Duval County Canvassing Board will now allow cameras in meetings, no signatures will be shown

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —

10/30 1:15 p.m. UPDATE:

Media will be allowed in canvassing meetings with a camera, but cannot record signatures.

They will also be live streaming the meetings, and are working on recording them so people can go back and watch after the meeting has taken place.

ORIGINAL STORY PUBLISHED 10/27

It’s exactly one week until Election Day and there’s still the question of voter transparency when it comes to your ballot being counted.

Action News Jax reporter Alicia Tarancon was at the Supervisor of Elections Office in North Jacksonville on Tuesday. The canvassing board came up with a new way to allow people to view the ballot canvassing process so they can get a look behind the scenes at the process.

From now on, the canvassing board meetings will be broadcasted in a Zoom meeting.

You’ll able to see the ballot as well as hear the canvassing board discuss it.

PREVIOUS STORY: Duval Canvassing Board to discuss more voter transparency during ballot canvassing process

“So being confident in knowing that it’s being captured in real time is to me the most appropriate way to see it documented,” City Councilman and Duval canvassing board member Michael Boylan said.

Boylan told Action News Jax what we won’t be able to see is the board members making a decision about a ballot in question or see the signatures on the ballot.

Boylan said his biggest fear was the possibility of having the signatures broadcasted on television that could put a name to a voter.

“They’re identifiable by someone out there,” he said.

That’s why the board agreed to continue to keep cameras banned during the canvassing process and instead will allow media or third-party cameras to record off the Zoom meeting.

“By providing you with access to that, the ability to record it and use it, I think gives you what you’re looking for,” he said.

The canvass board meetings are not being recorded at this time.

The board told Action News Jax the added responsibility would take a hit on their resources.

“My concern by committing to do that is it puts the responsibility on us to make sure that it’s properly captured or retained. I’m not sure that we’re in a position right now to do that,” Boylan said.

Action News Jax and its attorneys are part of a group involving other local media groups to continue pushing for cameras.

In order to access the meetings, you can head to the Supervisor of Elections website and click on “Access live stream of the Duval County canvassing board meeting using Zoom.”

Cox Media Group