2016 08 25 Election Team Conference Call

Election Team Email 2016-08-25

(read this as a web-page: https://copswiki.org/Common/M1677 )

THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING TO JOIN OUR ELECTION OVERSIGHT TEAM!

• This is conference call #3 since our big press conference announcing our big lawsuit win!
• If you are a newcomer, you can catch up by visiting Election Team and reviewing earlier emails and phone conference calls.
• Everyone should read our first email, as it gives basic background information: Election Team Email 2016-08-07

Recent Media

• (M1676) 2016-08-23 Election Audit Lawsuit Update Press Release, Aug 23, 2016 -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight,
• (M1675) 2016-08-21 Election Lawsuit Overview and Status on Aug 21, 2016 -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight,
• (M1674) 2016-08-18 Election Oversight Team Conference Call of 2016-08-18 -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, (Invite and Agenda: Election Team Email 2016-08-16)
• (M1672) 2016-08-10 Citizens' Oversight -- Election Team Conference Call 2016-08-10 -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight, (Invite and Agenda: Election Team Email 2016-08-07)
• Watch our tutorial video Click Here: 20160721 SnapshotProtocol Tutorial
• Here is our project page for this effort: http://copswiki.org/Common/SnapshotProtocol -- Essentially, our primary focus is WATCHING THE AUDIT EXTREMELY WELL as these are so important!
• We started a new project page: Election Audit Lawsuit to track our lawsuit regarding shortcutting the important election audits.

CONFERENCE CALL

• (M1677) 2016-08-25 2016 08 25 Election Team Conference Call -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight,

AGENDA for our meeting

• This agenda may be updated, be sure to click reload to get a fresh copy.

• ElectionIntegrity is the most important single issue today -- Ray Lutz on the soapbox.
  • Inherently progressive (although nonpartisan) as it wrests control from those in charge and gives it to the public.
  • All other issues are a waste of time if we have no confidence in our elections.
  • Our Revolution is just another feel-good waste of time unless elections are fair and honest.
  • Calling people to run for office is premature if they don't follow local issues -- COPs says start with local oversight.
  • Providing oversight at exactly the right moment is MORE EFFICIENT in getting real change.
  • Our "Snapshot Protocol" is a systematic method to provide rigorous oversight to elections officials and reduce hacking vulnerabilities.

• Short introduction
  • Citizens Oversight is a 501(c)3 nonpartisan "Charity" nonprofit Delaware corporation with primary offices in San Diego area.
  • Funded entirely by relatively small contributions.

• Status report on our lawsuit and its implications.
  • Trial starts Oct 3 and is scheduled for 3 days. --> NOTE: Changed to Oct 4 through 7.
  • Experts agree with us, all ballots must be included in the random selection in the audit.
  • Now doing discovery and lining up expert witnesses.
  • Deposition of Michael Vu to occur on Sept 9.
  • Implications or other counties in California -- will be opening cases in other counties if they say they will not include all ballots cast.
  • Implications for other states -- Two cases:
    • Those with crappy audit laws -- this should put pressure to adopt stronger audit laws.
    • Those with good laws but poor implementation -- Provides a strong tool for citizen oversight

• Data collection from June Election Continues
  • We have started a 5% sample of the sign-in rosters in San Diego
  • Ray created a tutorial video to describe how this works.
    • (M1673) 2016-08-18 Roster Review Procedure Tutorial -- Ray Lutz, Citizens Oversight,
  • San Diego ROV limits number of people. we find three is a good number.
    • One person scans documents w/o signatures, and others with but can be redacted.
    • Team of two collects data from signatures rosters
      • one counting signatures and noting issues
      • one entering data into a spreadsheet
  • This provides a wealth of information you can't get otherwise
    • Most important example:
      • If X voters sign-in and vote at the precinct, how many ballots are scanned?
        • Exactly X? This should be what happens.
        • X-n? Then we are losing n ballots for some reason.
        • X+m? Gain of m ballots?? Big problem.
    • How many NP to DEM crossover voters.
      • It is not clear if these are handled in provisional envelopes, as they do not sign provisional roster.
      • May have experienced more scrutiny
      • but not given the benefit of tracking, which normal provisionals do get.
      • Somehow, San Diego ROV claims provisionals were no more numerous than in other elections. This does not square with other observations.
  • This process is a good way to soften up elections officials that are extremely restrictive during the election. They can't stop us from getting this data.
    • Would like to get a team in Alameda to do a partial data collection procedure.

• November Plan
  • Will need to have teams established and trained by mid October.
    • Question: Can Our Revolution help establish these teams? * Previous points:
    • We will be trying to get everyone to work together on state and district level.
    • We have targeted the top 175 districts in the nation which comprises 50% of the voters out of the 8000+ districts.
    • WI is a special problem as they use 3500 really small districts. Anyone from WI?
  • Two aspects which can be applied to most districts.
    • Boots on the ground in-person oversight -- must start when VBM ballots start to be returned (10 days before election in CA).
      • VBM reception, sorting, screening, signature validation
      • Polling place visits, Provisional screening, Manual tally room, Chain of custody, Be alert!
    • SnapshotProtocol Oversight -- requires:
      • notification letter to election officials notifying them of the need for the snapshot data file.
      • oversight of chain of custody -- best to have overseers in election office making sure they cannot be manipulated.
      • obtaining snapshot data file (preliminary results broken down by precinct, ballot type (VBM vs. Polls), and ballot option.
      • Watching or participating in random precinct (or batch) selection.
        • Make sure all ballots cast are included (the subject of our lawsuit)
      • Requesting audit report (AKA "1% manual tally" in CA)
        • Need to have the results of the races so these can be compared to the snapshot file.
      • reviewing the results -- Variances that they report, how did they solve them.
      • Check that snapshot file matches their computer report.
      • Provide your results to Citizens Oversight.org wiki so we can build our archive of audits for future reference.

• Your first step in other states: determine district priorities. See State Election District Targeting Procedure
  • We will be trying to get groups together in each state and target district to do your best at providing oversight. Even if you just show up, it has value.
• We will be providing a sample notification letter which can be applied (with some alteration) for your state and district for the Snapshot Protocol
• Q&A -- Please send a chat message to the organizer so we can acknowledge you and you can unmute your microphone.
• Adjournment

AGAIN, Welcome!