Democracy in Danger
Unfortunately, this headline is not an empty warning or a misplaced threat. It is a fact. There is a burgeoning crisis that, if left unchecked, has the capacity to disrupt and debilitate the democratic system in America. At the center of this crisis are Americans, civic-minded individuals stepping forward to volunteer their time, talent, and energy to making sure elections are conducted fairly and efficiently. However, election officials have been remiss in supplying these individuals—poll workers—with adequate training and preparation necessary to get the job done. It’s like expecting a car to run smoothly without a well-oiled engine – good luck!
The poll worker crisis is particularly detrimental for people of color, who are at greatest risk of being disenfranchised in the upcoming Nov. 7 election. We need only look at the statistics regarding the training, recruitment, and retention of poll workers to understand why eligible voters being denied access to a vote and having their vote counted is often the ensuing result.
According to a wire news report, many poll workers earn less than they would flipping hamburgers. Other reports predict a “messy” election on Nov. 7 in 10 key states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington.
The problem of poorly trained poll workers is reminiscent of some direct disenfranchisement strategies—restrictive and arbitary registration practices—employed by Whites during the Civil Rights Era. In the South, voter registration was complicated in states requiring information that was unavailable to many Blacks (e.g., street addresses, because Black neighborhood lacked street names and numbers). Even though some Blacks were able to overcome these initial obstacles to voting, election officials would still deny the vote arbitrarily. Similarly, states that do not invest in proper training for poll workers are creating an atmosphere on Election Day that is not conducive to a fair election process, one that involves cumbersome voting procedures and chaotic scenes at polling sites.
If state and county election officials do not take immediate action to rectify the poll worker situation, we might as well post signs at polling places that say “Warning: Untrained Poll Workers Ahead. Vote at Your Own Risk.”
The poll worker crisis is particularly detrimental for people of color, who are at greatest risk of being disenfranchised in the upcoming Nov. 7 election. We need only look at the statistics regarding the training, recruitment, and retention of poll workers to understand why eligible voters being denied access to a vote and having their vote counted is often the ensuing result.
According to a wire news report, many poll workers earn less than they would flipping hamburgers. Other reports predict a “messy” election on Nov. 7 in 10 key states: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington.
The problem of poorly trained poll workers is reminiscent of some direct disenfranchisement strategies—restrictive and arbitary registration practices—employed by Whites during the Civil Rights Era. In the South, voter registration was complicated in states requiring information that was unavailable to many Blacks (e.g., street addresses, because Black neighborhood lacked street names and numbers). Even though some Blacks were able to overcome these initial obstacles to voting, election officials would still deny the vote arbitrarily. Similarly, states that do not invest in proper training for poll workers are creating an atmosphere on Election Day that is not conducive to a fair election process, one that involves cumbersome voting procedures and chaotic scenes at polling sites.
If state and county election officials do not take immediate action to rectify the poll worker situation, we might as well post signs at polling places that say “Warning: Untrained Poll Workers Ahead. Vote at Your Own Risk.”
posted by Butterfly87 | 10:12 PM
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