One of the things I love about working the elections is that it really does restore my love for people (and my husband would laughingly say I don't have a lot of that to begin with!).
On election day, you meet people from all walks of life. Some sign up to be poll workers because they're bored. Others sign up because they believe in the electoral process and think it's important enough to spend time and energy on it. Some actually use vacation time from work to work, though most businesses will grant it (training, set-up time, and election day) as community service days.
But early voting is a different ballgame. Because of the length of time and the hours required, it's usually retirees, housewives (with older or no children), people recently laid off, and quite a few widows/widowers. Their backgrounds are diverse, but their passion and dedication are unsurpassed. This year I was asked to train/work as a site supervisor, and I was more than a little nervous about it. Personnel issues can easily be one of the biggest hurdles, and that, so far, has not been the case with my crew. They jump in and help out, they willfully do a job, even if it's not the position they prefer, and they have great attitudes. I've also been blessed with a great mentor supervisor. She doesn't belittle my questions or yell at me when I make mistakes. Today puts us at the half-way point for early voting. While I think we'll all be exhausted and a little glad when it's over, it's been a great experience. And not every site supervisor can say that.
On election day, you meet people from all walks of life. Some sign up to be poll workers because they're bored. Others sign up because they believe in the electoral process and think it's important enough to spend time and energy on it. Some actually use vacation time from work to work, though most businesses will grant it (training, set-up time, and election day) as community service days.
But early voting is a different ballgame. Because of the length of time and the hours required, it's usually retirees, housewives (with older or no children), people recently laid off, and quite a few widows/widowers. Their backgrounds are diverse, but their passion and dedication are unsurpassed. This year I was asked to train/work as a site supervisor, and I was more than a little nervous about it. Personnel issues can easily be one of the biggest hurdles, and that, so far, has not been the case with my crew. They jump in and help out, they willfully do a job, even if it's not the position they prefer, and they have great attitudes. I've also been blessed with a great mentor supervisor. She doesn't belittle my questions or yell at me when I make mistakes. Today puts us at the half-way point for early voting. While I think we'll all be exhausted and a little glad when it's over, it's been a great experience. And not every site supervisor can say that.
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