5/17/2006

.Election Judges Smooth the way for voters
By Don Klein
 
Worcester County citizens take elections seriously. In the presidential voting less than two years ago, more than 25,000 residents went to the polls. That amounts to 78 percent of the registered voters at the time, a figure far in excess of the national average of about 50 percent.
 
An equally high percentage can be expected this year when voters go to the polls twice to perform the single most important duty in a democracy, to choose the people who will make and enforce the laws under which they live.
 
The most essential people that day, other than the voters themselves, will be the 250 or so temporary election board employees who will man the 18 widely dispersed polling places in the county.
 
Called election judges, “they are the ones who do the elections,” declared Billye Townsend, administrative assistant at the Worcester County Board of Elections. “We couldn’t do it (the election) without them,” she added.
 
The primaries this year will be held on Tuesday, September 12, followed two months later with the general elections on Tuesday, November 7.
 
Despite being a non-presidential year, 2006 will still be very important for the public to make choices. Voters will select candidates running for governor and lieutenant governor for four years; a United States senator for six years; and each district will pick a congressman to represent them for the next two years. Other issues are on the ballot depending on the county.
 
Each county runs its election machinery in accordance with state law. Worcester County has about 35,000 registered voters. No one can predict how many will actually vote on the election days since issues and other factors often play a part in voter interest.
 
The Board of Elections, headed by Patricia D. Jackson, director, recruits election judges every year. It is an important job which requires dedicated commitments by workers. Polls in Worcester County open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Election judges must be on the job at least an hour before the polls open setting up voting booths, tables and signs to prepare the location for voting and usually are still there wrapping everything up an hour after closing.
 
Election judges are paid a flat fee of $135 for the day unless they are selected as chief judge, of which there are two (a Democrat and a Republican) at each polling location. Chief judges are paid $200. “It is important they are balanced by party affiliation,” Ms. Townsend explained.
 
In addition, all judges, new and experienced, must attend at least one two hour training session. For this they are paid $30. “Even if they are experienced they have to have training” to keep up-to-date, she said.
 
Election judges have significant responsibilities on election day. They man the registration rolls, sign in the voters, direct people to the voting machines, instruct voters in how to use voting machines, respond to mechanical troubles, and generally maintain security at the polling place. In short, they keep the polling place operating smoothly.
 
Polling places are set up to correspond with Worcester County commission districts. Six of the seven districts have multiple locations set aside for voters on election days. Ocean City has just one, the Roland E. Powell Convention Center.
 
Most polling places handle a few thousands voters but all of Ocean City’s nearly 7,000 voters cast their ballots at the convention center. “It’s the greatest thing we have,” Ms. Townsend said, “there is ample parking and everything needed to accommodate voters.” She added that there is great support from the outside community on election day.  
 
The well-lighted cavernous convention center is unique in the county. Other voting districts need two and three precincts to handle their voters. The large number of Ocean Pines voters, for example, are funneled into three locations depending on their precincts.
 
The Board of Elections says just about anyone can work as an election judge as long as they are registered voters and responsible people. They  can be senior citizens, new citizens, they could be working part time elsewhere or full timers who can take the day off, or retired or unemployed.
 
The Board of Elections is looking for recruits to fill vacancies for this year. But the assignment is no walk in the park. “It’s a long hard day’s work,” Ms. Townsend acknowledged.

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