Impressions of a Poll Worker in California’s Recall Election

By Sandi Masori

SAN DIEGO — While I was growing up, my family was always involved in politics in one way or another. My dad was a political reporter when I was really little and later served as the press secretary for San Diego’s acting mayor Bill Cleator.  So I’ve always felt the excitement of elections and the democratic process.

Last year I applied to work the polls for the 2020 presidential elections, but I was not called.  I did get to work during the recent recall election, which Gov. Gavin Newsom survived by nearly a 2-1 margin.  Now, with the High Holy Days behind us, let me relate my experiences.

Elections work began with two days of intensive training on all of the processes and procedures of running a poll site.  It is more involved and intricate than you would think. And way beyond anything I thought before going through it, and though I generally trust the process, I wanted to see for myself.

There are checks and balances on the checks and balances.  It is literally impossible for anyone to skew the results.  The attention to detail, chain of custody and multiple signatures on each piece of everything even applies to the trash, which had to be sorted, put into different cartons, and sealed in a box with six signatures.

This election we were using the Dominion ballot marking devices.  More people than I care to say came in screaming about not wanting to vote on a machine and fearful that the machine was going to change their vote.  Here’s the thing though: the machine wasn’t connected to the internet and does not save information.  It simply prints what was marked on the screen.  That printed sheet of paper, free from bad handwriting or hanging chads, is then deposited into a sealed ballot box.  At the end of the night, the ballot box is taken, by two workers, to the Registrar of Voters.

The thing that really upset me was how many people came in, full of bad attitude and unwilling to listen to the facts of how things actually work.  Eventually they grudgingly cast a vote, given that there were no alternatives, but I’m sure that they are still complaining today.

I wish that working the polls was mandatory, like jury duty, because I think if more people got involved in the process, and saw what the real story is, misinformation would have a harder time taking root.  In spite of the more challenging voters, I really enjoyed my time as a poll worker, and felt proud to do my part for democracy, even in an election that now,  as a private citizen once again,  I can say I think was a frivolous waste of $274 million that could have done more good being given to our schools.

Even though I once again will have to keep my opinions to myself while working at the polls,  I hope that I get called to serve again in the next election. I really encourage everyone to go to the Registrar of Voters’  website and sign up to be a part of the process.  Hourly payment, by the way, is minimum wage, plus a pretty cool bonus in the form of a pin created for each election.  I’m told that many poll workers proudly make a pin collection of all the elections that they have worked.

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Sandi Masori is a strategist for self-published book authors, coordinating editing, formatting, proofreading, illustrations, cover design, and Amazon best-seller drives.  She may be contacted via sandimasori@gmail.com