Current mood: 
worried
worriedBack in November, I was Judge of Elections for a local polling place. For those who do not speak Pennsylvania-ese, that means that I was in charge of a set of voting booths in one neighborhood. I oversaw the flow of voters and made sure things ran smoothly. Any problems were ultimately mine to resolve. I had help, of course, but I was in charge.
Things did run smoothly, even though it was my first time. I feared I might get mobbed, as there were some 3,600 registered voters in the district. By comparison, most other neighborhoods had 300 to 500. So, when they asked if I’d do it again, I said, sure, why not.
Today I found out why I might have wanted to give that a teensy bit more thought.
Yiiii!!! I’m going to have a staff of 12 -- twelve!! -- not the four-maybe-five I had in November. I’m not going to have four voting booths, but nine. I don’t really know how many people have since registered to vote in that district, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s over 9,000. (sorry...just hadda put that in there)
Anyway, I have a month to steel myself for this. This morning, I took one of a couple of training classes. Downtown at the county elections board, they well know that this one district is going to get the crap pounded out of it, which is why they’re putting so much firepower out there.
But still, there’s just li’l ol’ me in charge. *swallows hard*
2 comments:
2011 comment: I was Judge of Election for four elections at Pittsburgh Ward 4, District 8, the on-campus population for the University of Pittsburgh: Nov 2007, May and November 2008, and May 2009.
Comments on the original 2008 post:
Stuart Strickland
I met today with representatives from the university and the county elections board, on site, where all the equipment will be set up. I called the meeting to make sure we were all on the same page. Everyone present had an "Oh, I hadn't thought of that, glad you brought that up" moment. So everyone has everyone else's phone numbers, and we are all clear on the chain of command.
Sounds like I can set up my operations a little ways away from the other, smaller election district so we won't be tripping over one another or blocking routine traffic. It also sounds like Pitt will be on a semester break on 4/22, so maybe I won't get pounded as hard as I otherwise might have, but still, this is all practice for The Big One in November.
Stuart Strickland
And now I find out that the media may be there. CNN! My district!
At the moment, I'm gleeful. Occasionally I'm in terror.
*hears voices* "Now now dear, it'll be ooooooo-kaaaaaay." *dons straitjacket*
Oily Cassandra
keep an eye out for funny business!!! we're all relying on you :)
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