Poll workers are part of the democratic process

By Gene Galin
Posted Monday, January 14, 2008

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Pittsboro, NC - I second Karl Kachergis' earlier post about being a poll worker.

If you have an opportunity and time please stop by the Ag Building in Pittsboro on January 15 at 7 p.m.

The Chatham County Board of Elections is recruiting poll workers for the 2008 Primary and General elections.

Voter turnout could be large,as voters will be electing a new President, Governor, Senator and Congressional representative, as well as numerous other state and county officials. They need poll workers in each of Chatham‘s precincts who will issue ballots, assist voters at curbside, help voters who need to update their voter information, set up the voting equipment and ensure that the election process goes smoothly in the polling place. They need people who are good at detail work, and enjoy helping the public.

The purpose of this recruitment session is to inform potential poll workers of the duties and responsibilities of poll workers who work inside a polling place on Election Day, or at a "One Stop" early voting site. If you want to learn more about what being a poll worker means, please come.

Be part of the solution. Chatham does often have one of the highest voter turnouts in North Carolina and the Board of Elections can use help staffing the polls.

I have worked as a poll worker during most primary and general elections in Chatham County over the last twelve years.

As Karl mentioned it is a long day - you are there before the polls open to set up and you are there after the polls close to tally the count and breakdown the set-up.

However, it is a very rewarding experience.

My favorite voters are parents with kids (it reminds me of when I was a kid my folks used to "drag" me along to the voting booths when they voted before dropping us off at school and heading off to work). This is especially true when the kids are old enough to understand what is going on. I've watched some of this kids grow up and be old enough to vote themselves.

My personal favorite voters was an older black gentleman who was born in the 20s (birthdays are posted in the polling book). The first time I ran into him at the polling place he told me how important it ws to vote and that he felt is was his duty to do so. Over time I watched him slow down and it took longer for him to make it into the polling place. Last time I saw him his grandaughter had to drive him up to the polling place and I took the ballot out to him. I told him I was happy to see him and I looked forward to seeing him come in and vote every election. I can't hope to try and comprehend all this gentleman had to go through in his life, but I appreciate his sense of duty to vote and I hope that I continue to take my own responsibility to vote as seriously.

This last part is really, really corny. HOwever, at the end of each election day, while we're sitting there putting together the final tallies, I think of the fact that there are millions of poll workers sitting in thousands of polling places tabulating the final totals to record and report the transitions in governments. And all these transitions are done primarily by peaceful means.

I understand that many of us on this list are involved in numerous volunteer, church, kid activities that help make life in Chatham experience better for other.

Therefore I'm not going to beg you to do this; I'm not going to try and guilt you into doing this; I'm not even going to try to bribe you to do this - All I am going to do is simply invite each and everyone of you to work the poll just one time.

You will find it be be a unique and rewarding experience.

Hope to see you there.

By the way, this is a bi-partisan effort. You can be a Democrat, Republican or an unaffiliated voter. You must be be at least 18 years old and registered to vote.