VOTE SAFE IN 2022 Part #7 - NOW IS THE TIME: STEP UP, STEP OUT, MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Kudos and appreciation to those who were able to receive EIPCa Observer Training for the 2022 Election Season. They will be key forces for election integrity.

Extra Kudos and appreciation to those who have reached out to say they missed the training but are still eager to do what they can.

GOOD NEWS: There is MUCH you can do as a CITIZEN OBSERVER:

NOTE: OBSERVE AND REPORT ONLY; Do NOT intervene or interfere in ANY way.

  1. Read Vote Safe #4, #8 and #9. As you go to the polls to vote in person, observe whether regulations are being followed. If you see or experience any irregularities or concerns, download the Citizen Incident Statement and Instructions from www.eip-ca.com/incident.htm, fill it out and send it in as instructed.

    If there is something immediately concerning and serious, please send an email to corpoffice@eip-ca.com(cc to ruthweiss@eip-ca.com) with a description of what you have observed and a phone number we may use to reach you.
     
    • Be detailed. Be as specific as you can with respect to what happened or is happening; provide us with the specifics of Who, What, When, Where and How. Take and send photos if safe, legal and appropriate. (It is NOT legal to photograph any person within 100 feet of the building where voting is occurring, or a drop box without the permission of that individual.)
       
    • Limit your email to the above information. Leave emotions, opinions and diatribes for another time and place—we will be less effective in addressing situations if we have to sift through volumes of words to find the essence of a problem.
       
    • We will reply by email to let you know we received your report, and will contact you for more details as soon as possible. Please be patient. California is a huge state and our hotline will be fielding reports from both citizens and EIPCa-trained observers around the state.
       
  2. Ballot drop boxes deployed throughout every county to accept completed vote by mail ballots beginning on October 10. They need citizen oversight.

    Adopt one or more drop box in your area. Check the activity around those boxes as often as you can.

    IMPORTANT NOTE: Electioneering (wearing campaign paraphernalia, handing out campaign literature, talking about politics, advising voters in any way) is NOT legal within 100 feet of a drop box.
     
    • Dress neutrally and just watch. Avoid appearance of interference with voters submitting their ballots.
       
    • Go at different times of the day and night.
       
    • Most elections offices will not divulge the schedule for emptying the boxes, for security reasons. Try to be there at least once when boxes are being emptied.
       
    • REMEMBER: In California, it is LEGAL to drop off as many ballots as you wish. Nevertheless, if you see an individual dropping off large numbers, please report the occurrence to EIPCa using the Citizen Incident Statement and Instructions from www.eip-ca.com.
       

    3. Look for:

    • Is the area safe and secure?
       
    • Is the area accessible?
       
    • Is there surveillance?
       
    • Is the box staffed by credentialed elections office employees?
       
      • If so, are the ballots inspected for voter error and required signatures?
         
    • Is the box securely sealed?
       
    • Is anything other than ballots being inserted into the box?
       
    • How often and securely is the box emptied?
       
      • Is the box often over-stuffed?
         
      • Are the ballots carefully and respectfully treated?
         
      • Is there a 2-person chain of custody at all times?
         
      • Is the transporting container locked/sealed for security?
         
      • ON ELECTION NIGHT: is the box locked at EXACTLY 8:00 p.m.to prohibit further ballot drop-offs?

    If you see or experience any irregularities or concerns, download the Citizen Incident Statement and Instructions from www.eip-ca.com/incident.htm, fill it out and send it in as instructed.

    If there is something immediately concerning and serious, please send an email to corpoffice@eip-ca.com(cc to ruthweiss@eip-ca.com) with a description of what you have observed and a phone number we may use to reach you.

    • Please follow the email guidance in the previous section.
       
  3. Following proper procedures at closing time at a polling location is vital to integrity. California law allows citizens to be present and observe the closing activities.
     
    Adopt a polling location for each voting day - move around from day to day if possible. Arrive about 15 minutes before closing time.
     
    Look for:
    • Are ballot numbers reconciled?
       
    • Are ballots handled and secured with integrity?
       
    • Are machines properly closed down and numbers documented?
       
    • Do poll workers appear confident and competent?
       
    When ballots are transported from the polling location, follow the transporting car (letting them know in advance that you will be doing so, not because you are suspicious but because you are involved and interested).
     
    • Verify that all ballots are transported with a TWO PERSON chain of custody with no stops to the assigned location.
       
    If you see or experience any irregularities or concerns, download the Citizen Incident Statement and Instructions from www.eip-ca.com/incident.htm, fill it out and send it in as instructed.
     
    If there is something immediately concerning and serious, please send an email to corpoffice@eip-ca.com(cc to ruthweiss@eip-ca.com) with a description of what you have observed and a phone number we may use to reach you.
     
    • Please follow the email guidance above.

  4. In most counties, voted ballots are transported from the polling location to a collection center nearby at the end of each voting day. The county elections office will arrange transport from that location to where counting will occur.

    Citizen Observers can make a difference there too.

    Adopt a collection center each day the vote centers or polls are open in your county.

    Be there from the closing time of polls. Plan to stay 90-120 minutes.

    Look for:

    • Are ballots handed off from the transporting vehicle to the officials at the collection center with secure chain of custody procedures?
       
    • Are the collected ballots stored securely?
       
    • Are ballots handed off to the next transporting team with secure chain of custody procedures?
       
    • Are ballots transported with two-person chain of custody to the elections office?

    If you see or experience any irregularities or concerns, download the Citizen Incident Statement and Instructions from www.eip-ca.com/incident.htm, fill it out and send it in as instructed.

    If there is something immediately concerning and serious, please send an email to corpoffice@eip-ca.com(cc to ruthweiss@eip-ca.com) with a description of what you have observed and a phone number we may use to reach you.

    • Please follow the email guidance above.

    Voting is the way people in a Republic determine their own future.
     
    Citizen oversight is the way to ensure that process is fair, honest and transparent.

    While the act of voting should always be independent and private, protecting the process is something we can and should do together.

    See you in the trenches. And don’t forget to protect the integrity of your own vote by being a
    VIP – Voter In Person.

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