Julie Anderson, Pierce County Auditor - https://www.co.pierce.wa.us/93/Auditor

• Julie Anderson, Pierce County Auditor - pcauditor@co.pierce.wa.us
• (Julie sent me some enhancements and extra into - which are in the forest green notes below.  I was going to interlace them in the appropriate place in the meeting minutes, but I've lost the will to edit things. So if something further along in the minutes contradicts the notes in green - believe the notes in green. -ed.)

  • A few enhancements / clarifications to these wonderful meeting minutes.

  • On Election Day, if someone wants to register to vote or needs a replacement ballot, and they can’t make it to the Election Center, they can visit a library branch.  Or, call 253-798-VOTE (8683) and we’ll get you sorted out.

  • Please see the attached “Points of Assistance” PDF.  You may make copies and distribute these, as needed. This is for Election Day only.

  • Felons can vote. Please help us inform and encourage people with felony histories.  Attached is a PDF outreach card.  We will happily print and deliver any number of cards to you.  We are translating into Spanish, too.

  • Elections in Pierce County are very secure.  Attached is a busy info-graphic about what we do to keep systems safe. And, here’s a fun little video that features a zombie. It should make you feel safe!

  • If you work with people who don’t speak English fluently, and who want a “101” overview about elections, please check out this page.  Share the videos that we’ve produced in Spanish, Russian, Tagalog, and Korean.  We also have brochures with similar information available in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Cambodian (Khmer), Samoan, Tagalog, Russian, Ukrainian.  I’ve attached English and Spanish as samples.  You can request these from us. 

  • Please check out and SHARE the attached “Election At a Glance” for the August Primary. Lots of good info.

  • Please check Pierce County’s 2020 Census page now and check it regularly. This is where you’ll find grant information (coming soon!), communication tools (coming soon!), etc. Information about Census jobs is here.  I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to get specific information about duration of jobs, flexibility, etc. 

  • And finally, here’s an online flip-book that shows Auditor’s Office services in 2018 and our Strategic Initiatives for the next four years. Or, see the attached PDF, 2019 Strategic Report.

  • I need to return to one of your meetings to provide an orientation to the new VoteWA voter registration system (don’t believe the stuff being reported).  It’s a high-value tool for vulnerable populations. For people experiencing homelessness, the self-serve printable Voter ID Card is useful for re-building an identification profile with DOL, etc.

  • P.S. Gerrit, “precincted” is a real word. ??

  • Julie Anderson -  Pierce County Auditor

• I’ll start off with an update on a client – there was a client I asked on social media for help with – they are currently safe and sound.
• Election Laws – many new laws take effect right now. 
  • On demand voter registration – anyone getting an enhanced driver’s license gets automatically registered to vote – they would have to opt out.  We might get some new voters that way.
  • Future voter act – 16 and 17 year olds, when they get learners permit or ID card, they get asked if they want to preregister to vote.  They will be put their registration in a suspended status in the voter registration status. 
  • Same day registration – takes effect in August primary.  For people new to Washington State, you can wake up, become passionate about voting, and vote. 
  • Question – can they can present themselves at polling place to vote?  Julie, we don’t have polling places.  We are vote by mail.  Our desire is to have someone get their ballot by mail.  (I don’t know who asked this, but have a little patience - I suspect she’ll get to this. –ed.)
  • Questions  - what if you don’t have an address?  Julie – we have to have a place to mail the ballot.  If you come in same day, you can use the Auditor’s office as the address to vote. 
  • Up until 8 days before the election, you can go on-line or use traditional forms to register. 
  • Between the 8th day and the election, you have to present yourself at the Auditor’s office (2401 S. 35th St., Tacoma, WA  98409). 
  • We have a new pilot program.  The Tacoma, Pierce County and Puyallup libraries will have staff trained and available to register new voters and get them  a ballot to vote.  They can also provide replacement ballots.  The librarians are in training right now.  Some may wonder how we can do that and keep an election secure.  The librarians don’t do the actual registration work.  I think librarians are rock stars (so true –ed) – right up there with social workers.  The librarians will be concierges.  They will dial in to the election center and the election office will process the registration and send a ballot.  Send folks to the library – they will be ready for them (I worked on a project in Library School with the art Librarian for Seattle Public Library.  We became friends.  A few years later, she was  heading the project to build the new Downtown Seattle Library. She was an amazing person, but I think she had the role mostly because they had this famous architect – Remy Koolhaas – designing the building, and my friend was so passionate about working with him she just powered her way into the role.  Anyway, the design of the library took into account the reality that the Downtown Seattle Library was a major destination for folks experiencing homelessness, and the library had to be designed with their needs in mind.  Like social workers, librarians are trained to serve the needs of the people who are in front of them.  No moralizing, no judgement – just service.  –ed)
  • Al – can we start saying that out loud at the shelters.  Julie – we needed to get everyone trained and ready – then we’ll get the word out.  We don’t want to promote this, because we don’t have polling places.  I’ll put a flyer out to a really select audience – such as yourselves - so you are knowledgeable and can take that information to the staff.  We aren’t going to do I voted stickers and donuts.  It is a last chance place to vote.
  • Question on refuge voting – what type of ID do you need?  Julie - we don’t inspect ID.  People will need to provide where they are living – a point on a map so they can get precincted (the OED says precincted isn’t a word, but she sounded pretty certain when she said it, so we’re going with it. –ed.).  They need to provide where there ballot needs to be mailed – that can be a protected payee, shelter, grandmother, out of state – anywhere.  Between 8 days and election ,no time for mailing ballots. But we do need a place to mail something to – we want it with a relative or service provider.  If they can’t retrieve their mail – we do replacement ballots.  If they can’t get to the ballot, just come to our office or a public library and ask for a replacement ballot. 
  • Jeremy – awesome, so happy.  Since these are last resort places – are there concerns about people disrupting voting the process.  Julie – there is the law – no dissuading, no policing around locations – we aren’t doing anything beyond making sure the law is enforced.  We picked libraries as a safe space, because they are comfortable with our clients and with balancing free speech.  We are educating both political parties so they can monitor in a respectful way – we have a great political parties in Pierce County.
  • Carlos – volunteers need?  Julie – not so much right now – we’ll need help in 2020, though.  We are piloting to see what the librarian and customer experience is.  In 2020, the libraries will be open, and we’ll need volunteers then.  Same day registration will generate excitement.  We are expecting 500,000 voters in 2020.  But, we only have 13 employees.  Our election center is not adequate for large crowds – we don’t even have public restrooms.  It is a tough place to wait.  We can’t do another election in our election center.  We’ve rented Cheney Stadium for 2020.  We need volunteers there – lots of them. (I’m guessing no food vendors, though. –ed)
  • Handouts
    • Brochures should look familiar – I delivered a lot at the start of the year.  This brochure explains how we vote in Washington.  This is already translated in 10 languages – just ask us for them and we’ll deliver  them where they are needed.  (it can’t get much easier than that. –ed). 
    • Felon cards – felons can vote – no need to go to court or show documentation – all they have to do is register like anyone else.
      • Kelly – any media coverage?  Julie – I’ve been trying to do that for years. 
      • Don – that information about felons being able to vote just isn’t out there.  Julie – I do saturation mailings – it is always in the voter pamphlets (pamphlet - from the latin “pan”,  meaning all, and “philos”, meaning love. Apparently the love poem “Pamphilus, seu de Amore” was widely copied and passed around in the middle ages, and that’s where we get the word.  The poem is a bit racy -I know the word “deflowered” appears at least once – so maybe NSFW. –ed.)   .  That is why I’m talking to you – and why we have these cards.  A tactic I like – is to hand out these cards – contact info on the outside, felony information on the inside.  Whatever your outreach strategy, we thought you needed something small, brief, and positive.  We brought a big stack, and will replenish as needed. 
      • Don – that info will be good for our guys coming out of incarceration. 
    • Also, there was a law just passed in this session – the Department of Corrections has always said that people exiting incarceration are informed of their voting rights, that they tell us they aren’t.
    • Maureen – voters exiting incarceration group – could use this information.  Julie – get ahold of me with this information and I’ll go there
    • Annual Report and Strategic Plan – our big push, on page 12 – is to nourish hard to reach populations – for us to piggy back on outreach that you do.  Our values are community focused and customer led – we don’t want to just deliver information, but empower groups to do what they want to do.  Invite us to anything and everything. (government doesn’t get much more open than that. –ed).
  • Al – thank you – you’ve done some really creative stuff.  Russians hacking voting systems – does any of that affect us?  Julie – the threat is real.  In 2016 – in Pierce County, we had Russian IP Addresses trying to hack us.  They didn’t get in, or even get close.  Their goal was to disrupt our voting system.  They can’t get in our voter tabulation system.  We have a video about voter security that covers what we do to keep elections secure.  Security is basically a second job for me – I have homeland security clearance with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  I have a poster for an IT geek about this – just call me and I’ll get it to you (Is IT geek a bit redundant? Don’t you have to be a bit geeky to do IT well, or is that just me embracing the sterotype?   –ed)
• Census – everything security related that we experiencing in the 2018 election, and the hangover from that, will happen with the census.  There is deep interest in disrupting the census – by other governments and political factions.   (Julie asked a question that I didn’t write down, but here are the answers… a big help, I know – just think of it like Jeopardy, I give you the answer, and you have to come up with the question –ed.)
  • Kelly  - There is the citizenship question, and that is seen as a means to track down immigrants and refugees. 
  • Jeremy – our census determines who gets elected and how we govern – if it is compromised, it is
  • Brackman – racism
• In the last census, Washington got an additional seat in the House and more electoral votes.  The count was important for allowing Washington to have correct representation.
• There is a Complete Count Committee to help us count everyone. - https://www.co.pierce.wa.us/6025/Pierce-County-Complete-Count-Committee
• working to create resources:
  • You will be able to create a messaging toolkit for your employees and your customer to deploy –
    • Why do it
    • How to do it
    • Digital banners
    • Slides for easy posting to Facebook
    • Printouts for desk bulletins
    • Customizable to specific needs
    • Translated in different languages
    • Distributed via thumb drives or with a portal.
  • Greater Tacoma Community Foundation will have micro-grants – like $3-5k.  Making it very low barrier – easy application, easy reporting, the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation or another agency can be a fiscal agent.  There is no reason you can’t do this work. 
    • Mostly this is paying you to do what you normally do
    • Use it to include info in what you do
    • I’ll  push links out to you
  • You can create your own Complete Count Committee (we’ll totally be doing that on the Coalition to End Homelessness, and it will be awesome. –ed).
  • Census page has links to tons of report - https://www.co.pierce.wa.us/5853/2020-Census
  • For every person in Pierce County not counted, Pierce County lost $1,900 – per uncounted person per year.  Per census estimates.  If a survey responded didn’t count a 3 year old, or the house bound person in Buckley couldn’t hear the census worker at their front door, that means fewer resources to serve them.
  • In Pierce County, black residents and Hispanic residents are estimated to be undercounted by 10%. Asians by 9%.  Native Americans by 3%.  Not sure what it will be for people experiencing homelessness. (0%,  because we are going to rock the 2020 census for folks experiencing homelessness – that’s how many –ed)
  • I’ve also handed out job opportunities – having trouble getting Pierce County job applicants – must be 18 and pass a background check.  If they apply through the portal, will get posted to the Tacoma Office.  Need multilingual workers to represent the community.  - https://www.co.pierce.wa.us/6056/Census-Jobs
  • Work starts now – doing address verification and training. 
  • In August, the census will look at transitory locations – campgrounds, shelters, places people spend the night .  Take an inventory of those spots to know where to place enumerators. 
  • April 1^st 2020, will do 24-hour enumerators at those transitory locations – and wherever else you send them. 
  • This census is a count, not a survey.  It is just 10 questions – not the long form – not the American Community Survey (more info on what it isn’t - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs -ed).  The census only records your name, address, who lives there, and some demographic information. 
  • Two big differences
    • Online – this will be great for folks experiencing homelessness.  Hoping 60-80% of Americans will use an on-line portal to self-report – not waiting for an enumerator.  Postcards will have a code – they jump on the portal, enter code and have address pre-filled in, will  fill in their address information.  Libraries and social service bureaus will be able to help count folks as well
    • Portal will be open 18 days – we can watch the map heat up about what communities are completing their counts, and where we aren’t getting counts.  Then, as trusted voices – we can encourage people to get counted in those areas with too few residents getting counted. 
  • Al – Census jobs – how long do they last – rate of pay?  Julie – on that sheet.  Workforce Central collaborated on the work
  • Marybeth – do you have a timeline for jobs?  Many students can work now, but not in October.  Julie – I will find out if that is something the census wants to hire.
  • Maureen – encampments move.  Julie - we’ll use your information  to know where to go to.  Maureen – some groups could have some big safe parking nights – food, bathrooms, setup around the count night. 
  • Question – how do we let you know how to get folks counted?  Julie – we’ll be constantly feeding you information about this.  Once the census decision is made on the immigration question, we’ll do more.
  • People can also complete the census over the phone – if they are uncomfortable with the computer.
  • The census in printed is English and Spanish.  The languages available over the phone miss 3 of the top Pierce County languages – not available in Samoan, Khmer (Cambodian), or Ukrainian.  We will invite grants to target those language speakers. 
  • Al – if the supreme court say yes to citizenship – is there a legal way not answer – can we boycott this.  Julie – responding to the census is required by law.  Can you skip a citizenship question?  You shouldn’t.  Our philosophy is that the damage has been done – if you are afraid – even not having that question on will be troublesome at this point. 
  • Marybeth – If I’m on-line, can I skip the citizenship question?  Julie – there are no required fields on-line.  If you skip a question, you can go on. 
  • I have a high degree of confidence in the Census.  There are only 3 political appointees in the entire organization – the rest are long-term civil servants, and I’ve met them and I trust them. 
  • Carolyn – there is suspicion in our equity work about reporting race and ethnicity – what should people know?  Julie – I think it is really important for those demographics to be filled out so we know who we are.  The race and ethnicity questions are more free style.  You can describe yourself as you’d wish (I’m Dutch American, in case you were curious. –ed). 
• Call us on any election stuff.