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Home My WebLink About1990-11-19-0700PM-PublicHearingE k COMMISSIONERS' COURT PUBLIC HEARING NOVEMBER 19, 1990 s r' k { F r r 1• .1 h ~j r~ ~f f;y J. The Commissioners' Court of Brazos County, Texas held a Public Hearing to improve the election process in Brazos County in the Commissioners' Courtroom in the Courthouse in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 19, 1990, with the following members of the Court present: R. J. Holmgreen, County Judge, Presiding; Gary Norton, Commissioner of Precinct 1; Walter Wilcox, Commissioner of Precinct 2; Randy Sims, Commissioner of Precinct 3; Milton Turner, Commissioner of Precinct 4; Frank Boriskie, County Clerk. The following citizens and officials were in attendance: Ruth McLeod ` Bed Green Bill Turner Buddy Winn Jim Hiney Wayne Todd W. H. Vance Janelle Lewis Elaine Vance Carol Pope Margie Wilkey Ann Anderson Stella Wilkes William H. Aldred George Martin Sean Hoffmann Cori Dewberger Mini Davila Bennie ostiguin Ruby Ellis Karen Tohkubee Mary Bennett Vincent Rosas Patti Caddess Jose M. Ugarte III Leon Ray Moore, Jr. Julie My Lylabeth King Corkey Boehm William Black Perian K. Bishop Rob Giesecke Rodger Lewis Gene Clark Bill McGuire Tom Harrison Bill McLeod Gary Neill Florace Kling B. J. Kling Scot Kilbe Tammy Westbrook Ty Clevenger Administrative Assistant Secretary to Commissioners District Attorney Tax Assessor/ Bryan/College Station Eagle Precinct 33 Precinct 10 Precinct 27 Precinct 14 Precinct 12 Precinct 24 Precinct 34 Precinct 18 Precinct 4 Precinct 22 TAMU TAMU Precinct 16 Precinct 17 Precinct 29 Precinct 8 Precinct 5 Precinct 14 Precinct 15 Precinct 2 Precinct 5 Precinct 23 Precinct it Precinct 40 Precinct 23 Precinct 7 Precinct 17 BC Republican Party Precinct 40 BC Democratic Party SOS Texas Voting Systems Precinct 39 BC Republican Party Precinct 8 Precinct 35 TAMU student Body President VOL 11 • .f The purpose of the Public Hearing was to hear commentary on what would make the election process easier on the election judges. The County Judge stated in his opening remarks that this was for fact finding purposes and that the Court would not make any decisions this evening. He outlined the procedures for the hearing and asked those in attendance for any comments on the subject and asked that they state their names and precinct number. Vincent Rosas - Election Judge Precinct 14 - recommended a different location other than the Ben Milam School and complained of the difficulty in reaching the tax office by phone. Judge Holmgreen stated that it was the intent of the Court to use public buildings as required by law, but they would look in to Mr. Rosas' suggestion. Ruby Ellis - Election Judge Precinct 29 - stated that most voters in that precinct were upset due to the change in voting location and that some voters were listed in the wrong precinct due to confusion between Oak Hill Subdivision and Oak Hill Street. Gary Neil - Election Judge Precinct 39 - stated that the telephone was an acute problem along with incorrect voter registration cards and an inadequate location. • Jose Ugarte - Election Judge Precinct 2 - stated there was no phone at his voting location and that there were incorrect precinct numbers on the voter registration cards. Ann Anderson - Election Judge Precinct 34 - stated the telephone was a problem and that 22 people with valid voter registration cards had been dropped from the rolls. Janelle Lewis - Election Judge Precinct 27 - stated that the telephone was a problem and had husbands and wives listed with the same address but with different voting precinct numbers. Gene Clark - Election Judge Precinct 40 - stated that he could not get through to the Tax Office to confirm voter registration. Then there was a conflict between actual addresses and precinct numbers. He asked who the contractor was that supplied the voting devices and who was responsible for the set up of the machines and dismantling them. He was informed that the Road and Bridge crews deliver the devices and that he was responsible for setting them up and taking them down. The contractor supplying the devises is Texas Voting Systems. • George Martin - Election Judge Precinct 22 - stated there needed to be more emphasis on the wrap up of the election. - The poll watcher had no identification, the alternate judge was not notified of the election school and therefore would not serve. Buddy Winn - Tax Assessor /Collector - informed the group that he only had two (2) telephones in voter registration but that on election day all the phones in the department were used to address the problems. He continued, explaining that names appearing on the strike list in January are purged in August. If a person voted earlier than August then the judges VSOL Pt:Gr--Lg-:3 1 i 1 4 , , 1 t k 4 k. r r r 4 i i f. are to allow the voter to complete an affidavit of residency then turn the card in to the tax office. Ann Anderson - Election Judge Precinct 34 - Asked what is a voters to do if they have a voter registration card but are not on the list. Carol Pope - Election Worker Precinct 22 - stated that they had no room to set up properly, there was a problem with the voting machines not punching the holes in the cards properly. She also asked what happens to remarks written on the combination sheets. Patty Caddess - Election Judge Precinct 15 - stated that they needed larger wall maps to show the different precincts. She stressed that voters need to be better informed all the way around and that the media needed to do more. Margie Wilke - Election Judge Precinct 22 - stated voter ignorance was a big problem along with poorly marked polling place locations. Stella Wilkes - Poll Watcher Precinct 18 - voters need more information. Also election judge and clerks gave voters a great deal of assistance which is illegal. Some voters wanted to vote a straight ticket plus one (1) cross over vote but were told they could not do it. She also suggested getting- the election judges together with the poll watchers to go over the rules. Benny Ostiguin - Election Judge Precinct 17 - stated the polling place location was too small and in an inconvenient spot. Gene Clark - Election Judge Precinct 40 - stated that there was a lack of consideration by voters for the registration card. William Aldert - Election Judge Precinct 4 - recommended use of the 9-1-1 locator for voter registration. Buddy Winn - Tax Assessor/Collector - stated his office was working with 9-1-1 to improve registration. He commented that the dividing line going down the center of a road is a real problem. Gary Norton - stated that 9-1-1 will have everything in a grid with all addresses. Ty Clevenger - Student Body President TAMU - stated that students did not receive cards until the election date or afterwards. He was informed that Data Processing mailed out the cards around the 17th of October. Ann Anderson - Election Judge Precinct 34 - stated that a resident with campaign stickers all over his car had parked the car between the 100' markers and had tried to get the police to do something but that they would not. Bill McLeod - Texas Voting Systems - indicated that the police officers were not familiar with voting laws. Sean Hoffman - stated that candidate and their supporters were handing out campaign literature right outside the door of the polling place. . , Ann Anderson - Election Judge Precinct 34 - stated that she found a candidate standing in line chatting with the voters and that an elected official reading the numbers posted on the door of the polling place stayed too long. VCS L 21 r . • , f Y r s • Janelle Lewis - Election Judge Precinct 27 - stated that she felt that candidates should not hand out literature at the polls. Lylabeth King - Election Judge Precinct 11 - stated she felt that the school did not want elections held there. Tony Vance - Alternate Judge Precinct 10 - stated that whomever registered the A&M students on campus had done it incorrectly. Vincent Rosas - Election Judge Precinct 14 - asked if students could vote absentee in home county and on election day here. Carol Pope - Election Judge Precinct 12 - stated that the schools were no longer seemed interested in the voting process. Minnie Davila - Election Judge Precinct 16 - stated that the schools no longer seemed interested in the voting process. voL~-PAGF . - - . ~ _ _ ~~-f...-Y+'~...; T_";'^^.•r"I:T.^.^~-r+s-'-~~a..,- `.'~.'*tr+P'!.-r~.~..+...,,.r,rn...~rn~...~... It`Fr l k a yl 1 C E I j~ r f1 i 1 The foregoing minutes have been examined and approved in open LZA1 Court this the day of in Bryan, Brazos County, Texas. &5'u~L R. J. Ho green County Judge i Walter Wilcox Commissioner, Precinct 2 Milton Turner Commissioner, Precinct 4 vot,.~-)(-PaG Cary Nort Commissi r, Precinct 1 Randy Sims Commissi ?der, Precinct 3 Mary Ann Ward County Clark :.i. bni. ks:3.k.S C:.. av ~al.:~u.'~. ia.u14:,.~:......MS^«....'>.i.c..`. ~i.c..~: t•., J.~ u