Blue Ribbon Review Panel on Ranked Choice Voting. Pierce County Auditor s Office May 23, 2007

Transcription

1 Blue Ribbon Review Panel on Ranked Choice Voting Pierce County Auditor s Office May 23, 2007

2 Agenda Welcome and Introductions Review Considerations Pro and Con exercise of each voting option scenario Discuss Minor/Independent Party Proposal from Ruth Bennett Break Introduce Pierce County Director of Communications Ron Klein Discussion Topic No. 4 Voter Education Questions and Comments

3 Welcome Back! Jeff Even Katie Blinn Nathe Lawver Deryl McCarty Ruth Bennett Kevin Phelps Patty Rose Dennis Jones Nancy Pearson Dan Eberle Office of the Attorney General Office of the Secretary of State Pierce County Democratic Party Chair Pierce County Republican Party Chair Libertarian Party of Washington State Chair Chamber of Commerce Pierce County Central Labor Council Pierce County Veterans Advisory Council League of Women Voters of Washington Gov. Comm. on Disability Issues and Employment

4 Staff Introductions Joanne Inglett Election Center Floor Manager Michelle Ackers Election Specialist Geri Powers Poll Worker Coordinator

5 Blue Ribbon Review Panel Discussion Topic No. 3: Voting Options

6 Discussion Topic 3 Considerations Minimize complexity/confusion Poll Workers Voters Election Staff Public Avoid barriers to voter participation Maintain voter confidence

7 Voting Option Scenarios Scenario No. 1 Keep current level of service Scenario No. 2 Create something new Vote Centers Scenario No. 3 Conduct all elections by mail

8 Scenario No. 1 Keep Current Complex System Continue to provide a wide range of voting options Motto: Have it Your Way! Early Touch Screen Voters Auditor s Office Absentee Ballot Voters Mail Express Booth Polls Polling Place Voters Touch Screen (DAU) Optical Scan Provisional UOCAVA Voters Mail Pros and Cons

9 Scenario No. 2 Create Something New Vote Centers A regional location where any voter can vote their correct ballot on Election Day Voter Centers will require: Touch Screen Voting Machines Electronic Poll Books Develop county-wide regional location plan Determine the level of service Close current polling locations (58) Notify voters with options Vote by mail Vote at a Vote Center Pros and Cons

10 Scenario No. 3 Conduct Elections by Mail Provide one main voting option for Pierce County Voters Maintain accessible voting options Pros and Cons

11 Any New Scenarios? Pros and Cons

12 Discuss Minor/Independent Party Proposal from Ruth Bennett See handout Modify Section 4.15 of the Pierce County Charter Replace subsection 3 with the following: The County Executive Committee, or, if there is none, the State Executive Committee of each minor party who files with the State Public Disclosure Commission shall determine which candidates may use their party label for each county level office.

13 Break 10 minutes

14 2 nd Half Agenda Voter Education Overview of current voter education Introduce Discussion Topic No. 4 Voter Education

15 Welcome Pierce County Director of Communications Ron Klein Pierce County Chief Deputy Auditor and Voter Outreach Coordinator Keri Rooney

16 Pierce County Voter Education Efforts Voting is Cool Voter Hall of Fame Summer Young Adult Outreach County-wide Mailings National Voter Registration Act required every two years Nursing Homes High Schools Military Bases Public Presentations and Voter Outreach Offices Service Clubs, Neighborhood Councils, Advocacy Groups, Ethnic Fest, etc. Voter Pamphlets Ballot Inserts Posters Advertising Website Not a one-time cost! New voters move to our county every day. Voter education is a continuing and ongoing process!

17 Straight Arrow Program 2001 This education campaign focused on teaching voters how to properly complete the arrow when marking their ballot The goal of the program was to reduce the number of improperly marked ballots Posters at Polls, t-shirts for election staff, commercial on RCC, voter pamphlet, ballot inserts, and pins for poll workers Approximately $15,000 to Pierce County

18 Pick-a-Party Primary 2004 As easy as 1, 2, 3 The goal of this campaign was to reduce voter confusion with implementing a new primary Focused on the need to affiliate with a political party and then vote for candidates of that party TV commercials, radio, transit advertising, print media advertising and countywide mailing Joint effort by Secretary of State, Pierce, King, Snohomish and Kitsap County Auditors Estimated statewide costs: $4 million Over $100,000 to Pierce County

19 Restoring Voter Confidence 2005 The goal of this campaign was to restore voter confidence after the 2004 Gubernatorial Election TV advertising, transit advertising, print media advertising and a countywide mailing Joint effort by Secretary of State, Washington State Association of County Auditors, and the Pierce, King, Snohomish and Kitsap County Auditors Estimated statewide costs: $4 million Over $60,000 to Pierce County

20 Restoring Voter Confidence

21 Blue Ribbon Review Panel Discussion Topic No. 4: Voter Education

22 Discussion Topic No. 4 Considerations Voter Education To inform and educate all Pierce County voters Broad spectrum of voting populations To support and enhance voter s comprehension To promote ballot marking effectiveness and accuracy Promote confidence in the process and minimize voter error

23 Voter Education Priorities The cornerstone of our voter education plan should focus on: Preparing voters to expect multiple ballot pages in RCV elections Encourage voters to vote and return all ballot pages Ensuring that Pierce County voters understand how to properly mark an RCV ballot page Illustrate the differences on how to vote the traditional ballot page vs. the RCV ballot page(s)

24 Proper Voter Education is Important! Panel Cites Voter Error, Not Software, in Loss of Votes The New York Times By CHRISTOPHER DREW Published: February 24, 2007 Florida election officials announced yesterday that an examination of voting software did not find any malfunctions that could have caused up to 18,000 votes to be lost in a disputed Congressional race in Sarasota County, and they suggested that voter confusion over a poor ballot design was mainly to blame.

25 Voter Education Scenarios Scenario No. 1 Reach all voters at least five times Scenario No. 2 Reach all voters up to three times Scenario No. 3 Reach all voters once or twice

26 Education Marketing Strategy Goal: Reach all registered Pierce County voters with timely, understandable information about Ranked Choice Voting.

27 Scenario No. 1 Reach all registered voters five times Frequency of Individual Contacts: 5 Estimated cost of production and media: $450,000 - $500,000

28 Scenario No. 1 Educational Materials and Programs Educational Materials and Programs that explain the history behind RCV and provide a step-by-step demonstration of the voting process Enhanced Voters pamphlets Insert in Tacoma News Tribune minute instructional program produced for county cable channel, TV Tacoma and KBTC Public TV Public relations campaign in partnership with local media Instructional pamphlets distributed to government buildings, libraries, colleges, and other locations Auditor s Web page illustrating voting procedure Streaming of minute instructional program on Auditor s web page Speaker s bureau including DVD of instructional program and/or Power Point program presented at Rotary, City Club, Senior Centers and other community organizations

29 Scenario No. 1 Awareness Campaign Awareness Campaign that alerts voters of new RCV ballot and tells them where to access educational materials and programs. Radio commercial on local stations Billboards Transit campaign Postcards (direct mail) Posters Newspaper ads TV public service announcement Community events through government, non-profit and business networks Sample ballots

30 Scenario No. 2 Reach all registered voters three times Frequency of Individual Contacts: 3 Estimated cost of production and media: $325,000

31 Scenario No. 2 Educational Materials and Programs Educational Materials and Programs that explain the history behind RCV and provide a step-by-step demonstration of the voting process Enhanced Voters pamphlets Insert in Tacoma News Tribune minute instructional program produced for county cable channel, TV Tacoma and KBTC Public TV Public relations campaign in partnership with local media Auditor s Web page illustrating voting procedure Streaming of minute instructional program on Auditor s web page Speaker s bureau including DVD of instructional program and/or Power Point program presented at Rotary, City Club, Senior Centers and other community organizations

32 Scenario No. 2 Awareness Campaign Awareness Campaign that alerts voters of new RCV ballot and tells them where to access educational materials and programs. Radio commercial on local stations Postcards (direct mail) TV public service announcement Community events through government, non-profit and business networks

33 Scenario No. 3 Reach all registered voters once or twice Frequency of Individual Contacts: 1-2 Estimated cost of production and media: $175,000

34 Scenario No. 3 Educational Materials and Programs Educational Materials and Programs that explain the history behind RCV and provide a step-by-step demonstration of the voting process Enhanced Voters pamphlets minute instructional program produced for county cable channel, TV Tacoma and KBTC Public TV Auditor s Web page illustrating voting procedure Streaming of minute instructional program on Auditor s web page Speaker s bureau including DVD of instructional program and/or Power Point program presented at Rotary, City Club, Senior Centers and other community organizations

35 Scenario No. 3 Awareness Campaign Awareness Campaign that alerts voters of new RCV ballot and tells them where to access educational materials and programs. Postcards (direct mail) through government, non-profit and business networks

36 Homework Assignment Review these three scenarios Brainstorm other scenarios Provide feedback and input The Pros and Cons of each scenario Come to the meeting on May 30th prepared to discuss voter education

37 Blue Ribbon Review Panel Questions and Comments