Victor Garcia

The board discussed the dilapidated accessory structure located at 702 Front Avenue. The main point of discussion was regarding the demolition of the structure, with concerns raised about potential zoning issues and the responsibility for demolition if the property were to be sold. Ultimately, a motion was made and seconded to proceed with the demolition of the accessory structure within 30 days, with a deadline of June 28, 2024, for the owner/beneficiary or future buyer to demolish the structure.

The Electoral Board meeting included a closed session for board reorganization, resulting in the appointment of electoral board officers for the term of January 2, 2025 - December 31, 2026. Election certificates are prepared for acknowledging the winners of the November City Council race on January 13 during the first City Council meeting of 2025. The board briefly discussed the General Registrar job description and the 2025 Calendar of Elections, Electoral Board meetings and trainings.

The Electoral Board meeting addressed several key areas, including a review of Electoral Board and General Registrar duties to ensure compliance with state handbooks. Enhancements were planned for posting public notices, scheduling more training on electronic pollbooks and Same Day Registration (SDR) forms, and sending digitally enhanced ballots to overseas and uniformed voters. The status of Officers of Election (OOEs) was discussed, with a focus on achieving party parity among them. The Registrar shared updates from his first 90 days, including visits from the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia (VRAV) and the State Office of Elections, and his decision to abolish the Salem voter registration card system in favor of electronic filing. There was also a discussion about staffing and the possibility of the Registrar meeting with OOEs at an upcoming event.

The meeting addressed the impact of the pandemic on the upcoming May City Council election, including the postponement of the election to May 19 and the extension of the absentee ballot request deadline to May 12. The board favored holding the election at the Salem Civic Center due to a shortage of election officers. The logistics of setting up an emergency vote center, including obtaining approval from the City Council and notifying the public, were discussed. The use of the Virginia Medical Reserves Corps (VMRC) and the provision of PPE and sanitizing supplies were also addressed. The board approved the preparation of absentee ballots one week prior to the election and set the working hours for the Central Absentee Precinct.

The meeting focused on nominating Salem Office of Election personnel and election officers for the term of March 1, 2019-February 2020. The nominations and approvals included one full-time deputy registrar, three part-time assistant registrars, two pollbook technicians, three machine technicians, and one volunteer seasonal assistant registrar. Seventy-eight election officers were also approved to serve ten precincts for upcoming elections.