Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Abstract: On Election Day, the U.S electoral system relies on what has been called
an "army of volunteers" to administer the process of voting at the street
level. In California alone, in the Primary of June 2006, there were 25,000
polling places that had to be staffed with a minimum of three poll workers. How are
local election officials able to recruit hundreds of thousands of eligible workers to
participate in this process during a time when civic participation among Americans is at
an all-time low? Using survey responses from 15,000 poll workers in twenty-four
California counties, we begin to answer this question. California’s June 2006 poll
workers had a wide variety of motivations for serving on Election Day. Sixteen
categories of reasons emerged, which then were consolidated into four categories for ease
of analysis. Motivations surrounding a sense of duty or wanting to serve were the largest
group followed by the social benefits that come from a day of intense team work, and less
so by material gain. These results are enough to design a multi-faceted recruitment and
retention plan which at the minimum involves an appeal to the sense of duty as well as to
social needs of potential and returning poll workers.

Publication Type: Presentation Proposal

Publication Type: Session Paper
Abstract: The organizers will review the workshop structure, the assignment of participants with and without presentations to groups for group sessions, and the communication procedures and goals for the day’s activities.