Secretary of State Todd Rokita Introduces Vote Indiana Team
Contact: Heather Sewell
(317)232-6584
Media@sos.in.gov
Secretary of State Todd Rokita Introduces Vote Indiana Team
Team has been working on election reform
Indianapolis, IN - Indiana Secretary of State Rokita today introduced his 28-person Vote Indiana Team to help develop a statewide plan for implementation of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), passed by Congress last October. This advisory group, which is composed of a diverse group representing many voting communities, will work to formulate a comprehensive plan to make Indiana elections compliant with the federal act and to bring over $80 million to Indiana if Congress fully funds the Act.
Mission
The mission Secretary Rokita has outlined for the team is not just to create a compliant document, but to continue Indiana's leadership in election reform. "We are creating a blueprint that will chart our course for Indiana and how administrators will conduct elections for the next two to five years and beyond. I am pleased that Indiana continues to provide leadership in the area of election reform, and I am grateful to the team members for committing their time and expertise to work with me toward this goal," said Rokita.
Members
Members of the Vote Indiana Team come from the entire state of Indiana and represent a wide range of interests. Represented on the team are state and county election administrators, including Secretary Rokita, Indiana Election Division Co-Directors, County Clerks, and County Voter Registration officials; racial and ethnic minorities; disability groups; the state Democratic, Libertarian, and Republican parties; state legislators; the Governor's office; the military; media; county administration; and the League of Women Voters. The Team is facilitated by Sarah Taylor, former Marion County Clerk. A complete roster is attached.
Working groups
The work of the Vote Indiana Team is done primarily in break-out groups, each addressing specific topics. The working groups meet every Friday in the Government Center complex. Each member is assigned to one or two voting groups, with Secretary Rokita working with and offering insight to each group. Public comment is encouraged and welcome at the end of each working group meeting. Following is a list of the working groups:
A tentative schedule of working group meetings is attached.
Timeline
Rokita convened the Vote Indiana Team on February 14, 2003. The groups meet every Friday to address specific issues assigned to each respective group. The target deadline for completion of the state plan is July 1, 2003 -- months ahead of the federal deadline. Once the draft plan is completed, there will be a public comment period.
"This team has hit the ground running, and I truly appreciate the dedication of the members. We have a great deal of goals to accomplish, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Vote Indiana Team as we develop a living document that will better elections for all Hoosiers," said Rokita.
Information
Information regarding the work of the Vote Indiana Team is available on Secretary Rokita's website at www.sos.IN.gov/elections/vit. There you will find meeting notes, working group assignments, meeting notices, and other information that becomes available.
Vote Indiana Team Schedule -- tentative
| Date | Time |
| |
| 02/28/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Full Team | |
| 1:15 p.m. | Training & Education | ||
| 1:15 p.m. | Voting Equipment | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Statewide Voter File | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Accessibility | ||
| 03/07/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Training & Education | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Voting Equipment | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Election Administration | ||
| 03/14/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Election Administration | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Accessibility | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Statewide Voter File | ||
| 03/21/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Statewide Voter File | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Accessibility | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Training & Education | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Voting Equipment | ||
| 03/28/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Election Administration | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Voting Equipment | ||
| 04/04/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Statewide Voter File | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Accessibility | ||
| 04/11/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Training & Education | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Voting Equipment | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Election Administration | ||
| 04/25/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Voting Equipment | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Statewide Voter File | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Accessibility | ||
| 05/02/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Statewide Voter File | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Training & Education | ||
| 05/09/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Election Administration | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Voting Equipment | ||
| 05/16/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Accessibility | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Statewide Voter File | ||
| 2:30 p.m. | Voting Equipment | ||
| 05/30/03 | 1:00 p.m. | Optional Meeting for All Groups to Finish | |
| 06/06/03 | Public Comment Period | ||
| 06/13/03 | Public Comment Period | ||
Vote Indiana Team Roster
|
Christa Adkins |
Indiana Libertarian Party | |
| Tami Barretto | League of Women Voters | |
| Billie Breaux | State Senator | |
| Amos Brown | Research Director, Radio One | |
| Dick Dodge | Steuben County Commissioner; AIC representation | |
| Pam Finlayson | Allen County Election Administrator | |
| Linda Grass | Hancock County Clerk | |
| Dee Ann Hart | Disability community representative | |
| Laura Herzog | Hendricks County Election Supervisor | |
| Suellen Jackson-Boner | Governor's Planning Council for People with Disabilities | |
| Mike Kiefer | Military representative | |
| Brad King | Co-Director, Indiana Election Division | |
| Jon Laramore | Chief Counsel to the Governor | |
| Sally LaSota | Director, Lake County Election Board | |
| Zach Main | Indiana Republican Party | |
| Ed Mahern | State Representative | |
| Regina Moore | Lake County Voter Board of Registration | |
| Martha Padish | Vermillion County Clerk | |
| Nick Rhoad | Disability community representative | |
| Kathy Richardson | State Representative | |
| Kristi Robertson | Co-Director, Indiana Election Division | |
| Todd Rokita | Secretary of State; Chair of Vote Indiana Team | |
| Col. Joe Ryan | Military Officers Association of America | |
| Doris Anne Sadler | Marion County Clerk | |
| Becky Skillman | State Senator | |
| Joe Slash | Executive Director, Indianapolis Urban League | |
| Patricia Wilson | Hispanic community representative | |
| Robin Winston | Indiana Democratic Party | |
| Sarah Taylor | Vote Indiana Team Facilitator |
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