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Minutes, October 8, 2019 P a g e | 2 <br /> <br />more information is needed before the rates can be set. One key question concerns the <br />role, if any, that the City government has in setting the rates; the Registrar is waiting for <br />a response from the City Attorney before proceeding. Officer of Election compensation <br />has considerable budget impact. This is especially true for the three high-turnout <br />elections to be held in calendar year 2020. A decision on rate setting has been <br />postponed until the December meeting, yet to be scheduled. <br /> <br />Election Preparation <br /> <br />Ms. Virostko reported that absentee voting to date has been light with 231 mail ballots <br />sent out to date and 84 people voting absentee in person. <br /> <br />Mr. Mash reported that numerous key Officer of Election positions remain to be filled for <br />the November 5 election. Several potential candidates for these leadership positions <br />were suggested by the Board members and discussed with Ms. Morton. Mr. Mash <br />assured the Board that he would make the recruitment calls to fill open leadership <br />positions in the precincts. Recent efforts to recruit new Officers of Election have been <br />successful. Ms. Morton said that she planned to place new Officers of Election, who <br />showed interest, on a leadership track for future elections. <br /> <br />The Board was also informed that a seasonal part-time voter equipment technician has <br />been hired and will be working with Equipment Technician Robert Hodous to prepare <br />the voting equipment for the upcoming election. <br /> <br />There was a brief review of the training schedule for the November election and a <br />discussion of training priorities. Items emphasized included dealing with void and <br />spoiled ballots and proper handling of absentee ballots at the polling places. The <br />protocol for rapid reporting of election returns by phone from the precincts will be a key <br />item covered in the Chiefs’ training. <br /> <br />The Secretary agreed to talk with Robert Hodous, Voter Equipment Technician, about <br />finalizing dates to print the precinct ballots. <br /> <br />Update on Procurement of New Electronic Poll Books <br /> <br />Ms. Virostko informed the Board that certification for the new DemTech Poll Book <br />system selected for procurement is expected to be finalized on October 15th. The <br />equipment will be approved for use in Virginia elections following successful completion <br />of a pilot election on November 5. Ms. Virostko stressed that it will be necessary to <br />have received the new electronic poll books and for staff to have been trained on the <br />equipment by the first week of February 2020 if the new poll books are to be available <br />for use in the March 3 Presidential Primary. This purchase will require a supplementary <br />capital budget approval by the City Council. Ms. Morton is aiming to make this an