A couple of weeks ago, I had the task of working at one of the election polls in our most recent primaries. I would like to share a few impressions and observations about this day with my readers.
In our particular polling precinct we have almost 3,000 registered voters. We use 2 voting machines. In the course of this particular day we used 10 workers. Assignments ranged from the clerk taking ID’s and verifying the names on the registered voters list to the clerk asking which party the voter chose to vote in-to ballot clerks issuing ballots to the clerk giving out “I Voted” stickers and directing to the exit. Then there is the Precinct Inspector overseeing it all.
The single act that caused the most agitation to the voter, by far was the issue of declaring which primary they chose to vote in. Their reactions ranged from blank stares to outright rage. Which brings me to the topic of today’s blog:
Primary Election Voter Education….
I have worked the polls for at least ten years now and I can NOT for the life of me understand how some people’s minds work. When a voter comes in to vote, one would assume that if they made the effort to come to the polls to vote they would at the very least have some idea about what and who they are voting for. But unfortunately the fact is that a good 70% (or more in some situations) seemed to be ignorant to most of the issues associated with primaries. So in the interest of educating and keeping it simple, I will try to demystify the process.
First of all, a primary is an election that decides which person will be in the General Election in November of an election cycle. That simply means that all the weeks prior to an election, when the politicians are rallying and knocking on your door-promising to do a better job, etc. -it is just so they can be nominated as your district-city-county-state or national representative in the primary election in June. That means that there may be as little as 2 or as much as 6 or more candidates running for one spot in the Republican or Democratic or Independent or Libertarian slot. Most of the time there will be a Republican and a Democrat. In Alabama when you come to the polls to vote in a June Primary-you must declare your Party in order to get either a Blue Republican ballot with all the Republican candidates on it or a White Democratic ballot with just Democrat candidates on it. You can ONLY get ONE ballot- either or- you CAN NOT cross party lines in a Primary Election. You may cross party lines in the General Election in November.
Why this is so upsetting to voters is beyond me. One thing voters need to know is that we polling officials DO NOT care how you vote. Nor do we remember how you vote. It doesn’t matter to us. We are impartial (theoretically and legally) to your voting decision. Voters need to understand the process. Voters must select, or narrow the field if you will, so that there is only one nominee for each party in the November General Election. Republicans versus Democrats (or Independents and Libertarians as the situation dictates). But a Primary is for narrowing the field down to just one candidate per party.
With that said, as often the case, there is a July run-off election held when the votes are close and a decision hasn’t been made as to who is the most popular choice. After 6 weeks from the Primary election, a run-off vote will make that determination if it is not yet clear.
The actual process goes like this: You-the voter come into the polling precinct with your ID ready to be shown. Usually you wait in line until the next clerk is available. While waiting you will notice all the posted signs giving you every possible direction from which ID’s are acceptable to what your rights as a voter are, to step by step instructions on how to vote. READ the signs… You will also see do’s and don’ts such as no cell phones in the polling area, no campaigning within 30 feet of the entrance; you must enter one way and exit another, etc. These are state, county or city mandated rules. NOT the poll workers rules.
The poll workers are simply your neighbors volunteering their time, effort and patience for a very nominal fee. They must attend election school the week before to cover the rules and guidelines. The inspectors must attend 2 schools, and be responsible for all things that occur on election day and up to the point of surrendering the ballots and documents at the end of the election night. The workers must be at the polling place the day before to set up and then be at the polling place by 6AM the morning of and then are there until at least 8 PM or later. Some precincts are unheated and/ or not air-conditioned. They will receive dozens of complaints ranging from the before mentioned primary choice to having to walk too far to “I didn’t bring ID” to “I don’t want to write my name” to “I don’t like how the ballot is designed”. Some will be so irate that they actually hurl insults and profanities to actual objects at the workers. Come on people! We are your neighbors just trying to help out. If you are that displeased with the process, then why not get involved and try to change it in a fashion that is more helpful than hurtful. Honestly, the whole reason that I even agreed to get involved all those years ago was because every time I came to vote, I was taken aback by how rude the poll workers seemed to be. It was intimidating and off putting. I was determined that kill them with kindness would be my motto. As of today, I can honestly say that every single one of the workers at my polling precinct (with the exception of one) will greet you with a smile and a wholehearted attempt to help you in the voting process. Ahh- but I digress.
After you have shown your ID and been verified and declared your party choice in the primary election, you will sign the appropriate book while the clerk writes your name in the corresponding book on the corresponding line that will be turned in to the board of registrars at the end of the day. This will notify them that you have voted and prevent you from being placed on the inactive list after not voting in 4 election cycles. Once you are put on the inactive list, you will be allowed to vote only after you have completed an update form made available to you on Election Day. However, if you have failed to complete an update form after so long you are purged from the list and will have to re-register in order to vote. YOU CAN NOT REGISTER at the voting precinct on Election Day. You must go to your board of Registrars to do this in advance.
Sometimes in the process of signing voters in there are human errors that must be corrected and this means that you may have to wait until they have been taken care of. It happens. No one is perfect. The mistakes must be corrected before moving on to avoid bigger mistakes later. It is a process. Please be patient.
After being signed in at the Primary Election, you are issued a slip that is either blue or white indicating which ballot you will receive. The type of ballot is determined by your primary choice and by where you live in the district that you are voting in. District lines are drawn up in advance and can be confusing to voters. You may be voting in a different district than even your neighbors across the street. Again, the poll workers have no influence in this and you should address any issues you have with this with your elected officials AFTER the election.
Once you have your slip indicating your ballot style you will give it to the ballot clerks who will in turn issue you the proper ballot. Some voting precincts do not use pens and use levers instead. In Alabama, we are pretty universal and use the marking ballots. You will be given a marking pen and a privacy folder and then be directed to go into the voting area to mark your ballot. The voting “booths” are set up with dividers for your privacy.
When marking your ballot, you should be careful to only mark on the ballot where indicating your candidate or issue choice. Any stray marks or changing after marking will kick out (reject) your ballot as unreadable or overvoted. Don’t panic-it happens. Don’t be embarrassed or upset. You aren’t the first voter to have this happen to and you certainly will not be the last. Poll workers are equipped to handle it. If this happens, you will be asked to fold your ballot in half in order to ensure your voting privacy and the top corner will be torn off so that it cannot be fed into the voting machine. The “spoiled” ballot will be placed into an envelope designated as Spoiled Ballots at the ballot clerk table and a new ballot will be issued to you. At the end of the day the spoiled ballots will be turned back in along with all the other documents, unused ballots and voted ballots. While the votes on the spoiled ballots will not be counted, the number of spoiled ballots will be. ALL ballots must be accounted for at the end of the day and reconciled to the number of ballots originally received at that precinct.
Once you have completed your choices on your ballot while sitting in the privacy booths, you will then take you ballot to the voting machine. The machine will take your ballot in a designated slot with arrows. You can place your ballot in upside down, upright, or backwards and the machine will read it. It should read it anyway but sideways. The machine will make a beep and your vote will be counted. The machine will display a number but not how you voted at that time. You will then proceed to the exit where you will drop off your marking pen and privacy folder and receive an “I Voted” sticker. This sticker is given to you to designate you as a voter and to remind others to vote when they see it on you. Wear it with pride. Remember that you have just had the honor of doing something that not everyone can do.
You will exit and hopefully your experience has been a good one. At the end of the day the poll workers will make a reconciliation of all ballots with the number of voters. Tapes will be printed in that process that must be sent to various places and put in different envelopes. A printout of the results will go to the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, Independent, Libertarian, etc. A results printout will be posted on the precinct window for anyone to view. A printout will go to the news media, the Probate Judge and Sheriff and/or other designated officials. The results printout will have a tally of all the votes. Not who voted but just the results.
All the results will be taken to the proper authorities at the end of the Election Day once balanced and reconciled. Then all the machines are zeroed out, and supplies packed up to be returned to the proper places. The voting area cleaned up and put back in order. The Election Day in the history books and put to bed; ready for the next run-off or General Election.
In the General Election, the voters will be able to vote on their candidate or issue of choice without declaring parties.
Beth Chapman - Alabama Secretary of State says:
Crossover voting occurs when a voter who participated in one political party's primary election votes in the primary run-off election for an opposing political party. Alabama election law authorizes each political party to establish rules governing its primary elections (§17-16-14, Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended), including the establishment of rules as to who may vote in its runoff election
The Democratic Party has adopted a crossover voting rule that prohibits a voter from participating in its primary runoff election if the voter participated in another political party's primary election. For example, a voter who participated in the Republican Party primary may not vote in the Democratic Party's primary runoff.
The Republican Party has not adopted a crossover rule. Thus, voters who participate in either the Republican Party's or Democratic Party's primary election may legally vote in the Republican Party's primary runoff election.
Right now, Alabama Republicans allow what’s called “crossover voting,” meaning anyone can vote in their runoff elections, even if they voted in the Democratic primary on June 1st. Democrats put a rule in place several years ago that prohibits that, and Republican party chair Mike Hubbard today said he thinks the Republicans should do the same before the July 13th runoff.
“I think that’s something we ought to consider,” Hubbard said Wednesday. “And I think it makes sense, I don’t know anybody who would have a problem with that. It just stands to reason if you voted in Democrat primary, then you shouldn’t be able to come over and have an influence in who the Republican nominee is.”
“I think that’s something we ought to consider,” Hubbard said Wednesday. “And I think it makes sense, I don’t know anybody who would have a problem with that. It just stands to reason if you voted in Democrat primary, then you shouldn’t be able to come over and have an influence in who the Republican nominee is.”
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However, as of June 11th, nothing has changed and crossover voting still occurs. But more importantly, voters should take the time to investigate the issues and the candidates. Check out the voting records, the ideas, the supporters making the contributions. One vote can make the difference.
Check out some of these web sites to become informed:
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