HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Board of Civil Authority - 07/30/2020BOARD OF CIVIL AUTHORITY 30 JULY 2020
The South Burlington Board of Civil Authority Held a Meeting on Thursday, 30 July 2020, at 6
p.m., via remote participation:
MEMBERS PRESENT: C. Shaw, Chair; D. Kinville, City Clerk, P. Taylor, H. Riehle, T. Barritt, S.
Hutchins, B. Gross, A. Gross, M. Emery, M. St. Germain
1. Agenda Review:
No changes were made to the Agenda.
2. Comments & Questions from the public, not related to the Agenda:
No comments or questions where received.
3. Minutes of 11 June 2020:
Mr. St. Germain moved to approve the Minutes of 11 June 2020 as amended. Mr. Barritt
seconded. There were no dissenters
4. Approve presiding officers and election officials for 11 August 2020 election:
Ms. Kinville noted that a few people had been moved around. Mr. Barritt will be the Presiding
Officer at Orchard, Mr. Nowak will be Presiding Officer at Chamberlin, and Ms. Kinville will
preside at the Middle School.
Ms. Kinville felt there will not be a lot of voters at the polls, but there will be a lot of early
ballots to process, and counting at night will be difficult. She is still looking for more people to
help.
5. Approve List of Voters removed from Check List since the last election:
Ms. Kinville said 84 voters have been removed from the Check List since the last election.
Ms. Emery moved to approve the list of voters removed from the Check List since the last
election as presented. Mr. Taylor seconded. Motion passed 9-0 with one abstention.
6. Election Training:
Ms. Kinville said there will be 2 ballots, the State Primary and the school budget. She
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30 JULY 2020
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anticipated a lot of hand counting. She then explained what would constitute a defective ballot
including not signing the envelope and voting on more than one ballot.
Ms. Kinville said there will not be ballots delivered by JPs. People can electronically send for a
ballot, but they will have to find someone to deliver it to the polls. There is also a new form for
people who claim to have left a ballot at home.
There will need to be a “voice of authority” person at the bin for discarded ballots.
Mr. Taylor asked how voting outside will happen. Ms. Kinville said a person in authority will
check that person off the check list then hand him/her a ballot at the door. When the person
has voted, the person in authority will bring the ballot inside. Mr. Taylor suggested having
some packets of ballot ready at the door.
Ms. Kinville noted that Districts 7-2 and 7-3 will have to be separated as they have different
candidates for State Representative.
Ms. Kinville said the State is allowing early ballots to be processed prior to election day. This
will be done on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. She stressed that people processing those
ballots should not comment on what they see on the ballots.
Members were concerned with the number of potentially defective ballots and suggested that
something be put on Front Porch Forum to stress to voters the need to adhere to instructions.
They should also be reminded of the need to wear masks and maintain social distancing. Ms.
Riehle said she would write something up and run it by Ms. Kinville.
Mr. Taylor felt that the public should also be notified that ballots will be processed prior to
election day. Though voters are normally allowed to watch such a process, it would not be safe
to have more people in the room when that process is going on.
Mr. Taylor moved to notice voters that the Board of Civil Authority will be opening ballots on
Wednesday and Thursday. Ms. Emery seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Kinville advised that tabulators have been tested and seals have been attached. There will
be a note of what the ballot count was on Wednesday and Thursday so the totals can be
matched on election day.
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30 JULY 2020
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7. Other Business:
No other business was presented.
As there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned by
common consent at 7:11 p.m.
______________________________
Clerk