A Poll Watcher Reports From An Off-Year Election – CleanTechnica

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An invitation to be an election poll watcher was compelling to me during our recent district election, so I volunteered to donate my time. You see, yesterday was a special election in my southern US town. The seat of a disgraced former commissioner (sexting with a minor) is vacant, and three candidates have declared to fill it. Two are Republicans, and one is a Democrat. Like many off-year elections taking place, this one serves as a temperature gauge for the Trump administration’s authoritarian policies. During a training session, we were instructed that the stakes of this election were high, and that poll watchers are essential in ensuring that voters can exercise their fundamental right to elect officials.

As a poll watcher on November 4, I am greeted warmly by the clerk and shown to a seat off to the side where I can observe without blocking any voting activities.

“Fifteen seconds!” a poll worker calls out prior to the 7:00 am opening. Six poll workers, a clerk, and a sheriff are present to run the election, and all wear identifying badges on lanyards, as do my poll watcher partner and I.

This polling site is located within a Christian church in our community. It’s contemporary in design with high vaulted ceilings, shades of gray interior paint, and an altar that doubles as a stage for local meetings and entertainment. The church is well known locally and welcoming. The voting takes place in a small meeting room, a place that’s usually dedicated to learning about faith. Dark gray horizontal blinds are drawn, and a dozen artificial inset lights illuminate the voting space. A kitchenette is at one end with the ever-popular coffee pot. Signs on the walls offer hope: “Gather,” “Thankful,” “Coffee time.”

A line of early morning voters begins to queue out the door.

The poll workers are “active seniors” whose dedication to their tasks is immediately obvious. “Verify that the information is correct,” a poll worker instructs, nodding and smiling. Together they peer at a laptop-sized device with an upright screen. “If the information is correct, hit Yes.”

Having complied, the voter then moves to a second table and picks up their ballot, which is wrapped in a legal-sized plastic sheath. “If you would initial here that I’m giving you the correct ballot,” this poll worker requests politely. “Any one of these booths,” she waves to her left, “then over to that machine.” She is indicating a row of ten slightly unstable tall voting tables and the scanning equipment.

To ensure privacy, the voting booths are bordered by three-sided cardboard shields. “Please leave pens in the booth,” a sign asks in all capital letters. “Por favor, deje los boligrafos en la cabina.” On the sides is the word, “VOTE,” flanked by a graphic of an American flag waving in the breeze.

With only a single candidate for which to vote, the line moves quickly. “Feed your ballot right where the arrows are,” a poll worker at the scanning station explains. This soft-spoken person will be at the same spot for an eight hour shift. “You will see the number change.” A handful of voters try to hide their ballot as they adjust their ballot to fit into the scanner slot; the machine looks like an industrial-sized shredder. “Listen for the bell,” the poll worker continues. “Watch for the counter to change numbers.” It is a mantra that she will repeat in a pleasant voice hundreds of times this day.

The line of 7 am hour voters continues steadily. It’s a cool November morning, with temperatures in the low 70’s. Voters mostly wear long pants/ jeans with beachy, free-flowing short-sleeved shirts and slogans. “Ocean Republic.” “Sea Dawgs.” “Vineyard Vines.” “Nautica.” “Salt Life.” “Sportfishing.” “Freedom.” As the morning wears on, the attire changes to multi-colored shorts with sketchers or flip-flops. Sunglasses are perched atop heads. “I Have Decided” reads the logo on one voter’s tee.

A soft pell of the church bell announces the 8 o’clock hour, and the thread of voter arrivals slows. “How are you today?” a new voter is greeted. “Jes’ fine,” she responds. Scattered laughter breaks out as a roll of “I Voted” stickers escapes and rolls across the room.

A male voter in an oversized straw hat, windbreakers, and pale blue shorts leads his mixed breed dog on a leash into the voting room. In our training we learned that only certain individuals are allowed in the polling room during the voting period: poll workers and staff; voters/ caretakers; poll watchers, certified; candidates, media, and law enforcement (only to vote); and, voters with children.

One mom has brought her 13-year-old along, saying, “I want her to see the democratic process.” The daughter studies the check-in procedures carefully and soon places an “I Voted” sticker on her tee prior to departing.

Incoming voters ask about the number of people who have already cast their ballot. “What’s the turnout going to be today?” a voter wonders. “20%,” one poll worker suggests, “would be a good turnout.” Another poll worker suggests otherwise, that “6%” would be more likely. The designated Inspector walks to the scanning machine to check the number of votes so far.

There are no discussions of particular candidates.

After 9 am, a steady flurry of voters streams in. As a poll watcher, I was only allowed to speak to the clerk and definitely not to anyone within the 150′ zone — a designation of minimal distance to which candidates must adhere, too. This hour’s voters are more chatty than the earlier groups, and some of my neighbors stop by my seat to chat. I am not allowed to engage in conversation inside the polling area, which I state quietly and quickly. The neighbors hide their embarrassment and mime greetings.

“Good news,” the sheriff jokes to the poll workers during a lull. “You guys got 5 star reviews on Yelp.” (The poll workers are all female.)

Viewing the polling process was absolutely a learning experience and one in which I was glad to participate.  It spoke to the robust nature of citizen action, to individuals who understand that they hold a personal responsibility to voice their preferences about the course of our democracy.

Did I see any malfeasance, any indication of pressure on voters to cast their ballot for a particular candidate?  No, I didn’t. But knowing that poll watchers were on site and actively observing the process may have been enough of an impediment to deter overt voter manipulation.

In a red state and surrounded by a red-leaning barrier island population, I had hope but no confidence that the single Democratic candidate would win. (Actually, no candidate made the minimum 50% voter percentage, so there will be a run-off for the top-two candidates, one of whom — voila! — is the Democrat.)

But stepping up as a poll watcher was important to me for this election cycle. I recommend that you, too, find a way to participate a bit more keenly in upcoming elections; our democracy may depend on it.