Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 (Agenda)
Item 18
18.
consider and take appropriate action on proposal from county clerk for establishment of vote centers in Travis County.
and our next item will be number -- number 20.
ms. Dana debeauvoir.
>> good morning, judge, Commissioners.
>> hello, how are you.
>> what we bring to you today is our first opportunity to talk about vote centers for Travis County.
let's talk about what vote centers are and then we can talk about quickly what we intend to do about this in Travis County.
vote centers are a new idea for how we would operate a polling place on election day.
the idea is that you wouldn't necessarily have to limit yourself to voting in the neighborhood polling place that's previously been dictated as your single poll place, the only place that you could legally vote on election day.
a vote center would serve as a polling place for anybody who wanted to vote there.
in the same way that you can vote anywhere that you want during early voting at any of the early voting locations, we would make the same concept apply to election day.
that election day voters could vote in their neighborhood, in their usual polling place, or if they got confused about what was their polling place or if they were -- they got caught across town and were afraid they were going to miss voting, they could vote at a place closer to them.
they would have the same kind of options as voters have for early voting.
so that's the basic concept for vote centers.
Texas has done this over the last few years in a pilot program for 6 other counties, six other counties?
it may be five.
five or six other counties around the state, they've tried it out and we have learned some lessons from watching our other counties go through this process of learning how to use the vote centers in an election day application.
so I would like to take some of those lessons learned from them and apply it to making vote centers work for us here in Travis County.
the -- the main idea for vote centers here is I think what we do is we start slowly.
we don't make any big flashy, extravaganza kind of opening for vote centers.
we make a soft opening.
and in the first place we don't cut a lot of our election day polling places.
the law allows for the very first time you use polls -- pollsters or vote centers that you can cut your locations up to 65% of the normal amount that you use on election day.
and then later on, you can cut your polling places by 50%.
we don't propose taking that approach because of the lets sons that have been -- lessons that have been learned elsewhere.
what we propose doing is let's keep most and I really do mean virtually all, of our election day polling places.
keep them our first round, let's give people the opportunity to see what this feels like, and I think we will have enough confusion with redistricting, with voter i.d., with a lot of the other things that are going to hit voters over the next couple of elections that having options for them to go to any neighborhood polling place will save them from some of the troubles that they're going to run into based on the other things that are happening in their voting lives.
that this might be a way to offset some of those troubles and get them used to the idea.
so I'm -- I'm recommending that other than a handful of changes, that we basically leave all of our election day polling places in their current locations, leave them as is, a nice soft opening and we just tell people, look, vote in your regular polling place, just like you always have, unless you run into some kind of special circumstance for yourself.
if you are not able to get to your home polling places, your neighborhood polling place you are welcome to go to any other polling location.
but let's not try to do too much more than that our first time out.
there are a couple of -- of places where we're going to try to make some improvements without taking on too much our first time out.
there are a few, I'm talking about a handful, there are a few elementary schools where the parents and the school officials have asked us for quite a while if we could not make some other arrangements to use a polling place different from the school -- from a particular school we're in.
I'm talking about older, elementary schools, where there is really not a very good opportunity to separate the voters coming into vote from the young children who attend the elementary school.
not all of the schools have that.
in fact, most elementary schools have the capability to have an administrative area and then an area for the children.
but there are a handful of older elementary schools that don't have that capability and the schools would like for us to stop using those elementary schools if possible.
well, this makes a perfect opportunity to move away from those elementary schools and into something else that's still in the neighborhood.
and begin to work out something else so that we don't have to put those schools through that.
four or five schools have that problem.
there are other elementary schools, though, as we all know who are proud to serve as polling places for their neighborhoods.
they are part and parcel of the community and they want to continue to serve and buy all means we want to continue to be -- to be, you know, a part of their -- their school life as well.
we are not suggesting that every elementary school falls into this category at all.
this also gives us the opportunity once again in a handful of places.
three or four places where we had less than ideal facilities, but a boundary line in -- along a precinct boundary prohibited us from using any other building to switch to a building that is not quite so problematic.
we've had some facilities that are less than ideal.
this allows us to move away from those facilities while still allowing voters in those neighborhoods something else that will work perfectly well for them.
so with some very minor adjustments, what we're saying to people is for the November constitutional election, this is thinking ahead to the future, what we would like to do is keep most of our neighborhood polling places open, let's try to proceed softly, slowly into the new concept of vote centers.
before I go very much further, let me point out a couple of things that I think will be new for Travis County and then let me take questions from you so I can hear what's important to you.
the number of provisional votes that voters cast on election day, the reason driving those provisional votes is usually the voters accidentally are in the wrong place.
and it may be only the matter of they are in -- they are across the boundary line.
they thought that they were supposed to be voting at the schools when they are really voting at another building perhaps only a block or two away.
but they waited until the last few minutes of election day and they don't have time to get to the correct place.
well, vote centers solve that problem.
so we may very well be able to address a large portion of the number of provisional ballots that we take in on election day.
that cuts a lot of the workload and it takes a lot of the pressure off voters because if they are in the wrong precinct on election day, and they vote a unfortunately that provisional ballot will not be counted.
we can address a lot of those issues by going to vote centers.
one more thing is that we can eliminate voter confusion on election day.
all of those tran tick last minute telephone calls that sometimes overwhelm our voter centers, voters can't get through, the number one question is where die go vote, where is my neighborhood polling place, now those phone calls will not be so very critical because voters will be able to go where it says vote aqui, or vote here, any time they see a vote here sign, that will be a polling place they are eligible to vote in.
so I think the voter's convenience for election day will start matching the convenience for early voting.
let me take a break there and open it up for any questions that you might have for vote centers on election day in the future for the November election, not to be confused with the municipal election that we're currently holding.
>> dana, how are you doing?
>> I'm great today.
>> I have a couple of questions.
I think that I need to flesh out.
in fact I think that approach that you mentioned earlier kind of slowly moving into it, I want to call it the nibble approach.
kind of nibble at it.
>> that's a good term.
>> looking at this, though, I have some concerns, especially when it comes to the poor.
those voters that are poor in this community that do vote and of course do not have computers.
kind of left out, if we were to put this on channel 17 television, there are folks in this community who do not even have cable to get Travis County television, plus it's not even afforded to everyone in Travis County even if you do have cable.
my concern is how -- how in this nibble approach, how can we, about the voting center, how can we make sure that we can communicate this -- this change from -- from top to bottom or from bottom to top.
I'm saying, looking at the poor knowing that they got to have an opportunity to participate in the voting process just like anybody else.
I'm concerned about the poor.
everybody, I'm concerned about everybody, but really the poor is who I think we need to kind of have outreach to a little more so because of the lack of communication avenues that's unavailable to them.
so what -- what can we do about that?
after that, I have a couple of questions, others got questions also.
but can you good it that from me.
>> what can we do about changes in neighborhoods where communication may be an issue, where -- where mass communication may be an issue.
well, I think the first thing that you do is we don't make very many changes in neighborhoods where transportation and communication may be an issue.
let's try to keep those polling places stable as possible.
and that was one of our goals was let's not make very many changes at all.
and if we're going to make a change, maybe it's only that we go, say, maybe from the elementary school to the church down the street.
keep it really close, keep everything within walking distance.
we also make an effort to see that our polling places are on along bus lines.
or along major traffic thoroughfares so people can either get rides or take the bus or other public transportation to the standard polling place.
the other thing is that between city elections, primary elections and state elections, most people have become accustomed to usually two polling places, perhaps even as many as three polling places in their neighborhood.
so what we want to do is not vary from those couple of polling places that the community has become accustomed to.
>> okay.
>> once we get to the point where we identify out of the two or perhaps three polling places that everybody is used to having, what we want to do is put signs up at those polling places where -- when it comes time to use them, for this election we're going to be at the church, let's say, so we put signs at the other location or perhaps the other two locations that says this time around we're not here at this location, we're at the church and any other locations we can put signage everywhere so people just walking around can see it's not going to be here.
it's going to be over in the next block at the church this time around.
these are techniques that we have used in the past to communicate with people, you know, no the election is coming over here, not at the recreation center, perhaps this time.
so all of those are very helpful.
then of course we do have the standard publishing, you know, in various place.
we try to use community newspapers.
obviously we do publish it on 17.
but your point is valid not everybody can afford cable.
we will certainly look to all of our other community partners to help us get the word out, too.
the churches and the community action groups have been very helpful in making sure we get the word out.
all of those are resources for us and then of course your office and the Commissioner's offices are ideal in helping us to try to get that word out, too.
part of what, you know, this -- this first conversation that we're having about this is about is to identify what else do we need to do.
what do we need to do with community to get the word out.
one of the things that I hope we will end with today perhaps we can pick a date for a public hearing so we can extend one more chance for people to hear about and learn about vote centers for the future.
>> all right.
this -- this voting -- voting center nibble approach as I called it, in looking and examining the research that was done on the other counties that are using it --
>> yes.
>> -- you said that you want to start out slow.
what and how many in that approach of the do's and don't's from that research, what -- what and how many of these -- well, I guess the location something have to be determined, but how many will be voting -- of the vote centers in the nibble approach will be made available in the upcoming constitutional November election?
>> almost all of them.
>> all of them.
>> plus we're going to fold back in some of the early voting locations and keep them open on election day.
we've had a lot of our voters say to us, well, I voted at the grocery store, you know, for early voting, but my mom can't come and vote there on election day.
which seems silly to them.
not realizing that there is a difference between early voting and election day.
and part of what vote centers does is it kind of begins to simplify the differences between early voting and election day.
so with the -- with keeping some of our high turnout, high use early voting locations, I think that will help, too, grocery stores, that makes a big difference to some of our communities of interest.
>> okay.
will there be anything utilized, this is my last question, during the municipal elections which are early voting is actually taking place now, on that, any opportunity that may avail itself to -- to outreach efforts in this particular election, I think may 10th is the last day of that, any thought on any opportunities there for where voters are actually coming to the poll to make maybe an in-road into those voters that are coming to participate in this upcoming election that's going on right now within the municipal election?
any thought about that as far as outreach is concerned?
>> yes, sir.
but I want to be careful how we describe it because I don't want to confuse voters.
we try to make sure there's as much continuity as possible between one election and the next.
that we use as many of the same polling places as possible from time to time.
so the 20 or more polling places that we use no early voting in this -- for early voting in this election are going to be the same ones that we're going to be using for early voting for the November constitutional election.
the same for election day, the ones that we're using for election day now are going to be the same polling places that we will want to use as vote centers come election day for the November election.
so what we're trying to do is make sure that the infrastructure is stable between these two closest elections.
so just as much as we can get it to match, but I wouldn't say that we're talking about it very much right now because we don't want to confuse a municipal election for our client with what's going to happen in the November constitutional election, which is a text election and will seem -- the feel of it will be very different once we get there.
so we're not doing so much recruiting in terms of walking about it right now as we are trying to lay the infrastructure.
>> so the same expenditure, amount of money that we have experienced in the past to conduct such elections, example in the November election, in this new concept, in the nibble approach of the voting centers, will there be an increase in funding, funding remains the same or decrease in funding to support this?
>> our plan is for the funding to remain the same.
>> okie-doke.
>> I know that some jurisdictions have cut, when they have done this program, and we consider this one of the lessons learned, they have gone in and cut their polling places by, you know, perhaps not quite half, but they have significantly cut the number of polling places and with the idea that they might be able to substantially save some money and what we have learned from their experience is that they really don't save that much money if any at all because they are still serving the same population, they still have as many ballot formats and as many people voting so they have to hire as much personnel, so there's not that much money that they can actually save.
by cutting the number of polling places all at once, the jurisdictions that have done this have experienced quite a bit of voter confusion.
we've learned that perhaps that's not going to be the best way to do it.
most especially in communities where you have small recreation centers, small churches, even small schools that have for years served as the basis for the voting areas in these neighborhoods.
we don't want to disrupt those small locations which would not serve as a -- as sort of a giant big box location anyway, which is what maybe some people think of when they think of vote centers.
so to answer your question, I don't think there's going to be very much savings and I think what we're looking for between now and then is as much continuity, the same kind of -- the same kind of buildings that we're going to use this time and next final as next time as we can possibly get.
>> but you don't anticipate any added costs.
>> I don't.
we're going to try to stay the same.
>> thank you.
>> we have 189 locations today.
>> yes, sir.
>> and you propose to have 175.
>> yes, sir.
>> that's what this says.
that's the difference of 14.
>> yes, sir.
>> so will the centers be included in the 175?
or is that the 175 just regular location, same as today?
>> vote centers.
there will be 175 vote centers.
that -- final --
>> all right.
>> the vote centers means that
>> [multiple voices]
>> I now vote at 122.
>> right.
>> so on election day in November, I will be able to go to.
>> 122.
>> all right.
>> or?
or where?
>> or anyplace else that's convenient for where you are on that day.
>> okay.
so the vote centers will operate the same as early election stations.
>> that's correct.
>> anyplace, all of these are designated vote centers.
>> yes, they are.
>> I would be able to go to any one of them and vote or my old one.
>> that's right.
>> now, I only have a couple more questions.
but when I look at the list, there are some new ones shaded -- sort of shaded.
>> yes.
>> so they represent what?
>> where are the old polling places are, and then where -- where we can have either a better facility, moving away from an older elementary school, or where we might be able to consolidate two polling places that are together and they are, you know, we might be able to have some consolidation, the new sites are either going to be exactly where they were or perhaps we've been able to move to something that's a little bit more beneficial for that neighborhood.
without the more strict confines of the precinct boundary line.
so you can look at it in terms of a real neighborhood instead of a precinct boundary line.
and that -- that came from the criticisms that we heard from some voters that said well, I'm having to drive past a polling place so that I can get to the polling place that's designated for my precinct.
and it only has to do with precinct boundary lines.
they find that frustrating.
so what we're trying to do is take a little more common sense approach to neighborhoods.
>> so the new ones --
>> I'm sorry.
>> the shaded new ones, the shaded new locations.
>> yes.
>> replace an old one?
>> yes, sir.
>> okay.
now, so -- so residents will be giving an opportunity to provide input.
>> yes, sir.
>> the deadline for submission for approval by the secretary of state is sometime?
August.
>> August 15th.
>> what's the deadline for residents to provide input.
>> we thought we would ask for the schedule on the court's time for June the -- I'm looking for my note.
>> okay.
>> thank on a minute.
>> that will have to be worked out by e-mail, not in court today by the way.
>> yes, right.
a public hearing on June the 20th, or a public hearing on July the 12th.
which will give us plenty of time to take that information, make the adjustments, before our deadline of August 15th.
is that your order of preference.
>> yes, it is, we would like to get information in a little sooner.
>> do you have in mind a Tuesday meeting.
>> yes, sir.
>> both of these dates are on Tuesday.
>> both of them Tuesday.
>> court members any other questions.
>> I have one other question, dana.
this is a hot topic state-wide.
we know that it was piloted in lubbock and we saw some concerning statistics coming out of lubbock with regard to disend franchisement of certain populations, particularly populations of color.
also logistic issues in collin county in their deployment.
>> there were.
>> what are we -- I'm very pleased with the idea of taking a very nibble approach as Commissioner Davis has said.
>> [one moment please for change in captioners]
>> it would be nice if we can return the favor as to what our have been and how it's affecting our voter turn out.
at the end of the day, I know your goal is the highest voter turn out.
>> right.
we will have easily collected data for the number of people that vote on election day in a vote center.
and we will also have the information about which ballot formats, the number of formats and which ones were handed out at particular vote centers.
that will be the starting type of data.
we will also want to capture like for example, were there lines that ever formed during the day.
most especially the seven at end of evening line.
one of the things that impressed my about colin county as experience and why I thought we should have a very soft opening and not brag so much about you really can go anywhere, and allow people to continue to go to their old place unless theft to go somewhere new, in colin county they had pilups a the one polling place, perhaps just something convenient for people getting off the freeway, and yet other places, and people voted, stood in line a couple of hours, and yet there were other polling places that were completely empty.
so I don't want to see a pile on in some places and see our resources waisted in others.
those kind of things will work themselves out over time.
especially as our voters get used to it and use their social media, this e can let each other know, oh, there's a 30 minute line here, go over to the recreation center, and they will be able to help one another.
though --those kind of things develop over time.
that is why I'm saying yes, legally you can go anywhere, but go ahead and start out with what you are most comfortable with, the home precinct.
>> will we be weighting the statistics we get for the preand post gail effect?
>> I hope there won't be a preand post gail effect.
we hope to be able to survive.
but yes, we hope to be able to match the statistics that have been turned in though the --in to the secretary of state, because of course they want to know what this looks like.
as well as the Commissioners court.
we won't be gathering one time.
as many elections as we can offer to do the centers, we will do them.
I do need to let you know there is a caveat.
you cannot use vote centers for primary elections.
so we will see--
>> not at all.
>> not allowed by law.
it will feel a little odd that we use it for the constitutional amendment and then go back the regular way, so it will feel a little bit jerky at first, which is why I think it's important to have the soft opening and then the primary and then come back to it.
>> what are you asking the court for today?
>> I would like to ask the court to put on its agenda June 20th for a public hearing.
>> we need to check our e-mail on that.
>> sorry, the 21st.
>> we need to know two weeks before that date how much time you think you need.
>> okay.
>> hopefully voter input up to that point will let you knowyes.
and we have also sent out to--
>> to approve the pilot today, right?
>> yes, sir.
bear with me just one second.
I wanted to let you know that we have sent out--
>> we only have one second left.
about that time.
>> in that case, we have sent out a lot of information to a lot of members of the community to let you know that this is being considered.
and we would like permission to proceed with the pilot, including working at the legislature to see the bill that allows us to do this in November will be finally passed and we have permission to move forward.
>> if that does not pass, we cannot do that?
>> if it does not pats pats, we will not be able to do it.
>> we will set a public hearing anticipating action by the legislature.
>> the legislature, it's in the secretary of state's bill, we're anticipating it passing, everybody seems to want it to pass.
it's timing.
>> yes.
>> this is the Travis County Commissioners court.
all right.
let us indicate our support.
>> thank you very much.
>> of our county clerk.
and the pilot initiative that the legislature is working on.
you and mr. Eckstein will keep us posted on the development of that legislation.
it wouldn't surprise me if we fall out with the legislature over the budget between now and the end of the session.
so good luck though.
any other comments?
always a pleasure to see you again.
>> thank you.
>> more later.
>> thank you for your consideration.
>> thank you.
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