Records Management and Public Records Flashcards
7 cards from real CERA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Records Management and Public Records flashcards as text
Under most state open records laws, how quickly must an election office typically acknowledge receipt of a public records request?
Answer: Within 3 to 5 business days
Most state open records statutes require agencies to acknowledge receipt of a request within 3 to 5 business days, though fulfillment may take longer.
What is the primary purpose of a litigation hold in an election office?
Answer: To suspend the destruction of records relevant to pending or reasonably anticipated litigation
A litigation hold (also called a legal hold) preserves records that may be relevant to current or anticipated lawsuits, overriding the normal retention schedule.
Which standard is most commonly referenced for managing electronic records in government agencies, including election offices?
Answer: DoD 5015.2
DoD 5015.2 is the widely recognized standard for records management software used by government agencies to manage electronic records.
An election office receives a request for a list of voters who voted in the last primary election. This type of record is generally known as:
Answer: A poll book or voter history file
A poll book or voter history file records which registered voters actually cast a ballot in a given election, and is frequently requested under open records laws.
If a requester asks for records in a specific electronic format, what is the general obligation of most state election offices under modern open records laws?
Answer: Provide records in the requested format if readily available
Modern open records laws generally require agencies to provide records in the requested electronic format if the agency already maintains them in that format.
What does the term 'vital records' mean in the context of election office records management?
Answer: Records essential to resuming operations during or after a disaster
Vital records are those essential to an organization's ability to resume critical functions after a disaster, such as voter registration databases and election results.
Which practice best protects election office electronic records from unauthorized alteration while preserving their long-term accessibility?
Answer: Using write-once/read-many (WORM) storage with regular backups
WORM storage prevents alteration of written data and, combined with regular backups, ensures records remain authentic and accessible over time.