100 Point Paper
E.) Poll Worker Essay Labels: American Government
(Questions to answer)
What did you learn? (1 page on this)
What rules were you limited and guided by? (1 page on this)
What role do citizen volunteers play in voting? (1 page on this)
What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the registration and voting system you participated in? (1 page on this)
Total = 4 pages
Thesis:
Clarity (clear message), content (detailed procedures), completeness (all events), and persuasiveness (is it important). Do NOT write a book report!
Pros:
- Poll workers cooperating well.
- Clean and professional service.
- I know how the voting process works now.
Cons:
- Mildly confusing setup.
- No clear path for voters to follow.
- Some people were somewhat confused.
- Some errors made the process choppy for a couple of people.
I learned:
- Poll workers MUST give proper and friendly service as well as privacy for the voter.
- Do NOT rush the voters! It is illegal and poll workers can get FIRED for doing so! Wait at least until 8:00 pm and after the last voter has left the building before even starting to remove signs and other items.
- You MUST follow printed instructions on what steps you should do while setting up.
Something about Our Republic:
My Experience as a Poll Worker
Everybody likes to have their say and voices heard. That is why the United States has a day set by law known as Election Day in which citizens choose what representatives they want elected as their public officials (Is the United States a Democracy). Louis Brandeis once said, "The most important political office is that of the private citizen." This quote is true; citizens do play an important role as they are responsible for choosing the most qualified candidates. On November 2, 2010, I saw firsthand how the voting process works and how citizens make their voices heard. As a poll worker, I learned and obliged to certain rules while serving my time as a volunteer. I was limited and restricted on some terms, yet that allowed me to focus more on other important aspects such as Election Day's strengths and flaws. The key idea still remains: a person's vote is a person's voice.
Before Election Day came around I had no definite knowledge about the primary or midterm elections. However, as November's elections approached, I did some research on the purpose of these elections and when they occurred. To my surprise I discovered how substantial the primary and midterm elections really are. The November 2010 elections where in fact not primary but midterm elections. What occurs during these midterm elections does not directly decide if the presidential position will be changed, so the president will still remain president after the midterm ends. In contrast the primary elections are when the voters select the delegates that will run in the general election and then soon after the winner of the presidency is chosen (Thebigshowernie, 2007). Either way, both of the elections call for the voice of the people. Remember that the people do not work for the representatives; the representatives work for the people (Muellerleile, 2010)
Even after learning this new information, some of my own views about Election Day continued to modify. During the poll worker training session two things stood out to me: the specified procedures for setting and cleaning the voting equipment and the rules and regulations applied specifically for Election Day. I will first begin by explaining the Election Day rules and regulations. The simple but most important rule is to give the voter privacy while offering professional and friendly service. Smiles and assistance may give the the voter a more joyful voting environment, rather than an one filled with cold demeanors. Most importantly, voters should have the utmost positive and welcoming experience possible so they may choose to vote again in future elections. As for the privacy, people need theirs because it is solely their own business on what they choose and decide on. I as a poll worker could not directly look at the voter's marked ballot because then I would be interfering with their privacy. Per contra, if someone asked for help and does not mind sharing their decision, assistance may override the issue over privacy for this specific circumstance. As polls near eight o'clock and voters dwindle, poll workers have to remain in position until the last ballot is cast. It does not matter if it is ten minutes past closing time; as long as there is still a voter who has not cast their ballot, the poll workers cannot begin the closing process. Workers cannot rush the voter or else the worker can get fired for doing so. Another thing to keep in mind, offering incentives to voters and wearing anything that is affiliated with a political party are illegal under both state and federal laws (Election Day Do's and Don'ts). There is freedom of speech but that freedom comes with responsibility, not freedom from responsibility (TBug, 2010).
Citizens' votes are the oxygen needed in order for the body of the republic to survive. All citizens are entitled to think and believe what they want- as long as they do not place others, and sometimes themselves, in harm's way (Muellerleile, 2010). Election Day is one of many ways for the citizens to have their voices heard without putting anybody at risk. Some may argue that outcome will remain the same no matter if they vote or not, believing that their vote is meaningless. They have a similar ideology that is similar to a quote by Joseph Stalin that says, "The people who cast the votes do not decide an election, the people who count the votes do." However this is untrue in our republic. Maureen Leidy wrote, "Many people think that their vote does not matter. Imagine if everyone felt that way – we would never elect a president! There have been many, many elections – not just on a local level – that have been decided by less than 100 votes. So thinking that one's vote does not count could not be farther from the truth" (Leidy, 2002)
As I have greatly emphasized throughout this paper, the vote of the citizen is his or her individual voice, so they must exercise it. There is a saying directed towards those who do not participate in elections that says, "If one does not vote, they have no right to complain." For example, if an individual does not like how the local government is handling a specific issue the person has the opportunity to voice their opinion when they vote (this applies to national government as well). However, if the circumstance is that one can not vote, the chance at making a statement towards the government is failed. "The peoples' votes hold the local and national leaders responsible for the decisions they make. The votes send a message about the issues people think are important. The votes affirm the rights as free citizens to elect their government and take part in democracy. Without voting, there could be no democracy" (Importance of Voting).
While helping as an assistant poll worker, I realized how most of the voting process worked, So when I become old enough to legally vote I would have prior knowledge on how things are properly settled during the voting process. Election day had a lot of strengths, the most significant being the cleanness and organization of the voting location. The tables were neatly established around the room, with proper table names visible and easy to follow. Poll workers were cooperating very well. Poll workers were working and correcting each other when those small were errors occurred. On the other hand, voters were sometimes sent to the wrong table, causing temporary confusion. It is a small error that was easily remedied by the organized setup.
Election Day is a time for citizens to practice their right to vote that many take for granted. Citizens are not capitalizing, which is sad because voting is one of our own constitutional rights. There are probably more people contemplating who should continue in "Dancing with the Stars" than there are contemplating who should be the next trustee member of a school board that governs their childrens' schools (Bliss, 2010). By volunteering as a poll worker, I realized that my vote is the only way to be heard. Everybody likes to have their voice heard.
Works Cited
Bliss, Shane. "The Real Importance of Voting." The Globe. College Media Network, 19 Oct. 2010. Web. 27 Nov. 2010.
"Election Day Dos and Don'ts | Recordnet.com." Recordnet.com Home Page | San Joaquin County News, Jobs, Cars, Real Estate and More. San Joaquin Media Group, 31 Oct. 2010. Web. 17 Nov. 2010.
"Importance of Voting." About Voting and Elections. Pennsylvania Department of State. Web. 26 Nov. 2010.
Leidy, Maureen. "Understanding the Importance of Voting." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More.. Pagewise, 2002. Web. 26 Nov. 2010.
Muellerleile, Hermine. "The Importance of Elections." EzineArticles Submission. Ezine Articles, 22 Oct. 2010. Web. 21 Nov. 2010.
TBug. "Freedom of Speech Does Not Mean Freedom of Responsibility." Daily Kos: State of the Nation. Kos Media, LLC, 16 Oct. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
Thebigshowernie. "What Is the Purpose of the Primary Election ? - Yahoo! Answers." Yahoo! Answers - Home. Yahoo!, 2007. Web. 24 Nov. 2010.
"ThisNation.com--Is the United States a Democracy?" ThisNation.com-American Government & Politics Online. Web. 21 Nov. 2010.