by Katie Clabby

This past Election Day, I served as a poll worker in Arlington County, Virginia. Below is an eye witness account of democracy in action. As an NPAction contributor, I could not help but scrutinize my experience for the implications for nonprofits. So my tale highlights the ways in which nonprofits can help Americans vote in 2008.

Help Wanted!

Turnout in my precinct was predictably low given that it was an off-year election with no federal races on the ballot. About 450 voters showed up, representing about fifteen percent of those registered in the precinct. Consequently, most of the day was slow, with voters trickling in. My fellow poll workers and I caught up on reading, Sudoku, and knitting.

Our precinct did get very busy during the pre- and post-work rush, however. And during those times, I felt we could have used a few more hands on deck. In Arlington County, the poll workers collectively manage a number of tasks: verifying registrations in the poll books, counting the number of voters, activating a voting machine for each voter, examining the voting machine after each voter to ensure the ballot was properly cast, assisting voters when necessary, and — of course — giving each voter the “I Voted” sticker.

At my precinct, three workers were in charge of five voting machines. When all of the machines were occupied, it was challenging to keep up. No mistakes were made, as far as I know, but our system was a bit haphazard. Next November, with turnout expected to be much higher than fifteen percent, errors will be more likely unless our precinct recruits more workers.

Given the difficulty of recruiting poll workers, I also worry about lines next November. Having too few poll workers leads to long waits for voters, sometimes for hours. Because of work, family, and other obligations, some citizens cannot wait very long. When people cannot wait, long lines suppress the vote.

Our democracy, whether we like it or not, depends on volunteers. Shortage of poll workers is not at a crisis level in Arlington County, but it is in other parts of the country. For example, in the critical election state of Ohio, Lucas County election officials are desperate for workers. See the local TV station’s story on the poll worker shortage.

Charities can play a role in ensuring adequate staffing at the polls by encouraging their employees and their constituents to volunteer. Nonprofits should contact their local election officials to determine the how many poll workers are needed and what training is required. With their community knowledge, charities may have innovative ideas about how to effectively expand the number of poll workers they can share with election officials.

Prepare voters for Election Day

Many voters who showed up in my precinct were visibly excited and proud to vote. A number of others, however, appeared nervous and anxious. Perhaps these voters had never voted. Or they may have had a negative experience voting in the past. Or perhaps they were confused.

Confusion among voters should not be surprising given the new election policies implemented in many counties across the country. Several states, including Arizona, Missouri, Florida, Georgia, and Ohio, have changed their ID requirements in recent years. Many states and counties have also transitioned to new electronic voting equipment. For some citizens, voting may feel like an entirely different experience than it did ten years ago.

Unfortunately for voters, some of the policy changes have resulted in less than logical policies. For example, in Virginia, poll workers must ask for identification from each voter. However, I.D. is not actually required to vote! If a voter does not have an I.D., but he or she is listed in the poll books, they can vote via a regular ballot by filling out a short form testifying to their identity. Long story short, voters in Virginia do not need ID, but they should know that poll workers will ask for it.

Another source of confusion for voters is their precinct location. Dozens of voters showed up at my precinct, only to discover they were at the wrong one. When this happened, the chief poll worker gave the voter directions to the correct precinct. I suspect several of these voters, however, never made it to the other precinct, either because they were discouraged or didn’t have the time. One young and eager voter arrived ten minutes before the polls closed, but found out he was in the wrong precinct. He was visibly upset when he realized he didn’t have time to make it to the right one.

The precinct issue has major implications for the outcomes of our selections. According to a Project Vote report on poll workers, approximately 25 percent of the provisional ballots that were not counted in the September 2006 primary were rejected because the voter was not in the correct precinct in four Florida counties—Duval, Miami-Dade, Orange, and Palm Beach.

Nonprofits can play a much-needed role by educating citizens on the specifics of the voting process and requirements in their local communities. For example, as suggested by the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network, charities can set up mock precincts so citizens can practice voting beforehand. Charities could invite local election officials to talk at their nonprofit about upcoming elections. Citizens who don’t fear the polls are more likely to vote on Election Day.

Support election reform

After the polls closed late on election evening, my precinct team turned to the electronic voting machines to tally the results. To my dismay, this required the sorting, highlighting, and cutting of reams upon reams of receipt paper, which were covered in a seemingly indecipherable code.

The chief election officer in my precinct was confident in this process. However, my faith was shaken. At the end of my long day at the polls, I wondered — is this the best our communities can do to ensure our votes are counted?

I believe we can do better to make voting easier, more efficient, and more secure. As citizens, we must urge our leaders — at the federal, state, and local levels — to put in place policies that will enable democracy to work more effectively for all Americans. The nonprofit sector could be a credible and loud voice for election reform. In the absence of more poll workers, more safeguards, and better policies, the impact of the vital work nonprofits are doing to register and mobilize voters for 2008 will be reduced by long lines, disenfranchising policies, and poorly staffed polls. Because improved elections would most benefit the people charities serve — the poor, the elderly, the disabled — advocating for better elections would go a long way in helping charities achieve their missions.

In 2008, I plan to serve as a poll worker again. I hope you’ll join me.