PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY ELECTORAL BOARD MINUTES October 10, 2014 CALL TO ORDER The Prince William County Electoral Board met on October 10, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. in the Office of the General Registrar. Attending the meeting were EB members Chairman Keith Scarborough, Vice Chairman Rick Hendrix and Secretary Tony Guiffré. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The meeting agenda was approved without objection. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES The meeting minutes for the September 5, 2014 Electoral Board Meeting and the September 22, 2014 Emergency Electoral Board Meeting were approved without objection. CITIZENS TIME Follow-Up to PWC Participation in the Election Administration Commission (EAC) Voter Wait Time Assessment Kim Brace provided follow-up to the September 5, 2014 EB discussion regarding PWC participation with the EAC Bi-Partisan Policy Committee baseline study of voter wait times during the November 4, 2014 General election. The EB confirmed the earlier decision to proceed with the baseline study. ELECTION OFFICERS REPORT Election Officer Appointments EOC Gambrill added 49 new Election Officer (EOs) to be appointed for the term expiring February 28, 2017. Motion: Secretary Guiffré moved to appoint the EOs to serve for the term expiring February 28, 2017. Vice Chairman Hendrix seconded the motion. The motion was approved. Chairman Scarborough called for the vote. AYES: Scarborough, Hendrix, Guiffré NAYS: None NOVEMBER 4, 2014 GENERAL ELECTION Ascertainment Meeting The Ascertainment Meeting for the November 4, 2014 General Election will occur on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. in the Old Manassas Court House, 9248 Lee Avenue, 2 nd Floor Ballroom. There is staffing for six tables. The absentee voting level is lower than at the same period in 2010. The total absentee voting turnout in 2010 was 2,036 and today is 1,427 (includes 381 In-Person absentee votes). The projection for voter turnout is approximately 40%. These numbers are consistent with the absentee voting turnout across the Commonwealth. DECEMBER 23, 2014 SPECIAL ELECTION Ascertainment Three candidates have filed a Declaration of Candidacy and Statement of Organization for the December 23, 2014 Special Election. In-Person voting starts on Friday, November 7, 2014 at the Main Office and at the satellite office in the Woodbridge DMV. The Ascertainment Meeting will begin on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. in the Old Manassas Court House, 9248 Lee Avenue, 2 nd Floor Ballroom. The Provisional Meeting is Wednesday, December 24, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in the General Registrar s Conference Room and, if there is a provisional ballot due to a photo ID, the deadline will be Friday, December 26, 2014 at noon. Polling Place Preparation There are twelve precincts in the Brentsville District, and they are all in schools. The PWCS Administration is not funded to staff the schools on Wednesday, 24, 2014 for voting machine pickup outside of Election Day. In case of inclement weather, the Prince William County Schools administration facilities specialist, Kelly Rice has agreed to clear the school parking lots and sidewalks. The Office of Elections will instruct the election officers to wait until the voting machine cage is retrieved. EB Meeting 10-10-2014 Page 1 of 4
December 23, 2014 Special Election Motion: Secretary Guiffré offered a motion for the December 23, 2014 Special Election candidate filing deadline, the In-Person absentee voting period, and the EB Ascertainment Meeting. Vice Chairman Hendrix seconded. Chairman Scarborough called for the vote. The EB directed the General Registrar to publish the candidate filing deadline for Wednesday, October 22, 2014 in the PWC General Registrar s office at 9250 Lee Avenue, Suite 1, Manassas, VA 20110 at 5:00 p.m. The In-Person Absentee Voting period will begin Friday, November 7, 2014 and end on Saturday, December 20, 2014. The Election Canvass, Ascertainment Meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. in the Old Manassas Court House ballroom located at 9248 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110. The Provisional Meeting is Wednesday, December 24, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in the General Registrar s Conference Room and, if there is a provisional ballot due to a photo ID, the deadline will be Friday, December 26, 2014 at noon. LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES: Board of County Supervisors Vacancy Law Change Secretary Guiffré offered a resolution to repeal the Board of County Supervisors vacancy law that requires a Special Election be held to fill a vacancy in the PWC Board of County Supervisors within 45 to 60 days following the November General Election. Resolution: Repeal 15.2-502C of the Code of Virginia that removes the requirement unique to Prince William County requiring a Special Election to fill a vacancy on the Board of County Supervisors. BE IT RESOLVED that the Prince William County Electoral Board does hereby request that the Prince William Board of County Supervisors initiate legislation that would repeal 15.2-502C of the Code of Virginia, Amended. Chairman Scarborough called for the vote. AYES: Scarborough, Hendrix, Guiffré. NAYS: None. The Resolution passed. BOCS Support for Vote Center Legislation to VA General Assembly The Vote Center legislation will go before the BOCS on December 2, 2014 for consideration to add to the legislative priority list. Election Officers and Taxation After research and communicating with other jurisdictions and the Internal Revenue Service, Secretary Guiffré stated that the Election Officers should be treated as employees of the County and issued W-2 forms by PWC Finance. Election Officers are a special category under the Code of Virginia. Fairfax County was audited and now issues W-2s to all Officers of Elections. These W-2s exempt Medicare, social security, and withholding taxes up to $1,600.00. IRS Publication 525 and 17 states that Election precinct officials should receive a Form W-2 showing payments for services performed as an election official or election worker. The election official should report these payments on line 7 of Form 1040, or Form 1040A, or on line 1 of Form 1040EZ. Election workers are never to be considered independent contractors, they are common-law employees; however, no income tax withholding is required and IRS Code 3121-(b)(7)(F)(iv 3121-[b]7) further exempts from FICA, a specified amount for the calendar year. Secretary Guiffré introduced a resolution to exempt compensation up to $1,600.00 from income tax for Officers of Election. When PWC issues W-2 forms to all Officers of Election, this resolves issues for those who may forget to list the income for election duties. See the handouts. PWC Precinct House Keeping Boundary Changes Tracy Gordon asked whether the EB wanted to pursue the precinct line changes again this year. EAM Dutton and Tracy Gordon emphasized the VA Senate comments regarding precinct line changes that stressed redistricting occurs only following a census. Secretary Guiffré recommended that the EB resubmit the PWC housekeeping precinct changes, such as the King Precinct change that eliminates the boundary split with zero voters. The EB agreed that pursuing similar PWC housekeeping precinct changes is worth the effort prior to the November 3, 2015 General Election, where there are numerous boundary splits among the election districts on the ballot for offices in the General Assembly. EB Meeting 10-10-2014 Page 2 of 4
EXECUTIVE SESSION At 4:30 p.m., Secretary Guiffré moved that the Board go into Executive Session as authorized by Subsection A of 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia. Secretary Guiffré requested GR Douglas L. Geib, Mr. Rokey Suleman II, Tracy Gordon, EAM Diana Dutton, CDR Brenda Cabrera, EOC Amy Gambrill, and CIS Brian Fahey remain for the Executive Session. Vice Chairman Hendrix seconded the motion. Chairman Scarborough called for the vote. AYES: Scarborough, Hendrix, Guiffré NAYS: None The motion passed, and the Board went into Executive Session. At 4:45 p.m. the Board came out of Executive Session, reconvened the open meeting and adopted by majority vote the following certification for the Executive Session: WHEREAS, the Electoral Board convened into Executive Session pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; and WHEREAS, Section 2.2-3712 of the Code of Virginia requires a certification by the Board that such executive meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Electoral Board hereby certifies that, to the best of each member s knowledge, (1) only such public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the Executive Session to which this certification resolution applies, and (2) only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the Executive Session were heard, discussed or considered by the Board. Chairman Scarborough called for the vote. AYES: Scarborough, Hendrix, Guiffré. NAYS: None. The motion passed. EXECUTIVE SESSION At 5:15 p.m., Secretary Guiffre moved that the Board go into Executive Session as authorized by Subsection A of 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia. Secretary Guiffré requested GR Douglas L. Geib and Mr. Rokey Suleman II remain for the Executive Session. Vice Chairman Hendrix seconded the motion. Chairman Scarborough called for the vote. AYES: Scarborough, Hendrix, Guiffré NAYS: None The motion passed, and the Board went into Executive Session. At 5:45 p.m. the Board came out of Executive Session, reconvened the open meeting and adopted by majority vote the following certification for the Executive Session: WHEREAS, the Electoral Board convened into Executive Session pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; and WHEREAS, Section 2.2-3712 of the Code of Virginia requires a certification by the Board that such executive meeting was conducted in conformity with Virginia law; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Electoral Board hereby certifies that, to the best of each member s knowledge, (1) only such public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements by Virginia law were discussed in the Executive Session to which this certification resolution applies, and (2) only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the Executive Session were heard, discussed or considered by the Board. Chairman Scarborough called for the vote. AYES: Scarborough, Hendrix, Guiffré. NAYS: None. The motion passed. EB Meeting 10-10-2014 Page 3 of 4
NEXT EB MEETING The next meeting is the Ascertainment Meeting, Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. in the Old Manassas Court House, 9248 Lee Avenue, 2 nd Floor Ballroom. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 p.m. Keith A. Scarborough Richard E. Hendrix G. Anthony Guiffré Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary EB Meeting 10-10-2014 Page 4 of 4