Why the article is helpful
- Variation in how poll workers follow laws on voter ID is largely based on individual attitudes
- Strong election procedures that reduce poll worker discretion also reduce the variation
- Suggests that training, experience, and culture matter less to poll workers as a temporary work force than they do to other “street level bureaucrats”
This article reports on a post-election random survey of poll workers in four New Mexico counties (Bernalillo, Santa Fe, San Juan, and Dona Ana) after the November 2008 general election, alone with polling place observations.
The survey analysis shows that poll workers who believe that identification should be required are more likely to ask for photo ID if the voter does not offer it. The authors conclude that clear guidelines and procedures are needed to ensure that voter ID requirements are not enforced inconsistently.
They suggest that poll worker discretion may have broader implications for confidence in elections because:
- Voter-poll worker interactions are a significant factor in voter confidence, which also is a factor in turnout
- Some voters may be disproportionately affected by inconsistent application of voter identification laws.
Additional details
The 1517 respondents included all presiding judges (head poll wokers) and a random sample of all other poll workers in the four counties included in the survey.
The survey asked poll workers about Responses were analyzed the responses for partisanship, political attitudes, demographics of the poll workers, and experience as a poll worker.
The key questions on the survey was, ‘‘When a voter approached without any form of identification, how often did you ask voters to show a form of photo identification?’’ Responses were:
- 16.4% – Very often
- 19.4% – Somewhat often
- 35.2% – Not too often
- 29.0% – Not at all
Questions to test poll worker attitudes included:
- Which is more important: ‘‘Ensuring that everyone who is eligible has the right to vote’’ or ‘‘Protecting the voting system against fraud.’’
- Indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with the following statement: Photo identification should be required of each voter at the polls to prevent fraud
The observation team saw wide variation in how voters and poll workers interacted:
- voters volunteered identification
- voters were told to look up their name in the voter identification roll and provide their corresponding number to the poll workers without showing any additional identification
- voters were asked for their name only or their name with either address or birth year, but not all three
- voters were asked correctly for their name, address, and year of birth
- voters were immediately asked for identification
- voters were recognized upon entering the polling site and asked to sign the voter rolls
- voters who could not be found in the precinct roll were then asked for identification so that the poll workers could call the county clerk and request registration status and the correct voter precinct
- poll workers simply held out their hand, presumably with the expectation that an individual’s identification would be placed in it
Links to the article