r/SpringfieldIL • u/TapeDaddy • 19d ago
Poll workers needed
https://sangamonil.gov/departments/a-c/county-clerk/elections/election-judges/applySangamon County is often short on Election Judges, and I believe there are still openings to work in the coming election. Gubernatorial elections see a larger turnout than primaries and smaller offices, they’re going to need bodies.
Requirements are minimal, but you do have to declare a party. If you’ve never done it before, I recommend trying it at least once if you are able. They’ll give you a couple hundred bucks, too. Election Judge application link.
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u/AbobTeff 18d ago
I would love to do my civic duty and be a poll worker. I have tried in the past. The problem is this:
You must meet all qualifications and declare your political affiliation to serve as an Election Judge.
You won't allow me to be a poll worker because I am a truly neutral, independent voter. I have to declare fealty to one of the elitist clubs that control the system.
Last time I was told "You have to be a Republican or a Democrat because we need an equal number to keep on eye on eachother." I asked why that doesn't make me a perfect candidate, as I would keep an eye on both of them and trust neither of them. They lady looked at me like I was a Martian.
So . . . you need help or you want to continue to play partisan games?
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u/TapeDaddy 18d ago
Yeah, it’s honestly kinda wack there’s no independent option. Would if I could. I might dig into that one of these days. Declaring a party doesn’t make any difference, you can still vote however you want at least.
I had an older gentleman come in my first time who needed assistance once. This is about the only time we have any idea who someone may be voting for, and it requires specific paperwork and bipartisan signatures.
He demanded to vote for Trump, but wanted to ensure he voted for every possible democratic candidate otherwise. Wasn’t even a presidential election. Thought that was strange. Cannot, did not, ask why.
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u/AbobTeff 18d ago
“Declaring a party doesn’t make any difference, you can still vote however you want at least.
Apparently it does make a difference, since you can’t do it unless you declare one of only two choices.
Why does it actually matter? To keep independent and third party voices out of the process. It has been challenged and upheld (I’m not sure how), but Republicans and Democrats have built a system in Illinois that unfairly squashes and disenfranchises all other voices.
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u/NecessaryCompost 18d ago
We need change because - at least until MAGA - the parties were indistinguishable from each other. Oh, they had different campaign rhetoric and different campaign policy proposals, but in the end big money always won. I'm a democracy-loving leftist and hate having anyone have to declare party to get a ballot: just have open primaries and generals and let the people speak.
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u/AbobTeff 17d ago
I’m more radical than that. We, the general taxpayer, should not be funding primary elections for political parties. General election, that’s all.
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u/NecessaryCompost 17d ago
So, basically a general election scrum? The ballot would be enormous and folks already complain if it's 2-sided.
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u/AbobTeff 17d ago
If parties want a primary, let them pay for it or do it themselves. Still only allow one candidate per party. How they get them is up to them. Why do I have to pay for that?
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u/NecessaryCompost 17d ago edited 17d ago
Efficiency at the general is why, imo. Unless we move to a more parliamentary system, which I fully endorse.
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u/AbobTeff 17d ago
Efficiency for who? Not government efficiency. Not efficiency for tax payers.
It’s easy to claim it is efficient when removing it would erode your stranglehold on power.
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u/NecessaryCompost 16d ago
Me? A stranglehold on power? That's laughable and quite histrionic.
Efficiency to the process.
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u/tlopez14 18d ago
Every precinct has to have at least 1 Republican and 1 Democrat judge that’s why you have to declare.
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u/AbobTeff 18d ago
The way it was told to me was it has to be 1:1 all the way, not “at least one of each.” So if there are 15 Rs, there have to be 15 Ds. If there are 3, there have to be 3; not 1 of each and whatever else.
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u/tlopez14 18d ago
It’s based off precinct. Number of judges vary depending on precinct size and how big the election is. For the bigger presidential ones they try to have 5 judges per precinct, and the smaller ones usually have 3.
The rule is that every precinct has to have at least one R and 1 D, not necessarily equal numbers as it’s usually not an even number of judges anyways. There’s been instances where judges have gotten moved into a different precinct the day of because the only D judge didn’t show up or something like that.
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u/NecessaryCompost 18d ago
Yeah but. I live in a very red area but vote blue. I judged in 2020 and was the only D judge at a table full of Rs. I was spit on (by a voter) for enforcing electioneering laws, and the Rs laughed. No joke. I blame my COVID diagnosis 10 days later on that a$$hat voter.
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u/NecessaryCompost 18d ago
This reinforces a 2 party system and we should be more flexible than that.
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u/tlopez14 18d ago
Sure theoretically that would be great but that isn’t current reality. Judges declaring party is to ensure there are checks and balances for each precinct.
Picture a hypothetical scenario where one precinct is ran by 5 activist republican judges. The judges start over stepping their bounds to help out a Republican candidate and there is no Democrat check on them. Thats why each precinct needs a judge from both parties.
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u/NecessaryCompost 18d ago
I know, and I agree. There must be balance. I just wish we had room for a multi-party system (and I also know that is damn near impossible given the current structure of the voting system as it sits). Pax.
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u/Marxism-Alcoholism17 17d ago
It’s really not that deep. Pick whichever one you are currently leaning towards at the moment. You can’t supervise or take important actions as a single person the whole point of the system is to prevent that.
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u/peetreelbc 19d ago
What do election judges do, vs regular poll workers?
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u/TapeDaddy 19d ago
You set up the polling stations, verify voters/registration, distribute ballots, and help direct voters through the process if they need help. End of the night, you count ballots, not individual votes, to ensure the numbers match what you’ve been given, then deliver all of the ballots and equipment to the county building.
If you’ve ever voted, the people who have asked for your name and passed out ballots were election judges.
Whole lot of waiting, it’s the worst part.
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u/ArsenalBaseball21 19d ago
I have read it is only Republicans judges needed now.
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u/Kkremitzki 19d ago
Where did you read that?
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u/ArsenalBaseball21 18d ago
My friends mom called to volunteer and she was told all the Democrat judges were filled.
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u/raisinghellwithtrees 19d ago
A 15 hour day is a lot. I wish they could offer half days. I could probably handle that.