Looks like everyone needs poll standers this year. What is a pole stander? Basically, someone who hands out literature to folks coming into the polls. Yes, there are people who are walking into the voting booth, that aren’t firm on who they are going to vote for, or who can’t quite remember the name of that person, running for some office, who they are planning to vote for.
The purpose of the poll stander is to get those few extra votes as folks head into the polls to make their small contribution to the future of our Republic. The unfortunate thing is campaigns always need them, and the even more unfortunate thing is I can never find people willing to do it when I ping my volunteer list. I can understand why no one wants to phone bank, because a lot of people hate getting phone calls, and don’t want to do it to other people, or just plain hate talking to people on the phone. Poll standing generally just requires handing out campaign materials people can peruse while waiting in line to vote. It may involve talking to people some if they have questions, but that’s not the majority of the job.
I think I’d have better luck recruiting poll dancers some days. Maybe I could do that for heavily Democratic areas, and then hopefully a lot of the men at least would never make it in to vote.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that most of our people shouldn’t ever poll dance. But, having more poll standers would be nice. :)
If you put pol(e) dancers in the polls, I’ll bet attendance would go up! Good luck getting the volunteers you need Seb.
Interesting. Here in the People’s Republic of California you would have to remain at least 100 feet from the door to the polling place or you would be hauled away by the Sheriff’s folks.
This is legal in Pennsylvania?
There is a distance limit, but it’s not that far. Do they not have people outside waving signs and such? In MA, it was also done by outside entrances, but I used to wave signs for people pulling into the parking lots. It varies by state law, but it’s the general job of showing personal support for a candidate to the last minute undecideds as they arrive at the polling places.
You can’t go into the actual polling room where the machines are…. once you go in the room where you interface with the government election apparatus, standers are forbidden. You can’t do any electioneering there. But beyond that you can.
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess nobody wants to volunteer for this because we find the practice an annoyance at best and downright insulting at worst.
Here are my thoughts on the issue:
1 – If you are walking into the voting booth undecided who you are voting for, you should stop right there and return home (hopefully to study up a little on the candidates and issues).
2 – I hold the practice in the same esteem as those who hound us to fill out their credit card application so we can “save” money by going into debt.
Maybe I’m just a crotchety ol’ bastard now at 44, but having to wade through a line of people pushing stuff on me is not my idea of a pleasant experience. YMMV
If you are walking into the voting booth undecided who you are voting for, you should stop right there and return home (hopefully to study up a little on the candidates and issues).
You can think that, but they won’t. They’ve been told it’s their civic duty. You can either leave them completely to the other side, or you can try to get those voters for your pet issue(s).
I hold the practice in the same esteem as those who hound us to fill out their credit card application so we can “save†money by going into debt.
They aren’t doing it for you, they are doing it for the guy who needs some reinforcement. Someone is going to do it. It’s going to either be your people or the opposition. It’s your choice.
This process isn’t honorable. It’s just the best compared to the alternatives. Until we can get beyond the idea that the ignorant have a civic duty to vote, this is the game.
No arguments there. I completely understand where you’re coming from. I was just using my personal feelings as a potential rationale for your difficulties in finding those to perform the duty. Perhaps you need to look at a different target audience for volunteers. ;-)
Hahaha… my pool is people who told NRA they want to volunteer… which is kind of sad :)
“Interesting. Here in the People’s Republic of California you would have to remain at least 100 feet from the door to the polling place or you would be hauled away by the Sheriff’s folks.”
It’s 200 here in AK. Which is causing a bit of a storm after the gov’t sent out a list of write-in candidates to polling stations!