Comments on: Column: Help Collect Early Election Results

By: TJ

TJ — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 00:56:49 +0000

No blue “Public Area” sign at Slauson, but those of us there to gather results stayed out of the way.

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 18:19:49 +0000

Based on the coverage, it doesn’t look like you all have many readers in Ward 2 or 3. Or else they cluster in a few precincts…

By: John Q.

John Q. — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 14:40:27 +0000

The confusion on the part of the workers has nothing to do with people collecting numbers from the tape. The workers are required to run the tapes. I’ve been at polling places for more elections than I can count and it’s never been a problem.

By: cosmonıcan

cosmonıcan — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 06:03:06 +0000

I stand by my comment. When I voted in the Spring the poll workers were confused by the lists, and stood around staring at machinery they did not know how to operate. They got through it, but don’t add to the nonsense with a silly thing like this. Most kids know better than to open presents before their birthday or Christmas, maybe some adults could learn to sit on their hands too.

By: David Cahill

David Cahill — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 00:20:40 +0000

Also, my experience is that the election workers are happy to print off a few extra tapes.

By: John Q.

John Q. — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 21:39:09 +0000

“Swarming the polls with amateur election workers can only slow the process, please don’t do it.”

It takes almost no time to print the tape and the election workers continue going about their business after its been posted. Your worries are overstated.

By: Dave Askins

Dave Askins — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 20:35:11 +0000

Re: "Rather than bothering and annoying the poll workers ... Swarming the polls with amateur election workers ..." I think that kind of potential downside is adequately addressed in the guidelines included in the column, repeated here:

Do not intrude. Every polling place is supposed to have a blue sign designating the “Public Area.” If you arrive at the polls to pick up early results before 8 p.m., then head for the blue sign. But even after 8 p.m. the “Public Area” is a good place to stay – because it will keep you out of the way of election workers. Respect the election workers. An election worker’s day starts at 6 a.m. So at 8 p.m. when you’re at the polls picking up early results, they will have already logged a 14-hour day, at least. Be polite. Do what they tell you. If they ask you what you’re doing there, explain that you’re picking up early results. They have myriad tasks to complete – so don’t make gratuitous small talk with them. Just one tape. Accommodating the public’s desire to find out early results is reflected in just one election worker task: Printing out one public paper results tape to post at the polling place door. Don’t ask them to print out your own private tape. There will be others there collecting results – campaign volunteers and media. So you’ll have a chance to band together and collaborate. Maybe one of you will read off the results to the others, making it easier for everybody. Not cool is to grab the tape and head off to a corner where nobody else can see it until you’re done. Be patient. If everything goes perfectly, the tape could be printed off 10 minutes after the polls close. If not everything goes smoothly, it could be longer. Much longer. Don’t ask, “How much longer?” or “Why is it taking so long?” And don’t ask if you can help – because you can’t help. You will only make things worse. Everything that has to be done must be done by an election worker.

By: Julie Weatherbee

Julie Weatherbee — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 20:30:49 +0000

4-2 has my name on it! Well, except my name isn’t Mary.

By: cosmonıcan

cosmonıcan — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 20:24:20 +0000

Rather than bothering and annoying the poll workers, I will wait until the official results come out, whenever the courts have that figured out, hopefully Wednesday morning.

Swarming the polls with amateur election workers can only slow the process, please don’t do it.

By: Dave Cahill

Dave Cahill — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 18:55:51 +0000

One suggestion: Be sure to be inside the polling place BEFORE 8:00 p.m. The outside door is often locked, and members of the public trying to get in after 8:00 p.m. may not make it.