Mr. Poll Inspector

This year Kevin volunteered to be a poll inspector. The poll inspector is the one who runs the poll at a particular precinct and has to handle all the problems and be the “bad guy” when it comes to telling people they can’t vote and why. They prefer to have lawyers run the polls, because often other lawyers show up and make legal challenges. But you don’t have to be a lawyer – the basic criterion is that you’re a strong-willed person who is able to stand up to belligerent people and confidently call the shots.

The three people I know who best fit this description are my husband, and his two parents. All three of them, incidentally, are going to be poll inspectors this year.

After attending a training session yesterday, they all came back literally shaking from fear at what they are going to have to do. All three of them have been specifically selected to run the polls in “high fraud” areas. And all three of them confessed that they are terrified.

When it comes down to deciding if a person can vote, or if a ballot must be set aside because it doesn’t meet the legal requirements, there will be a panel of three judges – the poll inspector and two others – one republican and one democrat. Interestingly, they couldn’t find enough republicans to sit on the panels (their precincts are in heavily-democrat areas) so Kevin and his parents are going to have two democrats on each of their panels. In other words, they are going to be outnumbered.

But, like Kevin said, the panels are not about partisan politics. “The goal is to ensure that there is a fair election.” Here’s hoping that the other panel members agree with that.

This is going to be a very interesting election year. For them, because they are facing a huge challenge. For me, because I get to sit back and watch.