by Alissa Lopez, Board Member ACLU of North Carolina
Normally, the topics considered newsworthy when it comes to election coverage are the candidates running for office or how they are faring in the polls. But today I’m writing about something else that is critical to our country’s democracy running smoothly this November.
It’s almost August 1 - Poll Worker Recruitment Day, a National Day of Action to recruit the one million temporary poll workers needed to staff polling places in communities nationwide so that our democracy runs efficiently and smoothly.
I’m happy to be on the Board of Directors for the ACLU of North Carolina, which is partnering with Power the Polls to recruit a new generation of poll workers. At the ACLU, we know that ensuring everyone has the right to vote is critical to the function of our democracy, and we need poll workers to make sure polls are accessible.
My polling place in Durham always opens early and closes late on election day so that people like me can vote. That’s because poll workers help make sure it runs efficiently and effectively — and they get paid to do so. I hope that readers will sign up today with Power the Polls because our country and our democracy are counting on it.