Poll Worker FAQs

The following are various questions that often come up. For more information please refer to your training manual and training DVD. Please do not hesitate to contact us by clicking here if you have additional questions.

1. Who are poll monitors/watchers?

Poll monitors/watchers typically work for a political party or community organization, however members of the general public may monitor the polls. The Precinct Street Index is updated throughout the day so that the monitor can see who has voted in a precinct and determine whether or not they need to “get the vote out.” Monitors/Watchers may also be looking to see whether polling place laws and procedures are being followed.

1. Who can assist a voter?

Anyone may assist a voter EXCEPT for:

• An employer
• An officer or agent of his/her employer
• An officer or agent of his/her union.

We do NOT check for identification of these people, we simply may mention to the voter that he/she should not be assisted by those designated above. Poll workers may offer assistance themselves and should log that into the assisted voter log IF they have actually seen or touched the LIVE ballot.

1. What is electioneering?

Electioneering is the wearing or posting of any signs, pins, shirts, etc. that support a candidate or issue within 100 feet of the polling place. Nobody, including poll workers, should have any discussions of the contests on the ballot within those 100 feet. Exit polling may take place 25 feet from the door of the polling place. No voter may be photographed without his/her permission and no photos may be taken of the LIVE ballot (only the language screen.) Poll workers give up the right of “no photos” when they sign up to be poll workers, they may be photographed at any time throughout the day.

1. Should inspectors allow poll workers a chance to vote during the day?

Yes. All poll workers have the right to vote throughout the day. They may also want to take advantage of the vote-by-mail voting or early voting (when offered).

1. When do inspectors pick up supplies?

For March 2011 Inspectors will be picking up their supplies at their training classes.

1. What is an alpha list?

An alpha list is an alphabetical list of voters for a given polling place. It is a necessity when conducting elections with more than one precinct number for a polling place to help determine a voter’s assigned polling place. It can also be used by a greeter when a line develops to identify provisional voters before they arrive at the table with the combined roster index.

1. What are election coordinators?

Coordinators can be the first line of defense for poll workers when they need help troubleshooting equipment and/or procedural issues. They are assigned to a specific number of polling places (typically 4-6) and will go from site to site to check in and ensure that everything is running smoothly. They may also be dispatched by the ROV to a site that has called in for assistance. Coordinators are also equipped with extra supplies. Poll workers should call the help desk FIRST and then we will get a coordinator to them if it is necessary.

1. If I have multiple precincts, do I fill out a ballot statement for each Combined Roster Index?

Yes. The ballot statement should be filled out on the front cover of EACH roster that you have. They are self-explanatory and ask for specific information.

1. How long does an access code take to expire?

Around 10 minutes, but we never tell the voter that. It is best that they go to the booth and vote immediately.

1. Should I send my voters to one booth throughout the day?

No. Because of a limited amount of paper per VVPAT printer it is a good idea to spread the votes out between the booths throughout the day. (The number of ballots available varies by ballot size for an election.)

1. How do I know what write-ins are available?

You will have an official write-in list of candidates (if there are any) who have gone through the proper steps to become a write-in candidate. Please do not let your voters have the list; you may only show it to them if they need to get proper spelling of a name. Any name can be written in but those who do not appear on the official list will not have votes counted for them.

1. How do I spoil a polling place paper ballot?

To spoil a paper ballot or a provisional envelope, simply write “SPOILED” across it and stick ONE PER ENVELOPE in a “spoiled ballot envelope.”

1. How do I spoil a vote-by-mail ballot surrendered at the polling place?

Write “VAP” (Voted at Polls) on the ballot to be spoiled and place it in the “surrendered ballot envelope”; a large manila envelope that has a clasp to secure the ballots inside. Do not forget to have the voter sign the pink Combined Roster-Index after you have drawn a line through “Vote-by-Mail” on the signature line of the voter. Then process the voter as a regular voter.

1. What is the difference between the Blue and White Provisional Envelopes?

Blue provisional envelopes are for early voters who say they did not vote early and for vote-by-mail voters that wish to vote at the polls but do not have their vote-by-mail ballots to surrender. White provisional envelopes are for voters who are not found in the combined-roster-index (including the supplemental roster and inactive roster) or have changed their address and have not re-registered.

1. Do I have to display all of the signs and map found in the supply box?

Yes. All of the signs provided are done so according to the law. It is imperative that they are all displayed. The precinct map is provided for voters, and with your assistance if needed, to determine if they are in the correct polling place and possibly find the correct one that may potentially be on the map.

1. Do we have to call the ROV if one or more of our fellow poll workers do not show up even if we believe we can handle the day without them?

Yes. It is vital that we have a full understanding of who is working in the polling places. This helps determine where we need to send our A-team (back-up) poll workers and where we can move extras to where they may be needed more.

1. Why do you recruit high school students to be poll workers?

The California Elections Code encourages counties to recruit high school students as volunteers in order to provide for a greater awareness of the elections process, the rights and responsibilities of voters, and the importance of participating in the electoral process, as well as to provide additional members of precinct boards. A full 30% of all Orange County volunteers for the Presidential General Election of 2008 were high school students.

1. Do we hold paper ballots for an emergency?

NO! Paper ballots are an option for voters and should be made available upon request.

1. Why can’t I ask all voters for identification?

State law strictly prohibits us from requesting identification from people before they vote. Federal law does require that “proof of residence” be shown by people voting in a federal election for the first time after registering to vote in a jurisdiction. A sample list of acceptable proof of residence can be found in your training manual.

1. Is it true that the ROV only counts vote-by-mail ballots (formerly absentee ballots) if there is a close election?

This is false. All vote-by-mail ballots returned before 8:00 p.m. on Election Day are counted. In fact, the first votes to be tabulated and reported (8:05 p.m. election night) are vote-by-mail ballots that were returned prior to Election Day. All remaining vote-by-mail ballots are counted during the canvass period that can take up to 28 days.

1. How does the ROV come up with the number of electronic voting systems to give a poll site?

Various factors are taken into consideration when determining the number of electronic voting systems to assign to a polling place. These factors include the number of voters assigned to a polling place, the number of vote-by-mail voters in the precinct(s) and the historical turnout of the voters in the precinct(s). In the end, there are a total of 9,600 electronic voting systems to distribute countywide.

1. May I set up my polling place before Election Day?

Yes. It is highly suggested that Inspectors communicate with their assigned poll site prior to Election Day and ask if they can set up the voting systems the day before the Election. This will save you a lot of time as you are getting set up between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Election Day. It also allows you to troubleshoot issues the day before. It is recommended that Inspectors enlist assistance from their Coordinator and fellow poll workers. The Poll Worker Customer Service Line is open until 9:00 p.m. the night before an election to assist anyone who needs it while setting up. (Note: You may not set up or leave the JBC or paper ballots before Election Day.)