Election time rapidly approaches and I know most of us want to do something to help our candidates of choice. That is, we want to help them without degrading ourselves too badly. Because when you volunteer to help a candidate or a party, and when you have no inside contacts or or high level political skills to offer, you get stuck with thankless stooge work. Working a phone bank and making cold calls to prospective voters, handing out flyers or glad handing at obscure public events, knocking on doors and spreading the good word to strangers, or cruising appropriately profiled neighborhoods on election day, looking to coerce the lazy into voting, then driving them to the polls.
For the most part, it's all ugly stuff for an adult to find himself doing. Which is probably why punk college kids are the main source of labor for these tasks. But I suppose these duties are important. In a close election they could make the difference between winning and losing. And for those hardy souls out there planning to do just this kind of work this year, you have more patience than I and I salute you. (Yes, first I insult you, then I salute you. That's tough love, friend.)
But for those like me, looking to help out, yet retain some degree of personal dignity, there is another option. One that not only allows you to salvage your self esteem, but also to ennoble yourself with a title of respect.
Yes, dear citizens, you too can be a judge.
An election judge, to be precise. And there are now openings for this position. Our democracy needs you to fulfill a vital role. We need you to ensure the sacred franchise of the American people is sustained in an orderly and impartial and competent fashion. Getting more specific, we need you to sit in church basements or elementary school cafeterias and get paid to read books, make small talk, meet your neighbors, and, on occasion, hand out an "I Voted" sticker or look up somebody's address in a precinct finder reference book.
Yes, reduced to its essence, that's election judging. Being trained in the procedures of running elections, being prepared to do great things if the need arises. Then pleasantly whiling away the day doing basically nothing. Minnesotans are generally fair, good-natured, responsible people who aren't prone to election-related shenanigans and that makes for a quiet day. (One judge last year told me after the primary election that he got more reading done that day than in any one day in his adult life.)
Did I mention you get paid? Yes, and not minimum wage either. In Ramsey County, it starts at $8/hour. And if you're a head judge, you get even more. This money isn't going to change your life, but if you work both the primary and general election, it can make for a nice little check. Because you will be working many, many hours.
That's the only hard part about election judging - the hours. Most people will be required to staff their precinct for the entire day. That is, on site by 6 AM (setting up for the 7 AM opening) through 8 PM (polls close) and a little bit beyond, until the votes are tallied and the precinct is taken down. You do get a lunch break. And last year, some folks were even allowed to do a half shift. But the elections officials prefer judges to be there full time, so that's who will get preference in appointments. (Yes, you get "appointed" doesn't that sound impressive?)
More on money - by state law, your employer must give you the day off if you provide sufficient notice (20 days, I think). And it's a paid day off, your employer must match your daily wage, less what you're receiving in remuneration from the county. Or, if you're like me and wouldn?t think of imposing on your employer in this manner, you can take a paid vacation day and get your check from the county, for a little double dipping, payola-wise.
Clearly it's a sweet deal. And it does actually provide a necessary function in society and for your party. By state law, the act of judging is a partisan activity. Meaning a mix of Democrats, Republicans, Greens, and independents should be on hand at each precinct, to ensure that nothing is amiss. (You don't have to actually be a member of the party, you just have to express a preference). Unfortunately, this mix isn't always achieved, because there simply aren't enough from a given party to spread throughout all precincts. This is particularly a problem for the Republicans in urban counties. From my informal observations in Ramsey County, it appears the good mix is sometimes defined as 2 Democrats and 2 Greens.
In the past two years, I've worked four elections in my little corner of St. Paul, across 16 precincts (written about here, here, here and here - another benefit of judging, rich blogging material). And I must say I've never seen any problems of a partisan nature. The credit belongs to the Ramsey County elections staff (who are top notch), and the judges, who, though mostly liberal, have performed their duties conscientiously and in a completely fair manner.
But that's not to say there couldn't be problems in the future - or that there weren't problems elsewhere in the city that I'm not aware of. The Florida election fiasco of 2000 is evidence that each party needs to have its eyes and ears located at each polling place. And that role can be played by YOU.
For local Republicans, the Minnesota GOP is kicking off an election judge recruiting campaign. I encourage you to click on over to their Web site and sign up today. Or people from either party can go directly through their county of residence for appointment. For Ramsey County the site is here. (Good luck finding information from Hennepin County, their Web site is a user nightmare).
However, I believe the party prefers you to go directly through them, so they know who you are and can provide you with support materials. (The counties don't share the names of judges with the parties, despite the partisan nature of the activity.)
So, get involved, do your public service, have fun, get paid, and receive the respect you so richly deserve. Where else can you (with a straight face) do as I did last fall. Two women came in debating whether or not they were in the right precinct, and I leaned over and said:
"Ladies, I'll be the judge of that."
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