TAPE/#

Speaker

Comments

TAPE 15, A

004

Chair Dallum

Calls the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. and opens the informational meeting on the Oregon centralized voter registration system.

OREGON CENTRALIZED VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM - INFORMATIONAL MEETING

009

Dallas Weyand

Committee Administrator.  Advises the requested Computing and Networking Infrastructure Consolidation (CNIC) Governing Board’s Findings and Recommendations (EXHIBIT A) and Computing and Network Consolidation Alternatives (CNCA) Implementation Strategy and Business Case (EXHIBIT B) were distributed to the members.

016

Jean Straight

Chief Information Officer, Secretary of State.  Refers to the Oregon Central Voter Registration Project (EXHIBIT C).  Provides a copy of the Secretary of State federal compliance audit for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)(EXHIBIT D).  Gives background of federal and state legislation authorizing implementation of HAVA.

040

Straight

Advises that the counties have been involved from the beginning.  Explains that a standards committee comprised of county clerks developed requirements and testing.  Identifies other partners in the project.

061

Straight

States that Salem, Eugene and Burns have been selected as the remote sites for the infrastructure, and all data will be on all three sites.  Explains that the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and Homeland Security have provided assistance on security issues.   

075

Straight

Discusses federal standards for security.

084

Straight

Indicates that the deadline for implementation is January 2006.  Explains implementation of a pilot project of six counties in March, and the goal is to have all 36 counties on the new system by fall 2005. 

102

Straight

Invites committee members to a demonstration of the system planned for legislators in March. 

111

Nitin Khanna

Saber Consulting Inc.  Explains that this project has benefited the local economy with additional employment.

126

Rep. Burley

Asks if the March demonstration is in Salem.

127

Straight

Answers, yes.

130

Chair Dallum

 Inquires if there is another state agency that is responsible for oversight. 

135

Straight

Reiterates that they have been working with DAS, Homeland Security and the state police. 

140

Chair Dallum

Asks who would conduct an audit to assure the system performs properly.

143

Straight

Replies that an outside auditing firm would be needed. 

147

Chair Dallum

Inquires about status of an audit.

150

Straight

Replies that an audit will be performed after all 36 counties are on board.

159

Chair Dallum

Inquires if Oregon will be a demonstration site for others.

162

Khanna

Responds that Missouri will begin a pilot program February 28.

163

Chair Dallum

Requests clarification on the number of states that have a computerized system. 

170

Straight

Advises that out of 50, 16 will be compliant with federal law.

175

Chair Dallum

Asks about recount provisions.

179

Straight

Responds that this system does not do the counting.  Explains that the election management piece is a separate data base for voter registration and for running an election. 

203

Rep. Krummel

Inquires if the voter registration system will only show that someone has voted but not how they voted.

215

Straight

Answers, yes.

218

Rep. Krummel

Asks if the vote tally system will show how someone voted.

221

Straight

Replies, she doesn’t know.  Explains that vote tally systems are housed within the counties.  Offers to obtain more information.

226

Rep. Krummel

Inquires if vote tallies will be sent electronically to the Secretary of State.

238

Straight

Answers that it has been discussed, and it is a goal. 

243

Rep. Burley

Asks if all 36 counties have optical scanning for vote tallying.

250

Straight

Replies, yes.

251

Rep. Burley

Inquires how the cost of the voter registration development system is being divided between general fund and HAVA matching funds.

255

Straight

Explains that the HAVA matching piece is five percent, which has been handled through the Secretary of State.

275

Khanna

Advises that the contract is $4.2 million for development and implementation.

280

Rep. Burley

Seeks clarification that development is being financed by HAVA.

282

Straight

Answers, that is correct.

287

Rep. Burley

Asks about maintenance costs.

290

Khanna

Responds that it will be $750,000 per year, rising by five percent a year for comprehensive support to the Secretary of State and the counties.  Details the services to be provided.

324

Rep. Burley

Asks if Saber Consulting has a contract with the state for a long period of time.

325

Khanna

Replies that support was in the original request for proposal, and the intent is a five-year contract.

333

Rep. Burley

Inquires if Saber will have people at the three remote sites.

341

Khanna

Responds that staff is available within one hour of every county seat.  Describes the consortium to provide support.

356

Chair Dallum

Asks if counties will do their own maintenance.

368

Khanna

Answers that the counties will receive two-thirds to three-quarters of the contract.

379

Chair Dallum

Requests the amount of savings to the counties with implementation of the centralized system. 

389

Straight

Replies that some will realize a saving, some will not.  Explains that counties with old systems have no maintenance contracts; therefore, maintenance will be shared between the county and the state. 

TAPE 16, A

012

Chair Dallum

Inquires if there is an estimate of which counties will be “strapped.”

0`6

Straight

Explains they are trying to make things affordable.  Advises they are working on intergovernmental agreements with counties.  

026

Chair Dallum

Indicates interest in seeing the financial impact county by county.  Asks if the state will save or spend money.

034

Straight

Advises that the state will spend, as it has not had a voter system.

040

Chair Dallum

Asks for the cost of continuing expense.

043

Straight

Replies that a cost analysis was done on how long the federal money will last.  Believes seven to eight years but can provide more accurate information.

048

Rep. Witt

Inquires if the maintenance component will include purging voter information that is obsolete.

052

Khanna

Answers that the system will comply with all regulations for purging.

060

Rep. Witt

Asks how often that will occur.

062

Khanna

Responds, on a real time basis, so purging will occur as frequently as interface with another agency occurs.

066

Rep. Burley

Inquires how to determine an inactive voter is alive or deceased.

068

Khanna

Replies that frequent checks are made against vital statistic records.

070

Rep. Burley

Requests clarification of maintenance costs.

073

Khanna

Explains that $750,000 will be distributed across counties.

078

Straight

Clarifies that one-half is HAVA money and one-half is state money.

086

Chair Dallum

Asks when information on who voted will be posted to the system.

101

Khanna

Details the reporting process.

122

Chair Dallum

Comments that problems with provisional ballots should be minimized.

125

Khanna

Indicates that the vote by mail system already minimizes problems.

131

Chair Dallum

Asks if the state’s part in vote tallying is minimal.

133

Straight

Replies, that is correct.

140

Chair Dallum

Inquires if the registration and tallying processes will be integrated.

140

Straight

Responds that they will remain separate processes.

142

Chair Dallum

Asks if it will remain the county’s responsibility to resolve a tally challenge.

143

Straight

Replies, that is correct.

144

Rep. Krummel

Asks how long it takes for notification of death to reach the elections office and if that will be an automated process.

160

Straight

Replies, no, it will not be automated.  Advises that the county clerks decided not to have that as an electronic interface.

167

Rep. Krummel

Inquires if information on a move is updated only when a voter self-reports.

190

Straight

Replies, she does not know. 

193

Khanna

Advises that the information is updated when a new voter registration card is submitted.

209

Rep. Krummel

Asks if the goal is to have one voter record in the state.   

226

Khanna

Responds, that is correct.

231

Straight

Explains the delay caused by the current system.

243

Rep. Witt

Asks if the original signature card will reside in the current county of residence.

248

Khanna

Explains that the card is scanned centrally so everyone can access.

250

Rep. Witt

Seeks clarification that the original card is in the county of residence as well.

252

Straight

Responds, that is right.

257

Rep. Burley

Comments that the key to the system working is that one record is in the data base.  Expresses concern about security.  Asks if all counties will have access and, if so, how.

267

Khanna

Explains that every section between the county and the server is twice encrypted, so it would be difficult to hack into the system.

281

Chair Dallum

Asks if there was any contact with DAS to see if the voter registration system could be “married” with the present system for savings. 

298

Straight

Asks for clarification on system to which referred.

300

Chair Dallum

Comments that it appears this is another information technology system.  Asks if there was a reason it was not made a part of Computing and Networking Infrastructure Consolidation (CNIC).

313

Straight

Responds that they did work with DAS to find a Salem site, and CNIC was considered, but it is not ready. 

333

Chair Dallum

Asks if the move will be made to CNIC when that site is ready.

336

Straight

Replies that there are no immediate plans, but it has not been ruled out.

339

Chair Dallum

Asks if there would be any savings by moving to the CNIC site.

349

Straight

Replies, she does not know.

350

Chair Dallum

States that he wants to know if a conversation took place.  Asks for a reason for moving or not moving to the CNIC site.

355

Straight

Indicates that there is no decision on whether or not to move to that site.

357

Chair Dallum

Requests that a review be made and a decision reached and advise the committee.

362

Mike Freese

Deputy Chief Information Officer, DAS.  Comments that the Secretary of State undertaking was very difficult, having to deal with multiple stakeholders.  Advises that DAS has been working with them since the beginning of the project.  Explains that there has been contact with the Secretary of State’s office regarding CNIC.  States that DAS will continue to work with them to arrive at the best solution.

416

Chair Dallum

Closes the informational meeting on the Oregon centralized voter registration system and adjourns at 1:57 p.m.