Title
Elections Department and Human Resources Department recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 025-2021 amending the Authorized Personnel Allocation, as part of a reorganization of selected positions in the Elections Department, to:
a) Add one (1.0) FTE Department Systems Analyst;
b) Add one (1.0) FTE Sr. Administrative Analyst;
c) Delete one (1.0 FTE) vacant Elections Technician I/II;
d) Delete one (1.0 FTE) vacant Information Technology Department Coordinator; and
e) Due to an upward reclassification, approve the deletion of one (1.0 FTE) Elections Technician I/II and the addition of 1.0 FTE Sr. Elections Technician - whereas the Director of Human Resources is waiving the competitive recruitment and selection process at the request of the appointing authority in accordance with Personnel Rule 507.1.1.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
As part of the department's first reorganization in almost 20 years, the department needs a higher-level technical position to keep up with changes in how elections are set up and run. The move to vote by mail over the years not only increased the data and automation needs, but the sheer number of voters significantly increased.
Vote Centers' conversion has emphasized technology in the office and at the vote centers. In 2019, the department replaced its aging voting system giving greater capabilities to safeguard election integrity. With these changes, the department needs to convert a lower-level technical position to a more advanced technical position to ensure that the critical election work can continue to be done in-house. The Department Systems Analyst position was created for departments that have specific departmental technology needs and software. The Elections department has many election-specific software tools, including a Voter Registration System, Ballot Sorting system, Ballot design, and tabulation system, and other department-specific software with increasing data needs. To partially offset the cost of adding a Department Systems Analyst, the Elections Department is recommending deleting a vacant Elections Technician I/II position.
Additionally, with the implementation of vote centers, an increased amount of equipment and systems is needed. With that comes far more equipment, vote center coordination, and technical coordination and management. The IT Department Coordinator position conversion to a Sr. Administrative Analyst position will allow the Elections Department to hire a highly qualified person to manage departmental election needs and vote center coordination, as well as warehouse oversight and material/equipment coordination.
Human Resources conducted a classification analysis of a filled Elections Technician as it was believed the incumbent was not classified appropriately based on the duties being performed. Human Resource recommends this (1.0 FTE Elections Technician II) be reclassified upward to Sr. Elections Technician (1.0 FTE) keeping the incumbent in the position.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could decline the reorganization the Elections department could utilize outside consulting and vendor support to complete the necessary work.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
April 23, 2019, #19-0633 - Implementation of Vote Centers
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The approximate annual cost of adding a Department Systems Analyst and deleting a vacant Elections Technician I/II position is $50,000 a year. The approximate annual cost of adding a Sr. Administrative Analyst and deleting a vacant IT Department Coordinator is $5,500 a year. The cost of the upward reclassification is approximately $5,000 a year. Due to salary savings from the vacant positions and the time to recruit the positions there are sufficient appropriations in the current year budget for the reorganization. The total annual cost of the reorganization is approximately $61,000 of increased General Fund appropriations.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon Board adoption and approval, please provide a copy of the fully executed Resolution to Human Resources.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
This change is in support of the Good Governance portion of the County's Strategic Plan, specifically "Implement systems that improve system-wide process, data sharing, and departmental collaboration."
CONTACT
Bill O’Neill
Registrar of Voters