"You gave one of the most precious things you have, and that is your time. Voting is the most important thing in this country, and I would like to see it stay that way."Those are the words Northampton County Executive John Stoffa used to thank a "blue ribbon citizens' advisory committee" charged with a single task - making recommendations to improve local elections. Its five panel members originally included Russ Shade (Stoffa's reform-minded former campaign manager); Richard Benner (former registrar who oversaw 45 elections); Peg Ferraro (former county councilperson); Jack Bradt (former CEO at SI Handling); and Greta Browne (former congressional candidate). Peg Ferraro resigned when she decided to seek a seat on county council. The committee has now conducted seven public meetings, and its sole remaining task is to make recommendations.
At last night's small gathering, the panel quietly reviewed survey results. A petulant Joe Long and goofy Bucks County lawyer provided a circus like atmosphere a few weeks ago. But that was gone, and courtly co-chair Russ Shade summarized 370 returned questionnaires. "The good news is that things are better than the perception." A total of 1400 surveys were mailed to candidates(300), poll workers(700) and voters(400). Amazingly, twenty-six percent were completed and returned.
Most candidates claim their interaction with the elections office has been positive. But Greta Browne cautions these candidates are current candidates, not those who went through the last election.
Voters have a high level of confidence in the voter registration office, but not with the touchscreen voting machines. Of the fifty voters who responded, only 27 believe their votes were recorded accurately. Sixteen are not so sure and two are convinced the machines screwed up. Voters also had some interesting ideas, ranging from a proposal to upgrade the entire process to a suggestion that older children be encouraged to accompany adults and learn the process.
Poll workers returned the highest percentage of surveys. They also experienced the most problems, ranging from difficult voting machines to an unresponsive elections office. Even so, most rated their experience with the elections office as "good" or "very good."
After going through the surveys, co-chair Russ Shade concluded, "There's plenty of room for improvement. The way we do things works. But we could do better."
I'll give my assessment, for what it's worth. I don't think things are better than the perception. I agree with the perception. Over the past six meetings, we've learned that we voted with machines the state never certified and are about to do so again. Getting answers from an indifferent state elections office, has been like pulling teeth. AVS disappeared the moment we had questions. We may need a different voting machine, one that's actually certified.
As far as the elections office is concerned, there's always room for improvement. My own experience with the staff has been positive, just like what is reported in the surveys. But elections office employees definitely need a code of ethics. A party chair's daughter should never work there. Our elections commission must be depoliticized. It should become nonpartisan, comprised of members from the major and minor parties. Elections commissioners should be barred from participating in partisan activity. Finally, voter registrar Deborah DePaul must stop being so defensive about every suggestion. She has been her own worst enemy. Last night, she conducted herself professionally, and that is an encouraging sign. In fairness, she was dealt a nightmare in the last two elections and was getting no help from the state. But her decision to hire a lawyer recommended by a party chair, was poor judgment at best. It contradicts her claim of impartiality.
Nearly every meeting was attended by Republican elections commissioner Joan Rosenthal and Democratic elections chair Walt Garvin. They weren't there as partisans but because they want us to do better. They understand Dick Benner's admonition, made in the first meeting. "[P]eople must be made to understand you're there to help them."
Second Update: A detailed summary of the survey results, the same one presented to the citizens' task force, is posted here.
9 comments:
What's with the Hitler Picture O'Hare? I have to give you some grief!
If you have to ask me, then I've missed the point. That's a picture of Hitler walking out of an election hall. I think he'd love electronic touchscreen machines.
Bernie!
From the look on Uncle Adolph's face, I can't tell... did he WIN that election?
BTNP
It was 1930, the waning days of the Weimar republic, and Hitler is stepping out of the Brown house after the elections. He did not win that election but his party had risen from 800,000 votes two years before to nearly 6.5 million. His party rose from 9th to 2d place. They were deliriously happy and celebrated by smashing the windows of Jewish shops. Two years later, Hitler was the man.
Bernie when the perspective of what is going on is so low anything is an improvement or not as bad
Good catch on the certification issue. I thought I heard the committee say voting machines (their results at least) were certified for the past November election. After the fact, but however certified. However any certifications required/needed would not happen prior this May's Primary.
Thanks for the clarification.
Bernie,
Rarely do I disagree with your coverage of Northampton County government. But, I must take exception with the not-so-fair remarks about Debra DePaul, our Registrar of Elections, especially in the local media.
To mention that she was handed a "mess" is an understatement. She was handed a disaster-to-avoid in a very short period of time. On top of this challenge, Ms Depaul has been, in my opinion, harrassed by an Administration in terms, words and actions which I am unable to specify due to it being a personnel issue and thus inappropriate for further clarification. In the future, Bernie, please give Ms DePaul a little more benefit of the doubt when commenting on her actions as our Registrar of Elections.
Thank you for your friendship and understanding of my thoughts.
Alan,
Thanks for your comments. Obviously, you possess knowledge that I lack. I won't press you for details bc, as you say, this may be a personnel matter. But I'll say this much. From what I've seen of the Stoffa administration, the word "harrassment' doesn't jump out at me.
I'll concede DePaul was handed a "disaster." I think in some of my previouis posts, I haven't paid enough attention to the very real problems the county was facing. She was pretty much in the eye of the storm swirling arouind new machines, a delivery problem, and an unresponsive state office. I'll accept your criticism in that I failed to focus enough on the state.
But my judgment concerning HRH DePaul is based solely on my own observations over time.
My initial contact with her was a disaster that resulted in a shouting match. Word of that incident reached the county exec. He asked me if I had a problem with her, and I said no. You know I tend to provoke that kind of response from a lot of good people, so it didn't trouble me that she had exploded. I figured I probably deserved it.
My second contact was a review of campaign finance resports. She never did give me answers to the questions I had. No biggie. I eventually resolved those questions on my own.
My third interaction was after she had told the MC that voters who wanted absentee ballots were being lazy. That was highly insulting, and it offended people at the mcall community web site. I brought this to her attention, and got a very bizarre email from her in which she was talking about herself in the third person and claiming to be great, etc. It was weird. In fact, it's posted somewhere on this blog.
Fourth, I've watched her during the task force meetings. She monopolized them with lengthy soliloquies in whiuch she tried to whitewash every complaint.
Fifth, she did rely on the local dem chair to get a lawyer. Not very smart.
Sixth, she didn't trust her staff enough to send a rep when we had a resident to candidates night in Nazarteth.
Seventh, the problems with state certification are problem that a voting registrar should notice. I knew that WinVote Version 2.0.2 had been certified. When I saw that we were using WinVote 2.0.3, my first question was whether this version was certified. She tried to brush that concern aside. And as it develops, that version had not been certified.
I will say that this is a two way street. When she gets defensive, it immediately makes me wonder what she is trying to hide.
Her staff is very professional. That's a good thing, and she can take credit for that. And I have been hard on her because in a democracy, we must have confidence in our elections system. There's not a lot of room for error.
But Alan, as I said in my post, she has been her own worst enemy. It's the truth. You must see that yourself.
I'll try and listen to your sage advice.
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