November 2013 Election – Poll Worker TrainingOctober 24, 2013

Loudoun County Democratic Committee

Goal for the training:

To prepare LCDC Precinct Operations polling place volunteers to carry out all activities and tasks required to assist the citizens of Loudoun County cast their ballots and vote in Virginia’s 2013 statewide election.

Course Introduction

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At the end of this training, you will be able to:

• Summarize the key precinct operations

• Organize the opening of a precinct-polling site

• Identify the key tasks an LCDC poll worker will carry out on election day

• Complete the required post-election polling site shutdown and clean-up activities

Course Learning Objectives

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Course Map At a Glance

Training Topics:

Precinct Operations Overview

Opening a Precinct Poll Site Responsibilities

Precinct Poll Workers—Key Election Day tasks

Precinct Poll Site Closing

Responsibilities

Summary and Wrap up

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• Culmination of all election cycle efforts

• "We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."—Ben Franklin

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Precinct Operations Overview

The importance of Election Day for the LCDC

• Poll workers’• District Chairs (DC’s)• LCDC Officers• Democratic Party

of Virginia(DPVA)

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Precinct Operations Overview

Roles and Responsibilities

• Poll workers– Tip of the spear– Focus—Sample

Ballot & voters

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Precinct Operations Overview

Roles and Responsibilities

• District Chairs (DC’s)—Logistical Support– Prepare and get election

materials to polling site– Work with Precinct

Captains to staff polling sites.

– Serve as back-up openers– Primary Point of Contact

(POC)8

Precinct Operations Overview

Roles and Responsibilities

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Precinct Operations Overview

Roles and Responsibilities• LCDC Officers and Executives—County Strategic Operations– Address county-wide polling

site issues– Keep polling sites supplied – Logistical Support as Required– Provide “Situational guidance”

(a.k.a. “Who you gonna call?”)– Communicate with District

and DPVA

• DPVA—Ensures the integrity of election process– Integrates the state wide activities of all

campaigns– Protects voter rights– Provides situational guidance as needed

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Precinct Operations Overview

Roles and Responsibilities

• Secure Precinct Box and election materials

• Arrival time: 5:15-5:30 AM• Introduce yourself to the

Chief• Physical LCDC site set up

requirements• Organization of sample

ballots, campaign literature and LCDC materials

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Opening a Precinct Poll Site ActivitiesPolling Site Setup Processes and Procedures

• The inventory checklist• Sample Ballots• Checker Authorization

forms• Campaign literature• LCDC Membership

forms12

Precinct Box Inventory Review

Opening a Precinct Poll Site Activities

• Table/Chairs• Recycle Box • Stones/paper weights• Clear plastic bags• Tape & Scissors• Flashlight• Umbrella• Stickers• Other items as required

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Polling Site Equipment Review

Opening a Precinct Poll Site Activities

• Sample ballot distribution• LCDC’s liaison to Election Officials• Interact with Voters• Address polling site issues• Promote LCDC/DPVA activities and

candidates• Manage interactions with

opposition candidate representatives

• Follow LCDC media and communication policy guidelines

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Sample Ballot Distribution– Poll Workers’ main

objective: Hand out a sample ballot into as many voters as possible

• Remind voters the ballot has “two sides”

• Promote “Down Ticket Voting”

• Answer questions about “Democratic” ballot choices

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Poll workers are the LCDC’s On-site Liaison with Election Officials– Precinct Chief– Relay vote count info to

the LCDC– Signed Authorization to

enter inside the polling place

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• LCDC’s “Face to the Voter”

• Meet the Four Basic Voter Types– Enthusiastic Democratic

Voter– Confused Democratic Voter– Ambivalent Independent

Voter– Angry Anti-Democratic Voter

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Enthusiastic Democratic Voter– Expresses admiration for one

or more of our candidates– Wants to talk about issues– Distracting, but recruit able!– Get contact information– Thank you for voting!

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Confused Democratic Voter– Uncertain about ballot issues– Voter ID questions– Questions about our

candidates– Assist and Clarify– Thank you for voting!

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Ambivalent Independent Voter– Doesn’t want a Sample Ballot– Says they know how they are voting– Doesn’t want to be bothered– Probably won’t take a sample ballot – “Thank you for voting”

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Angry Anti-Democratic Voter– Expresses hostility

toward Democratic candidates

– Do not engage—Even if they want to “talk”

– Do NOT Confront– “Thank you for

voting!”

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Special Needs Voters– Disabled Voters– Inside the poll– Curb side voting– Ask Precinct Chief for assistance

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• English As A Second Language (ESL)Voters– Importance of the minority vote– Game Changer Voters– Offer Spanish Language sample ballot– Hot line for help asking questions

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Addressing this year’s potential polling site issues– Voter ID Issues– Voter Role purge

problems– Voter Intimidation– Other issues TBD

• DPVA Voter Protection: 1-855-910-VOTE

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Manage interactions with opposition candidate representatives

• Be friendly—Non-confrontational

• Don’t be distracted—Focus on Sample Ballot distribution

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Promote LCDC/DPVA activities and candidates– Provide LCDC Info– Get recruitment

information

• Note: Don’t delay a voter if they’re not engaging with you.

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• Follow LCDC media and communication policy guidelines– Only LCDC Chairman

speaks for the LCDC– Respond to media

questions as a “citizen/voter”

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Things Poll Workers Do

• First Shifts--Pack your vehicle the night before• Dress for weather and time of day• Wear comfortable shoes• Show off your “Dem-Wear” buttons and T-

shirts• Put up signs and table to secure your spot

• No Campaign-wear inside polling place– Remember to remove campaign buttons, – Cover shirt logos, etc.

• Bring your cell phone and extra batteries

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Precinct Poll Workers—Key Tasks

Practical Points for Poll Workers

• You know the polls are closed when….– Official Closing time– Election Chief’s Announcement

• Polling site clean-up tasks– Trash removal– Yard sign removal– Pack up Precinct Box – Return equipment to District– Effective polling site clean-up is a “Democratic

Value” too

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Poll Site Closing Responsibilities

Poll Site Closing and Clean Up

•  Join in at O'Faolain's!– Enjoy the fruits of your labor– Go the last mile with our

candidates– Watch history being made– Be a presence in Loudoun County

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Poll Site Closing Responsibilities

Poll Site Closing and Clean Up

Tonight we reviewed: • A summary of the LCDC

Precinct Operations tasks• Organizing a precinct-polling

site opening • The key tasks an LCDC poll

worker will carry out on election day

• Complete the required post-election polling site shutdown and clean-up activities 31

Summary and Wrap upReview of Learning Objectives

Thank you and Go Dems!

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Summary and Wrap up