Why you should be a poll worker in November
Number of votes cast by Arizonans in 2020 election: 3,333,829
Votes by which Trump lost to Joe Biden in Arizona: 10,457
Arizonans registered to vote in 2024: 4,096,260
Percentage registered as Republicans: 34%
Number of partisan political party observers appointed to be present on Election Day at your polling place: 1
Number of feet “electioneering” is not allowed near a polling place: 75
Average hours a poll worker is expected to work on election day: 15
Number of pages in a poll workers handbook: 127
MAGA Republicans nationwide who believe the 2020 election was stolen: 70%
Arizona Legislators who believe the 2020 election was stolen: 53%
State Senators who believe Biden stole the 2020 election: 75%
Number of MAGA Republican State legislators at the January 6th Insurrection: 1
Number of fake Republican electors: 11
Number who are currently Arizona legislators: 2
Percentage of fraud charges made by the legislature’s “Freedom Caucus” that have been thoroughly investigated: 100%
Percentage debunked: 100%
MAGA Republican lawmakers in Arizona who have introduced anti-democratic legislation: 16
Percentage who voted for anti-democratic legislation: 84%
Times since 2021 Homeland Security has issued a National Terrorism Advisory saying domestic terror poses a lethal threat: 8
Year Homeland Security deployed to Arizona to advise counties on election security: 2024
Average number of hours devoted to rehearsing active-shooter drills and lock downs at polling stations in Arizona for 2024 election: 5
Cases prosecuted by Elections Threat Task Force to protect election officials from attacks by Trump supporters: 13
Cases related to Arizona: 5
Number of legislators on State Senate Election Committee: 7
Who are MAGA Republicans: 5
Who blocked Bipartisan bills written specifically to protect election officials: 4
Number of Supervisors on Maricopa County Board: 5
Who are Republicans: 4
Who are not seeking reelection because of threats of violence: 2
Number of violent threats received by Maricopa County election workers in the run-up to the 2022 midterms: 100 plus
Percentage of Arizonans who own guns: 43%
Portion of Arizona’s county election officials who have left since the 2020 election: 12 out of 15
Percentage of county election officials who will be new to running the election in 2024: 98%
Collective years of experience lost due to experienced polling officials leaving due to intimidation by MAGA Republicans: 176
Charges of voter fraud brought before judges related to the 2020 election: 60
Where voter fraud was proven: 0
Number of suits filed by Kari Lake in Superior Court challenging her loss to Katie Hobbs: 2
Number Kari Lake has lost: 2
Number of times MAGA Republicans Kari Lake and Mark Finchem have sued to stop the use of electronic voting machines: 2
Number they’ve lost: 2
Times they’ve taken their case to the Supreme Court: 1
MAGA Republican County supervisors across state who face criminal indictments for refusing to certify the 2022 election results: 2
Evidentiary documents MAGA Republican Mark Finchem’s “Election Fairness Institute” has filed proving the existence of “phantom voters”: 0
Bills sponsored by Arizona MAGA Senator Sonny Borelli requiring all voting machines to be made from US-manufactured parts: 1
Number of voting machines made exclusively out of American parts in 2024: 0
Number of non-binding resolutions passed by Arizona’s Republican House and Senate banning voting machines and calling for a hand-count of all ballots: 1
Number of additional temporary workers it would require to conduct a hand count of the presidential election, working nine-hour shifts for 25 straight days: 25,000
Cost to taxpayers: $71,000,000.00
Percentage of all local election officials across nation who are women: 80%
Percentage of total US population supporting the use of violence to advance political goals: 3%
Number of anti-government and hate groups in Arizona in 2022: 39
Pay for Pima County poll workers in 2020: $150.00
References
“Democracy is teetering at ground zero for Trump’s big lie in Arizona”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/16/arizona-election-denial-consequences
“Legislature's inaction sends message to election workers under siege: Fend for yourselves”
Two officials in Arizona charged for 2022 election interference
Pro-Trump disruptions in Arizona county elevate fears for the 2024 vote
Pima County offers higher pay as it still faces poll worker shortage
https://www.kold.com/2022/11/02/pima-county-offers-higher-pay-it-still-faces-poll-worker-shortage/
Be a Poll Worker
https://www.azcleanelections.gov/election-security/be-a-poll-worker
County Poll Worker Information/ Arizona Secretary of State
https://azsos.gov/elections/about-elections/county-poll-worker-information
In 2022, 39 hate and anti-government groups were tracked in Arizona
https://www.splcenter.org/states/arizona
Pollworkers handbook pdf
https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/15249fa5-77ea-4a7a-aade-03954e8b88a5
When I wrote that 1 partisan observer should be present at your polling station let me be clear: 1 should be present from each party; making a total of 2.
One correction, David: "Number of partisan political party observers appointed to be present on Election Day at your polling place: 1" Actually it's one from each party for a total of two. I don't know why there aren't Independent or Green party observers, but then, we have a very stupid, wasteful, and acrimonious Legislature that makes the rules. Like having a separate Presidential Preference Election (roll eyes) for ONE OFFICE that uses all the same resources and manpower as any standard election, then have to DO IT ALL AGAIN IN JULY for the primary for all other public offices. What a WASTE!
This past Tuesday, I signed up as a paid poll worker for the first time as an act of defiance against the BS spewed by election deniers. I was a poll observer in 2022, which is unpaid and still a minimum 13 hour day. I continue to be amazed at how regular folks are dedicated to helping their fellow Americans cast a ballot. The Elections Board has multiple training opportunities, online and in person, for workers. I'm impressed with the voting machines, which are VITAL for anyone with vision impairment who may not have - or want - a personal assistant. They are marked in Braille and have headphones for the computer voice to read the ballot to the voter, then they get to use what looks like a game console (again, marked in Braille) to make their choices. It's cool. The measures in place to ensure that those who vote do so securely, and that ballots are safeguarded at every step are notable. Pima County has some of the most secure election procedures in the nation.
I highly recommend if you have ANY questions about voting or how votes are processed, sign up for and attend the Voter Registration Workshop presented by the County Recorder's Office every couple of months. You can even ask them to come present it to your group or business privately:
Pima County Recorder’s Office
520-724-4330
Outreach@Recorder.Pima.gov