Hi friends,

This month in .GOV, I wanted to share my experience as a poll worker and explain why I think it is valuable for many of us to volunteer and directly give our time to a system we are trying to improve.

As an election scholar, I have spent years analyzing our electoral systems. Studying electoral policy has been immensely satisfying, but it wasn’t until I served as a poll worker this past February that I experienced (and came to understand deeply) that our elections are more than just a legal process for selecting our leaders—they are a profound reminder of what it means to be part of a community and to contribute to something greater than oneself. This Election Day, I encourage each of us to reflect upon the role we play as voters, as neighbors, and as Americans as we help shape the course of history through our elections.

When I signed up to be a poll worker for my Charlotte-area precinct, my motivations were practical. I wanted to know how the election policies I studied actually manifested in practice. By the morning of the primary, I had begun to regret my decision. I have seen the stories about the scrutiny poll workers face as savvy voters, the media, and partisan poll watchers keep a sharp eye on the process. I felt like I was preparing for battle.

What I didn’t expect was the sense of camaraderie and community I would experience that day. As I met my fellow poll workers and we shared our stories, trained together, and spent hours learning the ins and out of the processes, I felt an immediate connection as a team. Regardless of partisan affiliation, age, race, or background, we shared one collective mission: ensuring our neighbors could participate in a fair and efficient election.

That teamwork was on display as soon as the polls opened and voters began trickling in. From first-time voters whose nerves were on display as soon as they walked in to seasoned citizens who recognized small changes to the room setup from prior years, our mission was to ensure each person felt welcome and had the opportunity to make their voice heard through the ballot.

As I worked alongside my neighbors, it struck me how valuable it is to have Americans from all backgrounds serve as election workers. For many, the voting process can feel intimidating and bureaucratic. Many voters only participate in elections once every two or four years and rely on election workers to guide them through the process. A friendly face goes a long way toward alleviating stress or turning down the temperature in the room compared to what you may read in headlines, see on TV, or hear from politicians vying for votes.

More powerfully, I saw how much voting means to people in my North Carolina community. While many voters were clearly excited to cast their ballots, I couldn’t help but notice the pride of voters who had fought in our military or those who were old enough to remember the Jim Crow era and struggled for decades to secure their equal right to the franchise. It was a privilege to help these voters through the process, and it stoked in me an unanticipated patriotic spirit.

Serving as a poll worker also provided a firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by election officials. An election is a complex logistical undertaking—the highest-attended event all year in many communities—that requires meticulous attention to detail over long hours with little margin for error. Millions of Americans doubt the trustworthiness of our elections, and I saw the strain that that mistrust places on election workers. Yet despite the public pressure, it was the sense of shared civic duty that united our team when faced with a malfunctioning printer or disruptive voter.

As we approach the November election, I am excited to serve as a poll worker once again and urge others to consider serving as well. In a time when political division may feel inescapable and irreparable, helping others cast their ballots can help us move past our partisanship and coalesce around a more important identity: American.

Here’s what else the Governance team has been up to:

Spending Reform

• Nan Swift will host a virtual event on Thursday, Oct. 24, called “Plundering the Pentagon: How Contractors Continue to Cheat Taxpayers.” It features speakers from R Street, the Defense Department, the Stimson Center, and others.
• Eli Lehrer wrote in South Carolina’s The Post and Courier that this election’s public policies should focus on increasing Americans’ incomes.

Elections and Democracy

• Chris McIsaac and I explain what to expect on Election Day in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
• R Street fans will recognize Ryan Williamson’s byline on this comprehensive examination of primary and general election systems in the United States.

Balance of Powers

• James Wallner argues in American Habits that “[N]o one rules America, not even a majority of its people. That’s what makes America exceptional.” What does that mean if America is on the cusp of despotism, as President Joe Biden claims? 

Please drop me your thoughts at mgermer@rstreet.org. I would love to talk to you about all of this— except on Election Day, when I plan to be busy!

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