I've worked 8 days now out of my 17 early voting day schedule as an election judge in Harris county.
Most of those days I worked 6 am to 7:30 pm, with a half hour for lunch.
It's long days and paperwork and staff management and voter assistance.
And sometimes a joy.
Most of those days I worked 6 am to 7:30 pm, with a half hour for lunch.
It's long days and paperwork and staff management and voter assistance.
And sometimes a joy.
The neatest thing is the number of stories I get to witness, the small slices of life I get to observe.
For instance, each time the team discovers a first-time voter, they announce it to the whole room, and everyone cheers and claps.
I often tear up at that.
For instance, each time the team discovers a first-time voter, they announce it to the whole room, and everyone cheers and claps.
I often tear up at that.
Every location in Harris is required to have staff fluent in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese, so I've spent a lot of time getting to know our language specialist clerks.
They have been busy all week.
They have been busy all week.
One clerk who helps with Chinese-speaking voters is like Superman on curbside voting. He's amazing.
When the buzzer goes off, he flies into action. When I go with him to observe, I get to witness his confidence and experience, his efficiency and cheerfulness.
When the buzzer goes off, he flies into action. When I go with him to observe, I get to witness his confidence and experience, his efficiency and cheerfulness.
We chat about the forecast, and the Chinese media outlet interviewing people outside the center, or about all the candidate signs, and the neighborhood people walking their dogs past the center.
He is so polite, and I think proud that he can do this job, and do it well.
He is so polite, and I think proud that he can do this job, and do it well.
I learned that one of our Vietnamese clerks makes the most adorable masks. She's also an incurable giver, and very sensitive with voters who need her assistance. She mothers the staff a bit, and her smile is beautiful to see.
The voters are amazing too. Today I helped a gentleman who chiefly spoke Spanish. Using my broken crappy grasp of the language, I made sure he found the candidates he was looking for.
When they say they want Trump, or want 'all Republican', you can't unhear it.
He did.
When they say they want Trump, or want 'all Republican', you can't unhear it.
He did.
I had an elderly couple whose first language was Chinese, come in teasing and mock-fussing at each other. He said he had wanted a mail ballot but changed his mind.
She said she told him that was a bad idea. They were hilarious.
She said she told him that was a bad idea. They were hilarious.
From the way they asked about the option to vote straight ticket Republican being absent now, I gathered they were pretty likely Republican voters as well.
Yesterday an older Spanish-speaking gentleman told me he wanted help using the machine properly. For Trump. Only Trump.
He said it three times.
He said it three times.
But we have proud Democrat voters too, and many delightful ones at that.
Like the darling young lady who searched all morning for her cute Democrat-branded t-shirt that I had to ask her to turn inside out to vote.
She was so sweet about it.
Like the darling young lady who searched all morning for her cute Democrat-branded t-shirt that I had to ask her to turn inside out to vote.
She was so sweet about it.
And the sweet young man who waited so patiently to get a registration issue sorted out so he could vote for his first time. And the older couple from the neighborhood who bring their fluffy dog along to vote.
Most people we've encountered while working the polls are so nice, so appreciative, and they say so.
It makes our day, truly.
It makes our day, truly.
The county changed the mail ballot surrender rules on us IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ELECTION, and even though it has required additional paperwork, most people are taking it in stride without much complaint.
One poor gentleman was much provoked by this rule change, because it required him to return home and try to locate his mail ballot to avoid voting provisionally.
He came back saying 'If this reelection wasn't so important I'd say forget it.'
He came back saying 'If this reelection wasn't so important I'd say forget it.'
@less_tx is right, we have seen so much of the best of us in the past week.
The first day of voting, the line wrapped around the outside of the building.
I didn't hear one angry complaint about it. People were chatting in line and smiling and enjoying the moment.
The first day of voting, the line wrapped around the outside of the building.
I didn't hear one angry complaint about it. People were chatting in line and smiling and enjoying the moment.
And the staff of our center, who all had many other duties to attend to, dropped everything and worked to organize the lines and direct traffic on that first day.
For hours.
For hours.
I just thought you should know how things are going during early voting in our little corner of Houston.
For me, it's a bit like living in a fishbowl, no pun intended. Arrive in the dark, leave in the dark, see the sun a few minutes a day.
For me, it's a bit like living in a fishbowl, no pun intended. Arrive in the dark, leave in the dark, see the sun a few minutes a day.
But in spite of the long hours, the endless paperwork, the general biological chaos that this job throws us into, we proudly process hundreds of voters a day, and try to give every voter the best possible experience.
Last words before I crash, PLEASE:
📌Check your registration and ID
📌Prepare for lines
📌Be polite and considerate
📌Bring friends and family along
📌Have patience
📌Ask us your questions
📌Thank your poll workers
And treats would not go amiss 😉
📌Check your registration and ID
📌Prepare for lines
📌Be polite and considerate
📌Bring friends and family along
📌Have patience
📌Ask us your questions
📌Thank your poll workers
And treats would not go amiss 😉
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