Board approves $2,000 voter-outreach forum with Greater Augusta Interfaith Coalition

The Richmond County Board of Elections voted to authorize a $2,000 audiovisual purchase to support a voter-outreach forum organized with the Greater Augusta Interfaith Coalition.

Director Doss proposed holding the forum on Saturday, April 18 in the Henry Brigham Community Center gym as a nonpartisan information session aimed at explaining registration deadlines, how to obtain and return absentee ballots, polling locations and advanced voting hours. He told the board the coalition offered to sponsor light refreshments and that the forum would be recorded and posted on the elections office website (not livestreamed).

Board members asked for details about hours, moderation and whether materials could be provided in Spanish. Doss said he planned a 9–11 a.m. session, had budgeted outreach funds previously and would circulate an agenda/curriculum to board members for review before the event. On language access, Doss said his office currently lacked multilingual printing resources but would look into translation support; board members noted a 5% population threshold (census-based) would trigger federal bilingual requirements and that Richmond County’s 2020-census share was about 3%.

A board member moved to authorize the $2,000 audiovisual expenditure with the proviso that the director circulate the proposed agenda/curriculum to the board prior to the event; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

Next steps: Director Doss will finalize the vendor for audiovisual services, circulate a draft agenda and confirm the recording and posting plan. The office said it would explore translation options for handouts if resources or partnerships become available.