Pollwatcher's Etiquette and Pollwatcher's Checklist
(Pages 1 - 3 of the Chicago
Pollwatcher's Toolkit,
created by Melisa Urda, revised by Roy Lipscomb.
For best results, print pages directly from Toolkit,
http://ballot-integrity.org/toolkit-chicago.pdf
)
A. Pollwatcher Etiquette
Mantra: "Less Storm Trooper, More Ghandi"
Generally, election judges
conduct the election to the best of their abilities, given the extent of their
training. Since experience may vary between judges, it is best to give them the
benefit of the doubt. A judge may have forgotten a particular procedure, may
not know election law or may just be inexperienced.
Please be respectful. The election judges are appointees of the circuit court
and as such are the highest authorities in the poll. The election code
even gives the judges the power to, by consensus, eject a pollwatcher from the
poll for interfering with the election.
The election code does not require a pollwatcher to mutely observe
the election. You may talk to the judges as so long as you do NOT
interfere with the election or touch election materials. If you notice a
procedure that affects the voter, please talk to the judge rather than to
the voter.
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING:
* DO NOT immediately ask
questions when you arrive, or ambush the judge in what appears to be an
Inquisition. Otherwise, the good will or comfortable dialogue you later try to
cultivate will be strained. ("Less Storm Trooper, More Gandhi.")
Imagine yourself in the same situation. Try to empathize with the judge's long,
busy, complicated day.
* DO engage in easy conversation when you arrive, if the poll is not busy. When
there's a break in the action, ask them how they're doing. Afterwards you can
begin asking questions .
* CONSIDER bringing snacks for the judges! It's a long day.
BEFORE THE POLLS OPEN, AND DURING EARLY MORNING: (May be useful later in
the day, too)
Some conversation openers:
1. "In some jurisdictions, the judge sets up the election machines the day
before. Is that the case here?"
2. "You can set them up that early the day before?"
3. "Did the janitor/secretary/owner help you lock up the room after all
that setting up?"
4. "That was a flurry of activity--I wonder if it'll be like this all day
long!"
5. "Did you ever run out of ballots? Or get some wrong ones?"
6. "It's such long day...how do you ever do it? Can I get you a cup of
coffee?"
DURING THE DAY: (note that some questions are repeated for the sake of
documentation)
1. "Did the janitor/secretary/owner help you lock up the room after all
that work, setting up?"
2. "Have the touch-screen and op-scan machines been behaving for you
today?"
3. "When did the problem occur? They seem to be pretty complicated."
(Follow up later--if a technician made repairs or changes to the machines or
memory cards, document his or her name. Check whether a judge's report sheet
with the problem written up may be available.)
4. "I'm surprised so many people are coming to the wrong poll--did the
location change?"
5. "I'm wondering if it would be easier to post a sign so voters can go
over to the other precinct?"
6. "Now that it isn't busy, could you please print your name here on this
Wrapup Report?" (Check legibility.)
7. "May I check the voter turnout? " (Ballot-application book should
have consecutive numbers of voters)
8. "Were more ballots spoiled during this election than the last?"
9. "May I see the count of federal, provisional, and spoiled
ballots?"
DO NOT ASK the judge their political affiliation. Some may take
offense and say it is electioneering.
DO ASK the judges to write their names under the appropriate
affiliation heading on the Wrapup Report form.
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