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San Diego WATCH
Election
Night Observations Secure Accurate Elections was represented from 7:30 pm to about 1:00 am by Cathy Miller, Loren Miller and Sharlene Hamilton and from about 11:00 pm to 3:30 am by Jim Hamilton. Observers were gathered in a back conference room and asked to sign a paper indicating that we would not interfere with any proceedings and understood the rules. Deborah Seiler explained the procedures for Election Night. We were then escorted around the Registrar of Voters facility where we observed all areas. Observations and Photos from February 5, 2008 1a. Sheriff Reserve officers escort ballots on trucks or vans to the Registrar of Voters (ROV) office back door where ballots are unloaded onto black carts. The trucks then drive to another back door, where touch screens and other equipment are unloaded.
1b. Trucks then drive to a second door in the back, where touch screens and other equipment are unloaded.
1c. At the second door, it appeared that some ballot boxes which had not been properly separated from the polling place equipment at the precincts were taken from the boxes and stacked in a caged room with an open doorway.
1d. This is a close up of the carton with tamper proof seals
1e.Back at the first door, cartons containing ballots from the precincts are taken from the trucks, placed on rolling carts.
2a.Precinct numbers on the cartons are scanned or hand entered on a hand held scanner that confirms their arrival. There is a big screen in the area we would call the "Carton Inspection" area, but seems to be called the "Ballot Tally" area by the ROV where checked in precinct numbers appear in green.
2b.This screen shows all precinct numbers. As precinct cartons are checked in the numbers turn green. .
3a.In the "Ballot Tally" or, what we are calling the "Inspection" area, cartons containing ballots from the precincts are unsealed and inspected for used and unused ballots. The plastic pouch containing the TSx touch screen memory card and tape from the precinct were removed from the box. This job was done by many high school students who were being overseen by more experienced workers who had been trained on the procedure. Before the ballot cartons arrived, the students were sitting or standing around with nothing to do. They looked very confused as the cartons started to come in. Students were observed flipping through the ballots and did not appear to know what they were looking for.
4. Cartons are then taken to the "Scanner Staging Area" where the cartons are then "married" or matched to the precinct specific memory card that will be used to scan them. The picture is of cartons taken from "Staging Area" to scanning area and in the background are people matching memory cards to precinct ballot boxes.
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