONDUCTED IN A PROPER AND ORDERLY MANNER.

BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IF NOT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IF THERE'S ANY STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN FOR THE MARCH PRIMARIES.

'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE A VERY, I GUESS, BITTER ELECTION TO PUT IT MILDLY.

BUT I THINK ALSO BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF THE DISTRICTS ARE GONNA BE REDRAWN OR NOT, IS EVERYTHING GONNA BE DELAYED? BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE HERE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS CONDUCTED IN A, IN A PROPER MANNER.

SO YOU AND I NOT REALLY TALKED SINCE WE HIRED YOU EXCEPT AT SOCIAL EVENTS AND YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT ONE OF THE, I GUESS THE MAIN COMPLAINTS THAT I GOT, AND THEY CALL ME AND MANY TIMES, AND I'VE NEVER CALLED YOU ABOUT 'EM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO HAVE THINGS THAT ARE, CAN BE SUBSTANTIATED.

BUT I THINK THE, THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT THAT WE GOT WAS THAT ON THE NEW EQUIPMENT, AND THIS MAY STILL BE BETTER FOR THE NEXT ONE, BUT ON THE NEW EQUIPMENT THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TRAINING, WHETHER IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE TRAINERS IN-HOUSE, WHATEVER THE CASE WAS.

AND THAT

[00:40:01]

THERE WAS PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN DIVORCED AND SAID, I HAVEN'T BEEN MARRIED TO THAT GUY FOR 20 YEARS.

WHY MY NAME'S THE LAUNDER AND YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.

TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

SO THE INFORMATION THAT WE USED ON OUR POLL PADS WAS PROVIDED TO US FROM THE TEAM SYSTEM, WHICH IS A SECRETARY OF STATE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM.

WE, WE DID SEE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH LIKE DOUBLE STREET NAMES.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LIVED ON NORTH MAIN STREET, IT WOULD BE LIKE 1, 2, 3 NORTH, NORTH MAIN STREET STREET.

AND IT WAS VERY CONFUSING TO OUR WORKERS AND IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE COULD GO IN AND FIX.

IT WAS A FIX THAT HAD TO HAPPEN THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.

SO THEY'VE RECEIVED OUR INFORMATION AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.

AND THE PREVIOUS NAME ALSO COMES FROM SECRETARY OF STATE.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT A VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION, IT ASKS FOR LAST NAME, FIRST NAME, MIDDLE NAME, AND AND PRIOR NAME OR FORMER NAME.

AND THAT INFORMATION, IF IT'S PROVIDED, IS KEYED INTO THE SYSTEM.

SO OUR OFFICIAL LIST OF REGISTERED VOTERS CAME FROM TEAM.

SO THE DATA THAT WAS THERE, OF COURSE I WOULD BE FRUSTRATED TOO IF THERE WAS A NAME THAT I HADN'T USED OR YOU KNOW, A BAD MEMORY OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY WORKING WITH THE STATE ON.

BUT WHATEVER THEY PROVIDE TO US IS WHAT WE HAVE TO USE.

WE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT OUR VENDOR, WE CAN'T MAKE A SUGGESTION TO THEM LIKE, HEY, CAN YOU REMOVE FORMER NAME? BECAUSE THEY GIVE IT TO US THE WAY THAT THEY GIVE IT TO US AND THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO USE IT.

BUT THE, THE STREET ISSUE WAS AN ISSUE THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEAM.

IT JUST ROLLED OUT IN THE SUMMERTIME.

AND THEN WHENEVER OUR THIRD PARTY VENDOR CLOSED THEIR DOORS, TEAM HAD TO, OUR SECRETARY OF STATE HAD TO THEN IMPLEMENT BETWEEN NINE AND 11 COUNTIES AT ONE TIME, WHICH WAS NOT A SMALL TASK.

SO WHENEVER THIS WAS GIVEN TO US, IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.

WE DID ADDRESS IT.

WE HAVE A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR WORKERS THROUGH THE, UM, THE POLL PAD ITSELF HAS A MESSAGING CAPABILITY FOR US TO SEND IT OVER.

SO ONCE IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, WE GAVE THEM INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE THE SITUATION.

THAT SAME ISSUE DID HAVE A, AN ISSUE WITH DOUBLE ENTRIES OF NAMES.

SO IF YOU LIVED ON NORTH MAIN STREET, BUT IT WAS IN THE SYSTEM AS IN PERIOD OR IN MAIN STREET OR NORTH SPELLED OUT, THEN IT WAS NOT BEING CONNECTED TO THE PROPER ADDRESS.

AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO FIND.

WHEN THEY CALLED US TO ASK US ABOUT IT, WE WERE ABLE TO ADVISE THEM ON WHICH ONE THAT THEY SHOULD USE TO LOG THAT THE VOTER WAS THERE.

SO THERE WERE SOME HICCUPS, BUT THE ACTUAL, THE DATA JUST CAME FROM THE TEAM SYSTEM AND UNTIL THEY FIX THOSE ERRORS, WE'RE BASICALLY AT THEIR MERCY.

SO WERE THESE FIXED INDIVIDUALLY OR, OR WAS THE, UH, ENTIRE SYSTEM FIXED SO THAT IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN IN MARCH OR, YOU KNOW, HOW'S THIS GONNA WORK IN MARCH? WELL, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE AT THE MERCY OF SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR SOFTWARE IS WORKING CORRECTLY.

I KNOW THAT THEY ASKED FOR FEEDBACK AFTER THE ELECTION.

AND BELIEVE ME, THE PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE ARE VERY OPINIONATED WHEN IT COMES TO VOTER REGISTRATION DATA.

AND THEY HAVE VOICED THEIR CONCERNS TO SECRETARY OF STATE AND THEY SEND IT TO THEIR DEVELOPERS AND THEN WE RECEIVE UPDATES AS THEY APPEAR.

BUT THEY COULD NOT MAKE THAT CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ELECTION.

SO ANYTIME THAT SOFTWARE IS PURCHASED BY THE COUNTY, IT IT COMES WITH TRAINING AS PART OF THE PACKAGE OF, OF THE PURCHASE.

UH, DO YOU FEEL THAT WE RECEIVED THE, THE PROPER AMOUNT OF TRAINING AND IS THERE STILL ANYTHING IN THE CONTRACT ON THE PURCHASE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO BRING THEM BACK FOR MORE TRAINING WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY ADDITIONAL MONIES? THIS WASN'T ACTUALLY A PURCHASE.

THIS SECRETARY OF STATE TEAM SERVICE IS A SERVICE THAT'S PROVIDED FOR FREE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE IN A, A BAD SITUATION AFTERWARDS AND THEY WERE WILLING TO TAKE US ON AND WE'RE GLAD THAT THEY DID BECAUSE WE WOULD'VE REALLY BEEN IN A BAD, EVEN WORSE PLACE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT TRAINING, WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH FOR THEM TO SEND A TRAINER TO OUR OFFICE AND SPEND THREE DAYS WITH OUR VOTER REGISTRATION TEAM.

WHAT ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS PURCHASED OR THAT HAS BEEN PURCHASED? THE PULL PAD? THE PULL PAD, THEY CAME AND TRAINED OUR STAFF AND THEN THEY PROVIDED, UM, ONSITE SUPPORT FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS OF EARLY VOTING.

AND ON ELECTION DAY, DO YOU THINK, DO YOU THINK THAT WAS SUFFICIENT OR SHOULD WE HAVE GOTTEN MORE? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE POLL PADS.

WHEN WE FIRST RECEIVED TRAINING FROM THEM, IT WAS BASED OFF OF THE OLD TEAM SYSTEM.

SO THEY TRAINED US BASED OFF THE OLD TEAM SYSTEM.

AND THEN WHEN THEY IMPLEMENTED IT, THERE WERE SOME CHANGES TO THE REPORTING AND TEAM THAT THE PROVIDER HAD TO GO IN AND MAKE CHANGES AND TOTALLY

[00:45:01]

REWRITE THE PROGRAM.

SO WHEN THE NEW, I'LL CALL IT 2.0 WHEN IT ROLLED OUT WITH NO IN, THERE WAS NO TIME FOR TRAINING.

WE HAD ALREADY TRAINED MORE THAN HALF OF OUR STAFF.

SO THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE LAPSE CAME IN IN TRAINING.

IT WASN'T THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TRAINING MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM, IT WAS THAT THE FIRST HALF RECEIVED TRAINING ON THE 1.0 VERSION AND THE SECOND HALF RECEIVED TRAINING ON THE 2.0 VERSION.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE IN ELECTIONS WHEN THINGS CHANGE, WHICH THEY CHANGE FAST, YOU HAVE TO PIVOT.

AND SO WE DID WITH WHAT WE COULD, WE OFFERED ADDITIONAL TRAININGS.

MY TRAINERS OFFERED MULTIPLE TRAININGS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.

THEY OFFERED LARGE TRAINING AT THE COLISEUM AND ALSO EVENING AND WEEKENDS.

SO IT WAS, IT'S NOT A MATTER IF I CAN BE HONEST WITH YOU OF WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ENOUGH TRAINING.

IT'S WHETHER OR NOT THE JUDGES AND CLERKS ARE WILLING TO COME TO TRAINING.

SO THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ALLEVIATED AND CORRECTED AND YES, SIR.

WILL NOT COME ABOUT AGAIN IN MARCH.

YES SIR.

ALRIGHT.

YOU'RE WELCOME, MS. ADAM CLARK.

WELL GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU JUDGE FOR CALLING THIS MEETING.

THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR ALSO COMING IN.

AND THANK YOU, UH, ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR FOR COMING HERE IN FRONT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT HERE TO SPEAK.

I AM VERY PROUD TO SEE BOCA NEGRA AND GOMEZ WHO CAME FORWARD TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NEW ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT FOLLOWING STATUTES, CERTIFICATIONS, INNOVATIONS.

I'M A BIG CLERK ABOUT INNOVATIONS, THE PUL PADS, UH, ACCREDITATIONS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOLLOWING STATUTES.

I'M A, A CLERK THAT FOLLOWS STATUTES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LEGALLY SUED BY ANYONE TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE COUNTY.

I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO MS. AUDREY FISHER.

YOUR CONCERNS AND YOUR ISSUES ARE VERY, VERY VALUABLE TO THE COUNTY.

AND IT'S A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA LEARN FROM THIS CONSIDERATION OF DISABLED COMMUNITY.

I HAVE SEEN THAT MYSELF IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION 'CAUSE I WAS OUT VOTING WITH SOME SENIORS AND SENIORS WERE HAVING A HARD TIME BEFORE MICHELLE CARU WITH THE CURB VOTING.

THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME WITH THE NEW ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR.

I HOPE THAT I'M ABLE TO WITNESS IN MY TIME A NEW SYSTEM, A NEW PROCESS, NEW TECHNOLOGY AND NEW WAYS TO OFFERING THAT BETTER SERVICE AT CURB BOATING.

SO IT HASN'T BEEN YOUR ISSUE.

IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE IN BEXAR COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME.

A PAPER INFORMATION.

WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT, MS. FISHER, YOU BROUGHT UP SOME ISSUES ABOUT THAT.

THEY HAVE TO GET ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE, TO THE DOOR TO SEE THE PAPER THERE.

I THINK WE NEED TO START INVESTING INTO EITHER GEO-FENCING OR SOME KIND OF PHONE DROPPING WHILE THEY'RE WAITING IN LINE.

'CAUSE I'VE BEEN IN LINE WAITING FOREVER AND I WAIT BECAUSE IT'S OUR RIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO PRICING AND COSTS OF OVERTIME.

I WANT TO THANK OUR ELECTION STAFF, OUR VOLUNTEERS, OUR CLERKS, OUR JUDGES.

THE COST IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHEN IT COMES TO DEMOCRACY, ELECTION RIGHTS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING TOO LONG TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

SO I WILL ALWAYS BE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE KNOW THAT IT'S VERY VALUABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE GETTING, UH, PAID FOR OVERTIME AND ALWAYS MAKING SURE WE STEP UP FOR YOU ALL.

I HOPE IN THE FUTURE YOU GET MORE STAFF BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS TWO POINT PLUS MILLION POPULATION.

WE'RE THE FOURTH LARGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

YOU'RE WORKING WITH 26 MUNICIPALITIES, UNINCORPORATED COUNTY AREA.

AND I ALSO WANNA GIVE CREDIT TO MR. BERNAL.

I HAVE SEEN THIS MYSELF AS BEING THE CLERK OF THE COUNTY IN 26 CITIES, THE DUAL BALLOT SYSTEM.

I HOPE WE COME OUT WITH A SYSTEM OR A BETTER PROCESS BECAUSE WE ALSO SHARE TRI COUNTIES.

WE HAVE KAMEL COUNTY, GUADALUPE COUNTY AND BEAR COUNTY THAT HAVE RESIDENTS INSURED, CIVIL OR UNIVERSAL CITY.

WE'RE SEEING ISSUES LIKE THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES THAT ARE HAVING ISSUES.

'CAUSE I HAD SOME VOTERS THAT APPROACHED ME IN CONVERSE, TEXAS.

AND THIS WASN'T AN ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR ISSUE.

THIS WAS BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING THAT SOME VOTERS WERE FROM THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.

'CAUSE I LIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED, WERE BROUGHT INTO A CITY AND WERE NOT ABLE TO VOTE FOR THE MAYOR IN THAT CITY.

SO GOING INTO THE 2020, UH, 2026 ELECTION, THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY OUR STATE, NOT OUR ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAME FROM THE STATE LEVEL AND THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR HAS TO FOLLOW PROTOCOL BECAUSE WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS FOLLOW STATUTES.

SO MR. BERNAL, I GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR ADVOCATING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE I'M SEEING IN IN ALL UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY, SUBURBAN AND URBAN CITIES.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MICHELLE, FOR BRINGING IN NEW SYSTEMS, NEW TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I ASKED FOR.

I ASKED FOR TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND BETTER PROCESSES.

I ALSO SAW

[00:50:01]

THE COUNTY, THE, UH, ELECTED ADMINISTRATOR STAFF DO BETTER SOCIAL MEDIA, COMMUNICATE COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

'CAUSE I SAW THEM MYSELF AT A UNIVERSITY.

WE ALSO WENT TO KIRBY AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY SUPPORTED BY THE COUNTY JUDGE WHO THE MAYOR JANEA FROM KIRBY BROUGHT IN ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, EVEN THE TAX ASSESSOR, MYSELF AND THE ELECTIONS, UH, STAFF.

SO I SAW YOU ALL THERE MOVING FORWARD.

I I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GUIDE AND I REALLY THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT USER GUIDES IN YOUR WORKERS' PORTAL TO ALLOW THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE STATUTES BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING AN OATH TO BE A JUDGE OR A CLERK.

I HAD TO DO IT IN MY OFFICE.

I HAD TO EDUCATE NOT ONLY MY STAFF, BUT ALSO THE CONSTITUENTS.

WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO? BECAUSE I FOLLOW STATUTES.

IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU WANNA DO IT, IT'S 'CAUSE WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO IT A CERTAIN WAY.

SO IT WOULDN'T HURT TO ALLOW YOUR JUDGES AND YOUR CLERKS TO UNDERSTAND THE STATUTE ALONG WITH YOU BECAUSE, NOT BECAUSE WE DO IT THIS WAY.

MY STAFF REALLY HAS INVESTED IN LEARNING THE STATUES, BUT ALSO OUR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHY WE DO IT.

OTHER THAN THAT, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT TEAMS AND YOUR STAFF WORK SO HARD ON THE BACKLOG.

THAT MEANT A LOT TO US, A LOT.

I EVEN CALLED YOU AND SAID, DO YOU NEED MY STAFF? DO YOU NEED ME TO SEND YOU PEOPLE? BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT BEAR COUNTY AS A WHOLE DID NOT FAIL BECAUSE WITH YOU FAILED, WE FAILED.

THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT.

THIS IS BEAR COUNTY STRONG AND IT'S NOT ABOUT THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR, IT'S ABOUT US REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T FAIL.

SO WE DON'T FAIL.

OTHER THAN THAT, I, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.

AND THANK YOU COMMUNITY FOR COMING FORWARD AND VOICING YOUR OPINIONS.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AND I HOPE THAT WE DON'T STOP, I HOPE WE CONTINUE ADVOCATING, BUT COMING TO THE TABLE WITH REASONS AND REASONS OF IMPROVEMENT INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING SO WE CAN FIND SOLUTIONS TO BETTER OUR GOVERNMENT MOVING FORWARD.

GO INTO EARLY VOTING IN THE PRIMARY TO ENSURE THAT THE DATA ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED? WE DO, WE DID GO THROUGH A, UH, LOGIC AND ACCURACY TEST ON OUR POLL BOOKS.

THANK YOU MS. LOS, I THANK YOU.

UH, THANK YOU TO AUDREY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ELECTION JUDGE.

I TELL YOU, ELECTION JUDGES ARE A NATIONAL TREASURE.

MM-HMM .

THAT IS A VERY, VERY LONG DAY.

I WAS AN ELECTION WORKER ONCE, UH, AND I, I TOTALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT ELECTION JUDGES AND ELECT ELECTION WORKERS DO.

UM, THEY MAKE OUR DEMOCRACY WORK.

MR. BERNAL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS TODAY AND REALLY TRYING TO FIGHT TO IMPROVE OUR DEMOCRACY.

AND AGAIN, THE COMMENTS THAT CAME FROM OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, YOU KNOW, I, I MENTIONED AT THE MY BEGINNING COMMENTS THAT YOU'VE LITERALLY HAD A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, RIGHT? UM, AND YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRETTY WELL, UH, MANAGE THROUGH THOSE.

UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS THE VO-TECH BANKRUPTCY OR, OR, UH, THE TEAM MIGRATION AND INTEGRATION.

UM, CLEARLY YOU HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE THROWN AT YOU.

UM, AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE HICCUPS WHEN THAT HAPPENS, UH, WHETHER IT'S TRAINING.

BUT I DO WANNA FOLLOW UP ON ONE ITEM THAT I, THAT I AM, UH, I CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.

I KNOW IT IS NOT IN YOUR PURVIEW, BUT I THINK TOGETHER WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND THAT IS A DATA ISSUE THAT MR. UH, ESTE BROUGHT UP, WHICH IS THE ISSUES WITH THE ADDRESSES AND THE DUPLICATE, UH, NAMES.

NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT.

UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE MET WITH YOU MONDAY, YOU, YOU CONFIRMED THAT THAT WAS THE REGISTRATION, THE VOTER REGISTRAR LIST THAT YOU GOT FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THAT YOU HAD TO USE IT.

SO MY QUESTIONS TO YOU ARE, UM, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLEANUP AND WHAT CAN YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN, ULTIMATELY FALLS ON THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS CLEANED UP.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT I AM LUCKY.

SO YOUR OFFICE, OUR OFFICE, SO VOTER REGISTRATION TEAM THEMSELF ARE ALWAYS WORKING ON VOTER REGISTRATION LIST MAINTENANCE TO ENSURE THAT THINGS ARE AS THEY SHOULD BE.

NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHEN VO-TECH WENT THROUGH THEIR BANKRUPTCY, I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS ELECTION EMPLOYEES COME BACK AS A TEMP TO HELP US DO THE MIGRATION.

AND HE WAS ABLE TO HELP US SPOT THESE ISSUES AND HE'S STILL WORKING ON THEM THROUGH TODAY.

I MEAN, THE WHOLE DAY WAS ABOUT THESE LIST ISSUES.

AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE OUR EYE ON THE BALL.

WE SEE WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.

AND LIKE I SAID, I'M VERY LUCKY.

I KNOW THAT MR. FISHER IS HERE AND THE AUDIENCE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE TYPE OF TECH RELATED STREET RELATED QUESTIONS.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE OUR FINGER ON THE PULSE.

WE KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEM IS, AND WE'RE WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE STATE TO ENSURE THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

SO IS THERE A WAY TO TEST BEFORE WE

[00:55:01]

BUT THE ONLY THING WAS, IT WASN'T EVERY VOTER THAT WAS A AFFECTED.

IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A RANDOM PERSON.

UNTIL, UNTIL WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, IT WAS NOT THERE.

SO WHEN I CHECKED IN, I WAS LISTED ONE TIME, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYBODY WAS LISTED JUST ONCE.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE LIST ALSO INCLUDED NOT JUST ACTIVE VOTERS, BUT IT INCLUDED APPLICANTS AND AN APPLICANT STATUS MEANS WE'VE RECEIVED APPLICATION, BUT YOU'RE NOT ACTIVE YET.

SO THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION THERE.

AND LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE STATE IS LOOKING INTO IT I KNOW THAT MR. FISHER HAS BEEN WORKING, NOT JUST WITH THE STATE, BUT ALSO SENDING INFORMATION OVER TO THEIR SERVICE PROVIDER AND WORKING WITH THEIR, UM, WE HAVE A LIAISON AT THE STATE, SO LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE LIST IS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN DO.

BUT RIGHT NOW, SINCE WE'RE USING OUR SYSTEM, WE, WE ARE AT THEIR MERCY TO MAKE THOSE CORRECTIONS.

SO I, I GUESS I UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS YOUR OFFICE THAT WAS GOING TO BE DOING THE DATA CLEANUP.

WE ARE WORKING ON THE DATA CLEANUP.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS LIKE THE DOUBLE STREET NAMES LIKE NORTH, NORTH MAIN STREET STREET, THAT IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO CLEAN UP.

AND ALSO THE PREVIOUS NAMES THAT ARE ON THERE, WE CAN'T, WE LEGALLY CANNOT GO IN AND REMOVE FORMER NAMES UNLESS EACH VOTER FILLS OUT A NEW APPLICATION AND OMITS THAT INFORMATION.

SO, UNDER FORMER NAME, IF, IF, LET'S SAY SOMEBODY HAD THAT ISSUE AND THEY WANNA CLEAN IT UP AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TAKEN CARE OF, THEY CAN SUBMIT A NEW VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION TO US AND OMIT ANY INFORMATION IN FORM NAME AND IT WILL NOT APPEAR IN THE FUTURE.

BUT LEGALLY WE CANNOT GO IN AND REMOVE IT OURSELVES.

SO JUST MY LAST QUESTION AND THEN SURE.

SO DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OTHER COUNTIES HAVE THE SAME ISSUE? THERE WERE ISSUES ACROSS TEXAS WITH ALL USERS.

NOW I HAVE NOT.

YOU KNOW, EVERYONE HAS THE TACK, THE TACK LINE, AND I'VE NOT GONE BACK TO DO ANY RESEARCH, BUT JUST IN CONVERSATION WITH MY VOTER REGISTRATION TEAM, THEY HAVE READ THAT AND SEVERAL COUNTIES EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUE.

SO, SO THAT, MY GUESS MY, UM, RECOMMENDATION OR MY ASK OF YOU IS TO, TO WORK WITH THE OTHER COUNTIES TO APPLY PRESSURE SURE.

ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

SO WE AVOID THIS IN MARCH.

ABSOLUTELY.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LET ME, LET ME MAKE MY COMMENTS, MICHELLE.

WE WILL NOW TAKE UP, UH, LET'S SEE, ITEM FIVE, DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION RELATED TO YEAR ONE.

OVERALL, THIS WAS A SUCCESSFUL ELECTION.

WE SAW RECORD TURNOUT, WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR REGISTRATION PROCESS AND OPERATION HERE AT THE COUNTY.

AND THE MANY PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS DOING INCREDIBLE VOTER REGISTRATION WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

DESPITE THE DELAYED VOTING RESULTS, BEXAR COUNTY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTIES IN TEXAS TO REPORT ALL PRECINCT DATA.

THIS TOPIC OF DELAYED RESULTS CAME UP AT OUR COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING.

MICHELLE HEARD FROM THE COURT, FROM THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WITH LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND THAT THAT'S A, A FACTOR IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THE REPORTING THAT YOU ARE DOING OUT.

WE MUST COMMUNICATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND MANAGE EXPECTATIONS.

SO MICHELLE, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HERE CLEARLY FROM THE COMMISSION.

WE JUST NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB MAKING SURE THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED.

SO FINALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNTY STAFF, CONTRACTORS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND OF COURSE MICHELLE FOR LEADING THIS ELECTION.

ALRIGHT,

[V. Discussion and presentation related to a Year One report from Election Administrator Michele Carew]

REPORT FROM ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, MICHELLE CARU.

MICHELLE, YOU CAN BE BRING YOUR, UH, BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO BRING THIS REPORT TO YOU ALL BECAUSE I'VE NOT QUITE YET MADE MY ONE YEAR, BUT IT SURE FEELS LIKE I'VE BEEN HERE A YEAR.

SO WHENEVER WE CAME ON, LIKE, UH, LUCY, DOMINIC CLARK JUST MENTIONED, THERE WERE SOME ASK OF ME WHENEVER I WAS OFFERED THIS POSITION.

AND ONE OF 'EM WAS TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESS OPTIMIZATION, WHICH IS WHAT WE ATTACKED.

WE ATTACKED ANYTHING THAT WE COULD TO MAKE VOTING EASIER, GETTING INFORMATION OUT EASIER.

AND OF COURSE, TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY, WE WERE ABLE TO GET MORE INFORMATION OUT TO OUR VOTERS.

SO WE DID TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESS OPTIMIZATION.

UM, WE PARTICIPATED IN MANY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL ENGAGEMENTS AND WORKED ON PULLING SITE ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE DISABLED AND OF COURSE BUILDING ON OUR OPERATIONAL STRENGTHS.

SO OUR TECHNOLOGY PROCESS, WE WORKED ON OUR CHAIN OF CUSTODY AND BALLOT SECURITY.

AND I FEEL THAT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHERE SOME OF THE CONFUSION WAS WITH OUR WORKERS.

AND I ACCEPT THE FACT THAT I NEED TO WORK BETTER

[01:00:01]

ON MY COMMUNICATION AND I DEFINITELY WILL.

BUT WE SAT DOWN TOGETHER AND PUT TOGETHER A, UH, REVIEW ABOUT OUR LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTING PROCEDURES, ALL OF THE MANDATES THROUGH TEXAS ELECTION CODE, AND MADE SURE THAT EVERYTHING ALIGNED ACCORDINGLY.

SO WITH THAT, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT ACCURACY AND COMPLIANCE.

WHEN I ACCEPTED THIS POSITION, I WAS INVITED TO SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE TO TALK ABOUT COMPLIANCE ISSUES THAT EXISTED IN BEXAR COUNTY PRIOR TO ME COMING.

SO I'LL TOUCH ON THOSE SHORTLY.

BUT, UM, JUST SO THAT YOU ALL ARE AWARE, THE OFFICE STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL WITH BRINGING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ELECTION CODE.

THEY'VE BEEN OPEN-MINDED TO NEW CHANGES.

AND I THINK SOME MIGHT EVEN ADMIT NOW THAT THEY WERE EXCITED ONCE THEY SAW THEM IN ACTION.

SO WE IMPLEMENTED THE, UM, INTEGRA SOFTWARE, WHICH IS THE COWORKER REPORTER THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER TODAY.

UM, FOR VOTER ACCESSIBILITY AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, WE REALLY STARTED ATTACKING AND PUTTING INFORMATION OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYONE USES SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT THERE, EVERYONE TALKS TO SOMEONE THAT DOES.

SO THAT WAS A FREE WAY FOR US TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE VOTERS IN BEXAR COUNTY, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE HELPED INCREASE THE VOTER TURNOUT.

WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME PUTTING OUR MINDS TOGETHER WITH WAYS TO GRAB VOTER ATTENTION.

AND THEN OF COURSE THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY AND BALLOT SECURITY.

THERE WERE SOME ISSUES THAT FELL UNDERNEATH WITH THE COMPLIANCE ISSUES FROM THE STATE.

ONE OF THEM BEING THAT THE WORKER, THE, UH, JUDGES WERE NOT BRINGING THE VOTED BALLOTS BACK ON ELECTION NIGHT.

AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY VENDOR WHO PICKS UP ALL OF OUR SUPPLIES AND DELIVERS OUR SUPPLIES, AT TIMES IT'D BE TWO OR THREE DAYS BEFORE WE GOT THE VOTED BALLOTS INTO OUR OWN CUSTODY.

SO TO MAKE IT MORE SECURE, THAT'S WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED HAVING THE JUDGES AND THE ALTERNATE JUDGES BRING 'EM BACK TO OUR OFFICE AND FOLLOW A NEW PROTOCOL.

WE'RE ALWAYS FINE TUNING IT AND DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT EVERY VOTE IS COUNTED, THAT THE TRANSPARENCY IS THERE AND THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING TEXAS ELECTION CODE.

LET'S SEE HERE.

UNDER ORGANIZATIONAL AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO ATTEND MANY EVENTS ANYTIME THAT WE WERE INVITED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

OUR TEAM WAS ATTENDING ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO THREE EVENTS A WEEK UNTIL WE JUST COULDN'T BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE DURING AN ELECTION CYCLE TO JUST LET THEM GO TO OTHER EVENTS.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE WORKING ON.

WE'LL PROVIDE MORE, UM, AT EACH LOCATION.

UM, JUST TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS THEIR JOB CURRENTLY.

IF YOU COMPARE US TO A COUNTY OF LIKE SIZE, WHICH IS TARRANT COUNTY, THEY HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND MORE REGISTERED VOTERS THAN WE DO.

AND THEY HAVE DOUBLED THE STAFF, WHICH TELLS ME THAT MY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES DO THE WORK OF TWO PEOPLE.

UM, WE HAVE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO STREAMLINE TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE HEADACHES THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CANDIDATES WERE HAVING WHEN THEY WERE WORKING THROUGH THE ONLINE SYSTEM.

SO NOW IT'S, WE'RE BACK TO POSTING IT OURSELF AND HOLDING EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE THAT WAY.

WE'VE IMPROVED OUR WEBSITE.

THAT WAS ANOTHER THING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING MY INTERVIEW.

AND, UM, WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT TO WHERE ON OUR WEBSITE, TWO CLICKS, THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED, WHICH WE FOUND TO BE USEFUL FOR ALL THE USERS.

NOW, IN REFERENCE TO THE WEBSITE, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD DURING THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WAS SOME OF THE, UM, OPTIONS THAT WERE THERE IN THE PAST WERE NOT AVAILABLE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR THIRD PARTY VENDOR PROVIDED THOSE MODULES TO US, WHICH WOULD BE A GIS MAP OR, UM, WHO REPRESENTS ME.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING MY STAFF IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME, BUT WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO ENSURE THAT IT'S BACK UP TIMELY.

AND OF COURSE, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WE HAD THE BEST TIME GETTING TO KNOW THE VOTERS AND CITIZENS OF BEX COUNTY BY ATTENDING, UM, MOVIE NIGHTS AT THE PARK.

WE ATTENDED THE, UM, ANY SESSION THAT THE JUDGE HAD AVAILABLE.

SO IF HE CALLED SOMETHING, WE MADE SURE TO BE THERE.

UH, COUNTY CLERK INVITED US OUT, SO ANYTHING THAT'S AVAILABLE.

AND OF COURSE THE PARTIES, IF YOU GUYS HAD SOMETHING AND WE WERE INVITED, WE MADE SURE TO ATTEND THE OPERATIONAL STRENGTHS, AND THIS IS JUST TO TOUCH ON THE PULL PAD, ALTHOUGH IT WAS OUR VERY FIRST TIME TO USE IT, WE CONSIDERED IT A SUCCESS.

WE DID HEAR POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THE PULL PAD, AND ONE OF THEM WAS THE EASE OF USING IT VERSUS THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM, WHICH WAS A LAPTOP THAT REQUIRED SOMEONE OF TECH SAVVY TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT FIVE, FOUR OR FIVE, SIX DIFFERENT CORDS TO IT.

SO THIS WAS VERY SIMPLE AND IT STREAMLINED IT AND WE, WE WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR WORKERS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE USING IT MOVING FORWARD AND THAT THEY RECEIVE THE TRAINING OR IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE TRAINING THEY NEED THAT, THEY LET US KNOW AND

[01:05:01]

WITH THESE PUL PADS, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE DEF LINK AT EVERY ONE OF OUR EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY SITES.

UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO PROVIDE TO YOU TO LET YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN IT WAS USED, BUT I CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT WE RECEIVED PHONE CALLS FROM OUR LOCATIONS ON HOW TO USE THE SERVICE.

SO IT WAS USED.

WE MET AND MAINTAINED COMMUNICATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, INCLUDING COMMISSIONER'S COURT, OF COURSE, THE ELECTION COMMISSION AND BOTH LOCAL PARTIES.

WE VALUE THE IMPORT THE INPUT THAT YOU GUYS PROVIDE TO US BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT GROWING, WE'RE DYING AND WE DON'T WANT TO DIE.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND DO GREAT THINGS HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY TO IMPROVE THE ELECTION PROCESS.

UM, ALSO ALONG WITH THIS, WE DID HAVE AN INTERNAL AUDIT THROUGH THE COUNTY, WHICH I'M SURE WILL EVENTUALLY BE PRESENTED IN COURT AND I'LL LET THAT WORK ITS WAY OUT.

ON THE ELECTION WORKER PAYROLL, WE WERE ABLE TO MEET, THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH PAYROLL TO WHERE ELECTION WORKERS WERE NOT GETTING PAID UP TO THREE TO FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE ELECTION.

AND IT WAS BY NO FAULT OF ANYONE AT BEAR COUNTY OTHER THAN THE ELECTION OFFICE.

SO WE MET WITH BOTH TRISTAR AND WITH HR TO TALK ABOUT THE WORKDAY PROGRAM AS WELL AS TRISTAR PAYING ALL OF OUR ELECTION DAY BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HANDLED OUR EARLY VOTING PAYROLL.

SO FOR THIS ELECTION, WE TOOK THEM ON AND I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT EVERY ELECTION WORKER SHOULD HAVE THEIR CHECK BY THE 21ST OF NOVEMBER, WHICH IS TOMORROW.

SO THAT'S WHEN THE CHECKS ARE BEING CUT.

SO IF ANYONE'S ASKING YOU ABOUT PAYROLL, THEY SHOULD HAVE IT IN TIME FOR BLACK FRIDAY.

AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, TRISTAR WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH US.

THEY ATTENDED OUR TRAINING THAT WAY.

NOT ALL, EVERYBODY HAD TO GO TO THEIR OFFICE TO PROVIDE THEIR FORMS AND IDS NEEDED IN ORDER TO GET PAID, WHICH SPED UP THE PROCESS.

SO WE FOUND A GAP, WE WERE ABLE TO FIX IT.

AND, UM, ONCE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL, WE'LL REEVALUATE OUR OPTIONS, WHETHER IT BE WITH TRISTAR PERSONNEL OR USING WORKDAY.

SO WE HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO HELP SPEED THAT PROCESS UP.

AND WHEN WE, WHEN WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AT THE POLLING LOCATION, WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS AND I AM DISHEARTENED THAT THE ACTUAL CURBSIDE PROCESS, IT'S DOES NOT WORK.

AND WE'RE BACK TO WHAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? WE USE WHAT WE HAVE, BUT THANKFULLY WITH THE APPROVAL OF THIS LAST BUDGET, WE'LL BE PURCHASING A NEW APPARATUS THAT THE POLLING, THE ACTUAL VOTING MACHINE CAN BE SET INTO SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE IN HOSPITAL SETTINGS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE LOOKS ROBOTIC, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO ROLL IT OUT.

IT MOVES LEFT AND RIGHT.

OUR WORKERS NO LONGER HAVE TO LIFT IT UP INTO HIGHER VEHICLES.

AND THOSE WHO HAVE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, WE CAN ROTATE IT AROUND TO WHERE E USER FRIENDLY TO SAY THE LEAST.

UM, SO WE WORKED ON THE PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITIES, MAKING SURE THAT ALL OUR POLL LOCATIONS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES.

WE EDUCATED OUR WORKERS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES CAN MOVE TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE AND OF COURSE CURBSIDE VOTING.

BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE'RE THE MOST PROUD OF IS THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE DEAF LINK TO EVERY VOTING LOCATION ACROSS BEXAR COUNTY.

THE DEAF COMMUNITY NO LONGER HAS TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO COME VOTE.

THEY'RE TREATED JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER CITIZEN ACROSS THE COUNTY AS THEY SHOULD BE.

SO I DON'T WANNA BORE YOU WITH ANY OF THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AND COMPLIANCES, BUT I'D LIKE TO JUST TALK ABOUT A FEW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

AND LIKE I MENTIONED, THE UM, POLL WORKER COMPENSATION WAS HUGE.

SO WE RESOLVED IT BY GETTING THE, UM, POLL WORKER PORTAL AND OF COURSE USING TRISTAR ELECTION SITE DAY.

ELECTION DAY SITE LOCATIONS WERE NOT POSTED ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE THE ELECTIONS.

AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY SECRETARY STATE'S OFFICE.

SO OUR GOAL NOW IS TO HAVE THE SITES UP ON OUR WEBSITE BETWEEN 30 AND 45 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY SO THAT VOTERS CAN START PLANNING WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO THE POLLS AND WHICH LOCATIONS THEY'RE GOING TO.

THE LOCKS ON OUR BALLOT BOXES WERE OUT OF COMPLIANCE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NEVER SEALED.

THEY HAD A KEY TO LOCK IT, BUT THERE WAS NO PAPER TRAIL TO SHOW IF THE KEY WAS EVER OPENED.

SO WE'VE IMPLEMENTED NUMBERED SEALS ON EVERY ONE OF OUR DS TWO HUNDREDS, WHICH IS A TABULATION MACHINE.

AND AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, UM, WE, WE WILL BE CHANGING THAT PROCESS BECAUSE WE'VE LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE.

BUT LIKE I SAID, I WON'T BORE YOU TOO MUCH WITH IT, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE CAN AND IS ABLE TO FOLLOW THE PROCESSES THAT ARE TO KEEP US IN COMPLIANCE.

AND THERE, THERE'S THE DS 200 AT THE TOP.

UH, THE BALLOT BOXES WERE BEING LEFT AT THE ELECTION SITES.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE MEETING AT SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.

SO WE IMPLEMENTED HAVING EVERYONE BRING IT DIRECTLY TO OUR HEADQUARTERS.

AND AT THE TIME, ONLY ONE POLL WORKER

[01:10:01]

WAS RETURNING BALLOTS AND MATERIALS BACK.

SO WE'VE NOW IMPLEMENTED AND ARE PUTTING INTO EFFECT THE ELECTION CODE THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER TODAY.

AND JUST TO TOUCH ON, AGAIN, WE ARE AWARE THAT THE ONE COMPLIANCE ISSUE THAT WE ARE STILL OUTTA COMPLIANCE ON IS THE NUMBER OF VOTE CENTERS.

WE HAVE AN ELECTION TEAM WHO'S ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON PRIMARY LOCATIONS 30 DAYS AGO.

WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS.

THEY SENT OUT NOTICES TO THESE LOCATIONS, NOT JUST WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP IN MARCH, BUT WE GAVE THEM AN ENTIRE CALENDAR AND EVERY DAY THAT WE MAY NEED THEIR LOCATION.

SO WE'RE WORKING IN RECEIVING BACK AS OF, UM, A FEW DAYS AGO WE'D ALREADY HEARD BACK FROM 280 LOCATIONS THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

SO WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK ON THIS WITH THE ELECTION CHAIRS, THE UM, PARTY CHAIRS AND WITH THEIR HELP.

AND ALSO I'VE REACHED OUT TO EVERY COMMISSIONER FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE.

I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO REACH CLOSER TO THAT NUMBER.

AND SOMETHING THAT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE TO EVERYONE THAT HAS NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC YET IS THAT BEXAR COUNTY WAS RECENTLY AWARDED $4 MILLION FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE OFFICE FOR THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT MONEY.

AND THAT MONEY CAN BE USED TO BUY ADDITIONAL VOTING EQUIPMENT TO HELP US HAVE ADDITIONAL SITES AND TO MEET THESE GOALS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

SO WE DID HAVE SOME OBSTACLES.

ONE WAS EVEN IF WE HAD 388 SITES, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MACHINES.

AND NOW WE'VE SOLVED IT.

THEY INITIALLY OFFERED THE LARGE COUNTY'S $86,000 AND I COUNTER OFFERED WITH 4 MILLION AND THEY GRANTED US $4 MILLION.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE PRESENTED THROUGH THE, UH, GRANT APPROVAL COMMITTEE AND THEN BE TAKEN TO COURT SO THAT WE CAN START USING THE MONEY.

AND TO ADD TO THAT, THAT PARTICULAR GRANT DID HAVE A 20% MATCH, BUT THE PURCHASE OF THE PUL PADS THAT WERE MADE IN APRIL CAN GO TOWARDS THAT 20% MATCH.

SO WE WILL RECEIVE A TOTAL OF $4 MILLION.

AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR THAT PARTICULAR FIRST 80 DAYS IN THE OFFICE.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUES NOT 80 DAYS, BUT EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS I SHOULD SAY.

QUESTIONS, MS. GOODS? I DO.

GO AHEAD.

UH, THANK YOU MADAM ADMINISTRATOR.

YOU JUST WAS A GREAT REPORT.

VERY APPRECIATED.

JUST I WANNA BACK UP A LITTLE BIT THOUGH, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

JUST BECAUSE I FORGOT ONE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK YOU EARLIER.

SO WHEN YOU WERE, WHEN YOU GUYS WERE, UM, TAKING CARE OF THAT, THE VOTER REGISTRATIONS FOR US.

AND I GET IT.

I MEAN, YOU HAD THE EQUIPMENT CHANGED, YOU HAD ALL THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, AND OF COURSE ALL THE WHILE THESE ARE BACK PILING ON YOU.

WE GET THAT.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS NOW YOU CAME TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT CORRECT.

TO TO REQUEST MORE FUNDS ABOUT TEMPORARY WORKERS TO HELP US PROCESS THOSE REGISTRATIONS.

IS THAT CORRECT? IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM, AN AGENDA ITEM.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN CLOSE SESSION.

SO AND, AND, AND, BUT, BUT REGARDLESS, SO I, THAT, THAT SEEMS NORMAL TO ME BECAUSE IF YOU HAD TO HAVE MONEY IN ORDER TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE, IF YOUR BUDGET WOULDN'T ALLOW IT, I, I CAN SEE US GOING TO THE COMMISSION FOR THAT.

BUT CAN YOU TELL ME, UM, UH, SO WHAT WAS AWARDED TO YOU AT THAT TIME FOR, I MEAN LIKE TO HELP YOU WITH THIS PROCESS FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS? I BELIEVE OUR AWARD WAS $150,000.

SO OF THE 1 56, YOU'RE SAYING THEY GAVE YOU ONE 50 OF THAT? YES MA'AM.

AND THAT WAS THE ONLY MONIES THAT WAS AWARDED TO YOU AT THAT TIME? YES.

OKAY, FANTASTIC.

I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT 'CAUSE I WASN'T SURE.

AND THEN YOU HIRED 68 ADDITIONAL, OR 68 TOTAL WORKERS AT THAT TIME? THEY WERE ADDITIONAL.

SO AS I MENTIONED HERE, LET ME JUST GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE.

EVERYBODY IN OUR OFFICE, NOT JUST THE 14 PEOPLE WORKED ON THIS, OUR WAREHOUSE CREW EVEN LEARNED HOW TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS AND WERE, THEY WERE HELPING EVERYONE PITCHED IN AND HELPED TO THE BEST.

BUT THE 68 WERE THE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES THAT WE BROUGHT IN THAT WORKED ANYWHERE FROM 7:00 AM TILL 10 30 AT NIGHT.

SO WE, WE WORKED DAYS UPON DAYS STARTING OCTOBER 1ST, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE MET THE DEADLINE OF THE 13TH.

SO IN, IN ABOUT 13 STRAIGHT DAYS, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TAKE A DAY OFF.

WE PROCESSED, UM, MULTIPLE HOURS EVERY SINGLE DAY AND, AND UP TO 72,000.

EXTRA AND THAT WASN'T WHAT WE WERE RECEIVING IN THE MAIL.

SO WHEN WE INITIALLY HAD THE BACKLOG, IT WAS RIGHT AROUND 52,000 AND EVERY DAY AS ONCE WE GOT ACCESS TO THE TEAM SYSTEM MM-HMM .

AS VOTERS WERE GOING TO DPS, WE WERE GETTING ABOUT A THOUSAND ADDITIONAL DPS PER DAY.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE DIFFERENCE CAME IN.

SO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED WORKING THE BACKLOG, WE HAD 52,000.

SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHERE THEY'RE WORKING AND WE SEE THE NUMBER GOING DOWN AND THEN EVERY NIGHT AT THE SAME NIGHT, IT WAS LIKE BEING AT A CASINO, IT WOULD JUST GO RIGHT BACK UP.

GOT IT.

AND OUR TEAM JUST WORKED RIGHT THROUGH IT.

WE WERE RECEIVING ABOUT A THOUSAND

[01:15:01]

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE RECEIVING JUST THROUGH DPS.

SO WE AVERAGED IN THAT TIME PERIOD ABOUT 72,000 APPLICATIONS.

FANTASTIC.

AND, AND I'M ASSUMING OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ABOUT GETTING, GETTING THESE APPLICATIONS IN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

I GET THAT.

YOU KNOW, SO IT, THE APPLICATIONS WERE OBVIOUSLY COMPLETE AND EVERYONE WAS ELIGIBLE.

I MEAN, HOW DID YOU, HOW WERE YOU CHECKING THAT INFORMATION THAT WAS COMING IN ON THOSE APPLICATIONS? SO EVERY APPLICATION THAT WAS RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE WAS PROCESSED.

NOW MAYBE NOT ALL OF THEM WERE, UM, ACTIVE BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME THAT, LET'S SAY THEY PUT THE WRONG BIRTH YEAR AND WERE WERE CONFIRMING IDENTITY WITH, UM, DRIVER'S LICENSE AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.

SO IF THERE WAS AN INCOMPLETE APPLICATION, WE WOULD HAVE TO MAIL THEM A LETTER AND THEN THEY HAD A TIME TO COME BACK IN.

SO EVEN IF IT WAS ON THE SIXTH AND IT SHOWED, WE RECEIVED IT ON THE SIXTH, THEY HAD, I BELIEVE, 10 DAYS TO COME IN AND CURE THEIR APPLICATION.

AND HOW MANY WERE REJECTED, WE DIDN'T REJECT ANY.

GOT IT.

THAT'S IT FOR ME, JUDGE.

YEAH, I DON'T WANT TO REHASH EVERYTHING, BUT I HAD A QUESTION FOR MS. FISHER.

I KNOW YOU BROUGHT UP A LOT OF CONCERN, BUT IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE COULD DO DIFFERENTLY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? WANT DON'T YOU COME BACK, MICHELLE.

LOOK AUDREY, HAVE THE FLOOR.

PLEASE.

MY ANSWER, BECAUSE I'M AN OLD PERSON, IS TO HAVE THINGS IN WRITING BECAUSE SOMEBODY CAN TELL ME SOMETHING AND THREE MONTHS LATER I CAN'T REMEMBER IT.

AND THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT THAT THE TRAINING LACKED WAS ANY MANUALS SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THEM.

AND TO THIS DAY, I HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER I FOUND THE OTHER DAY THAT HAS HOW TO TURN THE MACHINES ON 1, 2, 3.

AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM THAT OUR IT PERSON SAID.

YEAH, I'M GETTING A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THAT.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS HOW TO TURN THE THING ON, UM, WAS NOT PUT IN WRITING FOR US.

SO MICHELLE, I HAVE UH, I HAVE A FEW SUGGESTIONS AND I'M GONNA MAKE A CLOSING, UH, REMARKS.

BUT SO ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I, THAT I HAVE FOR, FOR YOU THAT, THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER IS, FIRST OF ALL, OBVIOUSLY I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE AND, AND BETTER TRAINING.

I THINK THAT'S OBVIOUS THAT, THAT WE LACKED IN THAT.

AND SO WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT.

UH, THE OTHER THING THAT I STRONGLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IS LAS BA'S LIBRARY HAS NOW OPENED.

AND I WOULD LOVE FOR THAT TO BE A VOTING SIDE.

I THINK WE ALL AGREE, RIGHT, JUDGE? YES, LUCY, WE JUST RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT THEY'RE BACK OPEN, SO WE WILL BE USING THEM AGAIN.

SO THAT ONE IS A STRONG REQUEST.

JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, IN RECRUITING JUDGES, I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS A PROBLEM RECRUITING JUDGES.

I THINK IF, IF YOU TELL US WHAT YOU NEED, AND I KNOW YOU, YOU LET COMMISSIONER'S COURT, BUT IF YOU TELL US THERE'S SOCIAL MEDIA THAT US THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU KNOW, HAVE ACCESS THAT WE CAN USE, THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO, TO HELP YOU RECRUIT THOSE JUDGES.

AND THEN THE, UH, THE THING BEFORE MY COMMENTS IS, THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS TO RAISE THE VOTING MACHINES I SAW ON SOUTH SIDE, THEY WERE REAL LOW AND I SAW THE SENIOR CITIZENS REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THEM 'CAUSE THEY HAD TO BEND OVER AND I MENTIONED IT TO THE JUDGES OR YOU GOT SOME GREAT JUDGES AT SOUTH SIDE.

UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY TOLD ME IT COULD BE RAISED, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND OUR DISABLED CITIZENS BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO VOTE.

SO IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY THAT OUR ELECTION PROCESS IS GOING TO RECEIVE EXTREME PRESSURE FROM MANY GROUPS AND EVEN DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.

MY REQUEST TO YOU IS THAT YOU STAND UP TO THESE FORCES AND ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING.

ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT MYSELF AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL STAND WITH YOU TO ENSURE VOTING IS FAIR AND THAT THERE IS INTEGRITY IN OUR VOTING PROCESS.

SO UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT I DO ASK THAT YOU BE STRONG BECAUSE I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT.

SO I NEED YOU TO BE STRONG AND ALSO LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU BE STRONG.

WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF, A LOT OF FORCES PUTTING PRESSURE ON THIS AND I LET THESE PEOPLE VOTE AND DON'T LET THESE OTHER PEOPLE VOTE AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.

[01:20:01]

THAT'S ALL I HAVE, JUDGE.

THANK YOU MR. CLARK.

SO MY STATEMENT WOULD BE A STATEMENT AND ALSO CLOSING.

MS. CARRE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ADMITTING THAT YOU DON'T, YOU DIDN'T USE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO GUIDE YOUR INDIVIDUALS INTO UH, TRAINING.

I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU ADMITTED IT AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU HAD A CORRECTIVE ACTION, BUT YOU PUT A RESOLUTION TO IT.

WHEN A PERSON DOES NOT ADMIT TO FAULTS OR FAILURES IS WHEN YOU'RE GONNA FAIL AGAIN.

SO THAT IN ITSELF IS INTEGRITY AND SHOWS ME LEADERSHIP.

SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.

I DO WANT TO SAY CURBSIDE VOTING.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN.

AGAIN, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME COMMUNICATION, WHETHER IT'S PHYSICAL COMMUNICATION OR TECHNOLOGY.

'CAUSE A LOT OF YOUR JUDGES ARE MORE YOUNGER JUDGES.

I DON'T WANNA SAY OLDER.

SO IF YOU HAVE TO DO MANUAL PROCESS, IF I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PAPER, I'LL PAY FOR THE PAPER TRAINING NEWSLETTERS.

WE ACTUALLY PUT OUT NEWSLETTERS.

IF YOU NEED YOUR INFORMATION ON OUR NEWSLETTERS, YOU CAN USE OUR PLATFORM AS WELL.

LIKE MR HAS SAID ALSO SENIOR CITIZENS EDUCATIONAL FORUMS ON HOW TO UTILIZE, UH, ANY TECHNOLOGY YOU HAVE.

'CAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING BACKWARDS TO A FISCAL BALANCE.

WE'RE JUST GOING FORWARD.

SO LET'S NOT FORGET OUR SENIORS.

AND IF WE HAVE TO PUT YOU IN THE FRONT OF SENIORS AND ALLOW THEM TO LEARN HOW TO VOTE, UM, THEY'RE WITH YOU.

AND WE'RE THERE'RE WITH YOU AS WELL TOO.

PLEASE LET US KNOW AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HOW WE CAN HELP YOU, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU IN MAKING SURE THAT IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE, AND THIS WILL PROBABLY COME MORE PRO FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, THE COUNTY JUDGE AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ON HOW TO GET THE SECRETARY OF STATE MOVING TO MAKE THE CORRECTION.

AND IF WE NEED TO DO A SUPPORT LETTER, I WILL SIGN WHATEVER I HAVE TO SIGN.

I HAVE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM MY COUNTY CLERKS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE CHIEF OF, UH, CHIEFS IN CHARGE OF ELECTIONS SAYING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN A POSITIVE THING FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.

I DO HAVE 254 COUNTY CLERKS AND MANY OF THEM STILL OVERSEE ELECTIONS.

I AM IN FULL CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AND THEY SPEAK VERY HIGHLY ABOUT YOU.

WHEN I GO TO CONFERENCES, OUR CITIZENS NEED TO BE HEARD AND NEED TO BE SUPPORTED AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

LET'S NOT FAIL OUR COMMUNITY.

OUR VOTERS ARE DEMOCRACY AND NEVER DELAY JUSTICE IN OUR VOTING PROCESS.

THE POLL PACKS, I ENJOYED USING EM BECAUSE THEY'RE SO CONVENIENT.

YOU CAN TURN 'EM AROUND FOR THE DISABLED COMMUNITY, BUT KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE WITH YOU AND WE'RE HERE WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE IN CLOSING, JUDGE.

THANK YOU MS. LOSIS.

UM, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS.

UH, MICHELLE, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR, UM, EMPLOYEES AT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE IS DOING THE WORK OF TWO PEOPLE, BUT YOU HAVE LOST A NUMBER OF EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL.

UM, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ENSURE THAT YOU DON'T LOSE ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE OUT OF YOUR OFFICE? WELL, HONESTLY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE TURNOVER THAT WAS IN THE OFFICE, ANYTIME SOMEONE NEW COMES INTO A DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE EITHER WITH YOU OR THEY LEAVE.

SO CHANGING THINGS THAT WERE IN PLACE FOR SO LONG, IT REALLY AFFECTED THE PEOPLE THAT LEFT AND THEY MADE THE DECISION TO LEAVE.

I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, I TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD WHAT THEY NEEDED AND IT WAS, THEY WERE NOT, THEY WERE NOT ALL IN.

SO WHAT I'M DOING NOW IS I AM PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TRAINING TO THOSE IN MY OFFICE.

AS MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON GETTING THEIR STATE CERTIFICATION AND THEIR NATIONAL CERTIFICATION AND PUTTING TOGETHER A SUCCESSION PLAN.

BECAUSE WHAT I LEARNED IN THIS OFFICE WHEN I CAME WITH IS THAT NOBODY WAS CROSS-TRAINED.

NOBODY KNEW WHAT ANOTHER DEPARTMENT DID.

IF YOU DID VOTER REGISTRATION, THEN YOU DID VOTER REGISTRATION.

IF YOU WERE A LIAISON, YOU DID LIAISON WORK, BUT NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT THE OTHER PERSON WAS DOING.

SO WE ARE CROSS TRAINING AND UM, WHAT BENEFITED US DURING THE BACKLOG WAS EVERYONE LEARNED HOW TO PROCESS VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS AND THEY LEARNED TO APPRECIATE THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

SO I HAVE OPENED IT UP FOR THE, FOR EVERYBODY TO JOIN STATE ASSOCIATION SO THAT THEY CAN GET THEIR, UM, STATE CERTIFICATION AND TO JOIN THE NATIONAL CERTIFICATION SO THAT THEY CAN GROW.

LIKE I SAID, IF WE'RE NOT GROWING, WE'RE DYING.

AND THE THOSE THAT LEFT WHEN I FIRST CAME ON HAD BEEN WITH THE COUNTY LESS THAN A YEAR.

ONE HAD BEEN THERE SIX MONTHS, DIDN'T LIKE THE CHANGES I WAS IMPLEMENTING AND THAT'S, IT WENT FROM THERE.

[01:25:01]

THE MOST RECENT DEPARTURE WAS AN EMPLOYEE THERE.

THAT WAS HIS TEMP AS A CONTRACTOR, WAS NOT A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, BUT HAD GREAT INFORMATION SHARED WITH US.

LUCKILY FOR US, HE WENT TO WORK FOR THE PUL PAD COMPANY AND HE STILL WORKS WITH US.

SO NOT EVERYONE WHO LEFT LEFT ON BAD TERMS OR WITH BAD FEELINGS.

THERE ARE PLENTY WHO LEFT THAT WISH US WELL.

OKAY, THANK YOU JUDGE.

CAN I ADD A NOTE TO THAT? SURE.

CROSS TRAINING IS VERY VALUABLE WHEN IT COMES TO A DEPARTMENT OR AN OFFICE BECAUSE WHEN I TOOK OVER THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, I TAUGHT THE WHOLE PAULAS ON THE BUILDING HOW TO RUN.

THIS IS PRE COVID.

TAUGHT THEM HOW TO RUN EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT AND THAT PAULA IS ON THE BUILDING.

IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL BECAUSE DURING COVID YOU KEEP BUSINESS CONTINUITY AND DISASTER RECOVERY GOING.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING PROCESS, I KNOW HOW VALUABLE AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS BECAUSE CROSS TRAINING IS VERY IMPERATIVE DUE TO THE FACT WHEN YOU START LOSING OTHER EMPLOYEES, AN EMPLOYEE CAN PICK IT UP.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE ADDING CERTIFICATIONS, ACCREDITATION, THAT IS GONNA ADD VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGHER PAY FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES 'CAUSE THEY DID TO MY OFFICE.

SO I GIVE YOU KUDOS FOR THAT.

THAT'S AMAZING FOR YOU TO BE DOING THAT.

AND LET ME ADD THESE COMMENTS, MICHELLE.

THE ELECTION COMMISSION WAS CLEAR ON PRIORITIES WHEN WE HIRED YOU.

TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION, IMPROVED VOTER REGISTRATION, BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE, DISABILITY ACCESS, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, IMPROVED COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW AND INVESTING IN PERSONNEL AND BUILDING THE BENCH OF TALENT.

I BELIEVE YOU'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT HEADWAY ON THESE FRONTS.

THERE IS THE ADOPTION OF NEW POLL PADS AND CURBSIDE VOTING CAPABILITIES.

DISABILITY ACCESS HAS EXPANDED FROM THE FIVE SITES IN THAT FIRST YEAR IN BEAR COUNTY WITH DEAF ACCESSIBLE SERVICES TO EVERY POLL SITE AND BEAR.

I THINK THAT'S A RATHER SIGNIFICANT, UH, IMPROVEMENT, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE THAT ARE MOST IN NEED AND WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO DO IT.

MICHELLE, YOU'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH NONPROFITS LIKE YOU DO VOTE TO SUPPORT THE RECRUITMENT OF STUDENT CLERKS AND YOUNGER POLL WORKERS.

I THINK THERE ARE NOW A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION AND PART OF YOUR ELECTION DEPARTMENT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THE STUDENTS? YES SIR.

I BELIEVE WE HAD 32 OR 35 STUDENTS WHO WERE JUDGES ON ELECTION DAY.

AND PRIOR TO YOUR UH, HIRING, THAT WAS ZERO, CORRECT? I'M NOT CERTAIN.

THIS EARLY EXPOSURE HELPS DEVELOP LIFELONG VOTING HABITS AND HELPS WITH THE LABOR GAP IN OUR MAJOR ELECTIONS.

THERE'VE BEEN A NUMBER OF COMPLIANCE ISSUES AND I THINK WE'VE HAD A PRETTY ROBUST DISCUSSION THAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND MORE I'M SURE WILL BE COMING IN LIKE THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF POLL SITES.

BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT WHERE THOSE GAPS AND ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS BODY, THIS COMMISSION ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE THEY'RE DOING TONIGHT AND SHARING CANDID FEEDBACK.

YOU'RE, YOU ARE GETTING, UH, IN ORDER FOR THE SPIRIT OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION, BUT ALSO THE TAKEAWAY AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF FOLLOWING UP ON EVERYTHING YOU'VE HEARD TODAY.

ALL RIGHT.

YES SIR.

LET US NOW GO TO YES, JESSICA, I STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

OH, I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY.

YEAH.

UM, AND JUDGE, SO DO I, OKAY.

I HAVE, YOU KNOW, I'VE MENTIONED THAT ELECTION JUDGES ARE A NATIONAL TREASURE, RIGHT? HAVE YOU SET UP ANYTHING FORMAL TO GET FEEDBACK FROM ELECTION JUDGES SO THAT THAT FEEDBACK CAN GET INCORPORATED INTO YOUR PROCESSES? WE HAVE A SURVEY THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON TO SEND OUT TO EVERYONE WHO WORKED.

I KNOW THAT BETWEEN OUR TRAINERS AND OUR LIAISONS, THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER QUESTIONS BASED UPON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE DID RECEIVE SO THAT WE CAN HEAR FROM ADDITIONAL WORKERS.

OKAY, GOOD.

THAT'S GOOD.

UM, AND I ALSO JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP ON WHAT MS. AAMA CLARK SAID AS A, A FORMER HR PERSON CERTIFICATIONS, UH, CROSS TRAINING AND SUCCESSION PLANNING IS MUSIC TO MY EARS.

SO, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

UM, BEAR COUNTY WITH ITS MILLION PLUS REGISTERED VOTERS, SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER THAN THE COUNTIES THAT YOU'VE WORKED IN THE PAST.

IN THE CENTRAL COUNTY STATION.

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT HOW LONG PROCESSES TAKE IN EITHER THE CENTRAL ACCOUNTING OR YOU KNOW, THE BALLOT BOARD, UM, TRAINING HUNDREDS OF ELECTION WORKERS, UM, TESTING AND POSITIONING THE VOTING EQUIPMENT AT HUNDREDS OF SITES ARE ALL KEY TO ELECTION INTEGRITY.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED SINCE YOU'VE ENTERED THE JOB AND HOW HAVE YOU OR WILL YOU ADJUST? ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I LEARNED WAS ON ELECTION NIGHT TO START EARLIER

[01:30:01]

SO OF, OF COURSE IN MY MIND EVERYTHING'S RAINBOWS, RIGHT? EVERYTHING'S GREAT, IT'S GONNA BE WONDERFUL.

AND THEN YOU STEP IN AND YOU REALIZE THAT THE PROCESS DOES TAKE A LOT LONGER IN A LARGER COUNTY.

SO I LEARNED TO, UH, COMMUNICATE AND SPEAK WITH THOSE IN THE CENTRAL COUNTY STATION, RECEIVE THEIR FEEDBACK AND MAKE CHANGES ACCORDING TO THEIR FEEDBACK IN ORDER TO BRIDGE THAT GAP, RIGHT? TO MAKE IT BETTER.

UM, HEARING FROM THEM AND KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE ON THE BEAR, THE BEAR COUNTY SIDE IS TEACHING ME TO BE A BETTER, NOT JUST A LEADER, BUT A, A LISTENER BECAUSE I MIGHT THINK I'M THE BEST COMMUNICATOR AND I'M LEARNING THAT I HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNICATION.

SO JUST LISTENING AND SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO DO THE WORK HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT MORE ABOUT PLANNING FOR THE ACTUAL DAY.

SO, UM, OUR CENTRAL COUNTING STATION NOW WILL BE STARTING FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ON ELECTION DAY, NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK, TAKE A BREAK, AND THEN COME BACK AND FINISH THE DAY SO THAT THERE'S NOT ANY TYPE OF OVER OR OVERLAPPING OF THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE.

ANOTHER THING THAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT WORKING IN A COUNTY OF THIS SIZE IS THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION AND THERE'S JUST MORE OF THEM.

SO ON ELECTION NIGHT, THIS PAST ELECTION, I HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF HATE MAIL, WHETHER IT BE IN MY INBOX OR THROUGH FACEBOOK, BUT I LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING BECAUSE EVERYONE SHOULD BE HEARD.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I STAY ON AND THAT I FOLLOW UP ON THAT I'M DOING NOT AS I SAY, BUT AS I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T JUST SAY WHAT I MEAN, I MEAN WHAT I SAY AND I DO WHAT I PROMISE.

SO HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC AND KNOWING WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE IS TEACHING ME THAT OF COURSE THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO RUN AN ELECTION.

THIS IS NOT THE MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY.

THIS IS BEXAR COUNTY ELECTIONS, THIS IS YOUR ELECTION.

AND I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS.

YOU ARE WELCOME MS. C***S.

THANK YOU JUDGE MICHELLE, SORRY, JUST A COUPLE MORE HERE FOR US.

UM, UH, THE EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD.

I MEANT TO ADDRESS THAT WITH YOU EARLIER.

KNOW, WHEN GROWING UP, IF YOU SHARED A ROOM WITH SOMEONE RIGHT.

SO THERE WERE A COUPLE OF CHANGES MADE.

AND, AND FULL DISCLOSURE TO YOU, I HAVE SERVED AS A JUDGE, I'VE SERVED AS A CLERK AND I'VE WORKED ON THE BALLOT BOARD RIGHT.

FOR MANY YEARS.

AS A CLERK.

AS CLERK.

AND I MEAN, SO TELL ME ABOUT WHAT WAS ADDED TO THAT PROCESS.

LIKE THAT ADDITIONAL ENVELOPE, YOU KNOW, WHY WERE THE EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD MEMBERS TAKEN OUT OF THAT SEQUESTERED ROOM AND PUT IN ANOTHER ROOM, YOU KNOW, WHERE OTHER PEOPLE WERE WALKING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE BALLOTS WERE AND EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN HOW WERE KEEPING THOSE BALLOTS SAFE AND, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS ARE, ARE DONE LIKE THEY'VE BEEN DONE.

BUT I JUST THINK THERE WERE SOME CHANGES MADE THAT, THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T AWARE OF.

CORRECT.

SO THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL ENVELOPE THAT WAS BROUGHT IN THAT WAS A COMPLIANCE ISSUE.

SO EVERY TIME A BALLOT COMES IN, IT SHOULD BE PUT INTO A SECURE ENVELOPE WITH THE DATA THAT THE BALLOT BOARD NEEDS IN ORDER TO CONFIRM THAT THE PERSON WHO VOTED IS THE PERSON OR THE PERSON WHO REQUESTED THE BALLOT IS THE SAME PERSON WHO VOTED.

SO WE HAD TO CHANGE OUR PROCESSES BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A THIRD PARTY VENDOR THAT ALLOWS FOR DIGITAL SIGNATURE VERIFICATION.

SO MY TEAM HAD TO MAKE COPIES OF EVERY SINGLE APPLICATION AND PUT THEM IN AN ENVELOPE AND SEAL IT SO THAT THE BALLOT WAS WITH THE PROPER PAPERWORK.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE BROUGHT BACK IN THAT WAS MISSING IN THE EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD PROCESS.

THE ROOM THAT WE MOVED THEM TO WAS IN A ROOM THAT HAD THE SAME CAMERAS AS THAT OTHER ROOM, BUT LARGER, WE WANTED THEM TO HAVE ADDITIONAL WORKSPACE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY HAD ADDITIONAL STEPS WHEN CONFIRMING THE SIGNATURES.

SO WE BROUGHT 'EM INTO THE MAIL ROOM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I TALKED TO MY TEAM ABOUT.

THERE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ANYONE WALKING THROUGH OUT OF HABIT.

THEY WERE DOING IT, WE'VE ADDRESSED IT.

THEY KNOW THAT WHEN IT'S ELECTION TIME, THEY SHOULD NOT BE IN THAT ROOM AT ALL.

SO WE, WE MOVED THEM IN THERE FOR COMFORT AND SPACE AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE MORE WORK AREA.

AND ACTUALLY WE'RE ACTUALLY CONSIDERING MAKING THAT THE BALLOT BOARD ROOM.

NOW, THE BALLOTS ARE STILL KEPT IN THE SECURE ROOM WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE, WHERE VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS.

I WANNA SAY THERE'S PROBABLY FOUR OF US IN THE OFFICE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT ROOM.

SO THE BALLOTS ARE STILL KEPT IN THERE AND SINCE WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE THEM FROM THAT ROOM TO THE MAIL ROOM, WE HAVE CAMERAS ALONG THE WAY SO ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING AT THE CAMERAS CAN SEE THE PROCESS AND THE BALLOTS ARE NEVER OUT OF THE EYE OF ANY PUBLIC PERSON OR ANYONE ACTUALLY WORKING.

SO WE DID MAKE SOME CHANGES OUT OF COMFORT AND FOR WORKSPACE, BUT, UM, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO MOVING ON BACK IN THAT ROOM.

I JUST THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WOULD ELIMINATE ANY TYPE OF ARGUMENTS IN A SMALL SPACE.

YOU IMAGINE IF YOU, YOU

[01:35:01]

YOU DIDN'T WANNA SHARE SPACE.

WE WERE JUST OPTIMIZING THE SPACE THAT WE HAD.

AND YOU'VE EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATED THAT WITH YOUR PRESIDING JUDGE AND YOUR ALTERNATE JUDGE AS TO E EVERYTHING THAT, ALL THE CHANGES THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE AND THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE DOING.

AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO HOPEFULLY IN GOING FORWARD.

'CAUSE I KNOW MA'AM, LIKE OUR JUDGES, I MEAN THEY, THEY JUST WANT FULL COMMUNICATION.

THERE'S SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS I HEAR.

JUST FULL COMMUNICATION, YOU KNOW.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

THAT, THAT AND THAT TRULY IS IT JUDGE FOR ME, HONESTLY.

ONE THING YOU WANNA DO? CLOSING STATEMENTS, SIR, ARE YOU ASKING, YOU ASKING THE QUESTION? NO, NO.

I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK, UH, PETE AL AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAME TO, YOU KNOW, TOOK TIME OUT TO COME AND SPEAK TODAY.

APPRECIATE IT AND HELPS, HELPS US MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.

ANYTHING ELSE? I DO.

I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE ELECTION CODE SECTION ONE 6.001 ON THE DEATH, UH, INFORMATION FOR THE VOTERS IS OUR SECRETARY OF STATE KEEPING UP WITH THE QUARTERLY RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY SHALL BE SENDING INFORMATION.

I I DID NOT HEAR WHAT YOU SAID.

I'M SORRY.

ON, ON THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE SECTION ONE 6.001.

IT'S, I'M JUST TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I KNOW YOU GET THE INFORMATION 'CAUSE SOME OF IT COMES TO MY OFFICE AND IT SAYS THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL BE SENDING INFORMATION.

ARE THEY SENDING YOU THAT AS WELL TOO? YES.

SECRETARY OF STATE PROVIDES US WITH INFORMATION THAT THEY RECEIVE IN THEIR OFFICE.

OKAY, GOOD.

BUT JUST YOU'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT GIVING YOU THE OTHER INFORMATION.

SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE DEAD PEOPLE VOTING BY NO, THEY ACTUALLY, THEY, THEY HAVE A MODULE.

YOU NEVER KNOW IT JUDGE.

NO.

THEY HAVE A MODULE BUILT IN THAT IS WORKING OR IT, IT'S DOING WHAT IT CAN WITH WHAT IT HAS.

BUT WE HAVE A DESIGNATED PERSON IN OUR OFFICE WHO KEEPS AN EYE ON DECEASED VOTERS.

THEY, THEY DON'T JUST GO IN AND DELETE PEOPLE BECAUSE THE STATE SAYS, HEY MICHELLE, CREW PASSED AWAY.

THEY DO THE RESEARCH, THEY FIND THE OBITUARY, YOU KNOW, THEY LOOK FOR DEATH RECORDS AND EVEN WHEN WE RECEIVE 'EM FROM YOUR OFFICE, WE CAN USE IT TO CANCEL VOTERS.

BUT THOSE THAT WORK, THE DECEASED, THEY'RE VERY LOYAL TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT OKAY SOMEONE ON THERE.

NOW SOMETIMES WE RECEIVE 'EM AFTER THE DEADLINE, AFTER THE, THE DEADLINE, THE 30 DAY DEADLINE.

AND WE CAN'T MAKE CHANGES TO THE OFFICIAL LIST, BUT THEY ARE REMOVED WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.

SO THAT, I JUST WANNA WAIT, THINK SHE WOULD'VE A GLITCH OF OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON.

OTHER THAN THAT JUDGE, UM, I'M GOOD WITH EVERYTHING AND, UM, GOD, THAT OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR VOLUNTEERS CAME IN AGAIN AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF US BEING HERE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU MICHELLE.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX THEN DISCUSSION PRESENTATION ON NEXT STEPS IN PREPARATION FOR THE MARCH, 2026 JOINT PRIMARY ELECTION.

OKAY, LET'S PROCEED TO

[VI. Discussion and presentation on next steps in preparation for the March 2026 Joint Primary Election]

MS. CAR, YOU STILL HAVE THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO ON NOVEMBER THE 17TH, THE I I WAS ABLE TO MEET WITH THE PARTY CHAIRS.

WE REVIEWED AND SIGNED THE JOINT PRIMARY CONTRACT, WHICH WILL BE GOING TO COURT ON DECEMBER THE 16TH.

OUR, WE HAVE BEEN, BEFORE WE LEFT, WE PUT TOGETHER A SERIES OF MEETINGS TO REVIEW OUR ELECTION PLAN.

SO WE, WE WILL BE MEETING EVERY 30 DAYS BETWEEN NOW AND EARLY VOTING TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE PROVIDING THEM WITH INFORMATION THEY NEED, BUT THAT WE ARE MEETING THEIR EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE IT IS A PARTY ELECTION.

SO ON DECEMBER THE 15TH, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, REVIEW THE PLANNING PHASE, WHICH WOULD BE BALLOT LANGUAGE, POLLING LOCATIONS WITH ISSUES AND DISCUSS OUR UPCOMING LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTS.

ON JANUARY THE 15TH, WE'LL BE MEETING TO DISCUSS OUR EARLY VOTING PLAN AND TO FINALIZE THAT PLAN.

AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE EARLY VOTING STARTS, WE WILL MEET TO REVIEW OUR ELECTION DAY PLAN TO DISCUSS LOCATIONS.

IF WE'RE NEEDING MORE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, IN THIS PERIOD WE'LL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AND MEET EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED.

AND THEN OF COURSE, ELECTION DAY IS MARCH THE THIRD.

SO THAT IS OUR CURRENT TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

AND ANYTIME IN BETWEEN SHOULD ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE JOINT PRIMARY, I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO HAVING ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.

SO ON THE UH, JOINT PRIMARY, WE DO HAVE KEY OBJECTIVES MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH VOTING SITES.

UM, WE'RE WORKING ON HAVING AN ACTUAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANT WORK AT EVERY LOCATION RATHER THAN HIRE SOMEONE TO BE THERE FOR WHETHER IT BE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST 30 MINUTES, LIKE MS. FISHER MENTIONED, THEY HAVE AT THIS TIME THEY HAVE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS THAT THEY GO AT AND SO THEY'RE RECEIVING PHONE CALLS FROM EVERYWHERE.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIND TECH, TECH SAVVY PEOPLE TO WORK AT THESE LOCATIONS SO THAT THEY HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO TECH SERVICES IMMEDIATELY RATHER THAN HAVING TO WAIT FOR THEIR TECH TO COME BACK.

UM, INTERNAL TRAINING, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ANSWER THE PHONES HAVE NEVER WORKED A POLLING LOCATION AND HAVE NEVER ATTENDED A TRAINING CLASS.

SO WE'RE IMPLEMENTING TO WHERE THEY ATTEND TRAINING CLASS AND THEY WORK TO GET FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THAT.

AND

[01:40:01]

OF COURSE THEY INCREASED, UM, INTEGRATION OF OUR INTEGRA COMMUNICATION.

NOT JUST COMMUNICATION, BUT PROVIDE VIDEOS, HANDBOOKS LITERATURE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS WHAT THEY NEED AT THEIR FINGERTIPS.

AND, UM, OTHER THAN PREPARING FOR THE PRIMARY, JUST TO TOUCH ON THE REDISTRICTING, WE DID COME TO COURT ON TUESDAY, I BELIEVE.

UH, WE PUT THAT IN BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION.

I BELIEVE THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS PREPARED TO DEAL WITH ANY LEGAL ISSUES THAT MAY, OR QUESTIONS SURE.

THAT MAY RESULT OF THIS.

BUT BEFORE WE GO THERE, WHICH IS THE LAST SLIDE, CORRECT MICHELLE? YES.

ALRIGHT.

SO DOES THAT CONCLUDE, UH, THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE PRIMARY? YES, SIR.

IT, IT DOESN'T, BUT THERE'S SOME, I JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT TO, FOR HER ROLE, UM, JUST SO EVERYONE'S AWARE, 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT THE NEXT MONTH IS GONNA BE VERY TREACHEROUS FOR HER.

SO LET ME, LET ME, AND THEN I'LL ASK FOR COMMENTS, UH, FROM THE COMMISSION.

WE'RE JUST A FEW MONTHS AWAY FROM THE, UH, MARCH JOINT PRIMARY IN 2026.

MICHELLE, YOU'VE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT ELECTIONS NOW, UH, YOU'VE MANAGED IN THIS PAST YEAR.

THIS ITEM WILL LOOK AT THE NEXT STEPS IN PREPARATION, ENSURE THAT YOU WILL, UH, UNDERSTAND OUR FEEDBACK AND INCORPORATE IT INTO A WORK PLAN.

SO AT THIS TIME, UH, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO REDISTRICTING, UH, I DON'T, DID YOU HAVE A REPORT OR LET'S JUST OPEN UP THE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION ITSELF.

ALTHOUGH IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT PART AND PARTIAL OF OUR DUTIES, UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CLARIFY AND, AND BEING A FORMER JUDGE, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY CLARITY TILL WE GET THE APPELLATE COURTS TO START ISSUING RULINGS.

SO I'M LARRY ROBERTSON WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THIS IS MY COLLEAGUE SUE JANICE.

SHE'S THE REAL BRAINS BEHIND THE OPERATION, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL HER HARD WORK.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW BECAUSE WE'RE MONITORING THIS VERY CLOSELY.

AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE.

IN THE LULAC VERSUS GREG ABBOTT CASE, THE THREE PAN JUDGE PANEL IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT ENJOINED THE LEGISLATIVE 2025 LEGISLATIVE MAPS.

UH, AND UM, FOUND THAT IT WAS, THOSE MAPS WERE UNCONSTITUTIONAL RACIAL GERRYMANDERING AND ORDERED THAT THE STATE REVERT TO THE LAST LEGISLATIVELY ENACTED MAP THAT HAS NOT BEEN FOUND UNCONSTITUTIONAL, WHICH IS THE 2021 MAPS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE NOW.

UM, GREG ABBOTT FILED A NOTICE OF APPEAL YESTERDAY, I THINK, UH, AND THAT APPEAL WILL GO STRAIGHT TO THE US SUPREME COURT AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WILL BE HEARD ON AN EXPEDITED BASIS.

REMEMBER THE DE FILING DEADLINE.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THOSE NEW DISTRICTS AS WELL AS THE DISTRICTS THAT UNDER THE 2021 MAPS.

SO WE'RE KIND OF IN A QUANDARY RIGHT NOW.

THE DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 8TH FOR FILING FOR YOUR OFFICES OF YOUR CHOICE.

AND SO TECHNICALLY BY LAW THE 2021 MAPS ARE THE MAPS THAT ARE LEGALLY IN PLACE AS OF TODAY.

UM, I HAVE ADVISED THE COMMISSIONERS TO, WE WERE IN COMMISSIONER'S COURT, COMMISSIONER'S COURT JUDGE AS YOU KNOW, UM, AUTHORIZED THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR TO ADJUST THE PRECINCTS BASED ON SOME ELECTION CODE LAW REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE OF THE NEW MATCH.

BUT NOW BECAUSE OF THE INJUNCTION, THOSE MAPS ARE ON HOLD PENDING WHAT THE SUPREME COURT DOES, WHICH WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.

UM, TODAY, JUDGE JERRY SMITH, ONE OF THE JUSTICES, THE FIFTH COURT JUDGE, UH, FIFTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE ISSUED A BLISTERING, UM, UH, BLISTERING, UM, DISSENT WITH THE, UH, FACT FROM THE MAJORITY.

AND REALLY WHAT HE SAID IS, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION THAT THE PANEL SHOULD HAVE ANSWERED WAS WHETHER OR NOT THE LEGISLATURE DID IT TO GAIN A POLITICAL ADVANTAGE OR DID THEY DO IT TO DEPRIVE P PERSONS OF COLOR OF THEIR VOTING RIGHTS.

AND SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY THAT, UH, THE, THE DISTRICT, THE PANEL WENT TOO FAR.

AND SO I SAY WE SHOULD KIND OF WAIT AND SEE HOW THIS DEVELOPS.

'CAUSE IF IT'S GONNA HAPPEN QUICK, UH, SO I THINK THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR IS GOING TO BE PROBABLY WORKING VERY HARD.

I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THE SUPREME COURT MAY WEIGH IN ON THIS VERY QUICKLY, BUT WE DON'T KNOW, I KNOW THAT ABBOTT AND HIS GROUP WILL BE FILING AN APPEAL, MOST CERTAINLY.

UM, AND OF COURSE KEN PAXTON AND HIS GROUP WILL ALSO LIKELY FILE AN APPEAL AND I KNOW THEY WILL FILE APPEAL, BUT THEY BOTH SAY THEY'RE GONNA APPEAL.

SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S GONNA GO.

UM, BUT WE KNOW KEN PAXTON IS CERTAINLY WORKING ON APPEAL.

THEY FILED A NOTICE OF APPEAL ALREADY AND THEY WILL BE REPRESENTING THE STATE OF TEXAS.

BUT I HEARD THAT ABBOTT'S FILING HIS OWN APPEAL.

SO I BUT FOR PURPOSES, TODAY'S DISCUSSION, THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND RULING DOES NOT APPLY TO THE JURISDICTION ELECTIONS COMMISSION.

IS THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT?

[01:45:01]

UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA, I, THIS IS KIND OF GONNA BE UNPRECEDENTED IN MY OPINION.

UH, USUALLY IN AN ELECTIONS CHALLENGE RELATED ON REDISTRICTING, THEY JUST IMPLEMENT THE MAP THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE LEGISLATURE AND THEN THEY'LL LITIGATE IT.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE THIS TIME.

THEY FOUND THAT MAP TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND JOINED IT.

NOW THAT'S GOING UP.

THEY SAID USE THE OLD MAP.

SO NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY, I THINK FILED FOR THE NEW DISTRICTS PROBABLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW, WE'LL SEE .

SO IT'S JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND CERTAINLY WE WILL HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT TO DO.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT 48, JUST, YOU KNOW, NEXT WEEK MAYBE WE'LL SEE.

BUT IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, WE WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU AN UPDATE SO YOU ALL WILL KNEW.

WHAT WAS GOING ON? I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, LARRY? IS THERE A WAY THAT YOU ALL CAN KEEP US UPDATED AND POSTED ON? 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA GO BY FAST LIKE YOU SAID.

SO IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADD TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT AGENDA, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD? BECAUSE WE HAVE COURT, WHAT, ONCE IN NOVEMBER, TWICE IN DECEMBER? ONCE, ONCE ONCE I THINK IT'S FAIR FOR THE PUBLIC TO, 'CAUSE COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS PUBLIC HEARING AND I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE, I MEAN, IT'S YOUR COURT JUDGE, BUT IT'LL BE BENEFICIAL TO THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THIS EVERY MONTH.

THE ONLY VOICE WE CAN HAVE IS THROUGH THE COURT AND THROUGH NEWSLETTERS TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS SITUATION.

CERTAINLY I'LL TAKE DIRECTION FROM JUDGE SKAY.

I, I PLAN ON KEEPING HIM UPDATED AND IF HE WANTS HOW HE WANTS TO HANDLE THAT, IF HE WANTS ME TO SEND OUT A, LIKE A NOTICE TO THE, THE COMMISSION, I'LL BE GLAD TO DO THAT.

I USUALLY WILL GIVE HIM AN UPDATE OF, AND WE'RE MONITORING IT EVERY DAY.

I'VE GOT AN ATTORNEY WAITING FOR THE FILING, BUT I, IF HE WANTS ME TO DO, I'LL PLEASE ALLOW ME TO CONSULT WITH MY ATTORNEY, OR THE, I SHOULD SAY THE COUNTY'S ATTORNEY AND WE'LL, WELL, THANK YOU.

WE NEED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.

BUT YES, WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS YES, THE DYNAMIC AT THIS TIME, I'LL, IT'S FLUID, I GUESS THE BEST WORD.

IT'S FLUID.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEFINITE DIRECTION UNTIL WE GET DIRECTIVES FROM THE COURT.

THE PUBLIC COURT, I'LL SAY THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST COVERED, UM, ISSUES IN THE NEXT PROBABLY COUPLE OF WEEKS.

I KNOW THE MEDIA IS VERY ON IT, SO IT, IT WILL BE OUT THERE.

BUT I WILL CERTAINLY COMMUNICATE WITH JUDGE AKAI IN HIS OFFICE AND, AND HOW HE DIRECTS ME TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU ALL.

GLAD TO DO SO.

WELL, THANK YOU BOTH.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

ALRIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT WE'VE COME TO THE END.

IS THERE ANY CLOSING STATEMENTS? I'LL, LET ME START ON THIS SIDE.

MS. LOS LEASE.

ANY CLOSING STATEMENTS? UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK MICHELLE, UH, UH, CHAIRWOMAN C***S AND I MET WITH HER ON MONDAY AND SHE LAID OUT A HALF FORWARD TO THE PRIMARY THAT I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY SHE LAID IT OUT HERE, BUT WE WILL BE MEETING EVERY MONTH, DECEMBER, JANUARY, AND FEBRUARY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PRIMARY GOES WELL.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. DIAMOND CLARK.

I WANNA SAY, I HOPE YOU ALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE SUBURBAN AND URBAN AREAS THAT HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION.

SO THAT'S ONE.

BUT ALSO I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL TOOK BACK A LOT OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES.

'CAUSE THE COUNTY CLERK USED TO HAVE A PORTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES, SO THE PUBLIC DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING MAJORITY OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES BACK INTO THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION.

AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, WITH ALL MEANS, DON'T HESITATE TO ASK.

USE OUR PLATFORM FOR WHATEVER YOU NEED.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.

THANK YOU, MR. RESTEK.

MICHELLE, THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE.

UM, THE ONLY OTHER SUGGESTION I WOULD MAKE, LIKE, AGAIN, WE HEAR ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND YOU KNOW, WE KNOW A LOT OF 'EM ARE EMBELLISHMENTS AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AND I KNOW THE JUDGE AND, AND LUCY, AND I'M SURE EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL HERE RECEIVES THEM.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAY CONSIDER IS MAYBE PUTTING A, YOU KNOW, AN HOUR OR TWO A WEEK ASIDE TO LET CONSTITUENTS MEET WITH YOU, TO LET 'EM AIR WHATEVER CONCERNS THEY, UH, THEY MAY HAVE.

BUT AGAIN, I, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR, YOU KNOW, HAVING COMPLETED THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, AND AGAIN, STAND UP IN MARCH.

[01:50:01]

UH, MICHELLE, LISTEN, YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO ACCOMMODATING.

ANYTIME THAT I'VE EMAILED YOU, CALLED, YOU REACHED OUT TO YOU FOR ANYTHING.

SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAME IN TO A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION, A VERY, I MEAN, AN INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE OF FOLLOWING SOMEONE WHO I ADMIRED AS WELL, UM, AFTER 23 YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, OF SERVICE AND TO COME IN RIGHT INTO AN ELECTION, AND THEN WITH THREE FOLLOWING THAT.

AND SO, AND WITH NEW EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, UM, I, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, I THINK YOU'VE DONE, UM, UH, AS WELL A JOB AS, AS ANYONE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS THROWN AT YOU AT ONCE.

UH, THE, THE, I THINK WHAT WE'VE ALL AGREED ON TONIGHT IS, IS THAT, UM, I THINK SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH JUST MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BETTER COMMUNICATION FROM YOU.

I MEAN, JUST ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION FROM YOU TO MAKE THEM FEEL REALLY ASSURED WHEN THERE ARE THESE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING.

AND I, AND I THINK IF THAT HAPPENS, I, I, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE, UM, A VERY SUCCESSFUL TENURE FOR YOU.

I REALLY DO.

SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, AND IF WE CAN HELP YOU AT ALL, AT ALL, YOU JUST HAVE TO LET US KNOW.

OKAY? YES.