VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AS POLL WORKERS
There is a lot of information in this message. Please read carefully – all the way to the end. 
As you know, election day (November 8) is quickly approaching. Early voting begins on October 20. Many volunteers are at work door-knocking, texting, phoning, etc.
In addition to all of that essential work on behalf of our candidates, we need volunteers as poll workers.
There are two main categories of poll workers.
- OUTSIDE monitors may pass out sample ballots and campaign material and are free to converse with voters
- INSIDE observers must be appointed by a political party, must have their names submitted in advance, are not allowed to speak to voters or voter assistants, and should attend one of two trainings that will be offered on October 11 (one at 4 pm, the other at 6 pm) at our headquarters (404-6 East Marion Street)
There is one more category called “Runners.” Runners are“appointed in advance by a political party to collect lists of people who have voted at particular intervals (10 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.)” [quote from NC Board of Elections website].
Here is information from the NC State Board of Elections website:
YOU MAY SIGN UP FOR BOTH OUTSIDE MONITOR ASSIGNMENTS AND INSIDE POLL OBSERVER ASSIGNMENTS (inside poll observers must be registered Democrats residing in Cleveland County).
THIS EMAIL IS INTENDED TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS FOR INSIDE POLL OBSERVERS
(see Board of Elections link four lines up for info on inside poll observers).
Katie Champion and Joyce Gladstone are coordinating OUTSIDE monitors. You may
contact them at [email protected] and [email protected].
There are two sections in the rest of this email. Section One is for signing up as an inside poll observer during EARLY VOTING. Section Two is for signing up as an inside poll observer on ELECTION DAY NOV. 8. You may sign up for both early voting AND Nov 8!
SECTION ONE: Inside poll observers during early voting Oct. 20 – Nov. 5.
In order to facilitate the scheduling of volunteers for INSIDE EARLY VOTING observers, I’ve created four “doodles,” one for each early voting site as well as an “at-large” doodle.
If you can help us by serving as a volunteer poll observer during the early voting period, please
- click on the link below for the location where you would prefer to serve
- if you can help as an “at-large” observer, click on that link as well; you can indicate
availability for both a specific site as well as for at-large - check the boxes for the time blocks you are available (use the “more times are available” arrow to scroll through additional time blocks); I have not created any time blocks in the early voting period longer than 4 hours
- after you’ve checked all time block boxes for the periods you are available, click “continue” to get to the next screen where you will enter your name and email address
- click “submit response”
NOTE: Be sure to mark your calendar for one of the Oct. 11 trainings (4 pm or 6 pm) for inside poll observers to be held at our headquarters building at 404-6 East Marion Street.
Doodle link for Shelby library:
https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/enrjoqRe
Doodle link for Kings Mountain Senior Center:
https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/dJqrR8Pb
Doodle link for Boiling Springs Town Hall:
https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/ejqNPOWd
Doodle link for at-large:
https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/bYvNNJWd
These doodles will help me schedule poll observers for EARLY VOTING.
SECTION TWO: Inside poll observers on election day Nov. 8.
For ELECTION DAY NOV. 8, polls will be open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm. We will have three time blocks for volunteers:
6:30 am – 10:30 am
10:30 am – 3:00 pm
3:00 am – 7:30 pm
The doodle below is for Nov. 8 only. It lists 3 time slots. Please consider signing up for Nov. 8 IN ADDITION TO the early voting time slots in the doodles above.
Here is the process for the Nov. 8 doodle below (similar to the process outlined for the early voting doodles above, except for the step involving your name):
- click on the link below
- check the boxes for the time block(s) you are available
- after you’ve checked all time block boxes for the periods you are available, click “continue” to get to the next screen
- in the “name” box, put [name – precinct]. Example: for me, I would put “Kent Blevins – Broad River.” That way I will know which precinct location you are signing up for.
- enter your email address
- click “submit response”
- if you are available to serve as an at-large observer on Nov 8, please send me an email to let me know, along with the time slot(s) you would be available.
https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/enrkYX7e
If you can serve as a RUNNER, either during early voting or on Nov. 8, please send me an email indicating that, with dates, times, and locations (times for runners to pick up voting information are 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.).
This is a complicated process, and I must have the list of people to be appointed completed and turned in to our County Board of Elections by the time we have our training sessions on Oct. 11. So please respond early while this is fresh on your mind so that I can get things sorted out.
In the past, the CCDP has concentrated on recruiting volunteers for outside monitors. We have seen recently, however, the growing importance of having inside observers. We have not had the level of problems here in Cleveland County that we have seen develop in other places in the US, but we cannot be complacent or inattentive. We cannot assume that such things as we have seen elsewhere will not happen here. The integrity of the election process is under attack. Alongside our efforts to get out the vote, we also must monitor the process to make sure there is free access and that there are no impediments to people exercising their fundamental democratic right and civic responsibility to vote for the candidates of their choice.
Remember: besides inside observers, we also need outside monitors to pass out sample ballots and answer voters’ questions. You can sign up to do both! We will coordinate to avoid asking you to be in two different places at one time . Please contact Katie Champion at [email protected] or Joyce Gladstone at [email protected] to indicate your availability for serving as an outside monitor.
Feel free to contact me at the phone number or email address below if you have a question.
With appreciation,
Kent Blevins
Chair, Cleveland County Democratic Party
704-473-9113