GFPS Board of Trustees election results expected Wednesday

On Thursday, April 27 at 4:38 p.m., Sandra Merchant sent email correspondence to Superintendent Moore indicating “We are just finishing printing the registers and can bring them to you tomorrow or Monday. Let me know when and where you would like us to bring them. There were no instructions, information, or direction with respect to the “Registers.”

Superintendent Moore responded at 4:53 pm with; “Thank you, when the registers are ready, please let us know, and Brian Patrick will come down and pick them up” On Saturday, April 29 at 8:46 am Sandra Merchant sent an email to Superintendent Moore stating, “The registers were ready, but your email had gone to junk mail again. Someone will be here all day on Monday so whenever is convenient for Patrick to get them they are ready.” Superintendent Moore then forwarded the e-mail to Brian Patrick.

Brian Patrick picked up the “registers” on Monday morning around 9:20 am. While at the elections office, two employees transported and loaded three unmarked boxes into Mr. Patrick’s car. Again, there was no instruction, direction, or discussion, verbally, or in writing regarding the “registers” and nothing was said about needing the “registers” when the election opened on Tuesday morning. No one indicated to Mr. Patrick whether the “registers” he received were originals or copies. Mr. Patrick brought the “registers” back to the district office and placed them in the vault for safe storage. He reviewed one of the boxes with Superintendent Moore. Having no familiarity with “registers,” Moore and Patrick were puzzled about the materials and why the district would be given “registers” without explanation or direction by the election’s administrator.

On election day, May 2 at 7:10 am, the Superintendent’s administrative assistant received a telephone call from Sandra Merchant asking where the “registers” were. Brian Patrick was asked to be a part of that call. Upon learning for the first time that the registers were needed at the Expo Park, Brian Patrick immediately delivered them to the Expo Park at approximately 7:25 am.

As previous elections were conducted by the County Elections Office, the District has never requested nor received the voting registers before an election.