Despite decline in in-person voting, poll workers remain in demand

Mary McGuire wants to help make a difference while working as an election worker for the first time this year. 

The Lansing resident signed up to be an election worker for the 2020 general election next Tuesday because other friends of hers around the state have as well.

“There was a call for it, too,” McGuire said. “I’ve never noticed outreach to invite people to be election workers.” 

In total, the city is training more than 600 people — including new workers and returning workers — to help clerk Swope’s office process ballots on Election Day. 

About half of the workers are working for the first time, according to a news release. 

“Especially this election, it just seems there’s so much more energy around it,” McGuire said. “It’s not just Republicans or Democrats. It really is a lot of people feeling they want to be involved in some small way.” 

One day last week, Swope’s office trained up to 51 people at the Lansing Public Media Center on how to use the polling stations and ballot machines. There have been more than 35,122 absentee ballots issued and more than 26,599 have been returned as of Tuesday (Oct. 27), Swope said. 

“I think the message has gotten out to a lot more folks to express what they want, and COVID-19 is making people want to do that from the safety of their own home,” Swope said. 

For the past five years, Owosso resident Zachary Lemaster has been a polling worker in Lansing.  

He said a lot has changed in the past five years in regard to voting.

“There’s a lot less action in the precincts themselves,” Lemaster said. 

He said more and more young people are participating as election workers; children as young as 16 years old can work for a limited time as an election worker. 

“In my own training classes, I’m seeing the people getting younger and younger,” Lemaster said. 

He said he trains new election workers on how to use laptops and e-poll books, which contain information such as a voter’s date of birth and address, pieces of information found on their driver’s license already. 

Swope addressed several potential issues surrounding safety for election workers such as intimidation and carrying firearms. 

“We just need to know it’s occurring and we’ll take steps to mitigate it,” Swope said. “I think it’s hard to define unless you feel it. If they feel intimidation occurring, then that’s when we will take action.” 

Open carrying of firearms within 100 feet of polling places is prohibited, according to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in a news release. 

However, this edict has been met with mixed reception among law enforcement officials around the state and could be challenged in court. 

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, appearing on Showtime’s “The Circus” recently, said Michigan State Police officers would enforce prevention of voter intimidation if local sheriffs would not, according to The Detroit News. 

Swope said anyone who feels like they’re being intimidated at their polling location can contact the clerk’s office or speak to the chairperson of their election precinct.

Poll watching is allowed, however. 

Swope said he has told election workers to find an area for members of the public to watch the polling process. 

Most election workers will work from 6 a.m. to approximately 10 p.m. on Election Day, Swope said. Polls close at 8 p.m. that day. 

They will be paid at least $12 an hour or up to $17 for people in the position known as “superchairs” above precinct chairpersons. Superchairs provide assistance to the workers at the city’s four voting precincts, Swope said. 

Several precautions are also being taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including marking floors to have people stand six feet apart, limiting things such as pens being touched by multiple people, and having voters scan their own driver’s license, he said. Extra disposable masks will also be available, as will hand sanitizer. 

Polling stations will be sanitized between voters, Swope said.