Everyday American citizens are they grease the make our elections run smooth and securely.
When Americans think about elections, the first images that come to mind are usually of large color coded maps of the United States subdivided down to the county and precinct level, sleep deprived journalists pouring over polls, charts, and maps, and running vote tallies next to the smiling pictures of hopeful candidates. But when we think about voting, the mental picture is usually of the local school, church, or library. It’s the “I voted” sticker we put on our chests and the friendly face who handed us our ballots.
Elections in America are a deeply personal and local experience. Our election system is highly decentralized, with each state setting its own elections laws and different cities, counties, and other jurisdictions establishing their own rules and procedures. This means, there is no centralized system or organization responsible for managing the process by which we elect our representative. Having our elections run smoothly requires the dedication of hundreds of thousands of regular citizens to offer up their time to serve their community and country.
These people are poll workers. Here’s what you need to know about them:
It takes a lot to make election day work
While the exact numbers vary each cycle, there are over 100,000 polling places operating nationwide for every general election. In states that allow early voting, these polling places are not only open on Election Day itself, but multiple days prior. Having so many locations in easily accessible places, like churches and schools, is how people are able to vote quickly and efficiently. Operating these sites requires significant numbers of poll workers, often working in shifts, so that we can easily fulfill our rights as citizens and participate in our democracy.
Poll workers are our neighbors
Poll workers are not elected or appointed positions, nor are they partisan operatives. They are our neighbors, the people we see in the grocery store or walking down the street. While qualifications vary depending on state and locality, in many places poll workers must be registered voters in the precinct where they are working, which means they really are in our communities every day.
Being a poll worker is an act of public service
The role of the poll worker is to help facilitate the election process. In many ways, poll workers are the unsung heroes of election day. Poll workers are occasionally paid a small amount in some precincts, but first and foremost they are public servants. They arrive early to set up polling sites, test machines, and ensure there are enough ballots and resources for people to vote. Throughout the day, poll workers are checking-in voters, keeping lines orderly and moving, providing ballots, carefully explaining instructions, and answering any questions voters may have. They are also the ones who ensure we get the “I voted” sticker at the end.
Being a poll worker requires commitment and training
The job of a poll worker is more than just showing up on election day. These public servants go through training to understand everything involved in the election process, how to operate voting machines, and the laws that govern elections. Democracy is a grand idea, but it also involves a lot of logistics. Poll workers are trained in all of that for us, so all we need to do is show up and vote.
Threats to poll workers undermine our democracy
Democracy is about everyone showing up and participating in determining the course of our self governance. Politics is about which candidates or policies we support. Poll workers are a vital part of our democracy, ensuring that our elections run smoothly and that everyone who is eligible can cast their votes. When people go after poll workers because of politics, because they want to influence the outcome of an election or don’t like a candidate, they are attacking our democratic process. Poll workers do not represent parties or candidates. They are there to help every voter participate in our democracy.
So the next time you head to your local fire station, community center, or school to cast a vote, be sure to thank the people there helping you out. Without them, and the largely unseen work they do, our elections would not be possible.