State of Connecticut Security Procedures

State of Connecticut’s Moderator’s Handbook (2006)

APPENDIX F

Security, Storage & Transportation of Ballots & Tabulators to and from Polls

  1. IMPORTANT REMINDER
    From the time the tabulators, memory card and ballots are received, they should be stored in a locked storage location not generally accessible. A log should be maintained of all persons having access to that storage location. The log should show the names dates times and purposes for all persons having access to that storage location.
  2. Pre-election testing and sealing of memory card & tabulator
    At the conclusion of the pre-election testing of machines, the memory card should be inserted in each tabulator and secured with a numbered seal. That number should be recorded on the pre-election testing report. A copy that report should be given to Town Clerk. The Clerk should give a copy of this report, including the number of the memory card seal number, to the Moderator when she picks up her supplies the day before the election. The tabulator should be place in the bag in which it will transported to the polls. A second numbered seal should be attached to the bag. The bag should also have a label identifying the polling place to which it is assigned.
  3. ASSISTANT REGISTRARS, ELECTION OFFICIALS (OR POLICE OFFICER) PICK UP BALLOTS AND TABULATORS
    The Registrars of Voters will have a choice as to the method of delivery of the tabulators and ballot packages to the polls. They may either (1) deliver the tabulators and ballot packages to election officials on election day morning from a central location or (2) deliver the tabulators and ballot packages to election officials on a day prior to election day and have the tabulators and ballot packages kept in secure locations that may be associated with individual polling places. The details of these two procedures are detailed below:

    1. DELIVERY OF THE BALLOTS AND TABULATORS ON ELECTION DAY MORNING If the Registrars of Voters determine that tabulators and ballots should be delivered to the designated election officials on election day morning, from the designated central secure location, the following procedure shall apply:
      At 4:30 a.m. on election morning, BOTH assistant Registrars from EACH polling place, or two sworn election officials from different parties or one police officer, shall appear at the designated secure location to pick up the voting machine tabulator and ballots for their polling place.

      1. The proper official shall administer the oath to the election officials from each polling place when they arrive at the designated secure location on election morning to pick up the ballots and tabulators, if they have not previously been sworn in.
      2. The election officials shall:
        • Examine the label on the outside of the tabulator carrying case to ensure that it is the correct one for their voting district.
        • Examine the seal on the on the bag containing the tabulator to insure the seal is intact;
        • Record the seal number on the “Election Officials’ Receipt for Ballots and Tabulator” (see form 9 in this manual.)
        • Without opening any ballot package the election official shall ensure that the ballots are the correct ones for their polling place.
        • The election official shall give the Registrars of Voters a receipt for the tabulator and the number of ballot packages received (see form 9 “Election Officials’ Receipt for Ballots and Tabulator” in this manual.)
        • THE ELECTION OFFICIALS SHALL TRANSPORT THE TABULATOR AND A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF UNOPENED BALLOTS FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS OPERATION TO THEIR POLLING PLACE BY 5:30 AM.
        • Upon arrival at the polling place, the election officials shall deliver the ballots and the tabulator to the Moderator and shall receive a receipt from him (see form “Moderator’s Receipt for Ballots and Tabulator” in this manual).
        • The Moderator shall give the ballot packages to the Ballot Clerks who shall count the number of packages received and complete the BALLOT LOG, as described later.
        • The assistant Registrars shall witness the Moderator install the tabulator on the ballot box and shall participate in the procedures described in the “Certificate for Preparation of Machine for Voting” and Appendix D. (Regs. 9-242a-8, 9-242a-9, 9-242a-10)
    2. DELIVERY OF THE BALLOTS AND TABULATORS ON A DAY PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY MORNING If the Registrars of Voters determine that tabulators and ballots should be delivered to the designated election officials on a day prior to election day morning from the central secure location, the following procedure shall apply:
      At a time designated by the Registrars of Voters, BOTH assistant Registrars from EACH polling place, or two sworn election officials from different parties (which can include the Registrars of Voters) or one police officer, shall appear at the designated central secure location to pick up the voting machine tabulator and ballots for their polling place.

      1. The proper official shall administer the oath to the election officials from each polling place when they arrive at the designated central secure location on election morning to pick up the ballots and tabulators, if they have not previously been sworn in.
      2. The election officials shall:
        • Examine the label on the outside of the tabulator carrying case to ensure that it is the correct one for their voting district.
        • Examine the seal on the on the bag containing the tabulator to insure the seal is intact;
        • Record the seal number on the “Election Officials’ Receipt for Ballots and Tabulator” (see form 9 in this manual.)
      3. Without opening the inner seal of any ballot package the election official shall also ensure that the ballots are the correct ones for their polling place.
      4. The election official shall give the Registrars of Voters a receipt for the tabulator and the number of ballot packages received (see form 9 “Election Officials’ Receipt for Ballots and Tabulator” in this manual.)
      5. The election officials shall immediately deliver the tabulator and ballot packages to the designated temporary secure location for their polling place. In no event shall the tabulator or ballot packages be stored in a location other than the temporary secure location established by the Registrars of Voters.
      6. ON ELECTION DAY MORNING, THE ELECTION OFFICIALS SHALL TRANSPORT THE TABULATOR AND A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF UNOPENED BALLOTS FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS OPERATION TO THEIR POLLING PLACE BY 5:30 AM.
      7. Upon arrival at the polling place, the election officials shall deliver the ballots and the tabulator to the Moderator and shall receive a receipt from him (see form “Moderator’s Receipt for Ballots and Tabulator” in this manual).
      8. The Moderator shall give the ballot packages to the Ballot Clerks who shall count the number of packages received and complete the BALLOT LOG, as described later.
      9. The assistant Registrars shall witness the Moderator install the tabulator on the ballot box and shall participate in the procedures described in the “Certificate for Preparation of Machine for Voting” and Appendix D. (Regs. 9-242a-8, 9-242a-9, 9-242a-10)
  4. IMPORTANT REMINDER
    Polling places must open at 6AM sharp. Priority should be given to ensuring that sufficient ballots are available to begin distributing them to voters at 6AM. If the set up of the tabulator is delayed, ballot should be distributed, voted and stored in the Auxiliary Bin on the side of the ballot box. When the tabulator is put into service, ballots should be removed form the Auxiliary Bin and scanned.
  5. DELIVERY OF BALLOTS TO POLLS ON ELECTION DAY
    Teams of 2 election officials may be employed to deliver ballots to the polls as needed during election day. Alternatively, a police officer can be used instead of 2 election officials. Finally, the election officials can employee individuals who are not sworn to assist in the delivery of the tabulators and ballot packages to the polls as long as these individuals are directly supervised by the election officials.
  6. RETURN OF VOTED BALLOTS AND TABULATOR FROM POLLS
    1. Secure voted ballots for transport
      1. The Moderator and assistant Registrars shall place all ballots from the Auxiliary Bin in a depository envelope marked “Auxiliary Bin”.
      2. They shall place all ballots from the Write-in Bin in a depository envelope marked “Write-in Bin”.
    2. All depository envelopes or containers must be sealed with non-reusable tape.
    3. Officials shall place the “Auxiliary Bin” depository envelope and the “Write-in Bin” depository envelopes in the ballot transfer case.
    4. If absentee ballots were counted at the polls, the labeled depository envelopes for handcounted absentee ballots for each count should also be placed in the ballot transfer case.
    5. Ballots from the “Regular Bin” are usually too numerous to fit in a depository envelope and may be placed into the Ballot Transfer Case loose.
    6. Officials shall seal all Spoiled ballots in a depository envelope marked “Spoiled ballots.” The depository envelopes containing (1) the spoiled ballots, (2) the empty absentee ballot envelopes and rejected absentee ballots, and (3) the challenged ballots, need not be placed in the ballot transfer case.
    7. Note the number of the seal that will be used to secure the Ballot transfer case on the original and the duplicate Moderator’s Return. Place the duplicate Moderator’s Return in the Ballot Transfer Case. Lock the case and seal it with the seal, whose number you just recorded. Return it to the Municipal Clerk with the other election materials.
    8. Finally, the tabulator should be sealed in the tabulator carrying case with memory card intact and sealed. The seal number of the carrying case should be recorded on the Moderator’s Return.
  7. STORAGE OF TABULATORS AND BALLOTS
    1. The voted ballots and the tabulator, with the memory card still in place and the seal still intact, should be returned to the designed central secure locations by the assistant Registrars, or two election officials of different parties. Upon arrival, the Registrars should insure the seals on the tabulator carrying case and the ballot transfer case are intact & match the numbers recorded on the Moderator’s Return. Any discrepancy should be noted and explained in writing.
    2. The sealed ballot transfer case and the tabulator with the memory card still sealed in place should be stored in a locked storage location not generally accessible. A log should be maintained of all persons having access to that storage location. The log should show the names dates times and purposes for all persons having access to that storage location.
    3. The secure long-term or short-term storage location in which to store the marksense tabulators and memory cards shall have the following characteristics:
      1. The location shall remain locked at all times
      2. Access to such location shall be exclusively controlled by the Registrars of Voters
      3. Access shall only be granted to such location for the purpose of machine programming, maintenance, testing or set-up
      4. The secure short-term storage location may only be used for storage after adjustment and programming of the machines has taken place pursuant to 9-242a-4 and until the close of the polls on election day.