“Wanted: Poll workers willing to brave a pandemic in November”
When living in times of COVID, uncertainty and struggles have seemed to become the new “normal”. Impending a solution to our current pandemic, society has had to completely revolutionize the way that we operate every facet of our lives. In every walk of life this affects the way we work, the way we shop, how we organize our social lives, how we educate our children, and soon to be how we vote.
The primary issue making election officials sweat is the reality of how difficult it will be to safely and adequately operate a polling station come this fall. From a safety standpoint, additional spacing measures and cleanliness procedures will need to be implemented in order to keep the voters safe and be compliant with state regulations. From an operations viewpoint, election officials are scrambling to obtain a sufficient number of poll workers necessary to properly run the in-person voting sites. A vast majority of poll workers are elders, who are especially vulnerable to the current pandemic. States nationwide have seen a drastic fall in pledged volunteers, which could lead to significantly longer lines at polling stations and a reduction in voter turnout. To cut it straight to the point, election officials need your help.
Poll workers are a crucial part of a smooth running voting process. Responsible for tasks such as checking ID’s, issuing correct ballots, explaining processes, translating documents, and counting votes. In most states poll voters must be eligible voters, and you typically are only able to volunteer in your county of residence. Most counties offer PPE for extra safety cautions, and there are a select number of paid polling positions available as well. In order to figure out more information on poll worker requirements and operations, contact your local election official.
If you are not able to volunteer in person, consider helping election officials by registering to vote by mail or by early absentee ballot. You can register online for both of these methods and help reduce the flow of traffic through the voting sites on election day. Remember, that your vote matters and has an impact! Be aware that this election may require additional time and steps so plan out your voting method early.
https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/election-poll-workers637018267.aspx
https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/the-canvass-july-2020.aspx
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