Working the polls

GreekOrthodox · Oct 13, 2021

I'll be working the Virginia polls for the third time this November 2nd. It is a long day 5am to 9pm for a whopping $100. I'll be taking the required class next week to review policies and procedures. If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask. I encourage anyone who is interested in how voting works to sign up!

spiritfilledjm · Oct 13, 2021

Thanks for what you're doing!

rambot · Oct 13, 2021

YAY! I have a great deal of respect for poll workers. I know you are all honest and doing your best.

It bothers me that y'all get besmirched.

Aldebaran · Oct 13, 2021

GreekOrthodox said:
I'll be working the Virginia polls for the third time this November 2nd. It is a long day 5am to 9pm for a whopping $100. I'll be taking the required class next week to review policies and procedures. If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask. I encourage anyone who is interested in how voting works to sign up!

I've been a poll worker for the past few elections, but I've always started at about 1pm and worked until closing which is around 9pm or 11pm, depending on the amount of activity. I don't know how those who start at 5am manage to stay with it for 16-18 hours straight.

ArmenianJohn · Oct 13, 2021

GreekOrthodox said:
I'll be working the Virginia polls for the third time this November 2nd. It is a long day 5am to 9pm for a whopping $100. I'll be taking the required class next week to review policies and procedures. If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask. I encourage anyone who is interested in how voting works to sign up!

You certainly have my appreciation and admiration

GreekOrthodox · Oct 13, 2021

Aldebaran said:
I've been a poll worker for the past few elections, but I've always started at about 1pm and worked until closing which is around 9pm or 11pm, depending on the amount of activity. I don't know how those who start at 5am manage to stay with it for 16-18 hours straight.

Coffee and sugary snacks

Pommer · Oct 13, 2021

I’ve never worked the polls, though I have purchased pizza for my polling place workers.

Aldebaran · Oct 13, 2021

GreekOrthodox said:
Coffee and sugary snacks

Yep, they give us those too. Lots of coffee cake! Plus we get a free dinner paid for by the city.

Belk · Oct 13, 2021

Aldebaran said:
Yep, they give us those too. Lots of coffee cake! Plus we get a free dinner paid for by the city.

Is that common?

Aldebaran · Oct 13, 2021

Belk said:
Is that common?

I have no idea. I just know they do it here, and this is the only place I've worked the polls. But if you're interested in doing it in your area, you might be able to find info on your city's website. They might be able to tell you what's involved and what the day would be like. I assume too that poll workers would be paid. Where I am, it's $7.50 per hour. We also get that for the training period, which is an hour (or less).

GreekOrthodox · Oct 14, 2021

Aldebaran said:
Yep, they give us those too. Lots of coffee cake! Plus we get a free dinner paid for by the city.

Nice, we have to do a potluck for ourselves.

Aldebaran · Oct 14, 2021

GreekOrthodox said:
Nice, we have to do a potluck for ourselves.

That's what our polling site used to do, but that was before the Covid changes, and before I started. The original polling site was a church, and the other workers told me everyone would bring something and everyone would share a potluck dinner. But with Covid, we don't use the church anymore, but now it's a VFW post that the polling site is in.
Were you still able to do a potluck even with Covid restrictions?

GreekOrthodox · Oct 14, 2021

Aldebaran said:
That's what our polling site used to do, but that was before the Covid changes, and before I started. The original polling site was a church, and the other workers told me everyone would bring something and everyone would share a potluck dinner. But with Covid, we don't use the church anymore, but now it's a VFW post that the polling site is in.
Were you still able to do a potluck even with Covid restrictions?

I'm trying to remember what we did last year. I think it was still "potluckish" but with sandwiches all individually wrapped, individual bags of chips rather than family sized bags, that sort of thing.

Ana the Ist · Oct 14, 2021

GreekOrthodox said:
I'll be working the Virginia polls for the third time this November 2nd. It is a long day 5am to 9pm for a whopping $100. I'll be taking the required class next week to review policies and procedures. If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask. I encourage anyone who is interested in how voting works to sign up!

Ohhhhhh.....voting. I thought working the polls was something different.

Aldebaran · Oct 14, 2021

Ana the Ist said:
Ohhhhhh.....voting. I thought working the polls was something different.

Now, now. This isn't that kind of forum!

GreekOrthodox · Oct 15, 2021

Aldebaran said:
Now, now. This isn't that kind of forum!

Whatever it takes to get people to vote?

Aldebaran · Oct 15, 2021

GreekOrthodox said:
Whatever it takes to get people to vote?

I could give it a try, but they'd probably fire me for "electioneering".

GoldenBoy89 · Oct 15, 2021

Ana the Ist said:
Ohhhhhh.....voting. I thought working the polls was something different.

I briefly dated a girl who was a uh… poll worker. It was interesting, to say the least.

Ana the Ist · Oct 15, 2021

GoldenBoy89 said:
I briefly dated a girl who was a uh… poll worker. It was interesting, to say the least.

I stopped frequenting polling places in my early 20s.

It wasn't as fun once you're on a first name basis.

Working the polls

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