What’s the difference between Poll Worker & Poll Watcher?
Poll Worker:
Nonpartisan, Paid (Clerks, Judges, Inspectors, Checker, Precinct Worker)
Poll Watcher:
Partisan, Volunteer (Observers, Monitors, Challengers)
WISCONSIN
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to be a poll worker (inspector) Must be at least 18+, a resident of election district for 10+ prior to the election, complete training.
HOW POLL WORKERS ARE CHOSEN:
According to State Statutes the Mayor, President or Board Chairperson of the municipality is required to nominate poll workers to the governing body no later than the last regular meeting in December of odd-numbered years. The governing body of the municipality appoints the poll workers for a two-year term before December 31. The nominees are to come first from lists submitted by the two dominant political parties, which are due no later than November 30 of odd numbered years, and may be supplemented at any time. Local party chairpersons are responsible for submitting these lists of names to the Mayor, President or Board Chairperson of the municipality, for each polling place. If a local party does not submit a list, or does not submit enough names, the Mayor, President or Board Chairperson may nominate qualified individuals on a non-partisan basis, without regard to party affiliation.
Note: Wisconsin has 2 main elections systems: voter registration and vote counting. The voter registration system is very centralized and mostly online. The vote counting system is very decentralized and mostly offline.
Approx DEADLINE to be nominated to be a Poll Worker
November 30, 2019!! (Yes, 2019)
POLL WATCHER INFO:
Any member of the public may be present at any polling place for the purpose of observation of an election except a candidate whose name appears on the ballot at the polling place or on an absentee ballot to be cast at the clerk’s office or alternate site at that election. The chief inspector or municipal clerk may reasonably limit the number of persons representing the same organization who are permitted to observe at the same time. Each person permitted to observe under shall print his or her name in and sign and date a log maintained by the chief inspector or municipal clerk for that polling place, office, or alternate site. The chief inspector or municipal clerk shall clearly designate observation areas for election observers. The observation areas shall be so positioned to permit any election observer to readily observe all public aspects of the voting process.
Who is Authorised to Challenge a Voter’s Eligibility on Election Day?
Each inspector shall challenge for cause any person offering to vote whom the inspector knows or suspects is not a qualified elector or who does not adhere to any voting requirement under this chapter. Any elector may challenge for cause any person offering to vote whom the elector knows or suspects is not a qualified elector.
Resources for Wisconsin:
POLL WORKER (and Poll Watcher) Requirements & links to sign-up in All 50 States, STATE BY STATE Including:
- QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
- HOW POLL WORKERS ARE CHOSEN
- POLL WATCHER INFO;
- Who is Authorised to Challenge a Voter’s Eligibility on Election Day?
- & Links to retweetable TWEETS & shareable FB Posts for each State
- Twitter THREAD with links here.
- Facebook shareable Album with downloadable graphics here.
- On the Postcards for America website here.
- On the Unhack the Vote Website here.
