Citizens Union Foundation Calls For Improvements To Election Day Operations And City Poll Worker Program

Originally Published: November 6, 2007

Issues annual survey report of poll workers

Report shows mishandling of ID requirements and affidavit ballots by poll workers, possibly disenfranchising legally registered voters.

As New York City voters cast their ballots in an unusually quiet election even for an off year, Citizens Union Foundation today released a survey report that examined the experience of poll workers it recruited to work in last year’s elections and called for improvements in poll worker training and the process of voting. These improvements are particularly important because next February’s Presidential Primary Election will be anything but quiet and because of the challenges New York will face to become fully compliant with the Help America Vote Act which includes the long anticipated use of new voting technology.

CUF’s survey of 300 of the 3,313 poll workers it recruited in 2006, representing more 10% of the 30,000 poll workers needed by the New York City Board of Elections to run operate on Election Day, showed the following:

  1. Too often poll workers reported mishandling the request for identification and the use of affidavit ballots resulting in the unnecessary disenfranchisement of certain voters. 48.6% of survey respondents replied that according to their training, any voter who did not show identification when requested is not allowed to cast an Affidavit Ballot, contrary to state and federal laws. This failure indicates a need for more comprehensive training on HAVA mandated identification procedures and proper poll site practices to ensure that no voter is unnecessarily denied the right to vote because of a lack of knowledge on the part of the poll worker.
  2. There remains a strong need for poll workers to have more hands-on training in the form of practicing before each election – as opposed to simple text book learning. Practicing through the use of role playing situations should always include the use of, and training on, actual voting machines.
  3. Demand for on site language interpreters exceeds the number of such workers who are trained and available to work. 53.9% of survey respondents reported that they had a shortage of language interpreters at their poll site. In addition, 38.5% responded that there was not enough language materials provided for voters with limited English proficiency. This demand will only continue to rise in future years. More active and aggressive recruitment is needed of this vital group of poll workers in order to serve the federally required needs of this voting population.
  4. With the long delayed but soon to be expected use of new voting machines, it will be important that poll workers who are more comfortable with the newer technology, such as college-age young adults, be recruited to replace those who may choose to no longer work because of this shift to newer, technologically different machines.
  5. Internet recruitment strategies and efforts proved to be the most cost effective and easiest method of recruitment, especially when coupled with the more streamlined online application process CUF implemented in 2006 though not yet replicated by the Board of Elections. Greater resources and emphasis should be placed into such recruitment efforts to increase the available pool of desperately need poll workers.

“Poll workers perform an indispensable service to the public on the front lines of the democratic process,” said Dick Dadey, Executive Director of Citizens Union Foundation. “New York City’s poll worker program has improved over the last few years and CUF has helped to ensure that poll sites are properly staffed on Election Day by providing the Board of Elections with poll worker applicants. However, our research points to the need for improved training for every poll worker before each election cycle and for a growing need for language interpreters on election days. We will continue to work with the Board of Elections to improve the city’s poll worker program and ensure that all poll sites meet the needs of all New Yorkers.”

Based on CUF’s recruitment experience and a post election poll worker survey, the report’s key findings and recommendations to the BOE include:

I. Recruitment and Application Processing

  1. Expand efforts to recruit poll workers online. In addition, use online methods of communication to streamline the application process and stay in touch with applicants.
  2. Increase the financial compensation for poll workers from the maximum of $460 if they and work on both the primary and general election days, to something much higher and more appealing.
  3. Implement a Voluntary Municipal Employee Poll Worker Program that allows non-emergency city employees to serve at the polls on the day of the General Election.

II. Training

  1. Require all poll workers, regardless of past experience, to attend training before each election cycle, including returning poll workers.
  2. Offer a more practical “hands-on” experience including the demonstration of voting machines during the training of Election Day procedures.
  3. Enhance and strengthen the online component to the training process, allowing poll workers to refresh their skills before Election Day.
  4. Emphasize and clarify HAVA identification requirements in training sessions to ensure no one is unnecessarily asked for identification, including improper forms.
  5. Offer real life scenarios for poll workers to practice Affidavit Ballot procedures so that voters whose registrations may be flawed through the fault of the system are not disenfranchised and therefore are allowed to cast their vote on an Affidavit ballot so that their registration can later be verified or not.

III. Election Day Operation

  1. Coordinators should contact all poll site personnel prior to Election Day to ensure greater and timelier attendance.
  2. Implement stronger enforcement of the existing rules and penalities. As outlined in the NYC BOE Poll Worker Manuel, poll workers who exhibit unacceptable behavior or fail to adhere to the tasks required in the manual are subject to penalties and fines.
  3. Ensure that all poll sites have required language materials on Election Day by utilizing available statistics on district demographics and language needs, and responding to problem areas in the future.
  4. Increase use of local and ethnic press to recruit language interpreters.
  5. Include HAVA identification requirement procedures on Voter’s Bill of Rights that are supplied at the polls.

The survey process and analysis was conducted by Andrea Senteno, CUF’s program associate. The survey results revealed that almost half of the language interpreters provided language-based assistance to over 25 people on Election Day, and over 20% assisted more than 75 people. Their responses underscore the important service language interpreters provide, by helping non-English proficient voters cast their ballots. Further analysis reveals that 54% of those who responded said that there were not enough language interpreters at the sites where they served. CUF urges the BOE to supply sites with more language-based resources, including language interpreters, and also to draw on prior Election Day experiences and data to more accurately determine and prepare for the language needs of a given jurisdiction.

The survey also asked respondents to answer questions regarding new HAVA identification requirements mandating that first time voters who did not provide a social security number or driver’s license number at the time of registration, must show identification at the polls or cast an affidavit ballot. Almost half of those who responded said that according to their training, such voters are not permitted to cast an affidavit ballot. Almost 10% of our respondents said they witnessed occasions when voters, who failed to present required identification, were prevented from casting an affidavit ballot. “Workers should be required to retrain to keep up with any changes in laws, procedures, etc. I learned on the job through my own initiative. I witnessed many mistakes being made,” reported one Manhattan poll worker.

To prevent voters from being turned away at the polls, annual training for all poll workers is paramount, allowing poll workers a chance to encounter and work through procedures to scenarios they may encounter on Election Day. Survey results suggest that training itself should be more comprehensive, clear, and held to a higher standard, in order to ensure that all poll workers are familiar with proper poll site procedures, specifically those concerning identification requirements.

As New York City moves towards the implementation of new voting technology, the improved training of poll workers will be critical for a successful transition. Over half (56.1%) of those that responded said that they would recommend demonstrations of machines in poll worker training sessions. While voting machine demonstrations that provide poll workers with the opportunity to have a more tangible learning experience are used in many training sessions, it appears not all poll workers received this opportunity. Less than 50% of the respondents in Manhattan attended a training session with a voting machine demonstration. In contrast, 72% of the respondents from Queens attended a training session that used a voting machine. When new machines are introduced, it will be essential that every poll worker attends a training that not only provides a demonstration of the voting machines, but that allows every poll worker to practice Election Day scenarios using the voting systems first hand.

Senteno reports that CUF is already begun its recruitment efforts for the 2008 Presidential Primary and hopes to strengthen its collaboration with the City University of New York. “This survey report demonstrates the need for the City to more successfully recruit a greater number of language interpreters and college-age students as the voting population becomes more diverse and the new to operate more technologically advanced voting machines”, said Senteno.

Citizens Union Foundation of the City of New York is a nonprofit research, education and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting good government and political reform in the city and state of New York.

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