The Oregon Centralized Voter Registration Project

1
The Oregon Centralized Voter Registration Project

2
From 36 to One, Managing Multiple Stakeholders

• Julie Pearson, OCVR Project Executive

3
Agenda

• HAVA Overview
• OCVR Project Overview
• WHO are the stakeholders
• You have to end before you begin
• The four Ps of planning to communicate
• WHAT are we communicating
• HOW are we communicating
• The five Cs of communication

4
Help America Vote Act (HAVA)

• Passed by congress in October 2002 to make
  sweeping reforms to the nations voting process.
  Federal mandate to centralize 36 county voter
  registration systems.
• Includes provisions for
• Replacement of punch card and lever voting
  systems
• New voter identification requirements
• Access for people with disabilities
• Enhanced voter outreach and
• Creation of a centralized voter registration
  database

5
Oregon Central Voter Registration (OCVR) Project
Overview

• uniform, official, centralized, interactive,
  computerized statewide voter registration system
• Defined, maintained, and administered at the
  State level
• Multiple and varied stakeholders across the State
• Aggressive timeline (implement by January 04)
  option to request a good cause waiver to
  January 06

6
OCVR Project Team

• Executive Sponsor - Bill Bradbury, Secretary of
  State
• Project Sponsor Paddy McGuire, Deputy Secretary
• Project Director Scott Smith, CIO, SOS
• Project Administrator Barb Conway, SOS
• Project Executive Julie Pearson, SOS

7
Who are the stakeholders?

• Oregon Voters
• 36 County Election Officials
• Political Parties
• The Secretary of State
• Elections Division
• SOS- IS Division
• Other State Agencies
• DMV
• Judicial
• Human Resource Division
• Social Security Administration
• Corrections

8
Why dont they let me know whats going on? This
is MY project too!
9
You have to end before you begin

• Determine WHAT is ending? And WHO stands to lose
  what?
• WHAT is the ending that is taking place as a
  result of this change?
• WHO will lose what because of this change and the
  impact it has on different stakeholders.

You cant steal second base, with your foot
still on first
10
The Four Ps of Planning Communication

• Purpose
• Picture
• Plan
• Part

11
(No Transcript)
12
Give me Purpose!

• Why are we doing this?
• When stakeholders understand purpose, they can
  endure far more confusion
• Move from it being done to me to its being
  done with me

13
The Picture

• What will the outcome look like?
• The vision keeps stakeholders going
• A clear picture helps keep everyone on the same
  Oregon Trail!

14
The Plan

• Plan how will we get there?
• Seeing a plan to get to the vision builds trust
  in the project.

15
My Part

• What is my part in the project?
• Trusting the project team is not enough,
  stakeholders need a role in creating the plan.
• Stakeholders hold valuable knowledge, key to
  project success.
• Stakeholders with a role become the project
  cheerleaders.

16
RFP Development Teams
17
So now, what do we communicate?

• What
• Project Scope
• Project Charter
• Project Plan
• Project Status
• Project Glossary
• Meeting Summaries and Action Items
• Remember to write with your audience in mind.
• The higher level the stakeholder the less detail!

18
How do we communicate?

• How
• Interviews on their turf
• Consistent Interview Instrument
• 2-4 hour interviews depending on their issues,
  concerns, suggestions
• Review the business processes

19
Around the State in 42 days
                                                
                                               
                                                  
                                              
                                                  
                                           
20
Before the Road Trip (January 9th)
21
After the Road Trip (March 7th)
22
How else do we communicate?

• Push Info - Email
• Pull Info Web page
• Regional Awareness Meetings
• Public Hearings
• Quarterly Regional Meetings throughout life of
  project
• Steering Committee, Work Teams, Project Team
  Meetings

23
HAVA Steering Committee

• Paddy McGuire, SOS Deputy,
  Chair of Committee, email paddy.mcguire_at_state.or.
  us
• John Lindback, SOS Elections Director, email
  john.w.lindback_at_state.or.us
• Scott Smith, SOS IS Director, email
  scott.e.smith_at_state.or.us
• Leonard Higgins, SOS IS Division, email
  leonard.g.higgins_at_state.or.us
• Jean Straight, SOS BSD Director, email
  jean.m.straight_at_state.or.us
• Maria Iturriaga, Clerk, Harney County, email
  clerk_at_co.harney.or.us
• Annette Newingham, Elect. Official, Lane
  County, email annette.newingham_at_co.lane.or.us
• Al Davidson, Clerk, Marion County, email
  adavidson_at_co.marion.or.us
• Dana Jenkins, Clerk, Lincoln County, email
  djenkins_at_co.lincoln.or.us
• Murray Paolo, IS Director, Yamhill County,
  email paolom_at_co.yamhill.or.us
• Carl Cole, Election System Programmer/Analyst,
  Linn County, email ccole_at_co.linn.or.us
  Senator John Minnis, Oregon Senator, email
  minnis.sen_at_state.or.us
• Neel Pender, Director, Democratic Party of
  OR, email npender_at_dpo.org
• Amy Caterline, Director, Republican Party of
  OR, email amy_at_orgop.org
• Representative Betsy Johnson, Oregon
  Representative, email betsy_at_betsyjohnson.com
•  
• Staff
• Barbara Conway, SOS IS Division, email
  barbara.e.conway_at_state.or.us
• Julie Pearson, SOS IS Division, email
  julie.pearson_at_state.or.us
• Brenda Bayes, SOS Elections Division, email
  brenda.j.bayes_at_state.or.us

24
OCVR Steering Committee

•   
• Paddy McGuire, SOS Deputy, Chair of Committee,
  email paddy.mcguire_at_state.or.us
• John Lindback, SOS Elections Director, email
  john.w.lindback_at_state.or.us
• Scott Smith, SOS IS Director, email
  scott.e.smith_at_state.or.us
• Leonard Higgins, SOS IS Division, email
  leonard.g.higgins_at_state.or.us
• Jean Straight, SOS BSD Director, email
  jean.m.straight_at_state.or.us
• Maria Iturriaga, Clerk, Harney County, email
  clerk_at_co.harney.or.us
• Annette Newingham, Elect. Official, Lane County,
  email annette.newingham_at_co.lane.or.us
• Al Davidson, Clerk, Marion County, email
  adavidson_at_co.marion.or.us
• Dana Jenkins, Clerk, Lincoln County, email
  djenkins_at_co.lincoln.or.us
• Murray Paolo, IS Director, Yamhill County, email
  paolom_at_co.yamhill.or.us
• Carl Cole, Election System Programmer/Analyst,
  Linn County, email ccole_at_co.linn.or.us
• Senator John Minnis, Oregon Senator, email
  minnis.sen_at_state.or.us
• Neel Pender, Director, Democratic Party of OR,
  email npender_at_dpo.org
• Amy Caterline, Director, Republican Party of OR,
  email amy_at_orgop.org
• Representative Betsy Johnson, Oregon
  Representative, email betsy_at_betsyjohnson.com
• Staff
• Barbara Conway, SOS IS Division, email
  barbara.e.conway_at_state.or.us

25
The Five Cs of Communication

• Commitment
• Connection
• Concern
• Candor
• Clarity

26
Commitment

• Consistent commitment from the top
• Leave each meeting with team member commitments,
  assignments and dates!
• This will help force clarity and candor and
  ensure project progress.

27
Connection

• Communicate the same thing in different ways to
  different audiences
• People learn differently
• Once connected, keep the connection through
  on-going communication

28
Concern

• Active listening and constant feedback
• People dont care how much you know until they
  know how much you care
• Show your concern by following up on stakeholder
  concerns

29
Clarity

• If you leave a conversation without clarity,
  mischief can follow.
• Stay with a conversation until you are clear and
  the stakeholder feels heard.
• Listen and watch for acknowledgement.

30
Candor

• Be willing to share what you know and what you
  are thinking.
• Be honest and direct.
• Ask the stakeholder to share what they are
  thinking.

31
Lastly

• As you communicate good news or setbacks, do it
  with the intention to help people understand the
  why behind each communication

32
Ill do it for the team
33
Templates

• Communication Plan (interactive)
• Stakeholder Map (interactive)
• Initial Interview Instrument
• To receive electronic templates contact me at
• Julie Pearson, [phone] julie.pearson_at_state.
  or.us
• or the Willamette Valley PMI Chapter Website
  www.pmiwv.org