Video offers live access to ballot inspection boards

That is where the office of the county auditor does some of its most important work, and this year citizens can watch the process at the office of Okanogan County Auditor Cari Hall thanks to a new service installed this year. On Oct. 12, Certified Elections Administrator Jamie Groomes issued a media release announcing a new link on the auditor’s website okanogancounty.org/auditor/elections/elections.html that will allow online viewers to observe the ballot inspection boards. Once the site is accessed a Ballot Inspection Live link at the bottom of the page allows viewers to follow the ballot inspection process.

Hall said her office received two grants from the Secretary of State’s office that provided the funding to install the video system.

“The grants were election-specific, one for COVID and the other for security,” said Hall. “The chief deputy and I decided what better way to provide transparency than to have cameras.”

Both the grants and the inspiration to put them to good use came at a critical time. While citizens have always been on hand to watch the ballot inspection process at every election, space limitations combined with COVID distancing requirements would have restricted that participation. The live link opens the process to anyone who wants to tune in online.

“We are very, very proud of it,” said Hall of the new system. “It provides transparency and allows observers to watch the process who may not want to come in due to COVID.”

Hall said two staffers are always involved when ballots are collected at drop boxes and through the mail. Once those ballots arrived at the Auditor’s office, they undergo an initial count and are then organized in bundles of 25 ballots each. The unopened ballots are stored in the Auditor’s vault until they are retrieved to undergo the signature verification process.

“We have staff members who are specialized training from the Secretary of State’s office to verify signatures,” said Hall. “They scan the signatures in front of a reader and compare them with those we have on file.”

Anyone who accessed the video link on Thursday, Oct. 22, would have seen staff member and signature specialist Matthew Schuh, who is also a Bridgeport city councilman, performing the signature verification process.

A missing signature or one that does not match the signature on file is the most common error that results in a ballot not being counted. Hall advises every voter who through an injury like a broken arm or other cause that might alter a signature to notify the auditor’s office to have a new signature put on file that will match that on the ballot. Another option is to have the ballot signature witnessed by two individuals who can add their signatures to the appropriate witness spaces on the outside of the mailer envelope.

Hall said her office makes repeated attempts to contact a voter by phone and mail to correct any deficiency that brings a ballot under scrutiny.

“It really bothers me to see ballots we can’t accept because of signature issues,” said Hall. “but that’s the law.”

Problem ballots are referred to a canvassing board that is charged with making the final decision on their status. That board is comprised of the chair of the board of county commissioners or its designee, the prosecuting attorney or his designee, and the county auditor.

“We have representation from three branches, law, administration, and auditor,” said Hall. “There are multiple RCW’s that guide the procedures of the canvassing board.”

When the full inspection board comes in the envelopes are then opened and each ballot inspected to ensure there are no damages or discrepancies that would compromise its count. They are scanned, again by two staffers, and kept in bundles of 25 in secure storage.

“We are not allowed to tabulate results until after 8 p.m. on election night,” Hall said.

That is when the ballots are pulled out of the scanning equipment and entered into the tabulation computer. From there they are uploaded onto the auditor’s website and vote.wa.com, a statewide system.

“Both of the election systems are secured locations,” said Hall. “There are no phone lines, no modems, nothing. A high clearance is required for access.”

Hall’s office continues to process ballots every three days to account for all ballots received on election day or postmarked by election day.

“Sometimes they come in four to five days after election day,” said Hall. “The results are certified 21 days after the election.”

“I grew up with a passion for the process, for the peoples’ voice,” said Hall of her responsibilities.

Hall’s mother, Mila Jury, one among the volunteers helping with this year’s election, served at the county’s chief deputy auditor for more than 40 years before her 2018 retirement. Hall was elected county auditor in 2019.

“My goal is to have a super-high turnout,” Hall said of this year’s election.

And thanks to the new video system, people will be watching.