Updating the Membership Spreadsheets

There is always more than one way to do a task. So how you go about updating your GenWeb state(s) or Special Projects will be up to you. The suggestions below are based on previous EC members' experience.

1. If you prefer, you can work with one state at a time or send all of your first quarterly contact letters to all of the SCs/PCs in your region at once.

2. Send out a letter requesting updates to each of your state/project coordinators. If the SC requests a list from the EC member one can be sent removing all voter registration information.
--Send the request list to the EC mail list so the chair can keep the status of the website updated.
Example:
First request for updates sent to:
LA archives - John Smith, 4 Sep 2008
Tombstone project - Susan Jones, 4 Sep 2008
ii. If there is no response in approximately two weeks, send a second, identical request to the SC. Also send a notice to the EC mail list that second requests have been mailed.
iii. If you do not receive a reply to the second request, notify the Chair through the mail list so the status sheet can be marked as "no response".
iv. Finally, notify the AB member for the region with a cc to the appropriate SC of the situation.
3. As you receive return replies compare the information with what is in your spreadsheet. If you have any questions, address them to the SC and send a copy to the EC mail list as an FYI.
ii. Make the appropriate changes in your master spreadsheet.
iii. Send a list of the changes to the EC mail list.
a. The EC mail list cannot accept attachments, so the list must be provided as text in the email itself.
b. Do not copy and paste the list from the Excel Spreadsheet. It would be difficult to read and would require reformatting.

4. You will only check and verify a county site when a member updates the registration form (see Registrations b.), registers to vote or the EC oversees a state election. Verification is based upon:
i. The county site is linked to from the State or Project site.
ii. There is an official USGW logo on the site.
<http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/logos.shtml>
iii. The name and email address on the State TOC of the members.
iv. The name and email address on the county page of the member.
--At the time of this writing, USGW Special Projects are exempt from the USGW logo being on each page. It only needs to be on the State or main Special Project page.
--Though this is not written in the USGW Bylaws or Guidelines it is assumed that a member's name and email address will be on the state/project TOC and on the county/individual project website.
--In the world of the internet there needs to be a way for the EC to verify identity members of the USGW.

5. If a person cannot be verified as a new member, the name and reason should be sent to the State Coordinator, as well as the AB regional SC and CC representatives. Include in that message:
a. State Coordinator's name.
b. The state and county name. Be sure to include the URL for the county.
c. The CC member's name and email address.
d. The reason that the member could not be verified as a registered voter.

The SC and/or the AB representatives are responsible for notifying the EC when the member's site meets the eligibility requirements.

6. The Dataset Manager has to be made aware of any changes in order to update the master spreadsheet.

a. When a state/project is completed, send the changes to the Election Committee mail list immediately as a text file. Place "(Full Name of State) Updates" in the subject line of your message.
b. This subject line tells the rest of the mail list members that they can delete that message. In this way we see only two quick notes for each state/project, and we have an easily traceable record of the change that most EC members can delete without reading.

c. Do not copy and paste the list from the Excel Spreadsheet. It would be difficult to read and would require reformatting.

d. It is important to include dates a member is appointed to a county or to a state Special Project. The dates may mean the difference between a member being qualified to run for office or not. By adding the county/state it makes it easier to locate a member's projects. Last but not least, the dataset requires an entry in the note box.

Example:
Louisiana
Added: 7 Aug 2008
Jane Smith <janesmith@xxx.net> CC - Smith Co.

Removed: 4 Jul 2008
John Doe <johndoe@xxx.net> CC - Doe Co.

Email Change:
Susan Jones CC - Jones Co
OLD: <susanjones@xxx.net>
NEW: <sj@xxx.com>

Note: It is recommended that you inform the members that they need to update their email addresses on the Registration site.

7. If the Chair or DM requests verification please answer promptly. Delays can cause errors.

Registrations

At the time the registration system was implemented in 2004, all members were automatically rolled over to registered status. From that point on, new members and members changing participation or email should update their records using the form.

Registrations to vote or updated registration records come in automatically to the EC list from the form located at: (More about this.) <http://usgwelections.org/> Once a member registers to vote, they do not need to register again. However, they do need to keep their registration records up-to-date. All members should be given information on how to up-date their registration records themselves.

--Dataset: Registrations
When a registration comes in, the subject line will be: Subject: [ELECTIONS] USGenWeb Registration. You can delete this message.
a. The chair will resend the message through with the Subject line changed to notify the appropriate EC member.
b. The EC regional member(s) will verify the changes and/or updates. (See Updating Membership Spreadsheets above.)
i. If the member adds a new project: Go to the state TOC. Click on the county and check the site for the member's name, email address and USGW logo.
ii. If any of the three (3) requirements are not in place, notify the SC. You might also add a note to the SC to please let you know when the site is ready to be rechecked for verification.
c. Once the changes have been verified, the EC regional member sends a notice back to the DM stating that all information is verified.
d. The DM will wait for this verification before approving the updates.

If you learn of a new member, send a note to that individual informing him/her of the need to register in order to participate in the annual national election. Only those names on the registered list will receive a password in the national election and national polls.

Verifying Removals

In verifying that a registered person is no longer with a project, you only contact the person. If you are verifying membership, then you contact the head of the project.

Send letters to those being removed to confirm that the action is correct. If you receive a reply that it is not correct, have the member contact the SC/PC.

Verifying Membership

When verifying, if you encounter a bad link from the state TOC you should notify the SC. If the SC doesn't respond, then contact the ASC(s).

The EC cannot verify membership unless a county is linked to from the state TOC. An important distinction: The EC never "determines" eligibility. Eligibility is determined by the SC when s/he links to a county or local special project. The EC only "verifies" eligibility by following that link.

Bounced Email Addresses

When the Newsletter, Passwords or other mailings are sent out, we often receive bounce lists. When your list is sent to you, forward it to the SC to locate an up-to-date email address for the members in his/her state. If the SC does not respond it is *not* the responsibility of the EC member to track the correct email address down.
Send a list of those for whom new email addresses was not located through the EC mail list. The DM will mark those records as listed in the DM Duties section.

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