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This guy here we go. Hi everybody. This Adam Hadley State representative from House District 50 - nine, doing the next in series Sorry, we had to shift it to Thursday this week. We had some some conflict, but got a great one for We are with Kramer from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. She's the director of communications and we're we're gonna be talking voting and voting in the era of of so first off welcome Gerry and and can you please briefly explain your role at the And how you work alongside you know our Craig Latimer and the supervisor Election staff and the the volunteers and and supervisors all throughout the state. Have it just explain and what's going on right now? sure I'm very proud work for our supervisor elections, Craig Latimer he he took office in 2012 was when he took elected office and I started working for him in 2013 and I am director of communications so I work on you know all of the different things that we do to make sure that we get. Of voters so that they know what to do and how to vote Craig this year became President of Florida supervisors of with an Association of 60 - seven election supervisors in the and it's been really interesting. You know the the supervisors of elections and the different counties talk a lot. There's a lot of communication back and forth between the different counties so we can learn you know somebody has a good idea. You know we share we try to all lift each up and know what we're doing and and we can do the best thing we can do for our voters throughout the state. Right Well, first off kinda the big Obviously, Obviously, we know that the threat of the ongoing coro virus pandemic is is it cause for concern? you know for participating in our upcoming elections this fall can talk about what the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections doing to prepare that elections run run and efficiently, and in a way that ensures voters, health and safety and not their voice is able to be heard with their vote. Yeah We experienced running an election During it was heating up here. know we had our presidential preference primary on March seventeenth we had polling places that we plan use on election day start dropping out. they weren't us because they had elderly population. They didn't want us to come in things like that. so we had to really and make some changes on the fly. now we have the opportunity. Plan ahead and figure out you what we can do to make things healthy and and safe don't know we don't know what August is gonna be like and we what's gonna be we do we'll have three methods of voting voting for Florida voters. We're have early voting. We're gonna have election voting. both both of those person and then we'll have vote by mail and we are encouraging vote by mail because in March, we had people call us and say they had plan to go. On Election day and they weren't able to leave their House, House, you that's heartbreaking. We don't want people to be in that situation where they're not able vote. So if you request a vote by mail ballot, you know you have a way to vote. you know you'll be able to cast your ballot in August and in November. Great so you you just mentioned it, but you hopefully a people watching know that one of the safest way to vote without having to to the polls on Election day or during early voting is is voting by mail. I'm maybe talk a little bit more and more depths. about the process of voting by you know how do you request your ballot when vote when voters should ballot? how long long it will take receive it in the the mail How advance of the election? should they return it? You know, how to send it in how to check. Received just get into the meat and potatoes and vote by mail so a lot of questions so I love about vote by mail. know the first thing is it's very very easy request. We We can only send by mail ballot to to a registered voter has vote by so we're not not sending to everybody and we're not sending ballots to people who aren't registered. Okay. So it's that's important to know requesting a ballot is Super easy. You can go to our website The Hills. And there's an online request form. take a a minute to fill out you can call office 74 5900 and. We will take request over the also send a Mailer to voters who didn't have a request on file and they have a form with it. and so I mentioned those other two ways you can go online or you can call or you can fill out this form and mail it back. you can also go by our office right we've we closed our offices due to the Corona virus. we have now. Our office, Election Service Center on Faber to so you can give our office a call come by the the office and fill a request form in that way. If you want to, but really people are learning that it's so easy to do everything from home now right. so and that's the beauty of vote by mail. You know you'll be able to vote at home. Your home becomes your polling place. so once you request a mail ballot, we will start mailing out ballots 40 days. The election so July ninth, I think it is when when we start mailing out ballots for August and voters can track their ballot on our website. so you can go to and check to see when we've mailed your ballot out. then you know you should be watching for it. Once the mail ballots come to you know we want to fill it out and vote as soon as as you can and get back. The The real key is the sooner you request your ballot. The more time you have for your. At your House and the more time have to devote to get back to us because does have to be back in our office by 70 'clock on Election day day if comes later than that, it's postmarked election day, count it has to be in our office by 70 'clock Election Day. Did I answer all your questions? Yeah, but what's actually very quickly on a Leslie just ask in the comments long after you how long did it take after sending it back? Can you check on accepted so I guess you know if I mail it on the first, we say you know a date first when when will it be available for for me to that you've received it online. So you know, I can't give you an exact date because it depends on how many ballots come in each each many we get through? But you know what happens is the mail ballot comes back our office and and we verify the signature. so we have verify that this is indeed your ballot. We checked signature that you put on your envelope to the signature that we have on file and once we match. Up then ballot is deemed and it goes through a process of being opened and tabulated. so once it's we've done that you know it'll show on our website, the ballot has been received If there's a problem with your signature or if you forget forget to the envelope, which some people then we'll start immediately communicating with We'll send you a letter. There's an optional part of the envelope where you can. number and email address a cellphone so we can call you text or email and you know know that there's that needs to be fixed and it's easy to fix can sign an affidavit and fill and send back copies identification to verify that yes, that your ballot and then That'll be resolved so shouldn't take long. You know if you mail your ballot into our office it's been a few days you should check the website and and see it's you know what the status is. If you're not seeing that it's been received. You can call us and we. On it definitely be checking. you know what you hate is for someone to wait until day before Election Day to find out that their ballot hasn't arrived so mail mail it soon. Check on it. make we've received it and you can also drop it off. I didn't mention that so can drop off a mail ballot at any of our early vote sites. During early voting, we'll have 24 of those and those will be open for 14 days and then we'll also have our four offices open. Office hours and you can return a ballot to any of our offices. so if you don't if you're nervous about mailing it back, you can drop it off. Okay, and you also mentioned that you know there, there ways to cure some of these balance to that you know that people are are the people that they say they are when they're voting just out of the percentage or so of mail-in ballots that that are are rejected that you have issues that you have to reach to reach out for corrections. It's very very low, So it's about less than a quarter of one percent of our ballots are have a problem problem with the or don't have a signature that isn't resolved and it's not you know necessarily a lot of times. It's just that. Don't respond so sometimes someone will send an affidavit, but they won't send copies of their ID something like that. So if a voter's vigilant, they're not a problem with the signature and the signature can be cured to two days after Election Day so up until 50 'clock on the Thursday after after you can cure problem. So really nobody should have to worry about a signature issue. Okay great. okay so signatures, but you're already that but you know I will say you can update your signature. so know. we always encourage people to keep their signature updated with us and are two easy ways to do it. You have to do it voter registration application and so you can take a take a voter registration application and and fill it out as an sign it and we'll have that paper signature, but you can also if you use our online voter registration application, it will pull a signature in from your driver's license. so if you're wondering. Sign How you what what signature we have on file for you have is look at your driver's license and you know. Actually, we've had couple questions, real quick workers. Leslie ask them. How do you recruit and train poll workers and especially given that there's so many of them currently you know over the age of 6060 - 570. we're gonna have to get you know more poll workers and newer younger poll workers. you know as you know what's going on with Kobe and to keep people involved. So can you talk a little bit about about co-workers You're interested in being a Co worker. There is a place on website where where you and apply right now focusing on experienced returning coworkers for the August election and I we're gonna we're in pretty good shape for having a coworkers for that August election probably need more for November. so you know we're we recruit coworkers and a lot of different ways. We go to events. We talk to our coworkers and to encourage their friends and to be We find that you know that bring a friend, kind of usually works well because those those poll workers what the job is like and and so they know who we're gonna make other good good coworkers the know we have done online training now for the last elections which gives coworkers context. Our elections and explains a lot of different things about you know why things are they they are so they're doing their job, job, which they have one one day, they the background business necessary necessary and then we them come in to to the we teach them kind of the date the specifics of how to operate the machinery and things like now because of this the environment we're in we don't wanna have big crowds of people in a room. You know touching equipment and getting too close to each other, so we're we're gonna be doing virtual our and you these are experience coworkers it should work out really well and they'll be able to refer that. Later, okay, now real quick while we're still, you we'll we'll come come back just for a second to a quick vote mail question and I've I've a feeling I know the you explain quick between mail and voting by absentee ballot. Yes, I love that question in Florida. There is no all. Florida is a no excuse for by mail state and has been 2002. so you don't have to to have to vote by mail. There are some States where you can only vote. By mail If you're absent, if you aren't gonna be able in person, then you can request a mail ballot in Florida. Anybody can request a mail ballot. Right and I know we've talked it very briefly, but how can a voter check their voter registration status to make sure that they are on the voter rolls just to go over again cuz I know this one 's very important and make sure that all their information is accurate and up to date. it is important. You know we want people to really if they actively engaged with they will get tons of information so the website is Hillsborough dot Org and at the very top, you'll see something that says, your status and so you go on there and this voter look up tool. We'll tell you it'll show you your name and your address The address correct, especially if you have a mailing vote-by-mail ballots, you wanna make sure that address is correct. it'll show you the party you're registered in. that's important for our primary election. You wanna make sure you're in the right party. The one you wanna be registered in if you wanna change that you can change change the voter registration application you will your upcoming elections and it'll show you whether you've got a vote by mail request. It'll show you where that vote by mail ballot is scheduled to be sent, and then and then once out, it'll show that it has been been so all that information there and it's also you know there are links to how you can update anything that needs be updated. Okay great. and I think the answer to this one is probably gonna be very very similar. Julia on our common has asked something similar we've had some voters who unfortunately might have been due due pandemic. You know, for instance, people who have. At either how to back to their parents, homes or other relatives or or colleges are not in session in the fall or back home, and and should folks in this situation vote if they have been temporarily displaced and what of update on the registration do they have do so you should should where you live where you reside and you're in a in a temporary you have a permanent resident somewhere else, then you can. Permanent your voter registration tied to that residence and request a mail mail ballot to be mailed to your temporary address but if you if you had to move, then all you have to do is update your address and and you know you can vote where you're living right, then College students. you know they they experience this. You know most of the time right. a lot of College students will be living somewhere else during the semester and not at their parent's House and they have the of either being registered at their parent's House or at their College. And so you it's still it's kind kind of thing. now I have a couple a couple of quickly about you know some of logistics of of the actual election on Day. What what are steps supervisor of are taking to ensure that in person voting is as safe as for both the August and the November elections. It's a good question, so we have rethought in person voting voting a lot first we are as I mentioned before really encouraging vote by mail and one of the reasons we're doing. Because we want as many people as we can vote by mail vote by so that we don't have a lot of during In-person voting, but anybody that wants to vote in person should absolutely have that option. We are but it will be slower than it has been past. We will have you know 24 early vote sites and they'll they'll be for 14 days. So if you wanna vote person, I recommend you go during early voting during early can go to any of those sites and you know the sooner you do it. The the. Anxiety you have about whether you're gonna be able to get to vote person to storm due to virus due to something else that you know, keeps you from being able to get to the polls but the way that we're setting up our polling places. you we are gonna have people in the polling places. At one time. We're gonna have social distancing. We're gonna have plexiglas barriers between our check in our our our coworkers who are. You in and the voter or they're gonna be wearing face Shields depending on the site will have we're we're reducing of touchpoints so that that you people don't touch the same things multiple times or multiple people don't touch same thing. we're gonna have pens combination, pen and stylus that we give to each voter needs one so that they can in on the electronic poll book and then they can fill out their ballot and they. The pen with them and go home and and they're not gonna give it back. We're reuse it. you know we used to be we used to use a lot of things now one and and you know and gonna be wiping everything down. you know so all of those things are gonna be done to make sure our voters feel safe and that you know as a healthy comfortable environment for voting but you know it's gonna look a lot like like the grocery stores and other places that you're starting to go to now will be lines and they. Just sing and you know it, it, it's gonna be slower. okay. that's fantastic. so that's from the supervisor of point of view what can you recommend voters personally to protect themselves and their own health? if if they do plan to vote in person, so you be smart and be thoughtful. So don't go vote in person at you're sick. A mask we're not we can't require. We can't turn someone away from voting if they're not wearing a mask, but you know we're gonna be wearing masks and we would masks and you know just be mindful of the people around you don't you know be respectful. Don't get too close to other people and you know go in and go out and and I would also say you know be prepared to vote we say this always but it's especially meaningful. Now you know you'll get a sample ballot that tells you what you. Be voting on your decisions before you get to the place so that when you go to vote, you can your sample ballot. You can Mark your ballot and you'll be done and it'll be quick and easy and you can bring that sample ballot in with you to vote right. Absolutely well. is there that that that we haven't covered yet that you'd like to to discuss this has been a pretty quick one but a good information you know. I talk too fast I say that people should not only visit our website and us social media share social media. we a lot out we do monthly newsletter. Craig does a monthly newsletter with information that's helpful you know if you're the information from our website, you're trusted verified information. there you know there can be. a lot of noise sometimes around elections and you know it's important to know where you good and the supervisor of elections is one of those places and actually we have one more question in. can you talk a little bit about exchanging like if you bring your mail in your vote by mail ballot with you to either an early polling place during early early vote on Election exchanging that for a regular ballot? yes, of course. So if you've requested vote by mail change your mind and you and you wanna vote person, fine, you vote in You do not have to bring your ballot in because what's gonna happen when go to check in to vote in person that mail ballot ballot automatically be cancelled. and so once that once you vote person if you were to to try to send an mail ballot, wouldn't be be accepted and versa. So if you send a mail ballot in your record is gonna be marked that you voted and you won't be able to go in person and vote. people only get one chance to vote but you know. That is tracked and you don't have to bring your ballot in You that decision just decide to go and great great fantastic. I do have to say you know you guys are the supervisor of elections here in Hillsborough County and made it as easy as possible to get out and and let people have voices be heard by voting and we have so many different ways to vote. you know it's so much extra time with early voting and know postage paid on the return envelopes for and it makes a lot easier. so you don't have to worry about finding a stamp. I know not everybody does that so I know. I already asked with any last things you wanna you wanna mention at about voting up this August in November. Yeah, I think just if you have a question, give our office a call, send us an Email. you know, don't don't be wondering you know what if something that doesn't make sense. Let us know out the real answer you know the the primary election is coming up in August and. That traditionally a turnout election. we will have about a 20 percent turn out. That means you know only one in five people voting and and during that election, we've got school school members on on the and judges that everybody votes for you're in a party or not nonpartisan races. and so even though it's a primary, there's a ballot for everyone and we really want everyone to get out there and vote. Great Well, Thank you so much for joining us. what what is it that Hillsborough dot Org right, to go and any questions and if give everybody your your social media handles. yeah, it's SOE So at Hillsborough SOE on Twitter on Facebook and on Instagram, we also Vimeo and we have some great videos. see behind the scenes of the vote by mail process you can see. What In-person voting is like and we are working on a video video gonna show the new improved voting during Cot. so in a few weeks, you'll be able to see that on our website as well. Great. actually we we have one more question looks like it's in is it Oh this is an question. Is it allowed to take a photo and take and and post a photo of ballot the in the last they did make it You are now allowed to picture of your ballot. Whether or not can post it. I guess that's up to you. It used to to be can't take any pictures in the polling place. Now you can't take pictures. People or anything else, you can't take a picture of your ballot there are some other changes that that were made during the last legislative session. you know, instead of you know when people go to to. Either way now, have to be a hundred and 50 feet away. there's there's some other changes that have happened, but do not be aware aware of some of those things. but thank you again for joining us. be live right here on our page again next week. We're gonna have a very special guest talk a more about boating and about Amendment four. if that gives a hint of who we might have on so be watching for that. Thanks again everybody and we will see you next week. Thank you.