Election Inspector

What are a few things you think people would be surprised to learn about being an election inspector?

Asked by MigBrown about 12 years ago

I think people would be surprised to learn that we work a 16 to 17 hour day. We start at 5:00 am and don't leave until well after the polls close. We are just there to make sure that no one cheats and everyone who can vote does and those who can't don't. I also think people would be surprised to know that we don't really care who you are voting for and by the time the polls close we just want to go home and sleep. I didn't even watch the news to see who won. I figured I'd hear the next day.

Do you think our voting system is antiquated?

Asked by luckysevens about 12 years ago

I don't think it is antiquated. Some of us were discussing whether or not we will ever be able to vote by smart phone, but who knows. With the advances in technology I think there would be more risk of voter fraud (hackers etc).

If they require that there must be a registered Democrat and Republican at each table, was there tension between you and whoever you were paired with?

Asked by m1guel about 12 years ago

No we all had a job to do and believe it or not if we actually got along well.

What exactly does an inspector "inspect" at an election poll?

Asked by Jean C. about 12 years ago

An election inspector checks the signatures of voters as they come in to the polling place, checks ID if needed. We also call the Board of Elections to check the voters eligibility to vote if there is a question and turn them away if necessary. We set up the polling place and take down all the signs at the end of the night. We log in all ballot numbers and make sure that all ballots are accounted for, even the mistakes and voided ones. We also accepted absentee ballots.

I'm of sound mind and eyesight, and yet still found the election ballots INCREDIBLY confusing. Do you and most poll employees agree that the election ballots are confusing?

Asked by Gumshoooo about 12 years ago

Yes, we did have trouble with the ballots and I found myself explaining it to most of the voters who came out. It may be because they are so new and different from what we are used to. I think people will adjust. We all just need to vote in the smaller (non-presidential) local elections so we can get used to it!

Did you do this on a volunteer basis, and what were the requirements to get the job?

Asked by Jean C. about 12 years ago

This was a paid position. The only requirement was that you were registered as either a Republican or a Democrat since there has to be at least 1 of each at every district table. They prefer to have 2 but 1 will do if they don't have enough workers. I was also required to take a 3 hour training class. FYI I live in New York.

If an unregistered voter arrives at the polls, can he register on the spot? If not, did any voters you dealt with (who THOUGHT they were registered) freak out when you told them they couldn't vote?

Asked by c borowitz about 12 years ago

A voter MUST register ahead of time. They must register at least 1 month before the election in my area. I had several people who thought they were registered. Some were able to go to the Board of Elections and see a judge who gave them a court order to vote and some who didn't get registered in time were turned away. People who moved and were not registered to vote in their district, but were registered under a previous address, were able to vote by affidavit, after I called the Board of Elections to confirm. Their votes were counted after the polls closed and the information was passed on to the board.

Did working at a polling place make you feel particularly patriotic, or did it just feel like regular work?

Asked by abadabadoo about 12 years ago

It definitely felt like work. I was there to do a job and did it to the best of my ability like I would have with any job. .

Do you think you can, for the most part, accurately guess who's voting for who, based on appearance alone?

Asked by Chrissy VT about 12 years ago

No. I was at a location that is probably among the most diverse in my state. It was a fairly even breakdown of male/female as well as being racially diverse. Some people told me who they were going to vote for (I would ask them not to tell me or told them that I didn't need to know) and some asked me how to vote for their candidate (I couldn't tell them). None of them surprised me no matter which way it went.

What was the most difficult situation you ran into with a voter? Seemed like a lot of tempers were really flaring this year...

Asked by Mellie about 12 years ago

I had no problems at my polling place. I think most people just wanted to get in and out.

Did fights break out at your polling place? What are you trained to do if that happens?

Asked by Elf123 about 12 years ago

No, we had no fights. We were told not to intervene in a fight but to call the police. Most of the election inspectors are older so that is the only thing they could do anyway.

I heard about that woman who got fired for tampering with the votes. Do you think a lot of vote tampering goes on that we're not aware of?

Asked by J.S.B. about 12 years ago

I'm not sure if a lot of that goes on. I didn't see any of that where I was.

Had you ever done this job before the 2012 election? Has it inspired you to work in other areas of government/politics? Or is this just a once-ever-4-yrs kinda thing for you?

Asked by Curious Jorge about 12 years ago

This was my first time working at the polls. I would do it every year but no, I have no interest in working in politics.

Who actually handles the final tally of votes? Is it an independent accounting company (like Ernst & Young), or is it done by poll employees like yourself?

Asked by brickbreak2012 about 12 years ago

The final tally is done back at the Board of Elections headquarters. It is done by permanent employees of the Board who are members of both parties. The poll workers are really just there for a day. We turn everything over to them.

Do you think we'd be better off if we chose poll workers who weren't registered with either major political party?

Asked by Flippin' coins about 12 years ago

Great question. I think there is a great need for MORE people who are registered in the major parties to be there. If you don't have an interest in the party you will not be as interested in protecting the equality of the election. We are there, members of both parties, to make sure that no one has an unfair advantage. We don't allow anyone to enter the polling place to campaign or event to hand out flyers. All affidavit ballots must be signed by 2 people, 1 from each party so that we can make sure that the ballot was sealed and no one tampered with it. The Board of Elections has members of both parties working in the background. I don't believe you would achieve the same level of security with those not fully committed to their party.

Can voting be postponed due to inclement weather?

Asked by j.t. almost 12 years ago

I'm not sure but I would guess that it would not since voting is a national event and not a local one. That I something I'd have to check with the Board of Elections.

Do you think we'll ever be able to vote online?

Asked by Rizzo almost 12 years ago

I really doubt it. As of right now I think technology isn't secure enough to insure a clean election with no fraud. Hackers would be able to get in and do a lot of harm to the election process. Also with smart phones, ipads and tablets, laptops, and so many people having multiple devices with different ip addresses, I see the potential of major voter fraud. Coming in in person, at least you have to present yourself and your signature to a real person who can verify your identity.

Do you agree? In the elections they need to serve coffee, doughnuts, with cream, water, and soda pop. They also need chairs in the voting booths. You can not go wrong with having more voting booths and giving them more privacy like full curtains. A thing to flip up or a button to alert staff instead of having to raise your hand for a long time. With the I voted stickers are amazing like awesome! They also need pamphlets that tell about each party, candidate, and issue. Right?

Asked by Jimmey woop woop over 5 years ago

What do you think of mail in ballots?

Asked by david over 4 years ago