CERA - Certified Elections Registration Administrator Administering In-Person Voting Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A voter arrives at a polling place stating they require assistance to vote due to a disability. They have brought their adult child to help them in the voting booth. According to Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act, what is the correct procedure for the poll worker?
- Require that two poll workers of different political parties provide the assistance instead of the family member.
- Deny the request and inform the voter they must use the accessible voting machine unassisted.
- Allow the voter's adult child to provide assistance, provided they are not an agent of the voter's employer or union. (Correct answer)
- Permit the assistance only if the adult child is a registered voter in the same precinct.
Correct answer: Allow the voter's adult child to provide assistance, provided they are not an agent of the voter's employer or union.
Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act gives a voter who needs assistance due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write the right to be assisted by a person of their choice. The only restrictions are that the person providing assistance cannot be the voter's employer, an agent of their employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union.
Question 2: When setting up a polling place, which of the following is a critical consideration to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
- Ensuring the location has reliable Wi-Fi access for poll workers and voters.
- Providing a designated, clear, and unobstructed path of travel from accessible parking to the voting area. (Correct answer)
- Having at least one poll worker on site who is fluent in every language spoken in the jurisdiction.
- Serving complimentary coffee and water to all individuals waiting in line.
Correct answer: Providing a designated, clear, and unobstructed path of travel from accessible parking to the voting area.
The ADA requires that polling places be accessible to voters with disabilities. This includes a clear, accessible route at least 36 inches wide from parking, passenger drop-off sites, and public sidewalks to the entrance and the voting area itself.
Question 3: A poll watcher observes an individual actively campaigning for a candidate 125 feet away from the main entrance to the polling place. The legally established electioneering-free zone for this jurisdiction is 100 feet. What is the most appropriate action for the poll worker to take?
- Allow the activity to continue, as it is occurring outside the prohibited distance. (Correct answer)
- Call law enforcement immediately to have the individual removed from the property.
- Tell the individual they must move to at least 200 feet away from the entrance.
- Confiscate the individual's campaign materials until the polls close.
Correct answer: Allow the activity to continue, as it is occurring outside the prohibited distance.
Electioneering laws prohibit campaigning within a specific, legally defined distance from a polling place entrance. Since the individual is outside the 100-foot prohibited zone, their activity is legally permissible, and the poll worker should not intervene.
Question 4: At the close of polls on Election Day, precinct officials discover a discrepancy: the number of voters who signed the poll book is 350, but the ballot scanner shows 352 ballots were cast. What is the immediate, primary responsibility of the officials?
- Conduct a recount of the ballots in the ballot box until the numbers match.
- Randomly remove two ballots from the ballot box to make the totals reconcile.
- Adjust the poll book to show 352 voters signed in to match the ballot count.
- Carefully document the discrepancy on the official ballot reconciliation form and secure all materials as required. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Carefully document the discrepancy on the official ballot reconciliation form and secure all materials as required.
The primary duty of precinct officials during closing is to accurately account for all ballots and document the process. If a discrepancy occurs, it must be noted on the official reconciliation or accounting forms. It is not the role of precinct officials to alter results or conduct an immediate recount; their job is to securely transmit the results and the documented discrepancy to the central election office for resolution.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of offering a provisional ballot, as established by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)?
- To serve as a replacement ballot for voters who spoiled their original mail-in ballot.
- To allow a voter to cast a ballot that is set aside and later counted if their eligibility is confirmed. (Correct answer)
- To provide a way for non-citizens to vote in local, non-federal elections.
- To allow individuals to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day.
Correct answer: To allow a voter to cast a ballot that is set aside and later counted if their eligibility is confirmed.
HAVA requires that voters whose names do not appear on the registration list or whose eligibility is otherwise questioned must be offered a provisional ballot. This acts as a fail-safe, allowing the person to vote while election officials later verify their eligibility before counting the ballot.
Question 6: When training poll workers on curbside voting procedures, which of the following is a critical element to emphasize?
- Instructing poll workers to only offer curbside voting during the first and last hours of voting.
- Ensuring the poll worker marks the ballot for the voter to speed up the process.
- Requiring voters to show a doctor's note to prove they are physically unable to enter the polling place.
- Maintaining the voter's privacy and the secrecy of their ballot throughout the entire process. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Maintaining the voter's privacy and the secrecy of their ballot throughout the entire process.
A core principle of voting is the secret ballot. When voting occurs outside the traditional booth, such as in a vehicle, it is critical that procedures are in place (like using secrecy sleeves and positioning) to protect the voter's privacy and ensure no one can see how they voted. This right to a secret ballot is the same for curbside voters as it is for those who vote inside.
CERA - Certified Elections Registration Administrator Administering In-Person Voting Questions and Answers
A voter arrives at a polling place stating they require assistance to vote due to a disability.
They have brought their adult child to help them in the voting booth.
According to Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act, what is the correct procedure for the poll worker?