Taking a Day Off for Democracy
by Lee H. Goldberg

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course I'm taking has proven to be even more of an interesting experience than I'd bargained for. While all the search and rescue, firefighting, and first aid training has been valuable and interesting, one of the most important lessons I learned is nowhere to be found in the CERT training manual. Spending an evening a week with a bunch of once-strangers from my community has reminded me that of the finest examples of the American spirit can be found in its volunteers. And in this time when the very foundations of our electoral system seem to be a bit shaky (see my editorial Gone in 60 Seconds), maybe it's time to apply some of that volunteer spirit to restore our confidence in its integrity.

That's why I'm taking Tuesday, November 7th off to volunteer as a pollworker, and encourage you to do the same.

Whether or not you believe there have been significant irregularities in the last few elections, there are several compelling reasons you should consider taking a PTO (personal time off) day from your job to work at your local polling place as either a neutral pollworker, or a poll watcher representing the party of your choice. Besides the fact that there is currently a nationwide shortage of at least 500,000 pollworkers, the average age of the volunteers currently doing this job is 72. With the new electronic voting machines being deployed in most states, wouldn't it be a good idea to get some younger, more tech-savvy folks at your polling place to keep watch on the equipment, and the procedures? And if you're in one of the few parts of the country where there is a documented history of routine voter suppression (yes, it still exists), it's even more important to have as many impartial witnesses as possible of all political stripes present to make sure that the democratic process we treasure remains free, fair, and open to all people.

Rather than do the usual door-to-door campaign work I've done for one party or another on many election days, I've chosen to serve as a neutral poll worker in my county to simply help witness that the voting process goes smoothly, to ensure that every qualified voter who wishes to vote gets to do so, and to help guard against any possibility of tampering with the voting machines. Since pollworkers are required to work from the time the polls open till they close, it will be a long day, but I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends and neighbors come by -- and the $100 or so that the county will pay me for my time will come in handy as the holiday season approaches.

It's easy to get involved, and you don't even have to miss work -- unless you want to. If you can't take the whole day off but still want to spend a few hours as a poll worker for your favorite (or least hated) party, just drop down to the local campaign headquarters, let them know what time you have open, and they'll do the rest. If you're interested in becoming a non-partisan pollworker, you can check with your local county board of elections on how to sign up and get the training you'll need. Much like giving blood or participating in a walk-a-thon, taking a day off for poll duty is a hassle, but the rewards are priceless.

But regardless of how you want to serve, the easiest way to get involved is to sign up through Poll Workers For Democracy, an organization which is doing a great job of raising awareness about, and getting ordinary citizens re-involved with, our electoral system. Because I've signed up through them, I'll get to participate in two additional training conference calls that will supplement the training I'll get from the county. And, when the elections are over, I'll be able to participate in Poll Workers For Democracy's on-line election incident survey which will help provide better insights into any patterns of voting problems that might arise.

Wherever I go in my community, and in my travels, I always find folks who are as busy as I am still managing to find the time to step up and pitch in as volunteer scout leaders, firefighters, PTA fundraisers, deacons and whatever else needs doing in their community. This do-it-yourself civics ethic has been one of the things that's kept our society strong and vibrant for a couple of centuries. And while the upper levels of our political system may be mostly dominated by wealthy, powerful, so-called professionals, much of the raw human horsepower behind any local, state, or even federal organization is still supplied by average Joes and Janes like us. There's power in that: the power that can give us another two hundred years of freedom…

Comments? Questions? Other thoughts on the electoral process? Post your comments on analogBLOG at the link below, or write me at: lgoldberg@green-electronics.com