New TEAM Release
| To: | All Counties |
| From: | Ann McGeehan, Director of Elections |
| Date: | January 14, 2010 |
| RE: | New TEAM Release |
Effective January 19, 2010, the TEAM (Texas Election Administration Management) application will reside in a new hardware environment, which is comprised of new state of the art hardware that is more robust than the existing environment. As we have previously stated, TEAM will be unavailable from 6p.m. on January 13, 2010 through 7 p.m. on January 18, 2010 as we convert to the new environment. We have been busy over the last several months testing the application for functionality and performance and have observed improvement in both areas. In addition to improving the technical infrastructure of TEAM, the new release includes some new functionality including:
Application Improvements
- Ability to set up to three (3) additional optional district codes to be printed on the voter registration certificate (printed daily). To set the district codes, go to SYS MAINT >GOVERNMENT>COUNTY>. On the “Edit County Information" window, select the “Instrument Districts Type” button.
- Ability to assign Polling Places in mass from one Election to another. To assign polling places in mass, go to the “Manage Elections” window then select the “Polls” button.
- Expanded functionality to track and assign Poll Workers to a particular Election. To assign Poll Workers in mass to an Election, go to the “Manage Elections” window, select the “Polls” button then the “Poll Workers” tab.
- Expanded functionality on the Public Information window; ability to extract data by district type and create a Public Information charge sheet.
- Improved workflow within the Task Summary window. When a user is working tasks within the Task Summary window, once on the Voter View window, if you hit “Previous Screen” it will “bookmark” where you were and loop you back into the Task Summary window at that location.
Report Changes
- Official List of Registered Voters by County – There is now one name for the Official Voting list: “Official List of Registered Voters List by County.” The report offers all the same sort options; however, some of the parameters are now inherited within the report. All official voting lists will include the bar code and legacy numbers. If you order an alphabetical sort option, it will automatically include the mailing address.
- Voters Who Voted in Election – The name has been changed from "Voters Who Voted with Summary" to “Voters Who Voted in Election.” This report has all the same parameters as before.
- Registered Voters in County – The name has been changed from "Registered Voters" to “Registered Voters in County” and offers all the same sort options.
All reports are still available in both PDF and CSV format.
New FPCA Functionality - Phase I
We have started work on the expanded FPCA functionality to be in compliance with the new state law requirement which requires FPCA voters to be registered on the official voter registration list, and to lay the groundwork for the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE) by November of this year. Our Phase I - FPCA deployment offered in this version release includes:
- Ability to enter FPCA in through the FPCA Application window–source code 90 (SC90)–which then creates a task for the Voter Registrar called “Voter Application SC91 created by FPCA.” When this task is opened, it will automatically populate the Voter Application window with the FPCA information allowing the user to approve the permanent voter registration–source code 91 (SC91).
- FPCA and Voter records are assigned different VUIDs but are “linked” through the Voter View window and allows user to toggle back and forth between the records.
- Early voting clerk entering an FPCA (SC90) has access to “view” the Street Index to define the street.
- If early voting clerk cannot find the correct street within the Street Index, he or she can still approve the FPCA (SC90) record but it will create an event for the Voter Registrar called “FPCA Invalid Address.” Once this task is resolved, the FPCA (SC90) record will then receive a precinct number assignment.
- If either the early voting clerk or the voter registrar enters a new address or name change to an existing FPCA (SC90) or FPCA Voter (SC91) record, the other office is notified through a task to “accept” the change to their record.
- Strong match find on FPCA records across the state, cancelling FPCA record in county with oldest application date.
- Ability to create both an FPCA confirmation and FPCA reject notice.
- Ability to cancel an FPCA (SC90) record through a task dropdown on the Voter View window.
- Automatic exemption for jury duty will be applied to all FPCA voter registration records entered in since September 1, 2009. The exemption will coincide with the expiration of voter's FPCA (SC90) record.
SC90 = FPCA record entered by Early Voting clerk to obtain an absentee ballot through 2 federal elections. SC91 = FPCA Voter record entered by Voter Registrar; serves as a regular voter registration application and registration.
Phase II of the FPCA functionality is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2010 and will give offline counties the ability to submit the FPCA (SC90) record along with ballot history. The federal MOVE Act requires that FPCA voters must be able to track the status of their mail-in ballot and we are awaiting further guidance from federal election authorities on what is required.
TEAM training classes are currently scheduled for this January/February. However, we will be hosting additional training classes in June if you cannot attend the winter training. In addition, we can also conduct individual webinars with counties that may need training on specific functions.
The TEAM Help Desk will be available starting January 19th through January 22nd at 1-866-745-2703. Counties will have direct access to a member of the Voter Registration staff, and only when all TEAM staff members are on the phone assisting counties will you then be routed to a receptionist.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact our office at (800) 252-2216.
AM:KR