Dadey and Co.: Mayoral Feedback on Board of Elections and Comp Time for Poll Workers

Running out of City Hall this afternoon - where there’s been some chatter by folks lingering in the lobby that there might be a deal on the city budget as early as tomorrow night - I saw Dick Dadey and some good-government activists outlining changes they’d like to city put in place before the elections later this year.

The ideas suggested by Citizens Union, Common Cause and other groups are fairly granular for the most part, but they could, if actually enacted, amount to a significant change in the way things work on Election Day. The proposals include:

1. Increase the number of quality of poll workers by offering comp time for city employees working the polls. “Since most city workers already get Election Day Off, the city should provide comp time for non-essential employees on Primary Day in exchange for their working at the polls.”

2. Increase Rewards for poll workers who attend training. (Which means there are poll workers who don’t attend training.)

3. Enforce policies against poll workers who miss or fail training. “The Board shouldn’t hire them and the city should make it clear they won’t pay for them.”

4. Better enforce the Motor Voter Law, which requires the dissemination of voter registration forms at city and state agencies.

5. Use affidavit ballots to create and update voter registration records. “The information on affidavit ballots could easily be used to correct voter registration errors, update records and begin the process of new registrations.”

6. Put sample ballots on the Board of Election web site.

7. Email election dates and relevant information.

8. Track the performance of the Board of Elections in the mayor’s annual management report.

9. Webcast meetings of the Board of Elections, Campaign Finance Board and the Voter Assistance Commission.