The Quick Start Management Guide for

Poll Workers is a snapshot of processes and

procedures for local election administrators

to use for recruiting, training, and retaining

poll workers. It is a guide that assists

election officials with one of their most

challenging tasks—managing the people

resources required to conduct an election.

A comprehensive Guidebook for Poll

Workers is under development and will be

released in 2007.

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Reaching Out to Potential Poll Workers

• Advertisetheneedforpollworkersbypostingasign-upsheetatpollingplacesandearlyvotinglocations.

• UseyourofficeWebsitebypostinganonline,interactivepollworkerjobappli-cationandjobdescription.Partnerwithareabusinesses/corporations,city/countygovernments,chambersofcommerce,etc.,topostalinktoyouronlinerecruitmentapplicationontheirWebsite.

• Usetechnologybydevelopingane-mailblasttoreachemployeesatcity/countygovernmentandareabusinesses/corporations.

• Useexistingstaffandpollworkersasanarmyofrecruiters.Askthemtotalktofriendsandrelativestoencouragethemtobecomepollworkers.

• Createaninformationalbrochuretodistributeatspeakingengagements,makeavailableatfrontcounters,insertinmailings,etc.

• Advertiseyourneedinareaneighborhoodassociationnewsletters,city/chamber/schooldistrictnewsletters,churchpublications,multilingualmediapublications,etc.Incorporateyourneedforpollworkerswithotherelectionadvertisingneeds.Example:Partner with your area cable public access channel to run public service announcements focusing on opportunities for poll workers.

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• Designandprintrecruitmentposters.Displaythematareagrocerystores,inlibraries,atmovietheaters,atmasstransportationsystems,etc.

• Reachouttothemediawiththespecificsfortheneighborhoodswhereyouneedpollworkers—howmany,etc.

• Developcommunityrecruitingpartnerships:

• City/CountyGovernmentEmployees—WorkwithlocalgovernmentmanagementandelectedofficialstodevelopaprogramthatencouragesdepartmentheadstoreassignsomeoftheiremployeestotheElectionOfficeonElectionDay.

• HighSchoolStudents—Establisharecruitmenteffortbycontactingyourlocalhighschoolprincipals.IfStatelawpermits,assignatleastonestudenttoeachpollingplace.

• CollegeStudents—Contactcollegefacultyatareauniversitiesandcommunitycollegestodevelopacollegepollworkerprogram.Collegestudentscouldalsobeassignedtoassistwithpre-electionoperationalneedsandmayalsobeavailabletoassistastroubleshooters/roversonElectionDay.

• CivicOrganizations—Reachouttolocalcivicgroupsandothermembershiporganizationstorecruittheirmembershiptoworkatthepolls.Promotethisprogrambysuggestingthatmembersuseworking

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atthepollsasa“fundraiser”withparticipatingmembersvoluntarilydonatingtheirstipends/earningsbacktotheirorganizationortothecivicorganizationoftheirchoice.

• CorporationsandBusinesses—ReachouttocompaniesandbusinessestoincorporatepollworkerserviceaspartoftheirongoingcommunityserviceprogramthatencouragesemployeestoserveaspollworkersonElectionDay.Promotethisprogrambysuggestingtheyuseworkingatthepollsasa“fundraiser”withparticipatingemployeesvoluntarilydonatingtheirstipends/earningsbacktothecivicorganizationoftheirchoice.

Reviewing Your Training Program

• Reviewperformanceandfeedbackfrompastelectionstodetermineifpollworkersneedbettertrainingincertainareasoftheoperation.Usethisinformationtoestablishprioritiesforreviewing/updatingtrainingtechniques.

• EvaluateyourElectionDaypollingplacesupplies.Aretheyallnecessary,orhavechangesinproceduresorvotingsystemsmadesomeofthemobsolete?AretheyeasytofindonElectionDay,oristhereabetterwaytopackthem?Example:Consider asking a group of poll workers to meet and critique supplies and forms.

• Reviewthetrainingmanual.Doesitneedtoberevisedtoreflectchangesin

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proceduresornewequipment?Istheinformationclearlypresented?Askateamofnewpollworkerstoreadthemanualandprovidefeedback.

• Considerconductingseparatetrainingforexperiencedandnewpollworkersand/orspecificpollworkerpositions.

• Determinewhatmaterialspollworkerswilltakehomefromtraining.Example:manual, training video/CD, quizzes, scenarios.

• Determinewhatequipmentandsuppliesyouneedfortraining.Ifyouareimplementingnewvotingequipment,youwillneedalargenumberofvotingmachinesthatcanbeusedforpractice(in“demonstrationmode”)intraining.Ifyouarechangingformsortheformatofmaterials,suchastheprovisionalballotapplication,thevoterlist,ortheprecinctmap,makesuretohavetherevisedversionavailablefortraining.

Updating Your Training Techniques

• Don’tre-inventthewheel.Visitotherjuris-dictionsandattendtheirtrainingsessions.Inviteotherjurisdictions,theLeagueofWomenVoters,oradulteducationexpertstocometoyourtrainingeventtoprovidefeedback.Shareideaswithotherjurisdic-tionsthatusethesameelectiontechnology.

• Usetrainerswhoknowthesubjectandareexperiencedintrainingtechniques,ordevelopaprogramto“trainthetrainer.”Trainingandteachingaredifferent

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educationalapproaches.Example:A schoolteacher may not know training techniques.

• Usevisualaidsthroughoutyourtrainingprogram.Createposter-sizedsignstoreinforcethemostcriticalinformationmadeintraining.Postcopiesofthesesignsaroundthetrainingroom.Example:One poster might remind poll workers to take out the memory cartridges from each voting machine at the end of election night. Another poster could remind them to make sure provisional voters sign the provisional ballot application. A third poster might remind them where to find troubleshooting information.

• RemembertomirrorElectionDaythroughoutyourtraining.Thatis,whatthepollworkerseesintraining—theopeningchecklist,thelistofvoters,thepaperwork,thejobguides—shouldbeexactlywhatthepollworkerwillseeonElectionDay.

• Developjobguidesforallpollworkerposi-tions.Thesetoolswillremindpollworkershowtoperformaspecificroleortaskatthepollingplace.Keeptheguidesshortandsimple—nomorethanonepage—andeasytoread.Usethejobguidesintrain-ingsopollworkersknowtolookforthemonElectionDayandunderstandalltheinformation.Example:Create separate job guides for the poll worker who checks the list of voters, for the poll worker who assists voters whose names are not on the list or whose names are lost, for the poll worker who gives the voter a ballot, and for the poll worker who assists voters with filling out their ballot or voting on the machine.

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• Invitepollworkerstoprovidefeedbackonthepollworkertrainingprogram.Developspecificquestions.Example:“Did you feel confident in your ability to open the polls after training?” or “Did you encounter anything on Election Day that was not covered in training?” and, of course, “What can we do better?”

• Incorporatereal-lifeElectionDayscenarioswithyourtrainingprogram.Asktheparticipantstovisualizeand/orroleplaybyrespondingwithasolutionforeachscenario.Roleplayingprovidesanopportunityfortheparticipantsto“see”themselvesinactiononElectionDay.Example:Ask the poll workers to determine how to process a registered voter who has moved to an address in a different precinct.

• Developarefresherlistof“20Questions.”Endthetrainingsessionprogrambyusingthe20QuestionsinaninteractiveQ&Asession.

Ensuring Success on Election Day

• ProvideadedicatedphonelineforpollworkersupportonElectionDay.Electionstaffshouldreceivespecializedtrainingonhowtorespondtopollworkers’questions;forexample,howtoprocessavoterorhowtoopen/closeavotingmachine.Trainelectionstafftodocumenteachcalland,ifnecessary,routeasupporttechniciantoprovidequickresponsetoresolvearequestforassistance.

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• MakesurepollworkershaveimmediateaccesstoadedicatedtelephonetoplaceandreceivesupportandemergencycallsintheirpollingplaceonElectionDay.

• Keepitsimple.Provideeasy-to-followchecklistsforopening/closingthepollsandflowchartsdepictinghowtoprocessthevariouscategoriesofvoters(forexample,provisionalvoters).Tomakeiteasyforthepollworkerstorememberimportantprocedures,providelaminatedinstructionalremindersinstrategiclocationswithinthesupplies.

• MakesurepollworkershaveaneasilyaccessibletroubleshootingguideonElectionDay.

• EstablishanElectionDaysupportprogram.Assigntroubleshooters/roverstovisitpollingplacesthroughoutthedaytoensurethepollingplacesaresetupandopenforbusinessandthatpollworkersareprocessingthevoterscorrectly.Troubleshooters/roverscanbetrainedelectionstafformembersofservice/votereducationorganizations.Alternatively,theycanbegovernmentemployeeswithtechnicalexpertiseasfieldtechnicianswhocanberecruitedfromcountyandcityinformationtechnologydepartments.Example:Develop a checklist to ensure consistency at polling places throughout the county. As part of your Election Day audit, have the troubleshooter/rover and judge sign the checklist and poll worker performance evaluation records.

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