The Official Printelect Blog

DC Motivates Poll Chiefs Through Performance Bonus

February 24th, 2011

Washington, DC is implementing a groundbreaking incentive system for it’s poll workers. The district provided precinct captains with “report cards” that grade them on eight criteria, including opening/closing time, result/paperwork return, and other election day responsibilities.

This innovative model of accountability and motivation was said to have had a big impact in last November’s elections, and may catch on elsewhere in 2012.

See below for the rest of the article, via Samuel Derheimer for Electionline.

District of Columbia offers performance bonus to poll workers

Bonus pay earned through election day performance and additional training

By Samuel Derheimer

On November 2, 2010, I earned $300 from the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics (DCBOEE).

Just over half my hefty haul — $160 — was my base pay for serving as a precinct captain, the chief Election Day worker for poll sites in D.C. A couple weeks ago, I learned I had earned an additional $140 in performance pay.

Under a new program, D.C. handed out up to $140 in bonuses to precinct captains based on their performance on eight Election Day tasks. Accompanying the bonus was a report card detailing how we did on each task and whether we had earned the bonus: $10 or $20 per task. I was part of 30 percent of captains to earn ’em all (and so could proudly face Doug Chapin at work the next day).

The bonus program was a response to a particularly troubled 2010 primary election in D.C.

The 2010 elections were a bit of an Elections perfect storm here in our nation’s capital — granted, it was a self-imposed perfect storm, the result of the “Omnibus Election Reform Act of 2009.” D.C. introduced two new styles voting machines, a DRE and an optical scan machine. The city also introduced a new electronic pollbooks and offered election-day registration for the first time. And turnout was high due to the hotly contested mayoral race.

Both voters and poll workers had to navigate the primary on a full precinct’s worth of new equipment and procedures. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Election Day Voting, General Information, Interesting Articles, Voting
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Sign systems and their solutions to your sign placement locations

February 18th, 2011

Over the last ten years, election authorities have seen a noticeable increase in polling place signage options in the election products market. What was once an item that was mostly produced by the end-users themselves, election products companies across the country recognized an opportunity to provide standardized, generic signage and stand offerings to election authorities to address their signage needs. The end result has been an increase in sign and stand solutions of all sizes and shapes, ranging from post and base styles to coraplast a-frame styles and everything in between. Each one of these sign styles presents added benefits to the end user when compared to the users producing the signage themselves. These advantages include, but are certainly not limited to: lower price per unit, faster lead times, the ability to purchase smaller quantities, and a readily available selection of text and/or images to choose from.

One of the newer, easier to use sign systems on the market today is the Voter’s Choice Portable Sign System. This post and base sign style takes a fresh approach to a time-tested idea for signage that is both easy to assemble and easy to see. Consisting of a base, interlocking post sections, a cap and a sign, this sign system is perfect for both interior and exterior usage when ADA height requirements render other sign styles unusable.

This new sign system has made the deployment of the post and base style sign system a much easier task. Matching post sections alleviate the need to purchase different sections and allow the user to start the stand assembly process with any post section. Once the post section is attached to the stand base, increasing the overall height of the sign stand is as easy as adding more sections. After attaching all three of the included post sections, the user simply attaches the top cap to complete the stand. Once the stand is completed, the user will then insert a sign into the top cap until the locators on the cap snap around the matching cutouts on the sign. Within minutes, the sign system is ready to go; all while adhering to ADA height requirements. Breakdown is as simple as reversing the process.

With the option of weighing the hollow base with water or sand, this sign system becomes a viable exterior solution to deliver various messages outside the polling place. In addition to this sign system, election partners provide all kinds of other popular sign styles on the market. For example, the manufacturer of this particular sign system provides only the most well-established and time-tested sign and stand systems in the industry. In the end, it is your choice depending on the features you desire and require, but just remember what the Voter’s Choice is.

Article by Ben Hudson, Election Products Manager

Tags: Election Day Supplies, Interesting Articles, Voter Signs
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Download Printelect’s 2011 Election Products Catalog

February 10th, 2011

Printelect’s 2011 Election Products Catalog is now available for download. Find the following products within this catalog: voting booth solutions, election signs, precinct supplies, I Voted stickers, handicap accessible ramps, ES&S Supplies, Premier Election Solutions (PES) supplies, security seals, election bags and much more election supplies!

(Click Image to view PDF Catalog)

To request a printed catalog from Printelect, click here.

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MHS, CCHS students learn ‘real life’ voting procedures

January 31st, 2011

We recently came across this article that promotes youth involvement in the voting and the local government. It’s great to see such a great program in place.

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Local high school seniors will get a taste of real-world politics and government soon with the annual Senior Student Government Day.

Interested seniors at Murray High School and Calloway County High School will be given the opportunity to job-shadow local city and county officials – but they’ll have to earn the right, just like the officials themselves. Seniors will throw their hats into the ring and be elected into “office” by their fellow classmates, using the same voting machines as are used in local elections.

The program is sponsored by the Murray Lions Club, with cooperation and assistance by the Murray State University Student Government Association, City of Murray, Calloway County Government, CCHS and MHS. According to a release provided by Terri Long, Senior Student Government Day coordinator, the aim of the program is to “provide a real-life voting experience for high school seniors, acquaint them with city and county governments and encourage them to become active members in the government processes or in helping their community through community service.”

The process begins on Tuesday, Feb. 8, for MHS and Thursday, Feb. 10, for CCHS, when voting machines provided by Ray Coursey Jr., County Clerk, are set up in the school. Job options include everything from county Judge-Executive or Magistrate to city Mayor or Police Chief. Schools take a rotation of whether their students run for city or county office and this year MHS will run for city positions and CCHS will run for county positions. Next year, they will switch, something Long said is done to help show students a broad range Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: General Information, Interesting Articles
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Voting Booths: Which voting booth is right for you?

January 5th, 2011

For years, election partners have been offering a large and economical selection of voting booths all over the country. By offering such an encompassing variety, these campaign manufacturers have gained valuable knowledge and experience of the various product lines and styles of voting booths on the market. Putting this knowledge to good use, one company in particular introduced their Voter’s Choice line, which quickly became an industry favorite. These new booths not only offer unmatched quality but they also enhance the overall voter experience on Election Day. In particular, the most popular voting booth in the Voter’s Choice line is the Companion Pack Premier Voting Booth. It offers two booths in one and is packed with poll worker-friendly features. The Voter’s Choice line of booths is uniquely equipped with everything you need for easy setup and comfortable transportation

Designed to be used as two independent booths, each voting station in the Companion Pack Premier Booth is free standing and can be used independently of one another. When voting is through, each booth reconnects to the other using a unique latching design, and can be stored just about anywhere. Another feature of ease is the breakaway leg system that stores neatly underneath each booth’s writing surface. The legs incorporate a bungee system that allows each leg to remain attached to the table top whether it is in use or being stored. There is no need hassling with those old rusty table legs. These booths make it easy to set up and take down your voting booths in seconds.

Each booth also features a folding lid assembly that allows a user to simply release the front latch, lift the cover and fold out the “Spring Screen” for privacy. With steps as simple as 1-2-3, it’s easy to see why the Voter’s Choice Companion Pack Premier Voting Booth has been one of the most popular booths on the market. Frankly, the ease of this booth is what makes it such a hot seller. Who wants to be stuck for hours cleaning up the mess of hundreds of voters? Just fold it up and it’s ready to go.

With such a large variety of booths, one of these election partners is sure to meet and exceed your voting booth needs. For example, the manufacturer of the Voter’s Choice line provides only the most well-established and time-tested booth models in the industry. In the end, it is your choice depending on the features you desire and require, but just remember the Voter’s Choice.

Article by Ben Hudson, Election Products Manager

Tags: Election Day Voting, General Information, Voting, Voting Booth
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Summary of 2010 elections: What’s In & What’s Out in 2011

January 3rd, 2011

Electionline.org recently published their annual list of events, people of interest and trends that have either started or ended during 2010. This is an interesting summary of this year’s events.

Begin Original Article:

“The List” 2011

You’ve waited all year for it, so without further ado, here is electionlineWeekly’s annual list of what’s in and what’s out in election administration. Happy New Year from all of us at Pew Center on the States’ Election Initiatives.

OUT: Lever voting machines in New York
IN: Optical scan voting machines (finally)

OUT: Secretaries of State, Charlie Daniels (Ark.), Bernie Beuscher (Colo.), Susan Bysiewicz (Conn.), Todd Rokita (Ind.), Michael Mauro (Iowa), Chris Briggs (Kansas), Terri Lynn Land (Mich.), Mary Herrera (N.M.), Jennifer Brunner (Ohio), Chris Nelson (S.D.), and Deb Markowitz (Vt.)
IN: Secretaries of State; Mark Martin (Ark.), Scott Gessler (Colo.), Denise Merrill (Conn.), Charlie White (Ind.), Matt Schultz (Iowa), Kris Kobach (Kansas), Ruth Johnson (Mich.), Dianna Duran (N.M.), Jon Husted (Ohio), Jason Gant (S.D.) and Jim Condos (Vt.)

OUT: Instant-runoff voting in Aspen, Colo.
IN: Instant-runoff voting in Berkeley, Oakland and San Leandro

OUT: Voter ID legislation in the 2009 Texas Legislature
IN: Pre-filed voter ID legislation in the 2011 Texas Legislature

OUT: Non-citizen voting in Portland, Maine
IN: Thinking about non-citizen voting in Hyattsville, Md. and Brookline, Mass.

OUT: Kat Zambon, associate Pew Election Initiatives
IN: Kat Zambon, senior communications officer, American Association for the Advancement of Science

OUT: Action on federal military and overseas voting legislation
IN: Action on state military and overseas voting legislation

OUT: Fighting about the constitutionality of photo ID
IN: Fighting about the cost of making required IDs free to all

OUT: Election reform as a political issue
IN: Election administration as a fiscal issue

OUT: EAC Commissioner Gracia Hillman
IN: Questions about the EAC’s future?

OUT: “Will it increase turnout”?
IN: “Can we afford it?”

OUT: Convenience
IN: Cost-Effectiveness

OUT: Election Night as the end of the campaign
IN: Election Night as the start of the count

OUT: Stray marks as evidence of voter intent
IN: Stray spelling as evidence of voter intent Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: General Information
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Printelect shows off mobile voting centers

December 14th, 2010

Last week, NBC affiliate WBIR.com out of Knoxville, Tennessee published a news story regarding Printelect’s Mobile Voting Precinct (MVP). Printelect showcased the MVP in Pigeon Forge, TN for the East Tennessee county clerk conference.

Article Begins:

The future of voting could be on wheels. Printelect is showing off 38-foot long Mobile Voting Center or (MVP) at the East Tennessee Association of County Election Officials Annual Seminar in Pigeon Forge this week.

There are 15 voting stations inside of the moving vehicle. The company believes the precinct on wheels could change how elections are run across the country.

“It’s unprecedented in that fact that it’s the first mobile unit of it’s size to be fully compliant with ADA and the first to have as many voting stations as it does,” said Chris Andrews of Printelect.

Developers said the mobile voting precinct should increase voter turn out and make sure people can cast their votes during natural disasters or when polling sites are overcrowded.

Source

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110-year-old voting house on the move in Derry Township

December 6th, 2010

We found this article on the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. It’s great to see to his a part of history being preserved.

Begin Article:

One-room cabin will be preserved

The welcome mat outside the Simpson Voting House in Derry Township should read “Home Sweet Home” after the 110-year-old structure’s scheduled relocation this week by Westmoreland County.

Its new site is just a mile away in New Alexandria, less than two miles from the intersection of Route 982 and Route 22.

“This move will save it forever,” said Bob Reintgen, a member and former president of the Derry Area Historical Society. “It will be on land donated to the county. [Since] the house is also owned by the county, the county will do maintenance and take care of it.”

The one-story, one-room cabin on private land was built for voting at a time when the county was largely rural and voting houses were common. Machines were brought in on Election Day each year and taken away at day’s end.

As the number of voting houses dwindled, the Simpson Voting House, despite falling into disrepair, continued to be used until 2003.

“It is the only county-owned voting house still in existence, so it is a gem,” said Mr. Reintgen of Latrobe.

The move will cost the county less than $15,000, with the preparation work done by the Public Works Department.

“We’re working on plans now to restore it so that the people of the Simpson District may vote in it again,” county Commissioner Ted Kopas said.

“We think it is important to honor the heritage of this county and a forgotten period when people voted Read the rest of this entry »

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Poll Workers Recognized in Media

November 19th, 2010

Every two years there are hundreds of news stories stemming from Election Day. Lost within the results coverage and analysis is the detail of the hundreds of dedicated citizens each state who carry out the logistical challenge of a successful polling place. Some of the best stories were those that showcase the dedication and tenure of poll workers across the country.

Nebraska’s Journal Star featured 229 poll workers who were inducted into the Nebraska Poll Worker Hall of Fame by Secretary of State John Gale. These civil servants had at least 20 years tenure, and up to 60 years for the longest acting worker.

Carrying out a successful Election Day is not the easiest of tasks for a poll worker. They are paid a nominal wage for a long day of setting up equipment, resolving issues, informing voters, and closing polls. It can be a high stress environment with confused voters, long lines, and other issues that pop up while voting.

Regardless of minor issues that may occur during the elections, the importance of the task and the social atmosphere seem to bring these loyal workers back every election year. The opportunity to experience a cross section of their community, through interaction with the entirety of a precinct’s voters, is a nice complement to the already fulfilling responsibility of being an election poll worker.

The South Bend Tribune honored one woman who has been working the polls since age 18. Christine Paige, now age 93, is now an inspector in Portage Township, Indiana. She has not missed the big day in her 75-year stint with the election department.

Printelect would like to thank all of the poll workers across the country, as well as the publications that recognized them, and congratulate every precinct in America for another successful election.

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