1. Montgomery County Board of Elections
Election Inspector Training
BMD INSPECTOR TRAINING

2. Purpose Enforce NYS Election Laws Ensure Voters Rights
Election day protocol
Voter Education – The new mark of voting
In order to serve as an inspector, an individual
must be a resident and a registered voter in the county in which they work.
must be able to speak, read and write the English language.
may not hold elective office.
May not be a candidate for elective office, spouse, parent, or child of a candidate for elective office in the district in which they work

3. At the Polls Inspectors are in charge One chairperson at each district
Officiate as a board
Open
Count
Sign ID
Verify
Affidavit
Oaths
Close
Assist

4. Changes this year Election Coordinator Regional Technician
PIP at each poll site
Onsite voting machine tech
Affidavit overseer
Voter Greeter
An inspector at a district
Regional Technician
Prior custodian
Coordinator - Not necessarily the chairperson
BOE contact person
Regional Tech – close of polls election result

5. Opening The Polls Arrive one hour before opening Inventory supplies
Confirm Security Seals on Imagecast voting machine and Security Bag
Inventory supplies
Use the inventory list in suitcase
Count all ballots and record on ballot transmittal
Arrange polling area
Put up signs and sign posts
American flag
Distant markers
Voting/privacy booths
Start voting machine
Not working properly – contact PIP
The distance marker is placed 100 feet from the entrance to the building. Electioneering in the polling or within the distance marker is illegal.
Next slide shows security seal report
Change in supplies:
No ‘ EMERGENCY BALLOT ’ Envelopes
No paper ballots
‘ SPOILED BALLOT ‘ Envelopes
Pre-Printed ballots with numbered tear-off tabs
Ballot Marking Pens
Extra Security Seals
Privacy Voting Booths
Privacy Sleeves (for ballots)
Privacy Screens (for BMD)
Cones
Count all ballots – Preprinted + blank ballots

6. INSPECTORS RECORD SEAL NUMBERS IN THIS COLUMN THEN REMOVE ONLY #2 AND #3
AFTER REMOVING AL L SUPPLIES FROM BALLOT BOX (CABINET) AND TURNING ON MACHINE CLOSE AND LOCK DOOR AND PLACE A NEW SEAL ON DOOR RECORD THAT NUMBER HERE

7. Ballot Transmittal Form
Blue arrow = inspectors confirm ballot ID number first
Green arrow = not everybody needs to check quantity received, but accuracy is most important
Yellow arrow = quantity at open polls must equal quantity at close polls

8. Poll Watchers Are appointed by a party or candidate
Be a resident of county
Must have a certificate signed by party officer or candidate
Certificate to be on display at inspector’s table and returned to BOE at close
Are entitled to:
Observe the opening and closing of polls
Ask questions, make lists, acquire info as to who has voted, and challenge a voter
Cannot sit with inspectors or act as greeters

9. Processing Voters Verify voter Compare signatures
Ask their name and verify if address is correct
If their address is incorrect, and still in district then complete the name/address change section in front of poll book
Compare signatures
If they have changed their name, they should sign as in book then complete name/address change section in front of poll book
Is ID required–ask for a NYS drivers license/id card
Compare address on id with poll book
Record id number above signature box
If something does not match-challenge voter
Ballot stub number
Next 2 slides showing poll book name/address change section
and Poll book with voter with ID required
In a Primary Election, only registered members of the particular party can vote. Example: Democrats vote in the Democratic Primary, Republicans vote in the Republican Primary.
If a voter brings a family member or a friend’s Absentee Ballot to your polling place, you should take the ballot and return it in your supply bag uncounted.
If you are unsure if a voter is in the correct polling place you should call the Board of Elections. You can look up their address in your street guide or locate their address on the map and direct them to the correct polling place.
A person who has submitted an absentee ballot may vote on the machine.
A person is qualified to register to vote if he or she:
Is a citizen of the United States of America
Is or will be eighteen years of age or older on the day of the election
Is a resident of the county for a minimum of thirty days preceding the election

10. Tom Jones Enter ID # and name from poll book Print current name and/or
address
Thomas Smith
Tom Jones
159 East Main Street
Tom Jones
Voter must sign
current name
Picture of poll book section showing name/address change

11. Print Driver license # here
Picture of poll book showing voter with “ID REQUIRED”
If they do not have id or refuse to produce it they can not vote on machine they must vote using affidavit ballot

13. Voter Rights To cast a vote and have it count Record stub number
Maximum of three attempts to cast a ballot
Third chance must be hand counted
Record stub number
Spoiled ballot must be returned before issue of new ballot
Draw line thru spoiled ballot number enter new ballot number
Poll book illustrating STUB number
Up to three ballots allowed draw line thru first or second number

14. Voter Privacy Private voting area (Guardrail) Privacy sleeves
Received with Ballot
Ticket to cast ballot
Returned after inserting ballot in scanner
Privacy Booths
No one loitering behind another voter
Privacy at scanner
Label each sleeve with district number
Privacy sleeves are ticket to cast ballot into Imagecast box
Booth lighting

15. Challenges Challenged by who Reason a voter may be challenged
Administering oaths
Challenges are decided by
Complete challenge report section
Enter information
of voter being challenged
as It appears in poll book
Any qualified voter may object to the counting of any ballot.
Reason a voter may be challenged:
-The person’s signature does not match the current registration signature
-someone else using the same name has already voted
-the person is believed not to reside at his or her registered address.
Challenges are decided by the Board of Inspectors

16. Affidavit Ballot Voter must Inspector must
Pre-printed ballot inserted in special envelope
Voter must
Completely fill out the front and back of envelope
Sign and date
Mark ballot and place inside envelope
Return sealed envelope to inspector
Inspector must
Verify envelope for completeness
Sign inspector section on oath side of envelope
Complete affidavit section of poll book
The following 2 slides will illustrate the affidavit envelope
If a person’s name is missing in the poll book, that person may vote by affidavit ballot or under court order.
Before you issue an affidavit ballot, it is important that you determine if the voter is at the correct polling place and election district.
At the close of the polls on Election Day, Affidavit Ballots are returned unopened to the Board of Elections.

17. Affidavit Oath Side Voter completes these sections Inspector completes
Incomplete information will invalidate ballot
Inspector
completes

18. Registration Side Name, address Date of birth Signature is required
If address on this side does not match address on oath side they should be challenged
Signature is required

19. Court Orders What it is What an Inspector must do upon receipt
When unregistered or challenged person insists on voting
Permits person to vote on machine
What an Inspector must do upon receipt
Allow person to vote on machine (if instructed)
Or to vote by affidavit ballot
Record appropriately in court order section of poll book

20. Emergency Ballots
Door on end of Imagecast used only during machine breakdown
Notify BOE
Do not let anyone walk away without dropping a ballot in the ballot box
Can be scanned after repair
Process ballots through tabulator after BMD malfunction has be corrected. Nobody walks out of poll site without casting a ballot, all ballots must be accounted for at closing.
Use of emergency ballots must be indicated by entering EB in the voter’s record area in the poll book and are counted after the polls close at the polling place by the Inspectors.

21. Spoiled Ballots When voter needs a new ballot
Over voted ballot
Extra marks on ballot
Tabulator unable to read
Placed in specially marked envelope
Voter receives maximum of 3
3rd ballot must be counted by hand
Count quantity for ballot transmittal at closing of poll
A ballot that is rejected by scanner with ambiguous marks is not necessarily a spoiled ballot (erroneously marked ballot) make sure all marks in ovals are complete

22. Building Emergency Your safety first Prepare ahead of time
Remove poll books
Remove ballots
Remove tally and canvass sheets
Lock machine with security key
Close Polls

23. Voter Education POSITIVE ATTITUDE Show video Display sample ballot
Hang voting instructions in booth and on wall
Try to refrain from being overly helpful

24. Assisting the Voter Voter must be able to request assistance
Anyone - except employer or union rep
Take assistance oath
Complete assistance provided section
BMD can also assist
As it appears
in poll book
A voter must mark their own ballot or be capable of tell someone how to mark it. Nobody can mark a ballot for a voter. (ie POA)

25. Voter with Disabilities
Greeting the voter
Communication
Environment
Special equipment
Service animals
MORE DETAILS TO BE ADDED
Add picture of disabled sign or service dog

26. Closing Declare polls closed Evacuate all unauthorized persons
Secure entrance
Allow voters in line to vote
Secure voting machine
Evacuate all unauthorized persons
Prepare security pack & ballots for pickup
Start Canvass of the results
Emergency/un-scanned ballots
Printer tape
Write in votes
Account for all ballots
Who can stay after closing
Verify removal and tabulation of any emergency ballots in side box
Instructions on closing machine and retrieving printer tape
Retrieving ballots from inside BMD keep write-in ballots separate Place ballots in appropriate bag
Count all ballots – used and unused TOTAL should equal same number as at opening
Unused pre-printed ballots
+ spoiled ballots
+ cast ballots
+ unused blank ballot
= same as start-up count

27. Total

28. Reporting and Returns
Complete inspector return and statement of canvass book
Attach result tapes (by ballot ID)
Sign last page
Sign first page of poll book
Complete and sign other reports
Ballot transmittal/reconciliation
Complete information on envelopes
Pack up all signs and supplies
Following 2 slide illustrate sections from the statement of canvass book
All required documents must be completed in ink.

29. Reporting and Returns GRAY ENVELOPE WHITE/YELLOW ENVELOPES
Complete information on envelope
Insert statement of canvass
Insert completed affidavit envelopes
Return with election supply bag
WHITE/YELLOW ENVELOPES
Complete information on white and yellow envelopes
Seal envelope
Return with election supply bag
Town/Ward/District information
Confirm ballot ID number(s) from ballots Enter ID number
Ballots have been account for statement
Sample ballot matches statement
Number of Affidavit ballots statement
“Total Number of Votes” statement

30. Inspectors complete the dotted lines only
Enter votes for
any un-scanned
ballots in this column
Inspectors complete the dotted lines only
Will not have to complete any of this if only one machine is used or there are no un-scanned ballots
Actual
machine
counts
Ballots will drop in one of two places in Imagecaset ballot box (cabinet). Small space on right is for ballots with a write-in
Attempt to scan any ‘Emergency Ballots’ before closing polls. Those unscanned only ballots are recorded in third column. WILL NOT HAVE TO COMPLETE ANY OF THIS IF ONLY ONE MACHINE IS USED OR THERE ARE NO UNSCANNED BALLOTS
Write-in
BMD
ballot
counts

31. All inspectors must sign to certify results
John Hancock
All inspectors must sign to certify results
CLOSE POLLS – Certificate # 2
With results tape

32. More Information Chairperson Supply list Imagecast Supply list
Inspector’s handbooks
Security Seal Reporting and Replacement
Security Bag
Ballot Bag
Write-in Bag
Security Seal Report on slide 23

33. THE SEAL NUMBERS FROM OPENING TO CLOSE SHOULD BE THE SAME EXCEPT FOR #2,
#3 AND
MAYBE #7
A NEW SEAL SHOULD BE PLACED IN THESE LOCATIONS BEFORE PLACING THE COVER ON

34. Poll Site Setup
Include photos of BMD set up with privacy screens and chair, voting booths, check in tables,

35. Testing 7 Why the cross out ??? 1 6 2 4 3 8 5
1,2,3 – Public Counter Numbers missing
4 – Voter indicated new address, but address change was not completed
5- ‘ID Required’ license number was not entered after checking voters driver license for matching name, date of birth, and address
6 – New name not entered on name change
7 – Does the big X indicate we are to disregard entry, confusing
8 – Henry St is in district 2/2; McElwain Ave is in district 1 /2 voter should not have voted at this poll site. 5