June 25, 2020 memorandum to the Hall County Commission from Dr. Tom Smiley, Chairman for the Hall County Board of Elections:
Thank you for allowing me to serve as Chairman of the Board of Elections. Our Board of Elections consists of Gala Sheets, Craig Lutz, Ken Cochran and David Kennedy. In spite of political differences between board members, we all share the same goals concerning Hall County’s elections, which are that our elections be conducted as professionally, efficiently and transparently as possible. Our board works together very well, in good faith and with a spirit of cooperation and comradery.
On June 19 the Hall County Board of Elections unanimously certified the June 9 primary election. I am pleased to assure all voters served by the Hall County Elections office that we all have the utmost confidence in the tabulation of votes cast.
I am so proud of the performance of our Hall County Elections Director, Lori Wurtz and her staff. Our Director, as well as every member of our elections department, is to be commended.
The most recent election was fraught, however, with unusual challenges, and it is not accurate, as Secretary of State Raffensperger suggested, that the Secretary of State’s office bears no responsibility and that all failings were the fault of county elections offices and officials.
The biggest problem we experienced in was the length of time it took for our staff to report and post the absentee vote count, which was the result of the poor performance of a vendor selected and vetted by the Secretary of State. The Hall County Elections office is one of six elections offices in Georgia that was served by this vendor and that experienced similar problems.
Secretary Raffensperger was incorrect and misguided in stating that local elections staffs are responsible for training local personnel. It is the Secretary of State’s office tasked with training the trainers; a task that, in my observation, the Secretary of State’s office did poorly.
Specifically, our local effort to prepare our election staff and poll workers was hampered by slow action and decision making by the office of the Secretary of State months before the run up to the election.
Clearly there were other challenges as well. Our election department managed four different elections: Presidential Primary, Primary, Combined Primary and ESPLOST referenda. This confluence of ballots increased the complexity as it tripled the normal number of ballot combos on hand. When you compound the multiple elections with the fact that our elections office processed a historically high number of absentee ballots; approximately forty times the number received in either of the previous two major elections. Not to mention, the implication of new voting machines unfamiliar to poll workers and voters. And of course many experienced poll workers chose not to serve due to Covid-19 fears.
It is in light of these facts, I am very disappointed by the inference of the Secretary of State that problems experienced by local elections staff on election day stem from failings on the part of county election departments. I know that inference is not accurate.
I believe the Secretary of State must accept responsibility for some of the deficiencies experienced on election night.
Perhaps he should not have painted with such a broad brush in his Election Day assessment. I believe accomplished leaders “pull the thumb, before they point the finger”.
I agree that a vigorous and timely investigation should occur into those county election offices that performed poorly. I believe Secretary of State should acknowledge the responsibility of his department, and he should work to improve his department with regard to service, decision making and responsiveness to local elections needs.
The Hall County Department of Elections has already reviewed our performance on June 9, and we will strive to make improvements in every way possible in order to ensure our voters a quality voting experience.
I’m sure the Secretary has room to improve as well, and I am hopeful he and his office staff will engage in a thorough review of election matters under their purview given the rapid approach of the future elections.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/6/914970/hall-county-elections-board-chair-wants-some-help-from-state-before-nov-general-election