November 3, 2020 Election Update OFFICIAL ELECTION ...Warden’s Total Tally Sheet – this tally...

November 3, 2020 Election Update OFFICIAL ELECTION MATERIALS – Mailing #5 Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State – October 2020

This mailing contains official documentation for the November 3, 2020 General Election, which requires your immediate attention. Listed below are the items enclosed in this mailing. If you find that something is missing or you have any questions regarding what you have received, contact the Elections Division immediately at 624-7650 or toll-free at 1-888-VOTESME. Note: Items may not be in the same order as this numbered list. 1.___ Materials for Tallying and Reporting Election Results

All forms required for tallying ballots after the polls have closed, as well as the Return of Votes Cast forms for reporting results to the Secretary of State, are included in this mailing.

_____ Tally Sheets Tally sheets used by Election Clerks counting ballots. Note: 2 tally sheets are needed for each lot of

ballots tallied by a counting team or each tabulator/memory stick. Make copies of this form as needed or print from CVR.

Warden’s Total Tally Sheet – this tally sheet is used by municipalities that hand-count 2 or more lots of ballots and municipalities that use 2 or more tabulators/memory sticks.

_____ Warden’s Return of Votes Cast You are receiving one (1) Warden’s Return of Votes Cast (ROVC) for the General Election. The Warden

completes the paper ROVC on Election Night and returns the paper ROVC to the Municipal Clerk for entering results into CVR. The Warden provides the Municipal Clerk with a copy of the tally sheets as well, for review by the Municipal Clerk and to resolve any discrepancies.

2.___ Instructions for Completing Tally Sheets and Packaging Election Materials Instructions explaining how to complete the tally sheets are provided. A second instructional sheet explains the process for packaging election materials (including used and unused ballots).

3.___ Checklist for Submitting Election Returns and Other Documents to the Division of Elections

This checklist outlines items that must be submitted to the Division of Elections following the November 3, 2020 General Election. These documents must be received in this office by 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2020. Please note that the Log of Spoiled Ballots, provided in the Jiffy Bag mailing, is included on the checklist.

Submit the documents by one of the following methods: (1) scanned attachment to an email to [email protected]; (2) Fax to 287-5428 or 287-6545; (3) USPS ovenight mail (101 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333); (4) hand delivered by municipal official or courier (111 Sewall Street, Augusta, ME 04330).

Do NOT use First Class Mail for submitting the documents – it is no longer an option. The Postal Service now requires 5 to 7 business days (not including weekends) for First Class Mail.

4.___ Instructions for Entering Election Results in CVR Enclosed are directions for data entering in CVR the results from the Warden’s Return of Votes Cast (ROVC) on Election Night. Although we do not require the Municipal Clerk to data enter the results on Election Night, we ask that you complete the data entry as soon as possible the following day (Wednesday). Because of ranked-choice voting, we will be under an abbreviated schedule to report official results. Certified results must be entered into CVR and received by the Division of Elections no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2020.

5.___ Post-Elections Activities Reminder & Checklist

This memo outlines the activities that must be completed by municipal election officials following the November 3, 2020 General Election. These activities have statutory deadlines and include:

(1) updating absentee records; (2) entering new registrations and requested changes in CVR; (3) entering Voter Participation History, and (4) notifying the Secretary of State electronically in CVR that the activities have been completed. A calendar outlining these deadlines is also provided. More information on assigning VPH, and the VPH Statement of Completion, will be provided in a future mailing.

mailto:[email protected]

6.___ Instructions for Entering Voters in CVR Post-Election These instructions provide guidance in entering new voters in CVR, or pulling existing voters from other municipalities, after Election Day (do not enter new voters or the records for existing voters in CVR on Election Day). Note: this includes special instructions – due to the shortened Closed Period – for applications received by mail or 3rd person.

7.___ Quick Reference Guide for Voter Statuses This document reviews voter statuses (Active, Pending, Rejected, Pending Age, Absentee Pending, Inactive, and Cancelled), and how they are entered and updated in CVR, based on voter registration procedures set out in federal and state law. Please make sure that you, and your deputies, are familiar with this so that voter statuses are not changed to Inactive, Cancelled or Rejected in error.

8.___ Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Post-election Instructions/Transmittal Notice

These documents (Municipal Procedures for RCV and Post-election Procedures for RCV) provide instructions for election officials in the event your ballots/memory sticks must be retrieved for an RCV central count. A copy of the Transmittal of Sealed RCV Materials form that must be completed when General Courier retrieves your ballots and/or memory sticks is also included.

9.___ Important Reminder for Absentee Processing

The notice provides instructions for processing absentee ballots so that the voters who do not return state ballots may be coded as returning specific ballots only (i.e. “MAV” for “municipal AV only”). This will help the Municipal Clerk resolve Voter Participation History (VPH) discrepancies later.

10.___ Receipt of Personal Protective Equipment and Supplies Please complete the enclosed receipt of PPE and supplies received and return to the Division of Elections by October 29th so we can ensure delivery of missing items before Election Day.

11.___ Survey for Ranked-choice Voting (RCV) Ballot Retrieval

Please complete the enclosed survey on RCV Ballot Retrieval and return to the Division of Elections by October 29th so we can assist General Courier with planning their retrieval routes for Thursday, November 5th and Friday, November 6th in the event a central RCV count is necessary.

12.___ Special Circumstances Absentee Ballot Application and Instructions A small supply of the Special Circumstances Absentee Ballot Application is enclosed. Please duplicate as necessary. The application is also available at: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/temp/.

Pursuant to Executive Order 8 FY 20/21, the Governor extended the deadline for voters to request (and vote) an in-person absentee ballot without a reason, until 5 pm on the second business day before the election, or Friday, October 30th. The deadline for all other methods of requesting a “no-reason” absentee ballot (e.g. electronic, telephone and written requests) is still 5:00 pm on the third business day prior to election day (Thursday, October 29, 2020).

Please review the enclosed instructions to determine how requests for absentee ballots must be handled beginning October 30th.

13.___ Election Workers Survey for U. S. Elections Assistance Commission (EAC) After each federal election, the Secretary of State is required to report certain election statistics to the EAC. Most of the statistics are obtained through CVR, but information about election workers (Wardens, Deputy Wardens and Election Clerks) is not captured in CVR. Please complete the enclosed survey regarding election workers. If you would submit it with your Election Results and other required documents by November 5, 2020, that would be helpful to us, and save you from having to come up with the information later. However, we are allowing you until Friday, November 20th, to submit the survey.

All mailings are posted on the Elections Temp Website: www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/temp

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/temp/

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/temp

Instructions for Completing the Tabulator Tally Sheet Prepared by the Division of Elections – October 2020

Please review the following instructions regarding completion of the Tabulator Tally Sheet.

Step 1: Running Tapes and Recording Totals After the polls close and all absentee ballots have been processed through the tabulator, the Warden must run at least 2 copies of the machine tape of vote totals. The total votes for each candidate, as well as blanks and write-ins, must be copied from the tape and entered into 2 blank tally sheets in the first column labeled “Total Votes from Tape” (i.e. in boxes T1, T2, T3, etc). Add together the overvotes and undervotes for each contest to get total blanks. NOTE: For a ranked-choice contest, record only the votes for 1st Choice. Although the tape includes the votes for 2nd and 3rd Choice, do not review or record these votes on the tally sheet. For each office, there is a space for the number of write-ins from the tape (TW), the number of blanks from the tape (TB) and the total number of ballots (votes) counted by the machine (TM). Blanks: Calculate the total number of blanks by adding the undervotes and overvotes for each contest. Note: If there is no Declared Write-in for a race, the tape does not list the write-in position. Put a zero in box TW. If there is a Declared Write-in, the tape will indicate the number of ballots with a write-in for that race. Write that number in box TW. Record this information from the tape on two (2) tally sheets and proof both tally sheets before you proceed to the next steps. Complete a set of 2 tally sheets for each tabulator and/or memory stick that is used at the election.

Continued on reverse

Step 2: Write-in Review Report (Tape)

The Write-in Review Report will automatically print after two copies of the Voting Results Report. All Declared Write-in candidates applicable to your municipality were provided to you in an earlier mailing and are printed on the tally sheet. The Write-in Review Report will print life-size images of all declared write-in selections. Tally only the images containing the name of the declared write-in candidate and count all others as blanks. NOTE: All RCV contests have declared write-in candidates. For ballots with the write-in indicator marked for an office with a declared write-in, you must tally the ballot for either (a) the declared Write-in candidate or (b) tally as a blank. Record the number of votes tallied for each declared write-in candidate in the appropriate box (i.e. W1) or tally the blanks in the WB box. The number of votes tallied for all the declared write-in candidates (W1, W2, W3, etc.) and the number of votes tallied in WB must equal the write-in tape total (TW). For example, if the write-in tape total lists 10 total write-ins in the U.S. Senate contest, you will need to account for each write-in selection as a vote for Bond, Engelman, Fogg or a blank (W1, W2, W3 or WB). The total of W1, W2, W3 and WB must equal 10 (total write-in ovals selected). When you are done recording the declared write-ins from the Write-in Review Report, seal the tape into a manila envelope containing the official tally tape, tabulator tally sheet, and Warden’s Total Tally Sheet (label provided in Jiffy Bag) and put the envelope in a tamper proof container.

Step 3: Review and Tally Ballots in the Auxiliary Bin (if any)

If the auxiliary compartment contains any ballots that could not be processed through the tabulator, these ballots must be hand-tallied and the tally must be recorded in the column labeled “Tally Auxiliary Ballots” (i.e. A1, A2, A3, etc.). Enter the numeral for the total number of ballots in the Auxiliary bin in box AT of the tally sheet. Calculate the Total Ballots Cast figure by adding box AT to TM. The Total Number of Ballots Cast must be the same for each office or for each ballot question. When you complete tallying the ballots from the auxiliary bin, seal them in an envelope marked “Auxiliary Ballots for [town name]” and sent to the SOS in the event of a central RCV count.

Step 4: Complete Your Grand Total (far right column) Total across each row and record the numeral for grand total of the votes cast for each candidate and blanks (in GTB). NOTE: The Total Ballots Cast (GT) must be the same for each race.

Step 5: Complete Your Certification

Finally, the 2 election clerks need to complete the certification sheet by filling in the total ballots counted by the machine, total auxiliary ballots counted, and then the sum of these two figures which make up the total ballots cast. The certification is then signed by these 2 election clerks.

Rev. 6/20

Instructions For Packaging Election Materials (Title 21-A Sections 689-699)

After the polls are closed and all ballots, including absentee ballots, are processed: 1. ___ Seal the Incoming Voting List (IVL)

• The Warden and 2 election clerks (1 Dem, 1 Rep) sign the IVL certification • Place the IVL in a manila envelope, or other package, and seal with the signed certification • Do not seal the IVL with the used or unused ballots

2. ___ Cancel and Seal Unused Ballots

• In red, cancel all loose, unused ballots with an “X” or stamp/write “Canceled” through the printed part of the ballot

• Place all unused ballots (sealed packages and loose canceled ballots) in their delivery containers and seal with tamper-proof tape

• Label the outside of the container(s) “UNUSED BALLOTS FOR (election date)” • Do not seal the unused ballots in tamper-proof containers with used ballots

3. ___ Seal Absentee Materials

• Seal used absentee envelopes with the attached applications (if applicable) and sealed, rejected absentee ballots in tamper-proof or other container(s)

• Label the outside of the container(s) “ABSENTEE MATERIALS FOR (election date)” • As long as your absentee materials are packaged separately from used ballots, those containers may

be unsealed 6 business days after the election (if no recount is requested)

4. ___ Label Spoiled, Defective and Void Ballots • Place any spoiled, defective or void ballots in separate, labeled manila envelopes (use labels provided

by the Secretary of State)

5. ___ Package Used (Voted) Ballots (Tabulator Count only) • Remove ballots from the ballot box and place into tamper-proof container(s) • State candidate and referendum ballots, if printed separately, may be stored in the same tamper proof

container • Municipal ballots must be packed in separate containers

6. ___ Package Machine Tape, Tally Sheet and Review Write-in Report Tape (Tabulator Count only)

• After completing the tally for each tabulator or memory stick that was used to process ballots, place the following items in a labeled envelope (use the label provided by the Secretary of State):

1 copy of the signed official tape 1 copy of each Tabulator Tally Sheet signed by the team of 2 election clerks that completed each tally 1 copy of the new Write-in Review Report tape 1 copy of the Warden’s Total Tally sheet with the combined tallies

7. ___ Package Auxiliary Ballots (Tabulator Count only)

• Auxiliary ballots that were hand-tallied must be separated by candidate and referendum • Referendum auxiliary ballots can be sealed with materials listed above in Item #6 • Candidate auxiliary ballots are sealed separately. The envelope containing auxiliary candidate

ballots must be sent to the SOS if you receive notice that that the State will be conducting an RCV central count. See RCV Memo in this mailing for more instructions.

8. ___ Package Used (Voted) Ballots (Hand Count only)

• Place each counted lot of used (voted) STATE ballots, wrapped with the tally sheet for that lot into tamper-proof container(s)

• State candidate and referendum ballots, if printed separately, may be stored in the same tamper proof container

• Municipal ballots must be packed in separate containers


Rev. 6/20

9. ___ Package Other Material (must be packaged with used (voted) ballots)

• Place labeled envelopes containing spoiled, defective or void ballots into tamper-proof container • Place envelopes containing challenge certificates (NOT the list of challenged voters) into tamper proof

container • Place 1 copy of the Warden’s Total Tally into the tamper-proof container • Place labeled envelope containing Tally Sheets, Tapes and other materials from #6, into tamper proof

container(s) (Tabulator Count only)

10. ___ Latch, Seal and Lock Tamper-Proof Container(s) • Check that all used (voted) ballots and materials are in the tamper-proof container and close the latch • Double check that latch is properly fastened so that the box will not come open • Place a numbered plastic seal through the latch hole and push it into the locked position • Place the state issued padlock through the latch hole and lock it • The container must be sealed so that the seal on the container must be broken before the container can

be opened 11. ___ Label Tamper-Proof Container(s)

• Label the front and/or side of every tamper-proof container as follows: • Name of municipality • Voting district • Election date • Container number

12. ___ Complete Certificate of Sealed Ballot Container

• Record the container, seal and lock numbers for each container • Up to 10 tamper-proof containers may be recorded on one form • Do not seal the certifications in the tamper-proof container

13. ___ Deliver Materials to the Clerk

• The Warden must deliver the following materials to the Clerk immediately upon conclusion of the ballot count:

Sealed containers of used and unused ballots Sealed Incoming Voting Lists Sealed containers of absentee materials Copies of Tally Sheets, Warden’s Tally and Return of Votes Cast completed by the Warden All other official paperwork and election materials

14. ___ Material Storage and Retention

• Used ballots and election materials in tamper-proof containers must be transferred and securely sealed into other containers for permanent storage 2 months or more following the election. The transfer must be made in the presence of 1 or more witnesses

• Referendum ballots must be retained for 2 months; Candidate ballots must be retained for 22 months • The Incoming Voting List must be retained for 5 years • Absentee envelopes and applications must be retained for 2 years

WARNING: To tamper with ballots or voting lists or to open or break the seal of a sealed container or package of ballots or voting lists, with the intent to change the outcome of any election, except as permitted by law, is a CLASS B CRIME.

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following the November 3, 2020 General Election

The Secretary of State must receive your Warden’s Return(s) of Votes Cast, Certified Return of Votes Cast from CVR, and other required documents by Thursday, November 5, 2020. This is the 2nd business day after the election, designated in statute (Title 21-A §§711(3) and 712). If these documents have not been received in this office by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5th, this office is authorized by statute to make arrangements for a courier to retrieve them, at the municipality’s expense. The following items must be submitted for each voting district (Ward/Precinct) in your municipality:

Warden’s Return of Votes Cast (completed by the Warden on Election Night) – The Warden’s Return of Votes

Cast form must be completed by the Warden at each voting place on election night, including the Total Ballots Cast. The Municipal Clerk reviews each Return and submits them to the Secretary of State, Division of Elections. The Municipal Clerk must correct any errors that are obvious based on the tally sheets or tabulator tape. The Municipal Clerk may not change the totals recorded by the Warden, but must make the correction to the attested copy with a notation of the basis for the correction.

Certified Election Results in CVR – The Municipal Clerk must enter each Warden’s Return of Votes Cast into the Central Voter Registration (CVR) database, verify the totals, and complete the certification. After the results have been entered, proofread and certified in CVR, the Municipal Clerk must:

1. Print off the results entered (the “certification”).

2. Sign and date the certification.

3. Submit the signed/dated certification with a copy of the paper Warden’s Return(s) of Votes Cast.

Certificate of Sealed Ballot Container – Submit a copy of this form to the Division of Elections and retain a copy for

your records. Timely submission of this form facilitates the scheduling of recounts.

Log of Spoiled Ballots (all municipalities) – If ballots are spoiled by voters, this Log must be completed by an election official and submitted to the Division of Elections.

Warden’s Log of Opening the Ballot Box (machine municipalities only) – If a ballot box had to be opened to either compress ballots or remove ballots to tamper-proof containers, this Report must be completed by the Warden or Municipal Clerk and submitted to the Division of Elections.

Log of Early Processing (municipalities that processed Absentee Ballots on prior to November 3, 2020). NOTE: If you process absentee ballots on multiple days, a separate log should be completed for each day you process

These items must be submitted by ONE of the following methods (do not submit multiple ways):

1. As a scanned attachment to an email to [email protected] .

2. Fax to 287-5428 or 287-6545.

3. USPS overnight mail (101 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333) – you must use an option that will guarantee delivery by

5 p.m. on Thursday, November 5th. You were not provided with a Return Envelope for this election because First Class mail is no longer an option – the Post Office now requires 5-7 business days for First Class mail delivery.

4. Delivered in person (by municipal official or courier service; 111 Sewall Street, Augusta, ME 04330).


Instructions for Entering Election Results in CVR Revised by the Division of Elections – October, 2020

1. ROVC Management in CVR

On Election Night, the Warden at each voting district must complete the paper Return of Votes Cast form and deliver the completed form to the Municipal Clerk with the election materials. The Municipal Clerk must then enter each Return into the CVR. This process is described in Chapter 5 of the CVR Guide, and summarized below. Choose Activities Election Results ROVC Management.

Choose the 11/03/2020 – General/Referendum Election and click the Search button (Party is not applicable to General elections):

2. Select Wards/Precincts.

The Wards/Precincts applicable to your municipality will be displayed. To enter results, check the box next to the Ward/Precinct and click the Update button. Note: Most municipalities have a single ward/precinct.

3. Enter results for the General Election (Note: there is no Referendum Election).

The office and candidates will be displayed.

Enter the results as recorded by the Warden on the paper Return of Votes Cast.

You must enter the votes cast for each candidate AND the number of blanks for that race. Note: Total votes for each race must be the same, or you will not be able to save the results.


Example from 2018 General Election

4. Printing and Reviewing “Unofficial” copy.

After the results have been entered, save your results by clicking the “Save” button at the bottom of the ROVC Data Entry screen. Click the “Print Candidate” button to print an Unofficial copy of the results.

Compare the results that are printed from CVR against the Returns that were completed by the Warden. Make any necessary corrections to the results in CVR. Important note: The Warden’s ROVCs that you submit will be compared to the CVR Results that you submit by Elections Division staff. If the results do not match, you will be contacted to resolve the discrepancy. Please compare the results before you submit your returns.

5. Save and Certify; print Certified Copy.

When the results in CVR agree with the Warden’s Returns, certify your results by clicking the “Save and Certify” button. Click on “Print Candidate” again for the Certified CVR results (the certified copy has a place for the Municipal Clerk to sign and date the certification). Sign and date the certified CVR results.

After “Save & Certify” has been selected, changes cannot be made to your results. If you discover an error after selecting “Save & Certify”, contact the Division of Elections so that Elections staff can make the corrections.

6. Submitting copy of Certified Results to SOS.

Submit a copy of the printed certified CVR results you printed from CVR, AND the paper Warden’s Return of Votes Cast for each voting district in your municipality. You are not required to enter your results on Election Night, but please enter the results as soon as possible on Wednesday. The printed certified CVR results AND the paper Warden’s Return of Votes Cast must be received by the Secretary of State by 5:00 pm on Thursday, November 5th.

CVR Helpdesk: 1-877-HAVAHLP Division of Elections: 1-888-VOTESME

Special Notes

(1) Additional instructions and screen shots are available in Chapter 5 of the CVR Guide.

(2) To avoid having to be contacted after your results are submitted, please PROOFREAD the printed certified CVR results against the Warden’s Return of Votes Cast to verify that the numbers match.

(3) If you discover an error after you have Saved and Certified the results, you must contact the Division of Elections to unlock the results. Division of Elections staff will make the correction and email or fax you the corrected certified CVR results for you to sign and submit. The signed corrected CVR results must be submitted to the Division of Elections immediately for use with the Ranked Choice Voting process.

(4) If you are not going to be available after you submit your municipality’s results, you must make arrangements for someone else to be available to resolve any discrepancies and provide the Division of Elections with any missing or corrected election return documents.

Post-Election Activities Reminder & Checklist for the 11/3/20 General Election

Prepared by the Secretary of State, Division of Elections – October, 2020

1. Election Night – Tuesday, November 3rd – Warden’s ROVC Completed & Delivered to Clerk

A. Warden’s Return of Votes Cast form – The Warden completes the Warden’s Return of Votes Cast form, including the Total Ballots Cast, and reviews for accuracy.

B. ROVC Delivered to Municipal Clerk – The Warden delivers the Return of Votes Cast form, tally sheets, Warden’s Total Tally Sheet, and tabulator tapes (where applicable) to the Municipal Clerk.

2. Day after election – Wednesday, November 4th – Review ROVC/Enter ABs & Registrations/Changes in CVR

A. Review of Warden’s ROVC and Corrections – The Municipal Clerk must review the Warden’s Return of Votes Cast and make corrections, if necessary, on a copy of the Warden’s Return.

B. Enter Results in CVR – The results are entered under Activities → Election Results → ROVC Management; then printed, signed and sent to the Division of Elections with an attested copy of the Warden’s Return.

C. Begin Updating Absentee Records – The Municipal Clerk must update all absentee ballot records in CVR within 5 business days of the election, pursuant to Title 21-A §753-B(6). If you have unresolved absentee ballot records, you will be notified through Reminders. All absentee ballots not returned must be rejected with the reason “Ballot Not Received by Deadline Date”. VPH will not be turned on until all absentee records have been resolved – please make updating your absentee records a priority.

D. Begin Entering New Voter Registrations and Requested Changes in CVR – The Municipal Clerk or Registrar must complete the updates within 15 business days of the election, pursuant to Title 21-A §721. NOTES: For Election Day registrations and changes, you must use 11/3/20 (Election Day) as the date of registration/change. If you use a later date, you will not be able to assign VPH for the voter.

3. 2nd business day after election – Thursday, November 5th – Submit Required Documents to SOS

Pursuant to Title 21-A §711(3), the Secretary of State must receive – by 5:00 pm – the following documents: attested copy of Warden’s Return of Votes Cast, certified CVR Results, Certificate of Sealed Ballot Container, Log of Spoiled Ballots, and if applicable: Log of Opening the Ballot Box and Log of Early Processing.

4. Within 5 business days of election – Tuesday, November 10th – Complete AB updates; Recount Requests

A. Finish Updating Absentee Records & Generate Final Absentee Voter Report – This is the statutory deadline to complete the update of absentee records in CVR, and to generate a final Absentee Voter Report. The Absentee Voter Report must be retained in the Municipal Clerk’s records for 2 years.

B. Electronic Notification in CVR – After updating absentee records in CVR, you must notify the Secretary of State electronically that this step is complete (Title 21-A §721). Electronic notification is under Internal Reports and is described in Chapter 9 of the CVR User Guide.

NOTES: (1) You must access CVR using Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge – other Internet browsers will not work – the boxes will not stay checked; (2) Be sure to click the Submit button after checking the box; (3) Confirm that the boxes are staying checked by going off the Municipal Election Certification screen and then back to it. If you are using IE or Edge but the boxes are not staying checked, call the CVR Helpdesk for assistance.

C. Recount Requests must be made within 5 business days after the election. If a request is made, a recount alert will be sent and election materials must be assembled for retrieval by the courier. Please ensure that a 2nd person knows where these materials are and is available to provide them to the courier if you are unable to do so.

NOTE: You are not authorized to assign Voter Participation History (VPH) on Election Night. The Maintain Voter History module will be turned off in CVR until all absentee records are resolved. If you don’t update your AB records by the deadline, you will be holding up other Clerks from proceeding with post-election activities. Also, even after VPH is turned on, there are other steps – outlined below – that must be completed before you begin to assign VPH.

5. 6th business day after the election – Thursday, November 12th (If no recount) – Unseal Materials

A. Unseal Absentee Materials – The absentee envelopes and attached applications must be kept sealed for 5 business days after the election (unless you are notified that there is a recount) pursuant to Title 21-A §698(3-A). If no recount, the Municipal Clerk may open the box(es) containing the absentee envelopes and applications. Once unsealed, these materials must be kept in the Municipal Clerk’s Office for 2 years.

B. Unseal Incoming Voting List – The Incoming Voting List must be kept sealed for 5 business days after the election (unless you are notified that there is a recount) pursuant to Title 21-A §698(3). If no recount, the Municipal Clerk must unseal the list. Once unsealed, the Incoming Voting List is a public document and must be retained in the Municipal Clerk’s Office for 5 years.

6. 15th business day after the election – Wednesday, November 25th – Complete Entering Registrations/Changes

A. Finish Entering New Registrations and Requested Changes – To verify that you have entered all new registrations and changes, and that you have entered them with the correct dates of registration or change, generate a Change Detail Report with a date range from the day of the Election Day to the current date. Proofread the Change Detail Report against the voter registration applications and the Certificates of Registration that were issued. Errors found and corrected now will save you time having to reconcile discrepancies after VPH is assigned.

B. Electronic Notification in CVR – When finished entering new registrations and changes in CVR, the Municipal

Clerk or Registrar must notify the Secretary of State that this step is complete by electronic notification through CVR pursuant to Title 21-A §721.

7. No later than Tuesday, December 1st – Begin Assigning Voter Participation History (VPH)

A. Begin assigning VPH (instructions in Chapter 7 of CVR Guide – be sure to select the correct election!)

First, assign voting history for all absentee voters through the Import Absentee Ballots function of Multiple Voter Participation. After importing, generate a VPH Report and proofread it against your final Absentee Voter Report to confirm that all absentee voters have history assigned.

Proofreading the absentee voters now will save you time having to reconcile discrepancies later.

Then, scan the barcodes of the voters who voted on Election Day. (You can manually assign VPH through Multiple Voter Participation History by importing the absentee ballots first, then entering Voter ID numbers.)

B. Proofread and Resolve Discrepancies – As VPH is assigned in CVR, generate VPH Reports and PROOFREAD the VPH Reports against the IVL to confirm that the same voters who are checked off on the IVL are the same voters in the VPH Report.

HINT: Stopping to proofread after each letter is assigned will save you the time of trying to identify discrepancies at the end.

C. Submit Electronic Certification and Paper Statement of Completion – After VPH is assigned and proofread,

and all discrepancies are resolved, notify the Secretary of State by electronic notification and complete, sign and submit paper Statement of Completion (SOC). The SOC will be provided in a mailing after the election.

D. The statutory deadline for completing VPH is Tuesday, January 12th. This does NOT mean assigning the VPH on January 12th. This is the date by which VPH should have been (1) assigned, (2) thoroughly proofread, (3) discrepancies resolved that can be resolved, and (4) the SOC submitted.

Additional information on assigning VPH will be provided in a mailing after the election. For assistance with any of these post-election activities, call the CVR Helpdesk Line: 1-877-HAVAHLP or the Elections Division: 1-888-VOTESME.

Other important information: (1) Use the Voter Record/Date Correction Form (available on the Elections Temp Site) to report corrections immediately after discovering them. Do NOT attempt to correct anything yourself – this only compounds the errors; (2) Contact the CVR Helpdesk for assistance in resolving other VPH discrepancies (attributing discrepancies to “UOCAVA voters” is almost never accurate); (3) Pending Age voters should cause your VPH to be higher than adjusted TBC – we will use the Referendum Election TBC, and Pending Age voters are not eligible to participate in the Referendum Election. Please remind Election Clerks to hand out Primary ballots only.

Special Note: Because you might be taking vacations in conjunction with the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, please try to complete the VPH as soon as possible. VPH will be turned on after Absentee Ballots have been resolved – so get your absentee records resolved ASAP.

Post-Election Activities Calendar November 3, 2020 General Election

November Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3

Election

Day

4

Review ROVC; enter results in

CVR; update ABs &

Reg/Changes

5

Warden’s ROVC & Certified CVR Results must be

submitted to SOS by 5:00 pm

6 7

8 9 Notify SOS

electronically in CVR that this has

been done (Mun. Elec. Cert)

10 Statutory Deadline

for updating absentee records in

CVR

11

Veterans Day

12

If no recount, unseal IVL and

absentee materials

13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23

24

Notify SOS electronically

in CVR that this has been

done (Mun. Elec.

Cert)

25

Statutory Deadline for

entering Election Day

Registrations & Changes

26 Thanksgiving

Day

27

28

29 30 1 2 3 4 5

December Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

6 7 If not started, begin assigning

VPH

8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31 1 2

January Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Statutory

Deadline for completion*

of VPH

13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Do NOT begin assigning VPH until new registrations & changes are entered and PROOFREAD. If you submit correction forms to Elections for known record problems, you can proceed with assigning VPH for everyone else.

Note: Use correct dates in CVR for new registrations & changes. See section 2-D of Post-Election Activities Reminder for correct dates to use. When done, generate a Change Detail Report and compare to VR applications and CORs.

Municipalities will be charged for courier fees for any results that have

to be retrieved.

Immediately after the Election, have your ballots ready for

retrieval by the courier service for RCV.

Notify SOS electronically in CVR that VPH has been assigned; submit paper Statement of Completion.

*Completion means: (1) VPH already assigned; (2) proofread; (3) discrepancies resolved; (4) SOC submitted.

VPH will be turned on AFTER all absentee records have been

resolved. Don’t hold other Clerks up!

Report any AB record issues to Elections

ASAP

Entering Voters in CVR Post-Election Prepared by the Division of Elections – October, 2020

On Election Day, do not add voters to CVR, or pull voters from other municipalities, or make voter-requested changes. You may access CVR only for look-up purposes, and for entering absentee return information. New voters must be added, and requested changes made, within 15 business days after the Election. The following guidelines are provided for entering new voters after the election: 1. New voters not already in CVR

New voters who register to vote in person at the polls on Election Day are entered in CVR after the election by back-dating the “Date Card Received” field in CVR to the date of the election, November 3, 2020. CVR requires you to select a Registration Type of “Election Day or Closed Period With Verification” or “Election Day or Closed Period Without Verification”. “Verification” refers to Proof of ID and Residency, not whether the federally required questions were answered or the application was signed. CVR assigns Active status, because (1) they registered in person, not by mail, and (2) if they registered on Election Day, it is presumed that they voted, and therefore must be added to the voting list as Active. Inspection of voter registration applications before a Certificate of Registration (COR) is issued is critical; if a voter was issued a COR and allowed to vote, the voter must be entered in CVR and added to your voting list with Active status.

A. If the voter provided Proof of ID and Residency, then the voter is entered in CVR with a Registration Type of

“Election Day or Closed Period With Verification”, and status is automatically Active.

B. If the voter did not provide Proof of ID or Residency, and did not want to use the Oath of Residency, then the voter must vote a challenged ballot. The voter is entered in CVR with a Registration Type of “Election Day or Closed Period Without Verification”, and status is automatically Active. The voter must go on your voting list as Active, because the voter was allowed to vote.

If no Proof of ID was provided, you will be prompted to check the box under Proof of ID that nothing was provided. The voter’s status will still be Active, but the voter’s record will be flagged on future IVLs as needing to show Proof of ID before voting.

If no Proof of Residency was provided, you must check the box to assign Challenged Ballot status (to the right of the status field). The voter’s status will still be Active, but the voter will be flagged on future IVLs to provide Proof of Residency before voting.

At this point, you may not send a VRAN to confirm residency – the provision for sending a VRAN applies to applications received by mail or 3rd person only. You may attempt to contact the voter to obtain missing information, but the voter may not be rejected in CVR.

These steps apply even If you discover after the election that the voter did not provide Proof of ID or Residency, because the voter was allowed to vote and must be added to your voting list. Do not manually select another status, such as Pending or Rejected – the voter’s status must be Active.

C. If you discover after the election that the application was incomplete in some other way, such as federally-required questions not answered or no signature, but the voter provided Proof of ID and Residency, then you must enter the voter in CVR with a Registration Type of “Election Day or Closed Period With Verification (because “with verification” refers to Proof of ID and Residency). You have to indicate that the questions were answered and signature was provided, even though that was not the case, in order for the voter to be added to CVR and your voting list.

As in section B above, your only recourse is to attempt to contact the voter, and to take steps to remove the voter from the voting list through the CACC process or a Registrar Hearing, if the voter does not respond.

continued on reverse

2. Existing voters (voters who are new to your municipality but who already have a CVR record) The process is similar to that for new voters, except when the records are pulled from other municipalities, you will

not be selecting Registration Type. Registration Type is entered for new voters only, and does not change when a voter moves to a new municipality. Back-date the “Date Card Received” field to the day of the election, November 3, 2020.

Proof of ID does not change, either, unless the voter had not provided Proof of ID in the previous municipality (you can then enter Proof of ID).

You will enter the voter’s Proof of Residency in your municipality.

You must follow the same procedures in sections A through C for new voters, as far as status is concerned and the steps to resolve issues.

3. Applications received by mail or 3rd person during the Closed Period

Voter registration applications received during the Closed Period (other than in-person) are not entered in CVR

until after the election. The applications are taken to the polls, and if the voter comes in to vote, the application process can be completed.

The Closed Period for the November 3 2020 General Election has been shortened to 15 days (beginning at close of business on October 19, 2020).

For assistance with entering new registrations and changes after the election, or for date corrections, contact the CVR Helpdesk: 1-877-HAVAHLP.

Quick Reference Guide for Voter Statuses Prepared by the Division of Elections – October, 2020

1. Active

Voters who have submitted complete and signed applications either in-person, or by mail or 3rd person with Proof

of ID/Residency.

After a voter has been made Active in CVR and is on your voting list, you may not change the status to Pending or Rejected.

2. Pending Only for voters whose applications are received by mail or 3rd person and have not provided Proof of Residency.

The pending status exists to accommodate the VRAN process to confirm residency.

CVR changes status to Active after 15 days (the time allotted by law for the VRAN process).

Note: By law, the VRAN process is used to confirm residency for new registrations only, and must be conducted immediately upon receiving the applications. You may not use the VRAN process as a means to confirm residency outside of the 15-day period allowed by law. If you do not mail a VRAN in the 15-day period following receipt of the application for the VRAN process, you have lost the opportunity to send a VRAN to confirm residency.

3. Rejected Pending voters (a) whose applications are received by mail or 3rd person, and (b) who were sent a VRAN to

confirm residency, and (c) whose VRAN is returned by the Post Office as Undeliverable within the allotted 15 days. This is the only circumstance in which you should change a voter’s record to Rejected in CVR (see Note below).

You may not reject Pending voter records based on some other piece of mail that has been returned Undeliverable (there is no provision in law for that).

You may not change a voter’s status from Active to Rejected based on any other type of mail that has been returned by the Post Office as Undeliverable (there is no provision in law for that).

The returned mail may be used as the basis to conduct a Registrar Hearing (to start the process of cancelling a voter) or to send a Change of Address Confirmation Card (CACC) (to start the process for making a voter Inactive).

There is no other reason authorized by law to change a voter’s status from Active to Rejected. Note: Applications received by mail or 3rd person that are incomplete (federal questions not answered; Previously Registered section not completed; application not signed) should not be entered in CVR. Attempt to follow up with the voter outside of CVR. The rejection/revoke change feature of CVR is not working as intended, so we prefer that those applications not get entered.

4. Pending Age 17-year old voters.

CVR changes status to Active on the voter’s 18th birthday, and that date becomes the voter’s registration date.

Do not manually change the status before the voter turns 18; this will interfere with CVR functionality and issuing

absentee ballots (if the systematic status change does not occur, CVR still sees the voter as “age pending” behind the scenes).

continued on reverse

5. Absentee Pending Only for people who submit a written, signed application for absentee ballot who are not registered to vote in your

municipality. This is an exception to the Closed Period; see Title 21-A §122(5). Enter voter’s name and address from the absentee ballot application and send ballot and voter registration

application. Enter ballot request information in CVR.

If completed voter registration application received from voter separate from the ballot, update the voter’s record and change status to Active.

If voter registration application is not received, first reject the absentee ballot record in CVR, then change the voter’s status to Rejected.

If you make a mistake and reject the voter record before rejecting the absentee ballot, you must contact the Division of Elections for the rejection to be backed out of the record.

Note: Absentee Pending status cannot be assigned to an Inactive or Cancelled voter who is already in your municipality. For those voters, you must make the voter Active and issue the absentee ballot.

6. Inactive Only for voters who have been sent a Change of Address Confirmation Card (CACC), and (1) the card is returned

by the Post Office as Undeliverable or (2) no reply is received within 20 days (if CACC was mailed to an address outside the municipality). There is no other reason authorized by law to change a voter’s status to Inactive.

Voter remains in Inactive status for the period of 2 general/federal elections (4 years).

During those 4 years, if the voter attempts to vote, votes, signs a petition or contacts the Registrar to update the voter’s record, the voter’s status must be changed back to Active.

The Division of Elections runs a cancellation batch process after every general election to cancel voters who have been Inactive for 2 general/federal elections. A municipal official is not authorized by law to change an Inactive voter’s status to Cancelled, unless you receive a signed notice from the voter indicating a move or a death notice.

7. Cancelled Voters who have requested, in writing, to be removed from the voting list.

Voters who have completed BMV change cards indicating a move (unless the box is checked to not use the

information to update voter registration).

Voters who have returned responses to CACCs indicating a move outside the state or to a new municipality within the state.

Voters who have moved to other municipalities within the state, for whom you have received notification through

CVR.

Voters who have moved outside the state, and you receive notification of registration from the new state.

Voters for whom you have received death notices or you can otherwise verify date of death.

Voters who have been Inactive for 2 general-federal elections (done by the state as a CVR batch process).

There are no other reasons authorized by law to change a voter’s status to Cancelled. All other sources are “unconfirmed sources,” which may be used only as the basis to conduct a Registrar’s Hearing or to send a CACC.

Municipal Procedures for Ranked-choice Voting (RCV) Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State, October 2020

Ballot Layouts • RCV races on one side, plurality races on the other side • RCV for races with 3 or more candidates (including declared write-ins):

o President and Vice President – 5 listed candidates and write-in space o U.S. Senator – 4 listed candidates and write-in space o Congress (Dist. 1 & 2) – 2 listed candidates and write-in space

NOTE: There is at least 1 declared write-in candidate for each Congressional District making each contest ranked-choice.

Providing Assistance to Voters – Prior to Election Day • Direct Voters to Secretary of State’s RCV Resource webpage; provide a copy of the RCV instruction poster • Some pointers on marking the ballot:

o You do NOT have to rank all candidates – your ballot will be counted even if you only mark 1 ranking o If you only want one candidate to win, rank that candidate 1st Choice and don’t rank any others o If you have more than one candidate you would like to see win, then rank them in the order you would like

them (1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on) o If you only rank a 1st choice, that 1st choice vote will count as long as that candidate continues in the race; if

the candidate is defeated (because of having the least votes in any round), then there are no more choices to consider and the ballot is exhausted and no longer counted

o Ranking only one candidate (as your 1st choice) is the same as ranking only one candidate, but for more than one ranking (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.) – the ballot will be counted for the 1st choice as long as that candidate continues in the race; if the candidate is defeated (because of having the least votes in any round), then there are no more choices to consider and the ballot is exhausted and no longer counted

o Do NOT rank more than one candidate at the same ranking (i.e., in the same column) – that is an overvote, and the ballot is exhausted and no longer counted

o Try not to skip rankings – if you skip only 1 ranking, then the next ranking is considered if that candidate is eliminated; if you skip 2 consecutive rankings – the ballot is exhausted and no longer counted

Providing Assistance to Voters – On Election Day • You or any other assistant may only provide the following assistance:

o read the ballot (including the instructions on the ballot), or read the instruction poster to the voter, and o mark the ballot according to the voter’s wishes

• This is no different from any other election and this is what the law permits (Title 21-A section 672) Processes and Materials Relevant to RCV • Log of Spoiled Ballots (absentee and election day)

o This form will be used to note and tally the number of spoiled ballots (both absentee and official ballots) and where the error occurred – on an RCV race or on a plurality race

o Stamp your spoiled ballots as you always do and segregate them in an envelope o The log form will be provided in the jiffy bag – record any spoiled absentees once you get the form and

continue recording through election day o We will ask for the form to be included with the results and other filings after the election

• Tabulator Messages o The voter will get a message regarding an overvote, whether it is in the 1st choice ranking or in another

ranking; they will either request to return the ballot for spoiling, or cast the ballot as is o The voter will get a message for a totally blank ballot (no ovals are marked on the ballot); they will either

request to return the ballot for marking, or cast the ballot as is o NOTE: Voter will NOT get a message if one or more races are blank or if they skip rankings on an RCV race

• Tallying and Completing the Return of Votes Cast (ROVC) o Tally sheets and ROVC will look the same – only the 1st choices will be tallied and reported – just as you have

always done (ignore all other rankings) • Sealing the Ballots after the Polls Close

o Hand-count towns: Seal all voted ballots, wrapped in their tally sheets, in 1 tamper-proof container if possible Label the containers on the front or sides with the town name, election and candidate vs. referendum

ballots (if applicable) o Tabulator towns: Seal all voted ballots in as many tamper-proof containers as needed Label the containers on the front or sides with the town name, ward/precinct and election NOTE: Any ballots from the AUX bin (that could not be scanned by the tabulator), should be sealed in a

separate envelope or in a separate tamper-proof container and labeled as AUX ballots – these will be transmitted for the central RCV count with the USB memory sticks (see below)

• Preparing for Retrieval for the RCV Central Count (Wednesday through Friday): o All towns – General Courier will provide the Secretary of State with a plan for retrieval, which we will communicate

to the municipalities prior to election day (retrieval will occur on Thursday and Friday) We will work out a plan for island towns – if possible, town delivers to nearest mainland municipality on

Wednesday, for retrieval with that town’s materials on Thursday or Friday Municipalities must have someone at the municipal office to receipt over the materials on the designated

retrieval day; if emergency, contact Secretary of State to make alternate arrangements Courier will have a transmittal notice for both the municipality and the courier to sign and date – clerk

should keep a copy and give the original to the courier Be on the Lookout for a notice that RCV is happening – we will issue a Press Release and give notice

through CVR on Wednesday, and will communicate the schedule (certain areas may be designated for pickup each day)

o Hand-count towns – Have your labeled, tamper-proof container (or containers if applicable) ready to be picked up Be prepared to sign the transmittal notice and complete the transfer expeditiously

o Tabulator towns – Place your sealed envelope of AUX (hand-counted) ballots (if applicable) inside the 12x16 padded mailer

(to be provided in a future mailing) and add the USB memory sticks used for all absentee and election night counts into the envelope; do NOT provide any EQC or EX sticks, or any spare election definition sticks that were not used for the election tabulation

If your AUX ballots were sealed in a tamper-proof container, then use the padded mailer only for sealing of the USB memory sticks

Use the paper seal provided to seal the padded mailer, and to indicate the number of AUX ballots and USB memory sticks provided

Be prepared to sign the transmittal notice and complete the transfer expeditiously • Reporting the Election Results to the Secretary of State

o Warden’s ROVC and Clerk’s ROVC (certified, printed from CVR and signed) must be submitted to the Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 5th

Post-election Procedures for Ranked-choice Voting (RCV) Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State – October 2020

• Reporting the Election Results to the Secretary of State

o Please make every attempt to submit copies of the Warden’s ROVC and the Clerk’s ROVC (certified and printed from CVR and signed) by 3:00 pm on Thursday, November 5th.

o Although the statutory deadline is 5 pm on Thursday, we want to begin the RCV processing on Friday, and need the official ROVC for a comparison to the results we obtain

o With the copy of the Clerk’s Certified ROVC and the copy of the Warden’s ROVC, you must also submit: Certificate of Sealed Ballot Container Log of Spoiled Ballots (new – submit even if no spoiled ballots by indicating zeroes) Warden’s Log of Opening the Ballot Box (tabulator municipalities only, if applicable) Log of Early Processing (if applicable)

o Submit these required reports using 1 of the allowable methods (email, fax, USPS overnight mail or in-person or courier delivery)

o For more information review the “Checklist for Submitting Warden’s ROVC, CVR Certification, and Other Filings to the Division of Elections” included with this mailing

• Preparing for Retrieval for the RCV Central Count (Wednesday through Friday):

o All towns – General Courier will determine the plan for retrieval, based on the arrangements made with you

and your office hours on Thursday and Friday We have communicated with island towns – to deliver materials to nearest mainland town on

Wednesday or Thursday morning, for retrieval with that town’s materials Municipalities must have someone at the municipal office to receipt over the materials on the

designated retrieval day; if emergency, contact Elections to make alternate arrangements Courier will have a transmittal notice for both the municipality and the courier to sign and date –

clerk should keep a copy and give the original to the courier Be on the Lookout for a notice that RCV is happening – we will issue a Press Release and give

notice through CVR on Wednesday We cannot provide an exact schedule for retrieval – the Courier drivers will be in various parts of

the state trying to retrieve according to the office hours you provided – please stick to these hours and if you have to change your availability – call us right away

NOTE: Do NOT send IVL, unused ballots or absentee materials – only the blue boxes of voted ballots (hand-count towns) or padded mailer with USB sticks and AUX ballots

o Hand-count towns – Have your labeled, tamper-proof container (or containers if applicable) ready to be picked up Be prepared to sign the transmittal notice and complete the transfer expeditiously

o Tabulator towns –

Place your sealed envelope of AUX (hand-counted) candidate ballots (if applicable) inside the 12x16 padded mailer (provided with this mailing) and add the small padded envelope of USB memory sticks used for all absentee and election night counts into the envelope

Do NOT provide any EQC or EX sticks, or any spare election definition sticks that were not used for tabulation

Please do not seal your candidate AUX ballots in a tamper-proof container Use the paper seal “Certificate of Sealed RCV Materials”, provided with in this mailing to seal

the padded mailer; indicate number of AUX ballots and USB memory sticks provided – see reverse for example

Be prepared to sign the transmittal notice and complete the transfer expeditiously

Please contact the Elections Division at 207-624-7650 or toll-free at 1-888-868-3763 (1-888-VOTESME) if you have any questions or if an emergency arises that affects retrieval of your ballots.

Example of Proper Completion of Certificate of Sealed RCV Materials (Tabulator Towns Only)

(1) Complete Certificate of Sealed RCV Materials (with red pen);

(2) Have 2 Election Officials sign it;

(3) Affix it over the flap of the padded manila envelope containing Auxiliary ballots and USB Memory Sticks, to seal the envelope.

The seal is necessary to show that the envelope has not been tampered with.

STATE OF MAINE TRANSMITTAL OF SEALED RCV MATERIALS

Municipality/County:_________________________________________________________________ Title and Date of Election: November 3, 2020 General Election Please indicate the number of each item transmitted from this town for the RCV count, as applicable. If none, put “0” or N/A: ______ Tabulator Munis Only: Number of Padded Envelopes Transmitted (containing DS200

memory sticks used to tabulate ballots at the election and containing candidate DS200 AUX ballots that couldn’t be scanned and had to be hand-counted)

______ Hand-count Munis Only: Number of Tamper-proof Containers Transmitted (containing

State ballots counted by hand on Election Night) Note for all Municipalities: Do NOT send packages containing the IVL, the unused ballots or any absentee materials – just the materials described above ______ Other Items Transmitted (only ROVC or forms not previously submitted to Elections): ____________________________________________________________________________ The undersigned herby certify that the items listed above were transmitted from the municipality to the courier for delivery to the central RCV counting facility in Augusta, Maine. Note: if the municipality transmitted the materials to a second municipality for retrieval by the courier, each municipality must sign the transmittal. If the retrieving courier transmitted the materials to a second courier, each courier must sign the transmittal. Signature of Municipal Election Official Date/Time Signed _____________________________________________________ _______________ Signature of Municipal Election Official Date/Time Signed _____________________________________________________ _______________ Signature of General Courier Personnel Date/Time Signed _____________________________________________________ _______________ Signature of General Courier Personnel Date/Time Signed _____________________________________________________ _______________ Signature of Secretary of State Personnel at RCV Facility Date/Time Signed _____________________________________________________ _______________

Important Reminder for Absentee Processing

For the November 3, 2020 General Election After each election the Division of Elections works with Municipal Clerks to reconcile Voter Participation History (VPH) with the Total Ballots Cast (TBC) that the Warden reported on the Warden’s Return of Votes Cast. One common discrepancy arises when a voter fails to return a State absentee ballot. Although Clerks report to us that they believe that a voter failed to return the State ballot, unless it is known exactly which voter or voters failed to return a State ballot, you cannot adjust VPH accordingly. Absentee ballots must be processed as follows:

1. Officials processing the absentee ballots must open each absentee ballot envelope and verify that it contains a State ballot by looking at only the heading on the folded ballots.

2. If the officials determine there is no State ballot in the envelope (either candidate or

referendum, if applicable), the officials must make a notation on the copy of the Absentee Voter Report which voter(s) did not return a State absentee ballot.

3. Any municipal ballots that the voter returned can be removed from the envelope and

inserted into the tabulator or ballot box. For the November 3, 2020 General Election, a voter must be credited with VPH if the voter returns a candidate ballot.

The Absentee Voter Report used for processing absentee ballots must be returned to the Municipal Clerk for the purpose of updating absentee ballot records in CVR. If a voter fails to return the State ballot, the absentee ballot record in CVR must be changed from Accepted to Rejected using the reason “Ballot Not Returned by Deadline” so that the voter is not credited with VPH for the State election.

Receipt of Personal Protective Equipment and Supplies for the November 3, 2020 General Election

Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State – October 2020

Municipality: _____________________________

Please record the number of boxes or items received and the approximate date received where indicated for each item. Some items are still being delivered. If all items not received by October 29th deadline to file the receipt, please so indicate.

1. Face Shields/Face Masks

(shipped via UPS, but packaged by Elections Division in plain brown boxes with other election supplies such as voter registration applications, Certificates of Registration, and DS200 machine tapes and cleaning kits) Quantity of Face Shields/Masks Received _______ Approx. Date Received __________

2. Acrylic Barriers (aka sneeze guards) – provided only to towns requesting additional

from what was provided for July (mostly hand-delivered by Pro Movers) Quantity of Barriers Received ____________ Approx. Date Received ______________

3. Gallon-sized jugs of 80% Alcohol Solution (medium to large towns only – to refill 16 oz spray bottle) (mostly hand-delivered by Pro Movers along with the barriers; a few towns shipped via mail) Quantity of gallon jugs received _________ Approx. Date Received ______________

4. Hand Sanitizer (mostly hand-delivered by Pro Movers; a few towns shipped via mail) Quantity of gallon jugs received _______ Approx. Date Received ____________ Quantity of 8 oz. bottles received _______ Approx. Date Received ____________

5. Bic Pens for ballot marking (shipped via UPS, but packaged by Elections Division in plain brown boxes or brown padded mailers)

Quantity of Boxes Received ____________ Approx. Date Received ________________

Comments: ________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

Return this Receipt to the Division of Elections by October 29, 2020: email: [email protected] OR Fax: 287-6545 or 287-5428 DO NOT MAIL


Survey for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Ballot Retrieval for the November 3, 2020 General Election

Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State – October 15, 2020

Municipality: _____________________________ County: __________________________ RCV will take place for the following races if there is no majority: President, US Senator and Congressional 1 & 2 districts. Because we will not know until Wednesday, Nov 4th whether ballot retrieval is necessary we must have a ballot retrieval plan in place. Please complete and submit this survey by October 29, 2020, so that we have the scheduling and contact information the courier service needs for efficient retrieval. Important: If you have already been contacted by this office and arrangements have been made for ballot retrieval, list those arrangements under #3 below. DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO ARRANGEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE. Please note: We cannot provide you with specific dates & times that ballots will be retrieved. The courier service determines this based on the number of municipalities affected and other factors. You must make yourself available on Thursday and Friday – Nov 5th and 6th – between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, or you must make other arrangements as specified below. Pickup location changes will not be allowed after Nov 3rd. 1. What are the current hours of operation for the Municipal Office:

Monday: _____________________________ Tuesday: _____________________________ Wednesday: _____________________________ Thursday: _____________________________ Friday: _____________________________

2. The following person will be available between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on both Thursday and Friday (note: If not the Municipal Clerk, you must deputize the individual): Name: ______________________________ Phone Number (if municipal office number an alternative # must be provided): _______________________ Alt Phone Number: ____________________________ Location: Municipal Office Residence Secondary business

Other: _________________________________________________________

Physical address of location: ______________________________________________________ 3. I am not able to designate another individual in my municipality, and the following arrangements have been made (if

adjacent municipality, the responsible party must be available between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm on both days): Transferring ballots to an adjacent municipality

Adjacent municipality: __________________________ Responsible party’s name: ______________________ Phone number: _________________ Physical location: ________________________________________________________________

OR

I am requesting assistance by the Division of Elections to coordinate alternative arrangements.

Return this Survey to the Division of Elections 1 of the following ways by Oct 29, 2020: Fax: 287-6545 or 287-5428 OR email: [email protected] DO NOT MAIL


Special Circumstances Application for Absentee Ballot (Required after 10/29/2020) Instructions for Election Officials

Prepared by the Division of Elections – October, 2020

Absentee Ballot Request (ABR) service: The ABR service, which voters use to request an absentee ballot by electronic means, has been programmed to shut down at 5 p.m. Thursday, October 29, 2020. Municipal Clerks must access the ABR site after 5 p.m. on October 29th or on Friday, October 30th to check for pending requests. Any pending requests must be accepted (as long as the voter is otherwise eligible to receive an absentee ballot).

Pursuant to EO 8 FY 20/21, the Municipal Clerk’s office must be open to allow in person absentee voting until 5 p.m. on Friday, October 30th. In EO 8, the Governor extended the deadline for voters to request (and vote) an in-person absentee ballot without a reason, until 5 pm on the second business day before the election, or Friday, October 30th. The deadline for all other methods of requesting a “no-reason” absentee ballot (e.g. electronic, telephone and written requests) is still 5:00 pm on the third business day prior to election day (Thursday, October 29, 2020).

o Title 21-A §1(4) defines “business day” to mean “any day of the calendar year other than a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday”. Thus, the term business day applies to Friday, October 30th, regardless of whether or not the clerk’s office is normally open on Fridays.

o Accordingly, we interpret the executive order to require municipalities to be open and to offer absentee voting in the presence of the clerk until 5 pm on Friday, October 30th. The executive order does not specify a start time; however, since this is the last day for no-reason absentee voting for the general election, we would encourage towns to be open at least 4 hours on that day (i.e., from 1 pm to 5 pm) even if the office is not normally open then.

If a voter requests to vote a ballot in person before 5 p.m. on Friday, October 30th, the voter can do so without completing a special circumstances application. If a voter requests a ballot that will not be voted in the clerk’s presence on October 30th or requests any absentee ballot after October 30th, the voter must complete a Special Circumstances Application. Special Circumstances Application. Any voter requesting a ballot after the deadline (close of business on October 30, 2020) must complete the Special Circumstances Application and indicate one of the 4 reasons allowed by statute: Title 21-A §753-B, sub-section 2(D):

1) Unexpected absence from the municipality during the entire time the polls are open on Election Day; or

2) Physical disability; or 3) Incapacity or illness that has resulted in the voter's being unable to leave home or a treatment

facility; or 4) Inability to travel to the polls if the voter is a resident of a coastal island ward or precinct.

The application must be signed by the voter. An immediate family member cannot sign the Special

Circumstances Application for the voter.

The voter must indicate in the application how the ballot is to be issued (i.e. to the voter -- either in person or by mail, to an immediate family member designated by the voter, or to a 3rd person designated by the voter). Witness requirements are the same as for absentee ballots issued prior to the deadline.

By signing the application, the voter is making an unsworn oath that all information in the application is true. Once the application is completed by the voter, the Municipal Clerk must issue the ballot in the manner requested by the voter. NOTE: The deadline for returning absentee ballots has not changed. You must continue to accept returned ballots until 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2020.

This application must be completed if the voter’s request is received by the clerk after Thursday, October 29, 2020. The voter must meet one of the special circumstances allowed by law and indicate the reason on this application. The voter must complete and sign this application before a ballot will be issued. Exception: A voter who votes in the clerk’s presence on October 30, 2020 does not need to complete this application. 1. Full Name of Registered Voter Requesting the Ballot 2. Residence Address of Voter

(Street Address) (Municipality) 3. Voter’s Date of Birth __ __ / __ __ / __ __ __ __ 4. Daytime Phone Number __________________

m m d d y y y y

5. Method of Delivery of Ballot to the Voter

Issued to Voter

By Mail to this Address

By Immediate Family Member of Voter Designated Here (Name) (Relationship to Voter)

By this 3rd Person (Designated by the Voter) (Name) (Telephone #)

6. Voter must check the applicable box below indicating the reason for this after deadline request: I will be absent from my municipality of residence unexpectedly during the entire time the polls are open on election day;

I have a physical disability; I am unable to leave my home or treatment facility due to an incapacity or illness; or

I am a resident of a coastal island ward or precinct and am unable to travel to the polls. I certify, under penalty of law, that the information provided on this application is true. 7. Signature of Voter __________________________________________________ Date 8. If ballot is returned by an Immediate Family Member, the family member must sign and indicate relationship.

Signature of Family Member _______________________________ Relationship to Voter _____________________

AIDE CERTIFICATE (Must be Completed if Applicant was Assisted as Designated Below)

If the voter received assistance in reading and/or signing this application, the person who assisted the voter must complete and sign this certificate.

I helped this voter: read the application sign the application read and sign the application

Signature of Aide Printed Name of Aide

November 3, 2020 General Election Special Circumstances Application

for Absentee Ballot (Required after October 29, 2020)

Application Received (Date/Time) Ballot Sent/Delivered (Date/Time)

Election Clerk Survey for Elections Assistance Commission Prepared by the Secretary of State, Division of Elections – October, 2020

Municipality: ___________________________

After each Federal Election the State is required to report certain election statistics to the Elections Assistance Commission (EAC). Most of the statistics we can get through CVR, but the following information must be obtained from Municipal Clerks by way of this survey. Please answer the following questions for the 11/3/2O General Election – if you would submit this survey with your Election Returns (by November 5th, 2020), that would be helpful. Otherwise, please submit the survey no later than November 20, 2020. Please note: for questions in the table asking for numbers, please provide the actual numbers, not percentages, checkmarks, or non-numerical answers. Estimate ages if you do not know the actual ages.

Questions # 1. How many challenged ballots did you have for the 11/3/20 General Election?

2. How many election workers did you use for the 11/3/20 General election? (“Election workers” include Wardens, Deputy Wardens and Election Clerks who worked on Election Day.)

3. For the following questions on age of poll workers, please estimate if you don’t know:

a. How many election workers were under 18 years old? b. How many election workers were 18 to 25 years old? c. How many election workers were 26 to 40 years old? d. How many election workers were 41 to 60 years old?

e. How many election workers were 61 to 70 years old?

f. How many election workers were 71 years old and over?

Total of 3 a – f

(Total of election workers in #3 a – f must equal total # of workers reported in #2)

4. What was the ease of obtaining election workers? (check one)

Very Difficult

Somewhat Difficult

Neither Difficult, nor Easy

Somewhat Easy

Very Easy

Date: _________________________ Signature: _______________________________ Title: ___________________________________

Please return this survey to the Division of Elections no later than Friday, November 20, 2020 by one of the following methods:

Fax – 287-6545 or 287-5428; Email to [email protected] Mail – Division of Elections, 101 SHS, Augusta ME 04333-0101

Questions? Call our office: 1-888-VOTESME (1-888-868-3763) or 624-7650

November 3, 2020 Election Update OFFICIAL ELECTION ...Warden’s Total Tally Sheet – this tally...

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