For some Hamilton County poll workers, the November 2009 election is taking place on the backs of their experience rather than training they’ve received.
“They did the training only for new people to cut back costs,” said Joyce Baitz, 80, a veteran volunteer with 26 years of experience.—-
Board of Elections administrator Joe Mallory said training varies from year to year. Last year, for example, every poll worker attended a training workshop before hitting the polls for the presidential election. This year, however, the board has been more selective.
“It depends on how recent the training is,” he said.
New poll workers and the locations’ judges and deputy judges (the higher-level site volunteers) all attended training workshops. They received training manuals there, and Mallory said the manuals filled in for workshop training for the more experienced volunteers.
“Everyone receives a training manual,” he said.
Contributor Elise Manahan reports for the NMB, a collaborative local news bureau based at the University of Cincinnati. Learn more at ucjournalism.org .