Electoral Board Meeting   8/26/2025

Okay, if we're ready, we're going to start the somewhat awkwardly opening of the Albemarle County electoral vote meeting.

We would like to first say we are apologetic for the awkwardness of our needs so we can schedule a lot of them.

Our scheduling is not always what it needs to be because of other things that are going on and our timing and the problem that we've had with our Zoom connections.

There's no fault of anyone in this room.

So we're gonna open the meeting.

Do we have a quorum?

We have a quorum.

And the chair needs to read a statement that has been put out to the press.

It was released last evening at 5.27.

It's put out by the Communications and Public Engagement Director, Abbey Stumpf.

And it says,

We confirm that the Albemarle County Police Department is conducting a criminal investigation that involves Lauren Eddy and allegations of financial misconduct related to her former role with the county of Albemarle.

No formal charges have been obtained at this time.

And that's the statement from the county administration.

That's the statement that the county has asked everybody to follow.

and therefore, that's all we have to say on the subject.

I realize that that doesn't tell you very much.

I will tell you that as we announced last week, Ms. Eddy resigned effectively, her effective date is August the 12th and since that time, the electoral board has been engaged in trying to find a replacement

The notice for that job opening has been put on the general registrar's email listserv.

It has been put on the Commonwealth's electoral board listserv.

It has been updated at least once since its first posting.

And we are indebted to the

Human Resources Office for the county in putting the job description and the posting of the job openings on their website.

Specifically, the electoral board is receiving already, we have a long list of people who have applied to be either a temporary general registrar who can come in as soon as possible and start working in the office

and we are looking for someone to fill the permanent unexpired term which will end in the summer of 2027.

So those are two postings for the general registrar.

Since that time, we have also received the resignations of both Gina Pace, the chief deputy registrar, effective 9-5,

and the election manager in Davis, effective 9-5.

And the job descriptions for those will go up on the county website as soon as the county can get them up, hopefully today or tomorrow.

As just as a point of information, Code of Virginia requires that the board hire the new registrar to fill the unexpired term.

The board can name the number of people who work in the registrar's office, but it is the duty and the prerogative of the registrar to interview and hire his or her staff.

So although we can advertise for the job,

the county can advertise for the jobs.

They are county employees.

They are not employees of the elected board.

And therefore we are looking for applications for those two positions so that when the newly hired registrar gets on site, that person will have hopefully a gracious plenty of applicants from which to choose.

So that's why we understand it's not our duty,

It didn't send it to.

And now it would be appropriate to take our usual

Okay, I want to announce that we are, thank you.

The way we're set up is sort of awkward and I hope that we will be able to rotate this 90 degrees for when we have it in here because it's hard to talk to people that are sitting in front of you and talk to people who are at right angles.

So we're, if we forget you, we hope Gina will keep her eye-alert hands that go up.

As our usual customer fashion is, we accept comments from the public

We ask you to keep your comments on point for your question, not to exceed three minutes unless it's something you really have to ask past that.

Raising your hand and being recognized, the same as on the electronic screen, raise your hand.

And we ask that everybody wait to be recognized so that we're not talking over each other so everyone can hear.

It is also the customer select reward that we welcome comments and questions from the public at any point during our meeting.

We simply ask that you wait to be recognized and that when you are recognized, you state your name and if you have an affiliate with some organization, it's that organization.

And I see a couple of officers who would like to welcome you.

We have our panelists in the Zoom.

They don't know how many hands are up.

Here.

If you go down to the very bottom left of your screen, you can unmute yourself.

Very bottom left of your screen.

There you go.

There you go.

Keep speaking.

No, maybe not.

Can't hear you.

You're still muted.

There you go.

There you go.

You have to be heard now.

Go right ahead.

Don't touch anything.

Don't touch anything.

Just start.

Sound on your computer?

Okay, we're going to move on.

If you want to speak later, please raise your hand again.

We've got, we're going to go, I think, Lori, your hand was up first.

Actually, Cori Jones with the Democratic part of our county.

Two questions, and if you're going to cover this later, just tell me to move on.

Salads, I know you posted the end of the month.

I'm just curious when they're going to be posted.

That's a good question.

OK. And then the second issue, I emailed Theron, and I think she's working on it, but I wanted to the whole board to record these public meetings, which is awesome.

I'm wondering how we have access and the public can have access to these meetings.

So the board is actually tough.

The recordings are posted on their website or on the Amarillo County website.

You can go back and look at all the different Board of Supervisors meetings.

I don't, I can't find where they're posted here.

I don't think they've ever been posted.

Please.

Right, because she asked a question.

I don't, Lori, I don't think they've ever been posted

for viewing after the meeting.

How do I get access?

But they're not posted yet.

Madam Chair, if I may, I believe it is the intent of the board to make these available online.

And until they're online, I just can do it for you.

Except that I don't think we have access to it.

If that doesn't happen, somebody can't ask.

Thank you.

I believe we have

Could you read the whole statement?

Yes ma'am, was that your question also?

Yes we can.

The statement come from communications and public engagement director for Albemarle County.

and this is coming from the police department.

We can confirm that the ACPD is conducting a criminal investigation that involves Lauren Eddy and allegations of final misconduct related to her role with the county Albemarle.

No formal charges have been obtained at this time.

Yes, ma'am.

When you say from what we're talking about as registrar, registrar, registrar's position, would she resign effective 9-12?

8-12.

Anybody else have a question, comment?

OK.

Some updates from the, what the board has been doing.

We have been actively engaged in this search, so we're focusing on, we understand the term urgency.

We need this done.

We need to panic.

Elections will take place.

There will be people here.

We have applicants to review.

Madam Chair, may I raise some issues concerning the urgency?

She tells me that they're having difficulty getting finance people to do things that need to be done, as well as other departments that need to do things to help us.

Let me just get you to hold that thought.

I'm aware of this.

Mr. Vice Chair, you're okay.

This may come under financial matters that need to be addressed.

I don't know exactly.

We've got a council which is extraordinarily grateful.

Huge amount of time.

that our attorney is with us both online in conversation and at our meetings.

We are very grateful.

Counselor.

I just don't know where this is going.

I'm just pulling up the section for your specifics.

Well, I just have a suggestion.

I think I can make the suggestion at the meeting.

I do not know the county executive.

Nobody knows the county executive.

We're not golfing buddies.

But I wonder if a call plays to the county executive.

Please tell

and the departments that interact with us.

Yes, ma'am.

This is just a personal thought of mine.

and a response from me about what they could and what they could do or could not do in any department.

I would like this to go into closing because I think we are treading on, right on the edge.

and the Councillor is looking and doing her due diligence.

So can we table that?

The electoral board had a meeting with our poll pad vendor last Friday for several hours.

It was extremely productive.

We are setting up training so that we can get our poll passes operational.

And I would personally like to thank the Vice Chair.

He is the key member of the board.

The configuration needs to be updated.

Operating system updates for those devices.

Clock time because of the downloads and what's available.

So

Four have completed so far, and it took six hours.

It depends on the feed and the download network that we have in this building.

It depends on how many, if you only did one poll pad at a time.

We are scheduling on-site training from the poll pad vendor and in person, someone will be here on election day for backup.

We have spoken to the director, E&S, from whom we purchased our DS-300s, and we are doing LNA testing on the 4th of September.

The two-party chairman will notify, I know, thank you, that they represent each party.

There are no independent candidates.

There are likely representatives, but there were independent candidates.

We will all schedule on teaching offices of election that we will all be scheduling for that as time approaches.

Can we hold this until the end?

I'm not talking about the minutes of the last meeting.

That's the minutes from the meeting before that.

Well, I'm going to do it.

Okay.

Bye.

Okay.

and I apologize that it didn't happen.

And we have a quick follow up where he and I can get out, but some of the things we're trying to let you know, we're going to close session to do those.

Would you like to address that?

Okay.

A couple of questions for you.

Yes, we'll order that from NOEEC.

as opposed to, this is actual ballots.

I have.

This might be the round-up.

Yeah, the round-up.

It looks fine to me.

Like move we accept that ballot.

Okay, good.

I'm sorry, just after the state approves the ballot, they test the ballot, this is from the vendor.

They test the ballot, then they get to press.

Once they are sent to press, they're uploaded the samples for your colleagues and for us to have the sample PDFs that I upload to the website.

I know it's usually late, so.

Yeah.

Yeah, we will have, if your question is, will we have ballots?

The ballots have been approved.

And print elect, the decks, no, but print elect, the people who print our ballots, print the test deck and do an LNA testing.

So yes, they will be available.

Any other questions on the ballot?

They were funny about that.

Yes, I zoomed in.

Do you need anyone?

Can you comment?

It's not the audio.

It's choppy.

and if anyone has any comments or questions be happy to take it now before closing session.

Yes ma'am.

The Department of Elections organized with some of the agencies that killed terrorism and all kinds of emergencies.

I think once a day was stayed, ours will be later closer to the election.

Yeah, that was absolutely the focus.

Any questions?

We know this is a difficult period of time.

But we're navigating it, I think, as well as we can.

who've gotten a lot of help from a lot of other localities.

And if no one has any other comments before we go into close up.

Any comments from these electronic audience guests?

Okay, then.

I'll move that the Albemarle County Electoral Board convene a closed meeting pursuant to section 2.2-3711 section A of the Code of Virginia under section one to discuss and consider the applications of prospective candidates for employment or the positions of acting general registrar and to discuss and consider applications for prospective candidates for the employment for the position of general registrar to fill the unexpired term.

Second?

Second.

We are going into closed session.

Thank you all for your back in open session.

We're back in open session at 4.35.

I move that the election board certify my recorded vote

I did ask Andrea to look at this, because I always just couldn't face this.

And she said that was fine.

All right.

Shall we?

Oh, yeah.

The gentleman ends.

We are coming out of open session.

Sorry.

Read the section of the code that says we are back in open session.

We are in open session.

And the statement is that Bucky Walsh, this person here,

Having said that, the next meeting will be on Thursday at 0930.

Yes.

And remember that our acting general registrar job is open until September the 1st.

So we will be able to hopefully complete a list of applicants at our second meeting.

So moved.

Aye.

Opposed?

You're playing with the computer.

Thank you.

Of course.

The daily progress.

Yeah.