[EM] Observations of a poll worker

[Dave Ketchum]

On Wed, 06 Mar 2002 22:24:46 +0100 Jurij Toplak wrote:

>>The voter lists were well-maintained.  We issued only 3 provisional
>>ballots, and those were for people who lost their absentee ballots.  We
>>don't check ID (against the law) but since we keep track of who already
>>voted (we have a list of all registered voters) anybody posing as another
>>voter would be detected if the actual person tried to vote that same day.
>>
> 
> Why is ID checking against the law?! And, what happens if someone comes and
> votes under my name and then I come to vote? They don't let me vote?! And
> they don't know who was voting instead of me and how he voted. That means
> that his vote still counts and mine does not. I find that quite strange.
> 

On false votes a later post explained that, if the false vote came in 
first, it is in the machine and not retrievable, but the true voter can 
use a provisional ballot and get this counted if the identity checks. 
Note that if the false voter comes in second there is a PROBLEM (become 
more visible by claiming (or not claiming) right to use a provisional 
ballot.  In NY:
      Voter's signature is in a computer, from registration and updated 
from previous year's voting, and printed in list for poll workers.  False 
voter BETTER do a believable imitation without seeing the originals that 
the poll worker will use for comparison.
      Perhaps 500 voters in a precinct and workers likely local.  False 
voter has to worry about identity mismatch getting noticed at the polling 
place.
      False registration can get sticky - BOE sends out cards before each 
election telling voters where their polling place is.  BOE then checks on 
any cards that get returned as not being deliverable.

> 
>>I encourage everybody hear to vote whenever there are elections in your
>>area, and volunteer at the polls.
>>
> 
> So you volunteer at the polls? Does that mean that you do not get paid? Is
> that the practise in whole US?


Every state does their own thing.  Being a poll worker is often low enough 
pay to feel like volunteering.  Even though it can be a 16 hour day, some 
people are willing.  In NY:
      The two major parties (based on votes for governor - party names do 
not go in election law) share ALL election duties (hopefully keep each 
other honest).
      Parties and candidates can have poll watchers, and workers must let 
them see ALL activity, from setup thru reporting results.  These could be 
true volunteers.  Could be their sponsors pay them (I do not think the law 
says anything about pay here).

> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jurij

-- 
  davek at clarityconnect.com    http://www.clarityconnect.com/webpages3/davek
   Dave Ketchum    108 Halstead Ave, Owego, NY  13827-1708    607-687-5026
              Do to no one what you would not want done to you.
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