October 2, 2008
Advancement Project Asks State Election Officials To Ensure Proper Poll Worker Training
With historic voter turnout expected on Election Day, surpassing all previous records, Advancement Project distributed
the issue brief, Poll Worker Training: Is Your State Complying with the Law?
The brief advocates that elections officials adhere to their legal duty to ensure proper training of poll workers,
suggesting substantive improvements to poll-worker training programs while identifying model programs and materials, and
advocating for the adoption of Advancement Project’s poll-worker palm card.
Voter disenfranchisement caused by poor poll worker training has been a serious issue for years; however, it promises to
be even more of a problem this year given the significance of the election.
During recent presidential primaries and the 2006 midterm elections thousands of voters were disenfranchised because
poll workers were not adequately prepared to administer the voting process.
In 2006, Advancement Project undertook a similar project by distributing Plight of the Poll Worker: Efforts to Improve
Training and Support for Poll Workers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, and Michigan. The issue brief called
attention to startling deficiencies in poll worker training and advocated for immediate improvements in advance of the
2006 midterm elections.
This year’s issue brief was distributed to the secretary of state or chief elections officials of Alabama, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
To read the brief, click here.
ENDS