March 2021 Chapter Meeting
City of Denver - Planning for the 2020 General Election
The March meeting of the Colorado Rocky Mountain Chapter welcomed special guests and new members representing four other states, thanks to Zoom! Our speaker, one of our own CRMC chapter members, was Lizz Floro who serves as Continuity and Critical Infrastructure Coordinator for the Denver Office of Emergency Management.
Election planning and follow-up stories have dominated the news cycles for months. In her presentation, Lizz provided a comprehensive behind-the-scenes account of the planning, training, testing, and other preparations required to protect the 450,000 active registered voters expected for the three 2020 elections in the metropolitan area encompassing the City and County of Denver.
To help understand the scope of the responsibilities and the focus of protection required, Lizz noted her team was responsible for (1) thirty-eight 24-hour ballot drop-off locations; (2) rotation of six Haul-N-Votes mobile voting unit locations over a three-week period; and (3) thirty-five polling sites. Potential dangers or challenges? Just a few!
One essential function for elections is the availability of trained election judges. In 2020, many long-time experienced judges, typically older and retired, stayed away because of COVID. Younger people from across the region stepped up to fill those positions, and city employees were encouraged to serve as judges to supplement lost income from mandatory furloughs. A win-win!
Please click here to see Lizz’s full presentation on how they proceeded with planning, testing, training, messaging, and controls – valuable information for any DRBC professional and for officials within other governmental entities facing similar challenges for future elections.
For a recording of the session, please click here. Use passcode: *%6K7ca4
About Lizz Floro
In her role with the Denver Office of Emergency Management, Lizz Floro is responsible for coordinating the City and County's continuity program including continuity of government, continuity of operations, and business continuity. Lizz also leads the critical infrastructure and key resource protection program. She is expanding the existing planning programs to include technological updates, further training and exercises, and broader outreach for the City and County's agencies and private sector partners. She holds a Master's degree in Emergency & Disaster Management from Georgetown University.
Election planning and follow-up stories have dominated the news cycles for months. In her presentation, Lizz provided a comprehensive behind-the-scenes account of the planning, training, testing, and other preparations required to protect the 450,000 active registered voters expected for the three 2020 elections in the metropolitan area encompassing the City and County of Denver.
To help understand the scope of the responsibilities and the focus of protection required, Lizz noted her team was responsible for (1) thirty-eight 24-hour ballot drop-off locations; (2) rotation of six Haul-N-Votes mobile voting unit locations over a three-week period; and (3) thirty-five polling sites. Potential dangers or challenges? Just a few!
- Severe weather (freezing temperatures, snow, ice)
- Power outages knocking out heat, internet, ballot registration/counting systems
- Civil unrest or acts of violence
- COVID-19 protocol requirements
One essential function for elections is the availability of trained election judges. In 2020, many long-time experienced judges, typically older and retired, stayed away because of COVID. Younger people from across the region stepped up to fill those positions, and city employees were encouraged to serve as judges to supplement lost income from mandatory furloughs. A win-win!
Please click here to see Lizz’s full presentation on how they proceeded with planning, testing, training, messaging, and controls – valuable information for any DRBC professional and for officials within other governmental entities facing similar challenges for future elections.
For a recording of the session, please click here. Use passcode: *%6K7ca4
About Lizz Floro
In her role with the Denver Office of Emergency Management, Lizz Floro is responsible for coordinating the City and County's continuity program including continuity of government, continuity of operations, and business continuity. Lizz also leads the critical infrastructure and key resource protection program. She is expanding the existing planning programs to include technological updates, further training and exercises, and broader outreach for the City and County's agencies and private sector partners. She holds a Master's degree in Emergency & Disaster Management from Georgetown University.