The DC Board of Elections and Ethics announced today that Paul Stenbjorn has been appointed the new Executive Director of the agency http://www.dcboee.org/popup.asp?url=/pdf_files/nr_808.pdf.
Stenbjorn had been serving as the Acting Executive Director since July 26 upon the departure of Rokey Suleman who held the position. According to the Board’s media release, Stenbjorn had served as the agency’s Chief Technology Officer since 2005 and had worked with the Virginia State Board of Elections and as a consultant.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Nominating Petition Challenge Period Underway for the April 26 Special Election
The challenge period to the nominating petitions for the April 26, 2011 Special Election for at-Large Member of the Council is underway at the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics (DCBOEE). The challenge period runs from yesterday, Saturday, February 19, through 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 28.
According to the DCBOEE http://www.dcboee.org/newsroom/showASPfile.asp?cat=News Releases&id=648&mid=2&yid=2011 and The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/17/AR2011021706884.html, eleven out of the 19 individuals who picked up nominating petitions have filed the requisite 3,000 signatures needed for ballot access for the special election. Those who filed petitions are: Sekou Biddle (D), Tom Brown (D), Dorothy Douglas (D), Calvin H. Gurley (D), Arkan Haile (IND), Joshua Lopez (D), Patrick Mara (R), Vincent Orange (D), Alan Page (STG), Jacque Patterson (D), and Bryan Weaver (D).
Challenges to their nominating petitions can be filed by any D.C. registered voter on the grounds that a circulator is not a registered voter, the petitioner (signer) is not a registered voter, or the signatures on the petition are in the same hand or do not match those of the registered voters in the Board’s file. (DCBOEE has the authority to and should refer those for criminal prosecution.) Also, petitioners may be challenged because they were not registered at the address on the petition at the time it was signed; however, D.C. law allows those individuals to file a change of address within 10 days of the date that a challenge is filed.
After the challenge period closes, DCBOEE has two weeks to resolve any and all challenges and then we will have a better idea of the names of the candidates on the ballot. However, a challenger or any person named in a challenge may apply within three days of the DCBOEE decision to the D.C. Court of Appeals for review. There is a potential that we may not know the final list of candidates on the ballot until March 18 when the entire ballot access process concludes.
According to the DCBOEE http://www.dcboee.org/newsroom/showASPfile.asp?cat=News Releases&id=648&mid=2&yid=2011 and The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/17/AR2011021706884.html, eleven out of the 19 individuals who picked up nominating petitions have filed the requisite 3,000 signatures needed for ballot access for the special election. Those who filed petitions are: Sekou Biddle (D), Tom Brown (D), Dorothy Douglas (D), Calvin H. Gurley (D), Arkan Haile (IND), Joshua Lopez (D), Patrick Mara (R), Vincent Orange (D), Alan Page (STG), Jacque Patterson (D), and Bryan Weaver (D).
Challenges to their nominating petitions can be filed by any D.C. registered voter on the grounds that a circulator is not a registered voter, the petitioner (signer) is not a registered voter, or the signatures on the petition are in the same hand or do not match those of the registered voters in the Board’s file. (DCBOEE has the authority to and should refer those for criminal prosecution.) Also, petitioners may be challenged because they were not registered at the address on the petition at the time it was signed; however, D.C. law allows those individuals to file a change of address within 10 days of the date that a challenge is filed.
After the challenge period closes, DCBOEE has two weeks to resolve any and all challenges and then we will have a better idea of the names of the candidates on the ballot. However, a challenger or any person named in a challenge may apply within three days of the DCBOEE decision to the D.C. Court of Appeals for review. There is a potential that we may not know the final list of candidates on the ballot until March 18 when the entire ballot access process concludes.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Abysmal Voter Turnout in DC’s Special Elections
There has been a lot of discussion in recent weeks about voter turnout for special elections since the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics (DCBOEE) will conduct a citywide Special Election on Tuesday, April 26, 2011. The election will be held for voters to choose an at-Large Member of the D.C. City Council created when Councilmember Kwame Brown won the office of Chairman of the Council last year.
Between 1993 and 2000, the BOEE conducted four citywide special elections with abysmally low voter turnout of 5.5% to a high of 25.7%. The turnout for the September 14, 1993, Special Election for Council Chairman was the highest with 25.7%. The July 22, 1997, Special Election for Council Chairman resulted in the lowest voter turnout of the four at 5.5%. The December 2, 1997 Special Election for at-Large Councilmember rose slightly to 7.5%. And the June 27, 2000, Special Election on Proposed Charter Amendment III garnered 12.2%.
As was the case with these elections, the BOEE will open all voting precincts citywide on April 26. According to the DCBOEE’s testimony before the D.C. Council, it will cost District taxpayers approximately $828,731.02 to open all 143 precincts in the eight wards operating with skeletal staffing. It sounds like a high cost to taxpayers, but to do anything differently this close to the election could end up disenfranchising voters.
Going forward special elections could be conducted differently at lower costs, but that can not happen until there has been a change in the District’s election laws, election regulations, and voter education procedures are in place.
Between 1993 and 2000, the BOEE conducted four citywide special elections with abysmally low voter turnout of 5.5% to a high of 25.7%. The turnout for the September 14, 1993, Special Election for Council Chairman was the highest with 25.7%. The July 22, 1997, Special Election for Council Chairman resulted in the lowest voter turnout of the four at 5.5%. The December 2, 1997 Special Election for at-Large Councilmember rose slightly to 7.5%. And the June 27, 2000, Special Election on Proposed Charter Amendment III garnered 12.2%.
As was the case with these elections, the BOEE will open all voting precincts citywide on April 26. According to the DCBOEE’s testimony before the D.C. Council, it will cost District taxpayers approximately $828,731.02 to open all 143 precincts in the eight wards operating with skeletal staffing. It sounds like a high cost to taxpayers, but to do anything differently this close to the election could end up disenfranchising voters.
Going forward special elections could be conducted differently at lower costs, but that can not happen until there has been a change in the District’s election laws, election regulations, and voter education procedures are in place.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
April 26, 2011, Special Election for At-Large Member of the D.C. City Council
The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics (DCBOEE) will hold a city-wide Special Election on Tuesday, April 26, 2011, to fill a vacancy for at-Large Member of the D.C. City Council created when Councilmember Kwame Brown successfully beat back his opponents to win the office of Chairman of the Council in last year’s Primary and General Elections.
According to the DCBOEE Web site at http://www.dcboee.org/newsroom/showASPfile.asp?cat=News Releases&id=648&mid=12&yid=2010, eight candidates have picked up nominating petitions to qualify for ballot access on April 26. They are Ward 1 Democrat Stanley Mayes; Ward 4 Democrats Leo Alexander, Sekou Biddle, and Joshua Lopez; Ward 5 Democrat Vincent Orange; Ward 6 Independent Arkan Haile; Ward 6 Democrat Kelvin Robinson; and Ward 8 Democrat Jacque Patterson.
To qualify for ballot access each candidate is required to file 3,000 signatures of registered D.C. voters on their nominating petition with the DCBOEE no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16, which are subject to a ten day challenge period. The challenge period will run from Saturday, February 19, through Thursday, February 28, 2011.
According to the DCBOEE Web site at http://www.dcboee.org/newsroom/showASPfile.asp?cat=News Releases&id=648&mid=12&yid=2010, eight candidates have picked up nominating petitions to qualify for ballot access on April 26. They are Ward 1 Democrat Stanley Mayes; Ward 4 Democrats Leo Alexander, Sekou Biddle, and Joshua Lopez; Ward 5 Democrat Vincent Orange; Ward 6 Independent Arkan Haile; Ward 6 Democrat Kelvin Robinson; and Ward 8 Democrat Jacque Patterson.
To qualify for ballot access each candidate is required to file 3,000 signatures of registered D.C. voters on their nominating petition with the DCBOEE no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16, which are subject to a ten day challenge period. The challenge period will run from Saturday, February 19, through Thursday, February 28, 2011.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics and the November 2nd General Election
The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics will hold a special meeting tomorrow, November 29, at 5:30 p.m. to certify the results of the November 2nd General Election. The open meeting will be held in Room 280-North of the One Judiciary Square Building at 441 Fourth Street, N.W. For more information the public is instructed to call the Board’s General Counsel’s office at 727-2194.
And the next day, Tuesday, November 30, at 10:00 a.m. the City Council’s Committee on Government Operations and the Environment chaired by Councilmember Mary Cheh will hold a public oversight roundtable on the administration of the November Election. According to the Committee’s public notice, roundtable topics will include the adjustments made by the Board in poll worker training and functioning of precincts, technological fixes, and the handling of electronic media, between the September Primary Election and the November General Election. The public notice further states that there will be a discussion about how those adjustments ameliorated problems experienced during the September Primary Election and what further adjustments are still necessary to improve voting in the District of Columbia. The roundtable will be held in room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Anyone wishing to testify should contact Committee staff at 724-8062.
It will be enlightening to hear about the “adjustments” made by the Board to “ameliorate” the problems experienced in September. Will they be the same or some of the same problems that the public brought to the attention of the Board’s Chairman Togo West and Councilmember Cheh? Or do those problems remain?
And the next day, Tuesday, November 30, at 10:00 a.m. the City Council’s Committee on Government Operations and the Environment chaired by Councilmember Mary Cheh will hold a public oversight roundtable on the administration of the November Election. According to the Committee’s public notice, roundtable topics will include the adjustments made by the Board in poll worker training and functioning of precincts, technological fixes, and the handling of electronic media, between the September Primary Election and the November General Election. The public notice further states that there will be a discussion about how those adjustments ameliorated problems experienced during the September Primary Election and what further adjustments are still necessary to improve voting in the District of Columbia. The roundtable will be held in room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building at 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Anyone wishing to testify should contact Committee staff at 724-8062.
It will be enlightening to hear about the “adjustments” made by the Board to “ameliorate” the problems experienced in September. Will they be the same or some of the same problems that the public brought to the attention of the Board’s Chairman Togo West and Councilmember Cheh? Or do those problems remain?
Monday, September 27, 2010
More Room on the Outside in the Roundup
On the night of the September 14 Primary Election, I was a guest along with journalist Pete Tucker on More Room on the Outside hosted by Dr. Baruch and Toussaint Tingling-Clemmons.
The program was about observations that Pete and I made while vis
iting polling places during the day. As Election Education Inc. observers, we were joined by former DC Board of Elections and Ethics’ Precinct Captain Kenlee Ray, who is seen here with me in a photograph taken by Pete. In total we visited and surveyed 20 polling places distributed among the District’s eight wards. A report of our findings will be made available on October 8.
The Fight Back has posted the More Room on the Outside interview on their website at http://thefightback.org/2010/09/more-room-on-the-outside-on-dctv-tuesday-september-14-2010-election-day/. When you get there, move the time bar to 31:00.
More Room on the Outside, which airs on public television, can be seen on DCTV on Comcast channels 95 and 96; RCN channels 10 and 11; and Verizon FIOS Channels 10, 11, and 28.
The program was about observations that Pete and I made while vis
iting polling places during the day. As Election Education Inc. observers, we were joined by former DC Board of Elections and Ethics’ Precinct Captain Kenlee Ray, who is seen here with me in a photograph taken by Pete. In total we visited and surveyed 20 polling places distributed among the District’s eight wards. A report of our findings will be made available on October 8.The Fight Back has posted the More Room on the Outside interview on their website at http://thefightback.org/2010/09/more-room-on-the-outside-on-dctv-tuesday-september-14-2010-election-day/. When you get there, move the time bar to 31:00.
More Room on the Outside, which airs on public television, can be seen on DCTV on Comcast channels 95 and 96; RCN channels 10 and 11; and Verizon FIOS Channels 10, 11, and 28.
Friday, September 24, 2010
News Roundup of Primary Election Problems
Voters, candidates, elected officials, election observers, and pollworkers reported problems at the polling places for the Primary Election held last week on Tuesday, September 14.
I have pasted below a roundup of news articles and television broadcasts of the problems reported in the local media. I am interviewed in the first three posted below.
You will find that some of the 20 articles contain information that is repetitive; however, I believe it is important to see the breadth of the reporting. And I am sure there is more from other media outlets that I have missed. If you know of any, feel free to send a message to me with the link to wofield@gmail.com.
TBD News Channel 8
BOEE’s Performance On Election Day at
http://www.tbd.com/blogs/news-talk/2010/09/live-on-newstalk-boee-s-performance-texting-and-driving-and-montgomery-council-at-large-race-2027.html and search for my name.
WUSA9
New Voting Machines Cause of Delays at
http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=111193
The Washington Post
DC Board of Elections, Scolded By Politicians, Defends Counting Pace, Cites Crushing Pressures at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/15/AR2010091506918.html
Live Blog: D.C. Primary Day Evening – Returns Trickle In at http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2010/09/live_blog_dc_primary_day_2010_2.html
Judge Rejects Gray’s Request To Extend D.C. Voting at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/14/AR2010091407846.html
Once Again, Delays Plague Counting of Ballots InThe District at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/15/AR2010091500626.html
The Washington Times
Gray’s Campaign Threatens Legal Action If Voting Hours Not Extended at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/14/board-considers-gray-request-extend-voting-hours/print/
Delays Occur In Results For D.C. Primary Races at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/14/glitches-mar-early-voting-in-dc-mayor-race/
D.C. Mayor Fenty Loses To Gray In Democratic Primary at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/15/dc-mayor-fenty-loses-gray-democratic-primary/
The Washington Examiner
Gray Asks Elections To Toss Fenty Votes at http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Gray-asks-elections-board-to-toss-Fenty-votes-797391-102579509.html
There May Be No Quick Call In D.C. Mayoral Race at http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/There-may-be-no-quick-call-in-D_C_-mayoral-race-846493-102818099.html
Election Board Problems Mar D.C. Mayor’s Race, Delay Results at http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Election-board-problems-mar-D_C_-mayor_s-race_-delay-results--862475-102925424.html
UPDATE: Judge Denies Voting Hours Extension at http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/blogs/capital-land/dc-elections-officials-deny-grays-call-to-extend-voting-hours-102884129.html
Washington City Paper
Vince Gray Takes Charge at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/39775/vince-gray-takes-charge-dc-election-night
Democracy Threatened By Missing Seal at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2010/09/14/democracy-threatened-by-missing-seal/
Watch A Working D.C. Voting Machine at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2010/09/14/watch-a-working-d-c-voting-machine/
Five Things That Made Voters Mad at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2010/09/14/five-things-that-make-voters-mad/
themail@DCWatch
Down For The Count at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/2010/10-09-15.htm and http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/2010/10-09-19.htm.
NBC4
Voting Problems At Some D.C. Polls at http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/Voting_Problems_At_Some_DC_Polls_Washington_DC.html
Problems Reported At Polls at http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/102873514.html.
I have pasted below a roundup of news articles and television broadcasts of the problems reported in the local media. I am interviewed in the first three posted below.
You will find that some of the 20 articles contain information that is repetitive; however, I believe it is important to see the breadth of the reporting. And I am sure there is more from other media outlets that I have missed. If you know of any, feel free to send a message to me with the link to wofield@gmail.com.
TBD News Channel 8
BOEE’s Performance On Election Day at
http://www.tbd.com/blogs/news-talk/2010/09/live-on-newstalk-boee-s-performance-texting-and-driving-and-montgomery-council-at-large-race-2027.html and search for my name.
WUSA9
New Voting Machines Cause of Delays at
http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=111193
The Washington Post
DC Board of Elections, Scolded By Politicians, Defends Counting Pace, Cites Crushing Pressures at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/15/AR2010091506918.html
Live Blog: D.C. Primary Day Evening – Returns Trickle In at http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2010/09/live_blog_dc_primary_day_2010_2.html
Judge Rejects Gray’s Request To Extend D.C. Voting at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/14/AR2010091407846.html
Once Again, Delays Plague Counting of Ballots InThe District at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/15/AR2010091500626.html
The Washington Times
Gray’s Campaign Threatens Legal Action If Voting Hours Not Extended at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/14/board-considers-gray-request-extend-voting-hours/print/
Delays Occur In Results For D.C. Primary Races at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/14/glitches-mar-early-voting-in-dc-mayor-race/
D.C. Mayor Fenty Loses To Gray In Democratic Primary at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/15/dc-mayor-fenty-loses-gray-democratic-primary/
The Washington Examiner
Gray Asks Elections To Toss Fenty Votes at http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Gray-asks-elections-board-to-toss-Fenty-votes-797391-102579509.html
There May Be No Quick Call In D.C. Mayoral Race at http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/There-may-be-no-quick-call-in-D_C_-mayoral-race-846493-102818099.html
Election Board Problems Mar D.C. Mayor’s Race, Delay Results at http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Election-board-problems-mar-D_C_-mayor_s-race_-delay-results--862475-102925424.html
UPDATE: Judge Denies Voting Hours Extension at http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/blogs/capital-land/dc-elections-officials-deny-grays-call-to-extend-voting-hours-102884129.html
Washington City Paper
Vince Gray Takes Charge at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/39775/vince-gray-takes-charge-dc-election-night
Democracy Threatened By Missing Seal at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2010/09/14/democracy-threatened-by-missing-seal/
Watch A Working D.C. Voting Machine at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2010/09/14/watch-a-working-d-c-voting-machine/
Five Things That Made Voters Mad at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/looselips/2010/09/14/five-things-that-make-voters-mad/
themail@DCWatch
Down For The Count at http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/2010/10-09-15.htm and http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/2010/10-09-19.htm.
NBC4
Voting Problems At Some D.C. Polls at http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/Voting_Problems_At_Some_DC_Polls_Washington_DC.html
Problems Reported At Polls at http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/102873514.html.
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