I wanted to be able to address my students' concern about free and fair elections, so I have volunteered to be a poll worker. Polling places, in South Jersey at least, are run by checklist. In training, I learned that workers from both parties literally read a checklist out loud and then do the thing the checklist says to prepare, run, and take down the polling place. You are there all day. You and the workers from the other party are responsible. If you stray from the procedure, the representatives from the Board of Elections made it very clear that by the end of the night you will be explaining yourself to a judge. There is accountability and oversight at every moment. I was impressed by how...insane it seemed that someone might have an opportunity to diddle with an election.
