Working the polls today

[conuly]

Or, more accurately, I'm sitting at the door greeting people and occasionally telling them "Yes, just go right in!"

One person did try to get me to tell her who is on the ballot. First of all, that's not my job. Secondly, it's three people who are each running unopposed, so it's honestly a bit of a wash this year. (And there are two ballot initiatives that I did not understand. Underwhelming.) I didn't tell her that, I just directed her inside. The look she gave me, though! Like, wow. I'm just trying to be professional here!

But yeah, the most interesting thing that happened was some woman came in speaking Spanish, and it turns out she knows the Spanish interpreter, and I amused myself by translating their conversation in my head. It was not a difficult conversation. ([She] came to pick up free clothes. There are no free clothes today. Why? It's Election Day. When will there be clothes? Probably tomorrow, or maybe next week, but the person who runs the program is in the office if you want to ask her.)

Comments

[redbird]

I hadn't realized that you weren't supposed to tell them who's on the ballot, but it makes sense, to avoid things like "There's (speaking enthusiastically) John Doe, and also (sounding bored) Jane Roe, and I think there might be other candidates.

I just looked at Ballotpedia, and in the "other" column there are a bunch of party names that tell me nothing at all, and a few that indicate where they're running (the Bronx, Flushing, Staten Island), but tell the hypothetical voter who already knows they live in the Bronx nothing useful.

[conuly]

Yes. I also didn't know. Or care because, again - unopposed! I voted for two Democrats and left the third blank.

[gwydion]

Thank you for volunteering, even if it's not an exciting year where you are.

[conuly]

Just to be clear, I got paid.

[gwydion]

Sure, but it's hard to get people willing to do it.