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Home My WebLink About022125A Canvassing Board Meeting Page | 1 Jefferson County Canvassing Board Brenda Huntingford, Auditor / Canvassing Board Chair Kate Dean, County Legislative Authority Chair James Kennedy, Prosecuting Attorney 1820 Jefferson St. / P O Box 563, Port Townsend, WA 98368 (P) 360.385.9115  (F) 360.385.9228 Canvassing Board Agenda / Meeting Jefferson County WA Date & Time: February 21, 2025 / 1:00 pm Location: Auditor’s Office, Jefferson County Courthouse Purpose: Certify February 11, 2025 Special Election (10 days after Special & PP / 14 days after Primary / 21 days after General) Canvassing Board Members for this election: Brenda Huntingford, County Auditor Greg Brotherton, County Commissioner – Designated by County Legislative Authority Chair Philip Hunsucker, Civil Deputy, County Prosecuting Attorney – Designated by PA Observers Present: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Meeting called to order at _____ pm by Sandi Eldridge, Voter Registration Coordinator. The Canvassing Board met February 20, 2025 at _____ pm to resolve challenged ballot issues in preparation for today’s certification. See page 4 & 5. The Oath of Authenticity for the County Auditor, given by the County Legislative Authority, and signed by the Auditor, pursuant to RCW 29A.60.200. Witnessed and signed by the other two Canvassing Board Members. Open Public Comment: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Required Oaths: - The Oath of Authenticity for the County Auditor, given by the County Legislative Authority, and signed by the Auditor, pursuant to RCW 29A.60.200. Witnessed and signed by the other two Canvassing Board Members. - Delegation of Authority and Oaths for Canvassing Board Members or their designee: Given and retained for this election. - Oaths for Personnel: Required for the Auditor’s Staff involved in the signature verification process. Given and retained for this election. Page | 2 Required Notices: - Notice of Election: Published in the Port Townsend Leader in the January 22, 2025 issue. Also posted on the Elections web page. - Notice of Availability of Services: Included in Notice of Election. - Notice of Logic & Accuracy Test: Included in Notice of Election. - Notice to Political Parties: Sent via email on December 12, 2024. Logic & Accuracy Test: - A TEST DECK of ballots and a pre-determined RESULTS MATRIX in excel was created. This is used to verify that the tabulation equipment accurately tabulates the votes cast as marked. - The In-House Unofficial test was performed December 27, 2025. - The Official Accessible Voting Unit (AVU) test was performed January 15, 2025. - The Official test was performed January 16, 2025. Ballot Count - Cumulative & Precinct Reports for the following counts: February 11, 2025 - Election Night count. February 13, 2025 - Additional ballots counted. February 21, 2025 - Final ballot count. Printout used for certification. ExpressVote: (Accessible Voting Unit - AVU) - The AVU is a tool – an “electronic pen” equipped with audio and visual technology – to assist voters who have a difficult time seeing and/or marking a ballot with a regular pen. It allows voters to vote a secret ballot independently. - One machine was programmed and ready for use 20 days prior to the election. - Zero Voters used it this election. Logs: - Seal Logs: Used to verify all election related materials remained under dual control at all times. (Ballot drop boxes and all storage locations) - Duplicated Ballot Log: Verifies all original ballots duplicated are accounted for and secured with canvassing materials. A total of 212 ballots were duplicated (2%). Reconciliation: - Elections Summary Report: The total number of ballots voted and tabulated is reported on this report. This report is generated in our (ERM) Election Reporting Module (ElectionWare). - Precinct Table Report: Generated by our Election Reporting Module (ERM) from data uploaded from the ballot tabulator. o Scenario one, when giving credit for voting there is no guarantee if a voter who move and update their registration did not use their previously issued precinct ballot with their most current envelope. Scenario two, there is no guarantee if a voter living at a precinct did not put their ballot into another voter’s envelope in another precinct. All of these scenarios are logical conclusion to this discrepancy. Challenged Ballots: Challenge letters were sent to voters with instructions how to resolve the challenge. On February 14, 2025, a follow up phone call (if phone number was available) was made to those voters who Page | 3 did not sign their declaration or if the ballot signature did not match the voter registration. Voters with a challenged ballot had until 4:30 pm the day prior to certification to resolve the challenge. Audits: - Manual Audit of the Ballot Tabulator o February 13, 2025, six groups of ballots were randomly chosen to audit, totaling 823 ballots. A ballot count report was generated prior to tabulating the additional ballots and another report was generated after tabulation. 1. The audit was conducted by Brenda Huntingford, County Auditor and Sandi Eldridge, Voter Registration Coordinator. The ballots were audited for one issue on the ballot – Port Townsend School District No. 50, Proposition No. 1 2. Results of audit: • The hand count matched the tabulator count. - Audit of Duplicated Ballots o 100% of duplicated ballots were audited. 1. Results of audit; • No discrepancies were detected. - Seal log Audit o No discrepancies were detected. - Election Audit Event Report o This audit event report lists all events, descriptions, timestamps, user ID, and modules for ballot adjudication. No ballots were adjudicated for this election. Re-checking ballot deposit sites and all storage areas per WAC 434-261-140 - Prior to certification, ALL ballot deposit sites, ballot storage, processing and tabulation areas were rechecked by staff to confirm that all returned ballots had been processed. - On February 20, 2025, one day prior to certification, ALL possible areas where ballots could be were checked again for any unprocessed ballots. Miscellaneous: - Replacement ballots: 163 replacement ballots were issued. - Ballots Deposited at Drop Sites: 4173 (35%) Page | 4 Preliminary Canvassing Board Meeting Date & Time: February 20, 2025 / 12:00 pm Location: Auditor’s Office, Jefferson County Courthouse Purpose: To make determinations on ballots referred to them. Meeting called to order at ______ pm by Sandi Eldridge, Voter Registration Coordinator. Canvassing Board Members present: Brenda Huntingford, County Auditor Greg Brotherton, County Commissioner – Designated by County Legislative Authority Chair Philip Hunsucker, Civil Deputy, County Prosecuting Attorney – Designated by PA Rules of Engagement: Do not openly discuss or acknowledge identifying factors about the voter and/or ballot. When working with the members to resolve challenged ballots remain fair and impartial. Do not openly discuss outside of this meeting the names or any other personal information of the voters and/or ballots that have been or were challenged and/or rejected. Observers present: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Summary of Ballots referred to the Canvassing Board on February 20, 2025: (G-1) Post Marked Too Late 162 (G-2) No Signature 37* (G-3) Invalid /Suspended (informational only) 2 (G-4) Other Election (informational only) 1 (G-5) Late Transfers (Holds) (informational only) 2 Questionable Signature 41* CBID # 1 1 CBID # 2 1 Total Ballots Referred to Canvassing Board: 242 Item # Description Accept Reject Refer to PAO (Y/N) CBID # 1 CBID # 2 1 Questionable Signature 2 Questionable Signature 3 Questionable Signature 4 Questionable Signature 5 Questionable Signature 6 Questionable Signature 7 Questionable Signature 8 Questionable Signature 9 Questionable Signature 10 Questionable Signature Page | 5 Item # Description Accept Reject Refer to PAO (Y/N) 11 Questionable Signature 12 Questionable Signature 13 Questionable Signature 14 Questionable Signature 15 Questionable Signature 16 Questionable Signature 17 Questionable Signature 18 Questionable Signature 19 Questionable Signature 20 Questionable Signature 21 Questionable Signature 22 Questionable Signature 23 Questionable Signature 24 Questionable Signature 25 Questionable Signature 26 Questionable Signature 27 Questionable Signature 28 Questionable Signature 29 Questionable Signature 30 Questionable Signature 31 Questionable Signature 32 Questionable Signature 33 Questionable Signature 34 Questionable Signature 35 Questionable Signature 36 Questionable Signature 37 Questionable Signature 38 Questionable Signature 39 Questionable Signature 40 Questionable Signature 41 Questionable Signature P- Indicates partial acceptance of a ballot *An indication in red will be made if a voter resolves the challenge AFTER the canvassing board meeting but BEFORE the deadline of 4:30 pm 2/20/2025. These ballots, if any, will be processed and included in the final count. Open Public Comment: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Number of Challenged ballots ACCEPTED by the Canvassing Board on February 20, 2025, as noted above, to be processed and included in the final count: Motion to accept ____ ballots and reject ___ ballots as noted above (includes 199 from (G-1 - G-2): Page | 6 Motion made by: Motion second by: All in favor: All ballots referred to the Canvassing Board will be packed in the retention box. Motion to adjourn: Motion made by: Motion second by: All in favor: Canvassing Board Meeting February 21, 2025 to resolve ballots submitted to them adjourned at: _____ pm. Page | 7 Total All Mail Ballot Voters eligible for this election: 26,597 (includes 14 ACP voters, 25495 active voters and 1,088 inactive voters for this election). Total All Mail Ballots Returned as valid and reconciled with credit for voting: 11,698 voters with credit for voting. 11,698 ballots counted. Other Canvassing Items Include: • All correspondence pertaining to this election. Security: • All materials for canvassing this election were stored in secure storage. Secure storage is a container or room that stores voted ballots and electronic data containing voted ballot images. Secure storage must employ the use of numbered seals and logs that document each individual access to the voted ballots or voted ballot images, and detect inappropriate access to the secure storage. Voted ballots and voted electronic ballot images must remain in secure storage except during processing, duplication, resolution, inspection by the canvassing board, or tabulation. • Immediately after tabulation, all ballots counted are sealed in containers that identify the election and retained for at least 60 days or according to federal law, whichever is longer. Recounts: - Local measures are exempt from mandatory recounts. - The last day to request, and pay for a recount, is February 25, 2025 (within 2 business days of certification). The board will be notified immediately if a recount is requested. Canvass Materials: - All canvassing materials for this election will be packed for retention and given to the records manager. Retention for this election is 60 days after date of certification. Official returns will be sent to: Chimacum School District No. 49, Port Townsend School District No. 50, Sequim School District No. 323 and Quillayute Valley School District No. 402. Certificate of Canvassing Board signed. Open Public Comment: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ These minutes shall be open to public inspection. RCW 42.32.030 Motion to accept minutes as written made by: __________________ Motion second by: ______________________ All in favor: ________________ Motion to adjourn made by: ____________________ Motion second by: _______________________ All in favor: _________________ Meeting Adjourned at: ________ pm. Page | 8 Dated at Port Townsend, Washington this 21st day of February 2025. ___________________________________________________ Brenda Huntingford, County Auditor __________________________________________________ Greg Brotherton, County Commissioner – designated by the Legislative Authority Chair __________________________________________________ Philip Hunsucker, Civil Deputy, County Prosecuting Attorney – designated by PA