Keep It Fair

 

The 2024 Election is upon us.  Yes, its still 5 or 6 weeks away, but we are innundated with commercials in any media format that we follow.  Most people have already made their decision.  This post is not an endorsement of either side, nor is is a demand that the reader should get out and vote.  Instead, I'd like to ponder the subject of Fairness.

What is fairness?  It is making sure that every person who wishes to participate in the election process is able to do so.  This may require voter registration, IDs, and other restrictions, but there is no reason why any of these things would block a potential voter.

I have worked as an election official for Wake County (NC) for about 15 years.  After serving as an assistant and help desk offical for several years, the Wake Count Board of Elections decided that I was worthy of being the Chief Judge of my precinct.  I expect that I will remain the Chief Judge there until I get tired of it.  Maybe this year, maybe after the next Presidential election in 2028.  This job is somewhat physically demanding, and I'm not getting any younger.

My responsibility as a Chief Judge is to ensure that all the processes are followed at my precinct.  I get to oversee all the worker bees as they process voters at the various stations.  I also have the duty of doing the paperwork of recording the information generated by the election process, and getting it turned over to the BOE at the end of the night.  I'm the guy that others look to to resolve any hickups in the process.  Sure, there are some things that are beyond our local control, but we are ready to call the BOE help line as a higher authority.

Wake County pays their volunteers a stipend that is equivilent to working at McDonolds, considering the hours.  The actual election on election day starts of 6am (I get to be there at 5:45am to open the doors).  Voting ends at 7:30pm (or however long it takes for people already in the voting enclosure or in line at that time to vote) and it may take an hour or two to break down and pack up the polling place.  Final dropoff at the appropriate site is usually by 9pm. In addition to the long day, there are a couple of hours setup the afternoon before hand.  Volunteers have to take one or more classes at 3 hours each in the month or two before the election.  As Chief Judge I was required to take two classes.  I also have the privilage of picking up the controlled items (including the ballots, tabulator, and poll books) the previous weekend.  My total volunteer time exceeds 24 hours. 

What do I do to ensure fairness of the election?  As I said before, I make sure that processes are followed, and resolve any issues.  I don't talk politics (that's in the rules).  Taking that a step further, I don't argue politics for a couple of months before the election.  My role suggests that I should be neutral, and to the extent practical, I try to be.  Do I claim that volunteering as an election official is a noble pursuit?  Not at all.  But if you beleive that the democratic process is important to the continuation of our nation, it makes it imperative that you find a way to support that process.  That is why I do it.

If helping out during the election sounds like something that you might find interesting, I encourge you to contact your county board of elections.  If they are similar to Wake County, they will have a link where you can sign up to help.  It may take several months to get into the system, so vulunteer early enough to allow for this.  You probably won't get the job you want at the precinct location you want, but as you gain experience you'll be able to move to more favorable locations.