TRAINING POLL WORKERS

John KearneyNash County BOE

WHY TRAIN WORKERS?

Legal Requirement• NCGS 163-46

– The chairman of the county board of elections, along with the director of elections, shall conduct an instructional meeting prior to each primary and general election which shall be attended by each chief judge and judge of election.

• 8 NCAC 4.0305– The chairman of the county board of elections in a county where

a voting system is used shall conduct an instructional meeting before any primary or election to instruct the precinct officials in the use of the voting system.

• Are you “Legally” Required to train assistants?

WHY TRAIN WORKERS?

Professional Reasons• Quality of Service

– A better trained worker will provide a better product/service.

• Confidence– A more confident worker will do a better job.

• CYA

*This year training will be more challenging because of the change in political landscape. Most of us will have all new Chief Judges.

CONSTRAINTS

What constraints do you face in providing proper poll worker training?

• Budgetary– Do Commissioners provide you enough money to adequately

train your workers?

• Staffing– Does your office have enough staff to assist you in training?

• Timing– Do you have enough time to properly train workers before the

election?

CONSTRAINTS

• Personal– What are YOUR strengths and weaknesses?

• Do you feel comfortable public speaking?– Are you a good communicator?

• Do you feel comfortable developing training materials?– Informative– Entertaining

• What is your level of comfort with technology?

NASH COUNTY

Nash County Specifics• 67,000 Voters• 27 Precincts• M100 County• Polling Place

– Chief Judge (Site Manager)– Registration Table (Manual Poll Book)– Ballot Table– Exceptions Table (Help Desk) – Machine Observer

NASH COUNTY

Qualify Potential Workers• Telephone interviews.• Use standardized script, everybody gets same

questions.• Questions Tests:

– Their own voter registration knowledge– Education and background– Computer experience– Alphabetical and Numerical

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Training Manual• Issued at Precinct Official Luncheon

– Held 2-3 weeks after Appointment Meeting.– All Precinct Officials are invited.– All Board Members and Party Chairs attend.– Lunch is provided.– Important Procedure & Law changes are announced.– Officials are sworn in by Chairman and given a certificate of

appointment.

– Short Chief Judge orientation given at the end.

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Training Manual• Manual is divided into 15 sections.• Sections are replaced when procedures or laws change.• Official keeps for entire 2 year appointment.

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NASH COUNTY

Training• ALL Poll Workers MUST attend training before being

allowed to work an election!– Exception: 2nd Primary or Run-Off Elections

• The training is based on job assignments, even for Republican and Democrat Judges.

• Chief Judges are trained separately.• All Assistants will get a small booklet covering important

information they need to know.

NASH COUNTY

Chief Judges• Considered Site Managers.• Detailed knowledge of voting machines.• Working knowledge of all jobs.• Training – 2 Sessions, 2 ½ - 3 hours each:

– Session A is held 4-5 weeks prior to the election.– Session B is held 2 weeks prior to the election.

NASH COUNTY

Chief Judges• Session A

– Pay rates– Coordinate with Polling Place contacts– Staffing allowances– Process for finding and securing workers (assistants)– Supply procedures– ADA Compliance– Polling Place set-up– Voting machines (DVD to take home)

• Hands-on exercises on the machines

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Chief Judges• Session B

– Election basics – DOs & DON’Ts– Electioneering– Media– Voter Assistance– Observers– Challenges– The Ballot– Go through each ED job

• Hands-on exercises on each job

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Registration / Ballot Table• Combined• 3 Hour Session• Both Registration and Ballot Table workers are trained

together for cross-training purposes.• Elections basics• Hands-on exercises:

– Registration workers will practice with poll books and ATVs.– Ballot workers will practice receiving ATVs and issuing ballots.– Materials are placed in a workbook format.

• Machine Observers sit in on this training session.

NASH COUNTY

Exceptions Table• 3 ½ Hour Session• Election basics• Discussion & Hands-on Exercises:

– Ballot– ATV and different scenarios– Curbside– Provisional Ballots

• Laptops– Discuss laptops and printers– Hands-on exercises

IN SUMMARY

• Offer as much training as you can.• Understand that no matter how much you train, no one is

perfect, and mistakes will happen.• If extra training will cause you one less problem, then

why not have it.• Training will CYA!