Overview

The Early Ballot Board handles the processing of vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots and in-person votes cast before Election Day. The Board’s role covers the process from ensuring that there are no defects in the outer envelope of a VBM ballot to transmission of the ballots either to the central counting place for tabulation or to the Ballot Duplication Board for duplication of damaged ballots.

Duties

The key duties of the Early Ballot Board are:

1. Maintaining an early ballot report log. [1] 2023 EPM at 85.
2. Verifying that the affidavits on the outer envelopes of early ballots are for the current election and confirming that the voter on the outer envelope is reflected on the early ballot report log. 2023 EPM at 85.
3. Ensuring that outer envelopes remain in the correct batch as ballots are removed and stacked into corresponding batches. Before these ballots are sent to tabulation, the Early Ballot Board will complete the ballot transmittal slip for each batch of ballots. [2] 2023 EPM at 85–86.
4. Separating damaged early ballots to be duplicated. 2023 EPM at 86.
5. Completing a transmittal slip for all the damaged ballots that are sent to the Ballot Duplication Board for duplication. [3] 2023 EPM at 86.
6. Executing the close-out procedures to confirm that counts and totals make sense considering earlier counts and reports from throughout the day, as well as completing and filing all necessary paperwork, as is detailed in the EPM. See 2023 EPM at 86–87.
7. Transporting the ballots to another location in a secure manner that maintains chain of custody after the processing of ballots is complete. *2023 EPM* at 87.

Election and Vacancy Information

• Appointed: The Early Ballot Board is appointed either by the Board of Supervisors or the Elections Director. *2023 EPM* at 85.
• Composition: Each Early Ballot Board is made up of one inspector and two judges, who are individuals that must be from different political parties. *2023 EPM* at 85.
• Qualifications: All poll workers, except for student poll workers, must be registered voters. 2023 EPM at 131.

Footnotes