Poll Working Training - Long
Here's a compilation of stuff I wrote on Facebook which I'm copying here
I just finished Chief Inspector poll worker training and have my supplies for the election on Tuesday (Aug 14). 20% turnout is expected so if you're passionate about a candidate definitely go out and vote because your vote will be far more
significant now than in a general election.
Online Voter Registration
Another thing that was mentioned is a new website for online voter registration.
https://vpa.wi.gov/OnlineRegistration/Default.aspx
Technically you can't fully register online however what you're doing here is filling out a PDF form that automatically checks to see if you've filled in everything correctly and clears up any 'bad handwriting' errors or transcription typos. You'll still have to print it out, sign it, and mail it in with proof of ID and residency *OR* you can bring in the printed form (with ID & residency proof) to the polling place and go through the same-day registration line much much faster. Some polling places will have this online option available but there's no guarantee nor is there a requirement for this yet.
Hand Count Votes Now
At inspector training the Dane County Clerk Karen Peters was also present and she's been talking about an advocacy group (she wasn't as kind and would refer to them as a conspiracy group) who insists that all votes should be hand-counted. They seem to be called 'Hand Count Votes Now' -- I won't bother linking to their web site -- you can google that.
If anyone has ever done a hand count (and yes, I have .. twice to some extent) you will know how much of a logistical nightmare this would be.
Actually if you're only looking at one office and there are only 2 or 3 candidates (e.g. Prosser/Kloppenburg recount) the process isn't that bad -- there's a lot of flipping and sorting in piles and double checking but it's all fairly straightforward and goes pretty quick. Most elections, however, involve several offices and a hand count of such ballots is slow, tedious, and is MORE PRONE TO ERROR than most people think due to the added complications. Primary elections are even worse because of the incredible variety of amazing ways people can screw up a primary ballot.
It's worth noting the whole Prosser/Kloppenburg recount was a bit of a wake-up call that pointed out potential voting and accounting flaws. A number of additional administrative steps have been introduced to try to reduce potential errors and miscounts -- NONETHELESS
If you compare the original results to recount results for the Prosser/Kloppenburg race there are practically no significant differences in any ward, including Waukesha and Milwaukee where some of the most controversy was had. Most changes were due to weird situations involving absentee ballots and write-ins (some described in the next section).
How to Screw Up your Ballot (and what happens when you do)
In some states you have a 'closed primary' where you have to declare a party preference then you get a ballot specifically meant for that party and that party only. -- Wisconsin has an 'open primary' where each ballot has all the candidates from all parties HOWEVER you can still only vote within ONE party. The first vote is a 'Party Preference' vote which you don't *need* to fill out if you don't want to. Below is a PARTIAL LIST of possible screw-ups which only pertain to someone voting in-person. The 'BALLOT ACCEPTED and BALLOT RETURNED parts refer to what the TABULATOR will do to your ballot in each case.
Problem: don't choose party preference, vote within one party
Result: BALLOT ACCEPTED - all votes count
Caveat: there is no problem here
Problem: choose party preference, vote for all parties
Result: BALLOT ACCEPTED - all votes outside party preference are ignored
Caveat: true even if no votes for party preference
Problem: fill in more than one arrow in a particular office&party group of candidates
Result: BALLOT RETURNED - over-voted ballot
Caveat: Voter needs to get another ballot and start over.
Problem: don't choose party preference, vote for all parties
Result: BALLOT RETURNED -
Caveat: Voter can FIX this ballot by choosing party preference
Problem: fill in write in candidate name, forgot to fill in "write-in" arrow
Result: BALLOT ACCEPTED (assuming other valid votes exist)
Caveat: write in MAY NOT be counted. Poll workers will try to sift through the ballots and find this situation but we might miss a few. This is a relatively new procedure .. we wouldn't have done this about 3 years ago
Problem: fill in write in candidate name, fill in arrow for another candidate
Result: BALLOT ACCEPTED (tabulator will count candidate with arrow)
Caveat: this is TECHNICALLY WRONG - Again, poll workers will try to sift through ballots and find this situation. If found the WRITE-IN NAME supersedes the vote with arrow and poll workers will make a note to REMOVE ONE VOTE from the arrowed candidate and count the write-in instead.
Problem: use ball point pen to fill out ballot
Result: BALLOT MAY BE ACCEPTED (and votes may or may not be counted)
Caveat: tabulator reads in the InfraRed range however ball point pens, even black ones, don't always write in the IR range. Use pencil or marking pen. If the ballot is returned the VOTER MAY go over their marks with pencil or marking pen or request a new ballot to fix this.
Problem: fill in write in candidate from another party into your desired party
Result: BALLOT ACCEPTED
Caveat: when counting write-ins this vote WILL NOT COUNT. Valid write-ins cannot be on the ballot in another party (or office I think .. not sure)