Democracy’s essential feature is multiparty elections. Yet elections don’t conduct themselves. Poll workers are a vital part of democracy. Without them democracy faces a steep challenge as popular will may not be expressed through the ballot box. However, poll workers are under threat in America and fear for their safety merely for carrying out their duties throughout an election cycle. The Hill had this article by Matthew Weil. Here is an excerpt:

The faceless bureaucrat is a caricature Americans love to hate. Even though most government administrators are under-resourced and underpaid, partisans of all stripes find it easy to criticize civil servants for any failing. Now a subset of these dedicated individuals is being drawn into hyperpolarized fights about voting, and the impact on democracy will be devastating.

The person most responsible for providing your right to vote is someone who lives in your community. This individual — a clerk, recorder or election administrator — rallies an army of your neighbors to fill vital roles like the “poll worker” to deliver democracy to you each election season. This person is also likely to receive threats against their personal safety or fear for their wellbeing simply for doing their job during an election cycle with no parallel. 

The 2020 presidential election was always going to be a challenge. President Trump elicited very strong opinions among the electorate. Either you loved him or you hated him, and there was very little in between. The onset of COVID-19 in the middle of the primary election season cascaded into confusing policy changes, which set the stage for election battles no one quite expected.

Read the full article here. Also, see related Democracy Chronicles articles like those on the Voter Access, Voter Turnout, or even seen our section on American Democracy.