Public hearing on the Top-to-Bottom Review

See also the complete transcript of the hearing, the written public comments, and other information about the Top-to-Bottom Review of California voting systems on the Secretary of State’s website.

(1:10) John Pérez opens the hearing. I’m the chair of the California Voting Modernization Board, and I’ll be moderating the proceedings today. This is a public hearing designed to discuss the University of California’s red team and accessibility reviews...

(10:11) Debra Bowen (California Secretary of State) gives her introductory remarks. Good morning. Thank you, John, and thank all of you for being here today. It is a quite an extraordinary day. I’m moved by the number of citizens who care about democracy...

(5:00) John Pérez explains the proceedings and introduces the panel (at 3:14). Thank you, Secretary Bowen. Let me take a moment to lay out the guidelines under which today’s hearing will be operating. This is a public hearing. It’s being transcribed, videotaped...

Reviewer and vendor presentations

(33:40) Matt Bishop (Professor of Computer Science, UC Davis) presents the reports. My name is Matt Bishop and I want to emphasize that I’m not presenting the entire report. I am presenting the results from the accessibility and red teams only. ...

(16:07) Matt Bishop takes questions from the panel. John Pérez: Here’s what we’re going to do... we’re going to take a little bit of time now to have each of the panelists be able to ask any clarifying questions they have...

(7:00) Rob Norcross presents a statement written by Kathy Rogers (Director of Government Relations, Diebold Election Systems) and takes questions from the panel (at 4:26). Mr. Pérez and panelists, thank you for the opportunity today to present Kathy Rogers’ statement. ...

(21:03) Neil McClure (Chief Technology Officer, Hart InterCivic) presents a response from Hart InterCivic. There are no questions from the panel. Good morning. My name is Neil McClure; I’m with Hart InterCivic. I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak today. ...

(33:34) Steven Bennett presents a response from Sequoia Voting Systems and takes questions from the panel. Madam Secretary, members of the panel, members of the public, and also members of the California County Clerks, Recorders, and Registrars of Voters that are in attendance today...

(1:32) John Pérez thanks the audience and explains the public comment procedures. I want to thank everybody in the audience for your incredible patience. You know, at times I saw some head nodding and some head shaking. That’s a completely appropriate response...

The public hearing takes a lunch break.

Public comment period (first session)

(3:15) John Pérez reconvenes the hearing at 12:45 pm. Good afternoon. I want to welcome you all back to the hearing of the top-to-bottom review. I want to thank everybody for their co-operation during the morning as we went through the main portion of the prepared discussion. ...

(1:57) Philip Harlan: ...I live in Healdsburg, California, Sonoma County, and I’m blind...

(2:56) Eve Roberson: ...I’m a former California election administrator for 15 years...

(2:49) Stewart Schy: ...I’m a retired electronics engineer and computer consultant...

(7:45) Steve Weir: ...I’m president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials. ...

(3:12) Candy Lopez: ...I’m the Assistant County Registrar in Contra Costa County. ...

(3:20) Greg Taber: ...I served on a local election observer panel in the early nineties. ...

(3:43) Cathy Darling: ...I’m the elected County Clerk and Registrar of Voters in Shasta County. ...

(3:44) Alan Dechert: ...You have wrestled the patient to the operating table and cut her open. ...

(3:59) Brent Turner: ...I’m an activist for election reform and I belong to many groups. ...

(2:17) Emily Levy: ...I’m Emily Levy with Brad Blog and Velvet Revolution. ...

(4:04) Mark Keenberg: ...I’m a co-founder of the California Election Protection Network. ...

(3:05) Dero Forslund: ...I’m the Clerk/Recorder/Assessor of Trinity County, Registrar of Voters. ...

(3:22) Tim McNamara: ...Tim McNamara from Los Angeles County where I’m Assistant Registrar/Recorder...

(9:46) Conny McCormack: ...I am the Registrar/Recorder/County Clerk in Los Angeles County. ...

(6:17) Deborah Seiler: ...I’m the Registrar of Voters for San Diego County. ...

(3:11) Dennis Floyd: ...My name is Dennis Floyd. I’m with San Diego County. ...

(2:58) Dan Kyser: ...I am the Governmental Affairs Director for the California Council of the Blind...

(1:33) Julie Bustamante: ...I’m the Lassen County Clerk/Recorder and Registrar of Voters. ...

(3:23) Dave MacDonald: ...I’ve been the Chief Information Officer in Alameda County for over 20 years. ...

(1:38) Julie Rodewald: ...Julie Rodewald, County Clerk/Recorder for San Luis Obispo County. ...

(2:36) Terry Hansen: ...I’m the elected Clerk/Recorder/Registrar of Voters in Yuba County. ...

(1:43) Kelsey Ramage: ...I’m Kelsey Ramage from Santa Cruz. ...

(3:12) Gail Work: ...I’m the volunteer chair of the Election Integrity Committee for San Mateo County Democratic Central Committee. ...

(3:03) Ann Barnett: ...I’m Ann Barnett, the Kern County Auditor/Controller/County Clerk/Registrar of Voters. ...

(2:44) Beverly Ross: ...I am the Tehama County Clerk and Recorder/Registrar of Voters. ...

(2:50) Ana Acton: ...My name’s Ana Acton from FREED Center for Independent Living. ...

(3:19) Judy Alter: ...I’m Judy Alter, Director of Protect California Ballots. ...

(3:13) Gail Pellerin: ...My name’s Gail Pellerin and I’m the County Clerk in Santa Cruz County. ...

(3:09) Freddie Oakley: ...I’m the Clerk/Recorder of Yolo County, California. ...

(2:27) Clark Moots: ...I’m Clark Moots, Director of Administrative Services of Placer County. ...

(3:59) Philip Chantri: ...My name is Philip Chantri, the Election Services Coordinator for Santa Clara County. ...

(2:30) Gloria Coutts: ...I’m a citizen of Rocklin, Placer County, employee of the Placer County Clerk/Recorder/Elections Department. ...

(4:30) Ryan Ronco: ...I’m the Assistant Registrar/Recorder for Placer County. ...

(2:17) Stephen Aye: ...I’m a Senior Technology Analyst for Placer County Clerk/Recorder/Elections. ...

(6:16) Jim McCauley: ...Jim McCauley, County Clerk/Recorder/Registrar of Voters for Placer County. ...

(3:02) Judy Bertelsen: ...I’m a registered voter in Alameda County. ...

(3:08) Neal Kelley: ...I’m Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters for Orange County. ...

(3:31) Michelle Gabriel: ...I’m a concerned citizen of Oakland, California, in Alameda County. ...

(2:18) Sharon Graham: ...I’m not from Placer County. I’m from Sacramento. ...

(3:58) Diana Madoshi: ...Thank you for the opportunity to come here and to give my remarks as a concerned citizen. ...

(2:53) Kim Alexander: ...I’m Kim Alexander with the California Voter Foundation. ...

(3:25) John Tuteur: ...I’m John Tuteur, the Napa County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk and Registrar of Voters. ...

(4:36) Jennifer Kidder: ...I’m here, first of all, to speak as a disabled person. ...

(3:30) Richard Tamm: ...My name is Richard Tamm. I live in Berkeley. ...

(9:49) Jim Soper: ...I’m a senior software consultant and programmer for over 20 years. ...

(3:31) John Longoria: ...I’m an advocate with Disability Rights Legal Center in Los Angeles. ...

The public hearing takes a 15-minute recess at 3:42 pm.

Public comment period (second session)

(0:28) John Pérez reconvenes the hearing. Is Brandon Tartaglia in the room? Great. ...

(2:25) Brandon Tartaglia: ...I’m with Protection and Advocacy, an organization mandated to advance the human and legal rights of people with disabilities. ...

(2:39) Preston Reese: ...My name is Preston Reese, and I want to say thank you so much. ...

(9:38) Jerry Berkman: ...I’m Jerry Berkman, a retired programmer...

(3:14) Kari Vergil: ...My name is Kari Vergil, Registrar of Voters for San Bernardino County. ...

(3:40) Barbara Dunmore: ...I’m Barbara Dunmore, Registrar of Voters for Riverside County. ...

(2:58) Doug Kinzle: Good afternoon. There are three of us, but we all have sort of three different flavors of this...

(3:37) Wayne Beckham: ...For the last seven years, I’ve worked for the Riverside County Information Security Office...

(3:47) Dan Ashby: ...I’m with the Election Defense Alliance and also with California Election Protection Network. ...

(3:10) Brett Garrett: ...I’m Brett Garrett, a concerned citizen from Redwood City, San Mateo County. ...

(2:25) Ann West: My name is Ann West from San Bruno, California. ...

(2:17) Michael Keenen: ...My name is Michael Keenen, a software engineer and concerned citizen. ...

(3:23) Joseph Holder: Before I start my time, I just want to say my comments are not directed at all Registrars of Voters or all election officials...

(5:00) Matt Bishop takes a few more questions from the panel. John Pérez: Professor Bishop, if I could ask you to come forward, please. We’re going to take just a few minutes, if you’ll indulge us, to ask a few more clarifying questions. ...

(3:20) Teresa Favuzzi: ...I am representing the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers. ...

(1:35) Brent Turner: Thank you, again. This is just regarding ES&S, which I understood was an appropriate conversation. ...

(1:10) Jim Soper: Thank you. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with people who observed what’s going on...

(0:59) John Pérez adjourns the hearing at 4:52 pm. I want to thank everybody who participated today for taking part in this very important discussion. ...