by Gwen O’Neill

Poll workers are essential to ensuring that elections are a success; they are truly the backbone of our system. Looking ahead to the upcoming election we talked with a some people who have worked in past elections.

“Being a poll worker is not only an important contribution you can make to your community but also to your country,” said Cecily Hatchitt. “I’d like to focus on the new eSlate, which is the new voting system used in San Mateo County. It has been used now in three elections and has substantially improved ballot security, integrity, vote counting efficiency and, most importantly, voter confidence. All poll workers are trained as to the use of the eSlate in labs and workshops in San Mateo County.”

Linda McClellan from Pacifica has been participating since the early ’90s. “I really enjoy it and meet a lot of interesting people. I remember one year meeting a San Francisco police office who worked with me. It was fascinating asking questions about things I had wondered about regarding the city,” she said.

McClellan talked about the importance of serving the public and helping them with the process. “Some people question the reliability of the newer equipment. But the thing I really want to express is that San Mateo County has very high standards of operation. Everything is handled in a professional way and we are trained very thoroughly.”

Mary Alice Pearce, a Half Moon Bay resident, looks on her service as a way to give back to her community as a patriot and voter. She also enjoys meeting new people and for the last few years, since she has been able to work at her own polling place, she gets to see more of her neighbors. “It’s nice to have students involved now. High school students get training and do the same jobs as we do. The students can receive a stipend and fulfill community service requirements.”

On the Web:

For more information about becoming a poll worker, visit act.credoaction.com/               pollworkers/index.html or

www.eac.gov/voter/poll%20workers.

For more information on the eSlate, see www.shapethefuture.org/eslate/faq.html.