Contingencies and Change Management, EAC Webinar, July 2013
1. Contingency Planning and Change
Management
Brian D. Newby
Election Commissioner
Johnson County, Kansas
www.ElectionDiary.com
www.jocoelection.org
July 30, 2013
2. Today’s Discussion
• Level-set the difference on these two
topics.
• Provide Johnson County’s recent
experience with contingency planning
and change management.
2Brian D. Newby, July 30, 2013
3. 3
• The development of a management plan that addresses an
election office’s response to emergency and crisis
situations that might arise unexpectedly.
• Examples of contingencies include but are not limited to:
Contingency Planning:
Brian D. Newby, July 30, 2013
Earthquakes
Snow Storms Power Loss
Fire Tornadoes
Bomb Threats
Johnson County faced multiple contingencies with back-to-back
snow storms in February.
Running Out Of Provisional Ballots
4. 4
• Refers to how an election office handles situations that
impact how the office functions in its capacity as an
election and voter registration agency.
• These might include:
Change Management:
Brian D. Newby, July 30, 2013
Law Changes
Staff Changes Office Moves
Budget Cuts
Johnson County faced operational change with photo ID and
citizenship legislation. Many of us are facing change with looming
voting equipment replacement needs.
While distinct, contingency planning and change management
converge at times and likely are right now regarding the use of
schools as polling places.
5. 5
Key Thoughts:
• Be proactive in considering your contingency planning.
• Have a emergency preparedness plan:
1. Provides a roadmap for simple contingencies.
2. Creates professional development value for your staff; the
planning process alone will make them better election
administrators.
3. A written plan helps provide a backstop of support should you
be challenged that your office did not prepare for a
contingency.
• Involve stakeholders and the community and test the plan as much
as possible.
• Include a media plan and don’t underestimate social media, for
good and for bad.
Contingency Planning:
Brian D. Newby, July 30, 2013
6. 6
• Your plan is a starting point only.
• Continue to develop potential scenarios, knowing that some may
not happen.
• Not everyone pays attention to the weather:
• We were planning for snow that hadn’t occurred. Many were
unaware or didn’t believe it.
• Polling places and election workers were steadfast in their
commitment, verified BEFORE the storms.
• That changed on the eve of the storm.
• One contingency drives others—such as deliveries to polling
places and acceptance of deliveries at polling places.
• Disasters require a major paradigm shift with your staff, i.e. 500
election worker cancellations instead of 5.
• Some sites were immune (senior living centers), requiring a
contingency for no contingency.
Learnings of the Great Snowstorm(s) of 2013:
Brian D. Newby, July 30, 2013
7. 7Brian D. Newby, July 30, 2013
Primary difference comes between simply identifying issues
in contingency management and, instead, evaluating them for
changes to procedures or approach beyond a single event:
• Budget reductions
• Photo ID processes
• Equipment life-cycle issues
• “Long Lines”
• Voting methods (mail, polls, vote centers, advance voting,
Internet and email)
Change Management:
Johnson County is embarking upon a major change/planning
initiative to address all drivers impacting our office, using the
framework in “The Heart of Change.”
