Pictured: Shana Fair, Byesville Rotary
President, and Lori Banfield, Deputy Director, Guernsey County Board of
Elections.
Lori Banfield, Deputy director of the
Guernsey County Board of Election, spoke to Byesville Rotary about the work
that “poll worker” do in this new age of technology. Banfield stated that she
began working as a poll worker and gradually worked up to her current position.
She pointed out the term “poll workers” is obsolete and has been replaced by
the title “Precinct Election Official.”
Guernsey County has 35 precincts and
needs 4 precinct election officials per precinct—a total of 140 workers--for
each election. Workers are always needed. People interested in serving as a
precinct election official need to fill out an application form which is
available at the County Board of Elections office.
Election hours are long. During
presidential and gubernatorial races, precinct election officials must arrive
at the polling location by 5:30 am to set up equipment. When the polls close at
7:30 pm, workers must tear down. Precinct mangers are also responsible for
picking up and returning supplies. Precinct officials earn $120 for their work
at the polls plus $15 for the training that is required as part of the job.
Banfield pointed out that Ohio has a
system of checks and balances built into the voting system to help prevent
voter fraud. Two of the precinct workers must be Democrats and 2 must be
Republicans. The goal of the Board of Election is to have enough checks and
balances to make it “Easy to vote; hard to cheat.”
Banfield was asked if there was much
voter fraud in Guernsey County. She replied that in the 17 years she has worked
for the Board of elections only 1 person has been prosecuted. The case was more
a lack of communication rather than a deliberate attempt to cheat. The case
involved a parent who applied for and signed an application for an absentee
ballot for a child away at school. The parent was unaware that the child had
voted at school using a provisional ballet.
Not knowing the rules can get a well
meaning voter into trouble. Banfield recommended that any voter who has a
question should call the Board of Elections and get an answer.
Banfield stated that Guernsey County has
about 23,000 people eligible to vote. Not all of those eligible are registered
to vote. Anyone who has not voted in 2 years will get a card warning them that
they have been purged from polling books and need to reregister. Voters can
check their status by contacting the Board of Elections. More information is
available at: https://sites.google.com/site/guernseycountyboe/Home
Connect with Byesville Rotary at: www.Byesvillerotary.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Byesville-Rotary/256548047818283. The club meets
7:30 am, Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299)
Southgate Road, Byesville. Walk-ins are welcome at the club’s meeting.
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