6 Comments

You're right about it being exhausting. I'm glad I didn't have any other responsibilities after tearing down and could go right home on primary day.

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LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Hank’s reporting of his experience as a poll worker (the election type, not the dancing type- those I would also enjoy one on that job!!). I’ve applied to be a worker in November, but so far haven’t heard from the state. If called I plan on packing my sense of humor along with a book & knitting.

WELL DONE SIR!!

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Wow, you really buried the lede with "... and since I am a registered Republican..."! Your views don't seem to align with the current GOP, so I'm assuming it's a strategic choice to allow you to vote a GOP ballot in the primary.

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Yah I’ve always been an independent but I was moving and had to update my address and was gonna pull a gop ballot anyway so I thought what the hell? It’ll be fun to show my voter registration card to the next emailer who calls me a socialist.

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Great reporting on Maricopa primary election from the inside. I was an observer for the Democrats at a poll just outside the U of A. My experiences were quite different because of my role as observer and the mostly student/educator electorate. We did have a GOP poll worker removed because she kept replacing the pens and getting into fights with other poll workers. We had one voter, obviously a Republican, who tried to insist that she get a ballpoint pen, but the poll Inspector and I talked her down with logic. BTW, poll inspector is a really rough job. Ours maintained the highest standard of conduct and took on many roles since we were short staffed. I left there wishing someone had documented the almost reverent albeit it friendly atmosphere that prevailed the entire 12 hr day the poll was opened. I will be an observer again.

There are also stories to be mined behind the scenes as ballots are processed at the County Recorder’s Office.

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I love these articles about the people side of the elections. It is a hard job. Thank you for doing it.

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