"Reporting Error" Transcript from Sherburne Nov 19 2024

From this video:

The transcript details a report by an election official in Sherburne County discussing a reporting error during an election process. The official emphasizes that while the election results themselves were accurate and unchanged from election night to canvassing, a reporting error occurred when uploading results to the Secretary of State’s website. This error stemmed from test data not being cleared from a memory card used in the Image Cast Central (ICC) system for tabulating mail-in and drop-off absentee ballots, leading to incorrect data being uploaded.

Key points include:

1. Election Setup and Operations: Sherburne County managed 35 precincts, with 58,000 voters out of 65,000 registered participating. Voting included 42,000 in-person votes on election day and over 16,000 absentee ballots (7,470 mail-in). Two direct voting machines were used for absentee voting, and chain of custody and party balance standards were maintained throughout.
2. Nature of the Error: The error occurred because test data from public accuracy testing (conducted in October) remained on the ICC memory card. This data was mistakenly uploaded instead of the actual mail-in absentee ballot results. The official notes uncertainty about why the memory card wasn’t cleared, hypothesizing a procedural or technical glitch.
3. Impact and Correction: The reporting error affected initial unofficial results, particularly in close races. For example, in State House District 14B, a school board race, and a Baldwin city council race, rankings shifted after corrections. The error was identified during a post-election audit, corrected by November 7th, and followed by discretionary hand recounts in affected races at the county’s expense.
4. Processes and Safeguards: The official describes the election process, including public accuracy testing, the use of test decks (3,264 test ballots across 48 ballot styles), and secure tabulation systems. The Secretary of State’s system is designed to avoid double-counting, which inadvertently complicated correcting the erroneous upload.
5. Contributing Factors: Several issues compounded the error, including a compressed timeline for accepting ballots until 8 PM on election night, additional workload from hand-tabulating Baldwin city results, staff exhaustion, and an inexperienced on-site contractor.
6. Proposed Improvements: Future safeguards include better labeling and clearing of test files, ensuring memory cards are properly wiped, having backup memory cards, running ICC reports on election night for cross-checking, and prioritizing accuracy over timeliness in reporting.
7. Public and Political Reaction: The official expresses frustration with inaccurate media reports and misinformation from state Republican Party officials, who did not contact the county before issuing statements. The official, identifying as a long-time Republican, demands a public apology from the party for the harm caused.
8. Support for Election Staff: Despite the error, the board and speakers reaffirm their support for election officials, emphasizing their dedication and the procedural integrity of the election outcome.

In summary, the report acknowledges a procedural error in reporting election results due to uncleared test data, outlines its impacts and corrections, and proposes measures to prevent future issues while addressing public and political fallout.