Not Quite a Blog

Tomorrow I'll be a pollworker in California again.

I was a pollworker in Nov. 2006 and was surprised at how difficult the task is ("The General Election at Precinct 225400"). It's an amazingly grueling 16-hour day where you go from highs of recognition from the service you're providing to having to deal with people that obviously have a baseless complaint that you have no choice but to deal with.

This time it's going to be more difficult. First, our high school pollworker just called and said (s)he won't be able to make it due to the flu. Encouraging high schoolers to serve as pollworkers is a wonderful practice. In my precinct, I oversee a team of older pollworkers who don't have much familiarity with technology. The high school poll workers understand this stuff and also don't get as tired as we do. This part of our team will be missed.

Second, I am sick too. I've got an annoying cold. As the head of a polling place ("poll inspector"), there's really no way to call in sick. So, I'll be downing some NyQuil tonight and hoping that the rest I can get will allow me to seize the day tomorrow.

Someday, pollworkers will be paid for what they're worth... I'd like to see a system where each pollworker got $1000 for their day. That's more what the work is worth and it would also catalyze a heightened quality of pollworking as there would suddenly be a demand for that job.

If you're near 3933 Harrison St. in Oakland, California tomorrow, stop by and say hi and observe things for a bit. I won't be able to talk much, but it's nice to see people on such a tough day. Remember, no campaign literature, clothing or rhetoric is allowed in polling places in California, so just don't go there.