I’m working the poll out in the west valley as a clerk. Very nice folks working the polls but they are not being quiet about being Republicans. They questioned a voters ballot because it was a different color and spent about 20 mins after he left talking about all the illegals voting (this was a theme throughout the day). They already picked me out as one of the only Dems and keep loudly proselytizing me about Qanon conspiracies. The lady sitting next to me is watching conspiracy videos on her phone without headphones. Kind of odd for a party concerned about election security/integrity. The MAGA media has done a real number on these ladies. As for turnout - so far, between yesterday and today, very few voters. Hopefully it picks up!
So did I! They are well behaved when voters are in here but they are happy to talk my ear off as soon as it’s just us. Like they think showing me shitty youtube videos is going to sway me …. :/
My polling experience was flawless this morning. The poll worker asked me to recite my name and address while holding my driver's license, the next poll worker got my ballot and made sure the numbers matched up and I was off to fill in the ovals. Once done, the last poll worker commented on how well dressed I was (in a suit and tie), informed me where to place my ballot and engaged in a nice conversation. Everyone was cheerful, as cheerful as one should be on celebrating our democratic right to vote!
Because we were too late to mail early ballots, we dropped them off at the Ekstrom library. We were the only ones there, and the poll worker said it had been very slow.
I still have to turn in my ballot too. But the Phoenix Art Museum isn't a polling place this year, which is a bummer. I feel so cultured when I vote there.
I am an inspector at site in West Valley. 2nd time this year with mostly the same team. Have worked elections in one position or another since 2008. There should be no partisan discussion even when voters are not present and certainly no harassment of fellow workers. Everyone who complains about how the elections are run should put in a turn working an election. I think there would be more respect and understanding for both the processes and the people who facilitate them. (Hank, you got off easy as a Marshall in 2022, lol). We had one person who had recently become a citizen, he was VERY excited to be voting for the first time. Even one of our poll workers was newly naturalized after 35 yrs as a green card holder. Most unusual thing I've seen was for the 2024 PPE, we had a election day DJ show up (outside the 75 ft limit). You never know what you can do to help people vote!!
A late comment. The most notable person was Hank Stephenson himself who visited Burton Barr Library to see a couple of his former poll workers in action. What was really notable were the cheerful children whose parents brought them to see the process and, of course, get one of the really cool stickers. One bright young girl when asked about voting informed the poll worker that she had only EIGHT MORE YEARS!! Now that young lady is someone to watch. And then there were the people who were voting for the first time or the first time in person. As a poll worker, we thanked those people who voted, chatted with neighbors, made funny faces and waved to the toddlers, encouraging a few people to sign up to be poll workers in the future, and spoke with familiar faces telling them, see you in November.
Working the polls is exhausting, but worthwhile to see people get out and be part of the process! Even assuring some that only voting for one or two positions the ballot was perfectly acceptable is meaningful to me. I could have been the first respond of the day, but the polls opened at 6am and we were off and running.
I was proud to work my second election this year in the same location as the PPE in March, and for the most part it was a positive experience.
We had a friendly bipartisan team, that included 4 newbies (2 of which were under 50!😳). Everyone was on point, friendly, laughing, and respectful of every voter coming into our site. A fun vibe was our motto. Opening the doors was a bit of a panic, not having enough time to set up the tabulators completely, but the voters who were there so early, weren’t ready to complain. We were graced by an appearance of Blake Masters, who asked to use our restroom, and our Marshall hustled him right out of our location. According to him, Mr. Masters wasn’t aware of not physically being in the building, and was cool with not being allowed to use our facilities. I’m not a huge fan of his MAGA leanings, but I did develop a new respect for him staying outside of our 75 foot boundary in the heat most of the day to greet voters. I was less impressed with all the Anthony Kern flyers that got brought into the area and ‘accidentally’ left in the booths. ( I took fiendish delight seeing how badly he got trounced!!). The voting crowd was polite and steady, giving us a chance to get to know our fellow poll workers. 3 were ex military, 7 were poll working veterans, and we swapped stories of likes, vacations, work experience, and families. When I asked one new colleague why he chose to work the polls, he said, “I came to the realization, if I was going to complain about how things were, I should do something about it.” AMEN brother!!!!
The only bump we had all day, was a voter came in to vote, and when the site book said his ballot had already been counted, he got vocal quickly. He pulled out his phone to take a picture of the site book screen, and when the Marshall said it wasn’t allowed, the vote went pretty ballistic. I heard him from the break room and was literally ready to call the police. The Marshall get him out of our site, and the dust settled quickly back into our happy friendly vibe.
I was allowed to bring tootsie rolls and as voters came through, we identified first time voters. After they had cast their ballots, I did a whole room shout out “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a first time voter in the house!!!” And presented them with a sucker. The embarrassed look of pride on their faces was priceless!!!!
At the end of the night I was exhausted, but I got the renewed feeling of us being more alike than different, and I’ve expanded my circle of kind involved citizens.
I enjoy reading early in the morning with my coffee. Hope those 10,000 cat ladies vote again this fall. If you haven't seen the tik tok video of cats going to the polls, you must check it out! Hope this link works https://x.com/Amy_Siskind/status/1818015701023735951?t=qxxmHlqvx_3Jfsqb9XCOsg&s=19
Well thank you for providing the first embed of the day that is fantastic cat content.
I’m working the poll out in the west valley as a clerk. Very nice folks working the polls but they are not being quiet about being Republicans. They questioned a voters ballot because it was a different color and spent about 20 mins after he left talking about all the illegals voting (this was a theme throughout the day). They already picked me out as one of the only Dems and keep loudly proselytizing me about Qanon conspiracies. The lady sitting next to me is watching conspiracy videos on her phone without headphones. Kind of odd for a party concerned about election security/integrity. The MAGA media has done a real number on these ladies. As for turnout - so far, between yesterday and today, very few voters. Hopefully it picks up!
I thought poll workers are not permitted to show/do anything partisan.
So did I! They are well behaved when voters are in here but they are happy to talk my ear off as soon as it’s just us. Like they think showing me shitty youtube videos is going to sway me …. :/
My polling experience was flawless this morning. The poll worker asked me to recite my name and address while holding my driver's license, the next poll worker got my ballot and made sure the numbers matched up and I was off to fill in the ovals. Once done, the last poll worker commented on how well dressed I was (in a suit and tie), informed me where to place my ballot and engaged in a nice conversation. Everyone was cheerful, as cheerful as one should be on celebrating our democratic right to vote!
Because we were too late to mail early ballots, we dropped them off at the Ekstrom library. We were the only ones there, and the poll worker said it had been very slow.
I still have to turn in my ballot too. But the Phoenix Art Museum isn't a polling place this year, which is a bummer. I feel so cultured when I vote there.
I am an inspector at site in West Valley. 2nd time this year with mostly the same team. Have worked elections in one position or another since 2008. There should be no partisan discussion even when voters are not present and certainly no harassment of fellow workers. Everyone who complains about how the elections are run should put in a turn working an election. I think there would be more respect and understanding for both the processes and the people who facilitate them. (Hank, you got off easy as a Marshall in 2022, lol). We had one person who had recently become a citizen, he was VERY excited to be voting for the first time. Even one of our poll workers was newly naturalized after 35 yrs as a green card holder. Most unusual thing I've seen was for the 2024 PPE, we had a election day DJ show up (outside the 75 ft limit). You never know what you can do to help people vote!!
AN ELECTION DAY DJ? That’s awesome
And yes Marshall was an admittedly posh gig
A late comment. The most notable person was Hank Stephenson himself who visited Burton Barr Library to see a couple of his former poll workers in action. What was really notable were the cheerful children whose parents brought them to see the process and, of course, get one of the really cool stickers. One bright young girl when asked about voting informed the poll worker that she had only EIGHT MORE YEARS!! Now that young lady is someone to watch. And then there were the people who were voting for the first time or the first time in person. As a poll worker, we thanked those people who voted, chatted with neighbors, made funny faces and waved to the toddlers, encouraging a few people to sign up to be poll workers in the future, and spoke with familiar faces telling them, see you in November.
Working the polls is exhausting, but worthwhile to see people get out and be part of the process! Even assuring some that only voting for one or two positions the ballot was perfectly acceptable is meaningful to me. I could have been the first respond of the day, but the polls opened at 6am and we were off and running.
I was proud to work my second election this year in the same location as the PPE in March, and for the most part it was a positive experience.
We had a friendly bipartisan team, that included 4 newbies (2 of which were under 50!😳). Everyone was on point, friendly, laughing, and respectful of every voter coming into our site. A fun vibe was our motto. Opening the doors was a bit of a panic, not having enough time to set up the tabulators completely, but the voters who were there so early, weren’t ready to complain. We were graced by an appearance of Blake Masters, who asked to use our restroom, and our Marshall hustled him right out of our location. According to him, Mr. Masters wasn’t aware of not physically being in the building, and was cool with not being allowed to use our facilities. I’m not a huge fan of his MAGA leanings, but I did develop a new respect for him staying outside of our 75 foot boundary in the heat most of the day to greet voters. I was less impressed with all the Anthony Kern flyers that got brought into the area and ‘accidentally’ left in the booths. ( I took fiendish delight seeing how badly he got trounced!!). The voting crowd was polite and steady, giving us a chance to get to know our fellow poll workers. 3 were ex military, 7 were poll working veterans, and we swapped stories of likes, vacations, work experience, and families. When I asked one new colleague why he chose to work the polls, he said, “I came to the realization, if I was going to complain about how things were, I should do something about it.” AMEN brother!!!!
The only bump we had all day, was a voter came in to vote, and when the site book said his ballot had already been counted, he got vocal quickly. He pulled out his phone to take a picture of the site book screen, and when the Marshall said it wasn’t allowed, the vote went pretty ballistic. I heard him from the break room and was literally ready to call the police. The Marshall get him out of our site, and the dust settled quickly back into our happy friendly vibe.
I was allowed to bring tootsie rolls and as voters came through, we identified first time voters. After they had cast their ballots, I did a whole room shout out “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a first time voter in the house!!!” And presented them with a sucker. The embarrassed look of pride on their faces was priceless!!!!
At the end of the night I was exhausted, but I got the renewed feeling of us being more alike than different, and I’ve expanded my circle of kind involved citizens.