HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-13-2023 MinutesMinutes of the City of Sebastian Canvassing Board
Logic & Accuracy Test
Friday, October 13, 2023 - 8:00 a.m.
for the November 7, 2023 Election
Supervisor of Elections Office
4375 43rd Avenue, Vero Beach, FL 32967
Present:
City of Sebastian Canvassing Board Members: City Clerk Jeanette Williams (Chairperson); City Attorney
Jennifer Cockcroft; City Manager Brian Benton; Records Specialist Cathy Testa; Ron Paul Leisure Services
Assistant
Other Officials Present [for all or part of the test]:
Indian River County: Supervisor of Elections Leslie Swan
Deputy Chief of Operations Maureen Houssell
IT Manager David Cruz
Logistics & Equipment Manager Joe Crowley
Vote by Mail Coordinator Daisy Zamora
Candidate Coordinator Anita Wheeler
Elections Specialist Mariangelys Baldi
Election Worker Coordinator Jenny Obergfell
The City of Sebastian Canvassing Board convened at 8:00 a.m. and Elections IT Manager, David Cruz,
introduced himself. The board observed election staff power up the Express Vote machines for the
visually and hearing impaired. Each precinct is required to have one Express Vote machine by law. The
machines were calibrated and sample ballot cards were made with scan codes. It was demonstrated
that the voter has the ability to verify their votes by listening to or visually reviewing a printed card.
At 8:07 a.m., the board moved to the DS200 machines and the sample ballots were then scanned into
the DS200 for an inclusive count. Each machine had the election date, precinct to choose and an
English/Spanish language option. Additional test ballots were fed into the machines. These DS200
machines can read a blank ballot, over voted ballot and an upside down ballot. To provide a paper
backup, this machine prints a ticker tape as that isn't torn off until the poll is closed.
At 8:26 a.m., the elections staff simulated the closing of the poll by printing the ticker tape and powering
down the machines. Mr. Cruz noted the three ways to prove a ballot was cast: notation on the ticker
tape, the server log, and the actual paper ballot. Elections Supervisor Swan has taken an extra step to
ensure an accurate vote county by purchasing two independent audit machines. During the
demonstration, Mr. Cruz advised that should there be a power failure on Election Day, independent
battery backups are on each machine and they last for several hours. When the polls are closed, the
machines send the results to the main server located at the Elections Office in Vero Beach.
The board moved to the DS850 tabulation machines #1 and #2. The board witnessed the machines were
set at "zero" and provided a printout indicating no ballots had been counted. (See attached) Sample
ballots were scanned into the tabulation machine. After the scanning, Mr. Cruz pointed out the bottom
tray contained ballots that did not have any problems. The middle tray would catch any ballots with
issues such as hesitation marks, over votes, under votes, etc.
The results of the test run were exported onto an encrypted memory stick drive and taken to Mr. Cruz's
computer. He explained that as ballot information is loaded into his computer, he speaks aloud so that
an additional employee can watch and hear and as he moves the paper and memory sticks that he is
working with from left to right to indicate completion. This concluded the test run.
At 9:02 a.m. the board moved to the canvassing room to open approximately 1000 ballots. Elections
staff ran the ballots through the DS850s. The secrecy sleeves were recycled for the next election. Mr.
Benton and Ms. Testa duplicated approximately 20 ballots that were rejected by the DS850s. Mr. Cruz
ran the ballots through the independent Clear Audit machine to be recounted and verified.
The City of Sebastian canvassing board adjourned at 11:12 a.m.