Working the Polls is a Rewarding Experience

On election day, I worked the polls for the first time in my life, and it was a good experience. Although my role was relatively minor, it is a good experience to be a part of history, and to support the democratic process. I worked at the desk, and helped keep track of who voted and the total number of voters at the Mayflower voting station. I recommend working at the polls to anyone who gets the opportunity.

Last fall, I wanted to run for minority inspector, but I was so busy working that I could not find time to fill out the petition. So I gave up on the idea.

The gentleman who was elected to the post plans to move out of Wilkes-Barre, and so he resigned the position. Since I am a Republican Committeeman in that ward, I was appointed as the minority inspector.

I was required to take a two hour training course to learn how to work the polls. The election process is actually a complicated process. The election is supervised by the Luzerne County Director of Elections, Leonard Piazza.

Luzerne County uses 705 voting machines on election day. Piazza normally supervises just nine employees. On election day he is responsible for 1,200 people who work the polls and the main office in the election bureau. The total number of people working on election day includes constables, poll workers, and machine operators. Luzerne County has 189 voting precincts.

Ten employees worked in the election bureau at the Penn Place Building in Wilkes-Barre during the day. After the polls closed at 8 p.m. another 20 county employees reported to the courthouse to sort out absentee ballots and count votes that registered on touch-screen voting machines.

Results were posted on a screen in the courthouse rotunda as the judge of elections at the 189 voting precincts deliver votes stored on cartridges and absentee ballots to the courthouse. The results were also posted on the county's website, www.luzernecounty.org.

Luzerne County did an excellent job reporting election results, and was one of the first counties to post the election results in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Piazza also posted election information on twitter.com/luzernevote.

Source: Michael P. Buffer, Piazza ups manpower to handle election process, The Citizens' Voice, May 18, 2010.