ZOOM MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

In order to be an official Poll Worker or a credentialed Poll Observer, you must be a registered voter in the county.  However, we also need unofficial poll watchers who know the rules and will be outside of polling places to ensure people are told the correct information in case they are being intimidated or given incorrect voting info.  
As the Democratic County Chair, I am primarily recruiting for Poll Observers, but the Elections Office also needs Poll Workers, so I’m giving you info on both.  Please let me know if you’d rather be a Poll Worker (single day employee of the County), otherwise I’ll assume you will be a Poll Observer.Poll Workers actually work on election day, for the County Elections office, in one polling place.  It is a long day (about 15 hours), but extremely important.  Polls have to have at least one Democrat and one Republican in order to open.  And you would be a “staff member” along with a team of about 5, usually. You get paid $200 (they are trying to increase it), and you have to take some online training. More information, including the application and training registration, is at this link.
https://www.pinalcountyaz.gov/ELECTIONS/Pages/PollWorkers.aspx

Poll Observers (or, if you aren’t a registered voter, then you may be a Poll Watcher) work for the Party. Official Poll Observers may go inside designated polling places and observe, and may speak to only certain officials.  They may also observe from outside as [unofficial] Poll Watchers.  They are credentialed by the Party County Chair (Holly Lyon), and a copy of the credentials form is sent to the Elections office so they know you are allowed to observe. 

Arizona Democrats’ State voter protection attorneys will give you some basic training and access to an app so you can record and report activities, and you will have the Voter Protection hotline number so you can contact them and report what you see, or ask for assistance. These are important to protect against, or report voter suppression, as well as ensuring voters are given the correct information about their rights and access. I will try to have someone available for every polling place at peak voting times.
———————————————
Let me know if you know anyone who would like to participate in either capacity and if they are flexible enough to go to polls outside of your local area.  We have 100 polls in Pinal County, and the ones that most need the observers are probably the places I won’t be able to get volunteers, communities with primarily minority working people with families.

Thank you so much for helping.  We need to be sure everyone can vote, and that they are not intimidated into leaving the polls.  Even Trump knows that if Americans vote, Democrats win, and this may be the election that decides the fate of our democracy.

Take Care & Stay Healthy,
Holly
chair@pinaldemocrats.org