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Board of Elections

Orange County · Board of Elections
Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Regular meeting Elections and districts

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved Approval of Board Minutes Approved unanimously
  2. Approved Multipartisan Assistance Team: Additional Members Approved unanimously
  3. Approved Absentee Ballot Review: Sealed Photo ID Envelopes Approved unanimously
  4. Denied Absentee Ballot Review: Incomplete Witness Information Disapproved 14 civilian ballots, unanimous, amended from 13
  5. Approved Absentee Ballot Review: Remaining Civilian Ballots Approved unanimously
  6. Approved Absentee Ballot Review: Overseas Ballots Approved unanimously
  7. Approved Absentee Ballot Review: Military Ballots Approved unanimously

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Orange County's Board of Elections meets weekly during absentee voting season to accept or reject mailed-in ballots for the November 2024 general election, working through envelopes flagged for missing signatures, incomplete witness information or other problems before the ballots can be counted.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The board approved 549 absentee ballots and rejected 14 at its October 8 meeting: 355 civilian, 188 overseas and 6 military ballots accepted, and 14 civilian ballots turned down, 13 for incomplete witness information and one that turned out to be a Wake County ballot mixed into an Orange County envelope. The county will send that ballot's application number to Wake County and reissue a ballot to the Orange County voter. Ten of the approved civilian ballots had needed a second look because their photo ID documents were sealed inside the ballot envelope.

The board also approved staff's request for more Multipartisan Assistance Team members to help voters at assisted living facilities, and adopted the October 1 minutes. It watched staff scan the meeting's approved ballots through the county's DS850 tabulator, bringing the running count to 1,065, then sealed the ballots in a security envelope under a seal numbered N55,604. No one signed up for public comment. The board's next meeting is October 15.

How the votes went

All motions passed unanimously, including votes to approve 355 civilian, 188 overseas and 6 military absentee ballots, and to reject 14 civilian ballots, a total amended mid-meeting from 13 after a Wake County ballot was found in an Orange County envelope.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (12)

Other · 5Procedural · 4Minutes approval · 1Staff or committee report · 1Personnel · 1
  1. Call to Order
    Procedural
    Chair Jamie Cox called the meeting to order.
  2. Public Comment
    Procedural
    The chair opened the floor for public comment. No one signed up to speak.
  3. Approval of Board Minutes
    Minutes approval
    The board approved the October 1, 2024 minutes as submitted.
    Approved unanimously
  4. Director's Report: Absentee By-Mail Ballots Cast to Date
    Staff or committee report Elections and districts
    Director Rachel Raper reported 346 civilian, 188 overseas and 6 military absentee ballots recommended for approval, plus 10 civilian ballots pending review because photo ID documents may have been sealed inside the ballot envelope, and 13 civilian ballots recommended for disapproval over incomplete witness information; those voters had been contacted and reissued ballot packages.
  5. Multipartisan Assistance Team: Additional Members
    Personnel Elections and districts
    The board accepted staff's recommendation to add Multipartisan Assistance Team members so more voters at assisted living facilities can get help.
    Approved unanimously
  6. Absentee Ballot Review: Sealed Photo ID Envelopes
    Other Elections and districts
    After reviewing photo ID documents that had been sealed inside the ballot envelopes, the board approved the 10 pending civilian absentee ballots.
    Approved unanimously
  7. Absentee Ballot Review: Incomplete Witness Information
    Other Elections and districts
    The board voted to disapprove the 13 civilian absentee ballots flagged for incomplete witness information. During quality control, staff found a Wake County ballot inside an Orange County absentee envelope; the board amended its motion to disapprove 14 civilian ballots to include it. Orange County will send Wake County the ballot's application number and reissue a ballot package to the Orange County voter.
    Disapproved 14 civilian ballots, unanimous, amended from 13
  8. Absentee Ballot Review: Remaining Civilian Ballots
    Other Elections and districts
    After a bipartisan review of 250 civilian absentee ballot envelopes, the board approved the remaining 345 civilian absentee ballots.
    Approved unanimously
  9. Absentee Ballot Review: Overseas Ballots
    Other Elections and districts
    After a bipartisan review of duplicated ballots, the board approved 188 overseas absentee ballots.
    Approved unanimously
  10. Absentee Ballot Review: Military Ballots
    Other Elections and districts
    After a bipartisan review of duplicated ballots, the board approved 6 military absentee ballots.
    Approved unanimously
  11. Ballot Tabulation and Sealing
    Procedural Elections and districts
    The board watched staff scan approved absentee ballots from all prior absentee meetings through the county's DS850 tabulator, bringing the count to 1,065. The board signed a sealing label, and the director sealed the voted ballots in a security envelope under seal code N55,604.
  12. Adjournment
    Procedural
    The board adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for October 15, 2024.

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