Tired of vote fraud talk? Work at polls

There was a time when voting in local, state and national elections was surrounded by an air of common ground and finality.

Citizens went to polling places in their community, went behind a curtain, pulled levers or marked a paper ballot and then went home to await the reporting of results. When the results were tallied, the election was over. A winner was declared; the runner-up graciously conceded and the victor prepared to take office.

That calm certainty is a thing of the past.

Challenges are now the rule instead of the exception. And, the process itself is more complicated. Voters in Pennsylvania now can vote by mail-in ballot or in person. Mail-in ballots can be mailed or put in a secure dropbox. If someone with a mail-in ballot decides to vote in person, the ballot has to be turned in and a provisional ballot provided at the polls.

Polling places have machines that spew out paper that must be cast separately as a ballot. New procedures and technology meant to streamline the process have created in some cases delays and inconvenience, most notably the snafus in recent elections when Berks County tried to convert to an electronic signature system.

The reporting of results is equally full of angst, with TV news and social media predicting winners in some instances inaccurately before a final count is made. Tabulating votes can be difficult and delayed because of mail-in ballots. Should the count start before Election Day? Should it end when the polls close? Can the counting machines be trusted? And how about the opening of mail and verifying whether the envelope is correct, bears signatures properly and has a date on the envelope?

The cloud over elections is getting darker with the denial of the entire process now a winning platform in Republican primaries.

Voting is the hallmark of a democracy and a sacred right to Americans that should be protected as a cherished privilege afforded equally to all citizens. The current thinking that erodes and threatens that right is a danger we must take seriously and thwart.

What can one person do?

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has an answer: Join America’s poll workers.

“It takes thousands of poll workers staffing the more than 9,000 voting locations to make safe and secure elections happen in the commonwealth,” Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Leigh M. Chapman said. “Poll workers are your friends, family members and neighbors, and they come from all walks of life to make democracy a reality.”

In Montgomery County, commissioners drew attention to poll workers after the primary to point out their importance to the electorate’s confidence in voting procedures. One was former North Penn High School teacher James Finnemeyer, who created student-run conventions in presidential election years to encourage high school student involvement in the electoral process, Finnemeyer serves as a judge of elections and tabulator in the county and was praised for his leadership in those roles.

Also highlighted for her contributions was Mary Chrisman, a longtime judge of elections in Royersford known for her friendly demeanor and helpfulness with voters as well as mentorship of other poll workers. Elaine Lehman was honored posthumously for guiding and assisting poll workers during a long tenure as a judge of elections.

Pennsylvania is at the heart of the attention focused on election procedures in the upcoming general election, with some voters convinced the process involves cheating and others worried that false allegations will keep voters away from the polls.

Poll workers are the frontline soldiers in this fight, protecting the sacred value of one person, one vote and helping ensure honest, confident participation by citizens. In this maelstrom of accusations and counterclaims about fraud, poll workers matter. And you can be one of them. What better way to protect democracy than by participating in it. Sign up today to become a poll worker and help insure a safe and honest election.