Sullivan County election chief changes locks to ballot boxes and doors
BLOUNTVILLE — Citing state law requiring “maximum security” for election machines and ballots — and “no direct knowledge” of just who all had keys — Administrator of Elections Jason Booher has changed the locks at the Sullivan County Election Office.
Booher also has purchased all new padlocks for ballot boxes to be used beginning with the upcoming presidential preference party primaries.
Booher mentioned purchase of the new padlocks during his “administrator’s report” to the Sullivan County Election Commission last week.
The Times-News later asked Booher to elaborate on the matter, including what happens to padlocks previously used for the ballot boxes, how often locks are changed, and how much such changes cost.
Booher’s prompt response included the following:
• This is the first time new padlocks have been purchased since Booher’s appointment as administrator nearly three years ago “and we will only replace them if there is a reason or need to do so.”
• “Tennessee law requires that we provide for ‘maximum security’ of election machines and ballots. Chain of custody is an important factor in providing ‘maximum security.’ Because I and the (election) commissioners had no direct knowledge of who had keys to both the door locks and the padlocks for ballot boxes it was necessary to replace both in order to comply with the law in providing ‘maximum security.’ ”
• The cost of 100 padlocks, two sets of 50 each ($4.50 each) keyed differently, was $515.71. “When I checked with several other counties who have replaced locks I found that they had paid $11.98 per lock, after checking prices at various retailers we only paid $4.50 per lock, so we got an outstanding deal!”
• The cost to have the door locks with copy proof keys was $289.00.
• The old padlocks are still in inventory here at the Election Commission. “We will continue to use them for various purposes other than ballot boxes. The same is true of the door locks, we will replace them if there is a reason or need to do so.”
• The new padlocks arrived in the office sealed and were opened and inventoried in the presence of Sullivan County Election Commission members. Booher and election commission members “now know with 100 percent certainty that only commissioners have keys to those padlocks which is what the law requires.”
• “We also now know with 100 percent certainty who has keys to the election commission office. A bonded locksmith installed copy proof door locks that prevent someone from making an unauthorized copy of a key. In the past the county maintenance department replaced door locks on the office, however doing so does not provide the chain of custody required in order to comply with the law and provide maximum security. An employee of an elected official does not need to be involved in installing locks at the election office.”
• “At least one Republican and one Democrat election commissioner are required to verify that absentee and provisional ballot boxes are empty. Then they attach a ‘Republican’ lock that only Republican members of the (election) commission have a key to and a ‘Democrat’ lock that only the Democrat members of the election commission have a key to. No one other than the five members of the election commission have a key to ballot box locks, so therefore a Republican and Democrat member are required to be present to open any ballot box. In addition to the locks, two serial numbered seals are placed on each ballot box and the serial numbers are recorded. When the boxes are opened by the members of the election commission after the polls close on election day the seal serial numbers are verified with what was recorded when the ballot boxes were sealed prior to the election.”
• “The procedure of locking and sealing the ballot boxes ensures that the secrecy and sanctity of each ballot cast is maintained.”
• “We requested that the county close off walls above the ceiling tiles for the conference room across the hall where early voting supplies are kept during early voting. The walls that surround the election office and the conference room adjacent to the election office are completely closed off and therefore there is not an issue with security for the office and that conference room. As a result we do not store voting machines or any ballot boxes in the conference room where the walls are not secure. In addition to being locked, tamperproof security tape is applied to the doors to any and all rooms where voting machines and ballot boxes are kept or stored during an election.”
Tennessee residents have one day left to register to vote, if not already registered, and be eligible to vote in party presidential primaries on March 6.
Mailed registration applications postmarked on or before Feb. 6, 2012 will be accepted by county election offices.
On March 6 voters who go to the polls may cast a ballot in either the Democratic Party primary or the Republican Party primary — not both. Contrary to popular belief, voters are not registered by party in Tennessee.
Early voting in Sullivan County for the primaries will be: Feb. 15-17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Feb. 21-24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Feb. 25, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and Feb. 27-28, from 9 am. to 4 p.m.
Registered Sullivan County voters may vote at any one of the three early voting locations:
• Sullivan County Election Office, 3258 Hwy. 126, Blountville.
• Kingsport Civic Auditorium, 1550 Fort Henry Drive, Kingsport.
• National Guard Armory, 611 Bluff City Hwy., Bristol.
Polls across Sullivan County will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 6.
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