Views from the Linn County Auditor

From 642 to 827 on election eve

Today was certainly the busiest at the counter for absentee ballots.  Voters going out of town on Tuesday or leaving today for the remainder of the week stopped by to vote.  Here's the results:

• 521 absentee ballots at the counter
• 295 absentee ballots returned by mail
• 11 military absentee ballots received

Total = 827

We have 36 regular absentee ballots and 42 military absentee ballots that have NOT been received.  --Joel @ 6:20pm

Testing out new technology for future elections

One of my campaign themes was to use “technologies that strengthen the public’s confidence in elections”.  I had heard that Sprint is offering high speed broadband internet services over their local network so I picked up one of their Aircards after lunch.  As I drive around visiting polls tomorrow, I’m going to test out the internet connection to the online voters database utilized by my staff.  I want to determine the feasibility of deploying laptops to the polling places to allow the precinct officials the ability to verify voter registrations at the polling place versus having to call the Auditor’s office.  This technology could prove to be a big help when we go to election day voter registration in January 2008.  –Joel @ 5:45pm

Continuing to get the word out

At 12:15pm, today, I did a live interview at KGAN-TV’s studio in Cedar Rapids (see photo).  I answered some basic questions on the plans, i.e., Plan One, Two, and Three, and talked about voter turn out.  Later, I did an taped interview outside the studio with similar questions, but with time to give in-depth answers to some questions.  If these interviews excite one more voter to study the issues and vote, then it was worth it.

10am briefing the day before the election

I called a meeting at 10am in the Auditor’s Office to review the plans for election day.  In order to keep providing services to the public, i.e., those that walk-up to the counter, we hold staff meetings in the GIS/Mapping area.  Here, Sue Wold, Deputy Commission of Elections, gives an overview on her expectations of the staff on election day (see photo).  Since this is my first election and I’m the only new person in the office, my role is to oversee the election, make myself available to the news media, assist where possible … and stay out of the way of this highly trained and competent staff.  My intention is to visit as many polling places as possible on election day.  –Joel @ 3:10pm