make-believe: poll worker.

October 7, 2020

In advance of Election Day, a little encouragement to head to the polls:

A bright red jumpsuit for feeling peppy over the course of a long day.

A reminder to post en route to the polls.

A cheerful face mask, plus a few extras.

A quilted jacket for keeping warm.

Cozy socks for tired feet.

A perfect bag for keeping essentials close.

A clipboard for official business.

A button for broadcasting your support (on your lunch break).

Some tea for boosting immunity.

A tumbler for keeping it warm.

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TAKE ACTION:

In an effort to ground this make-believing in something a bit more down to earth, a few things you can do on November 3:

+ The United States is facing a shortage of poll workers as the coronavirus puts elderly folks who typically staff these positions at increased risk. In many communities, there’s still time to sign up to be a poll worker. These are typically paid, full-day assignments that require training. Head to Power to the Polls for more information about signing up where you live ASAP.

+ If working the polls isn’t a possibility for you, you can sign up to help feed folks instead! Report long lines at polling places to Pizza to the Polls and they’ll deliver hot pizza to the folks waiting to cast their ballots.

This post includes affiliate links. Reading My Tea Leaves might earn a small commission on the goods purchased through those links.

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15 Comments

  • Reply Megan October 7, 2020 at 12:16 pm

    Pizza to the Polls! Love it.

    1
  • Reply Hannah October 7, 2020 at 2:50 pm

    Due to the nature of 2020, and living in Oregon where a certain green herb is legal, I had to do a double take on that little pile of tea! 😉 Whatever it takes to get through this year!

    1
    • Reply ERIN BOYLE October 7, 2020 at 2:52 pm

      Truly, whatever it takes!

      1
  • Reply Sue October 7, 2020 at 2:53 pm

    Love the bright red jumpsuit, but I’ve worked on polls at all levels of elections many times up here in Canada, and we’ve always been instructed to wear only neutral colours on duty to avoid any hint of partisanship. I believe red is linked to one of your two political parties ; )

    0
    • Reply ERIN BOYLE October 7, 2020 at 3:13 pm

      thank goodness this is make-believe!!!

      4
    • Reply Sarah October 7, 2020 at 3:45 pm

      I was thinking the same thing, even though it’s a very cute jumpsuit!

      0
  • Reply Megan October 7, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    I’m an election judge in Texas. I would also suggest some protein snack bars. If it’s busy you may not get a very long break.

    0
    • Reply ERIN BOYLE October 7, 2020 at 4:50 pm

      good one!

      0
  • Reply Al October 7, 2020 at 5:52 pm

    Are you registered to be a poll worker? How was the training?

    0
    • Reply ERIN BOYLE October 8, 2020 at 9:02 am

      I’m not! Very little childcare that day with school closings plus nursing an infant make the long shift too tricky for me, but I have friends doing it who say the process was slightly lengthy but not terrible!

      0
      • Reply Alex October 8, 2020 at 4:47 pm

        Of course. Understandable!!

        I just registered after reading some comments here, so thanks for the post!

        0
  • Reply anne October 7, 2020 at 7:14 pm

    I signed up to be a poll worker here in Illinois! I did the training last weekend and I’m looking forward to starting with early voting in 12 days. The jumpsuit looks great, but we’re going to be wearing those gown things they give to medical workers, along with masks, face shields, and gloves. We’re supposed to layer up in case it is too hot or too cold. And yes! Lots of snacks!

    If you can’t tell by the fact that I listed out all of the instructions, I’m really excited! But also a little ashamed that I didn’t do this before. Between this and the phone banking and the text banking and the letter writing, I just don’t want to get to November 4th and feel like I left anything on the field.

    2
  • Reply Janean October 7, 2020 at 8:08 pm

    I just trained last week. Working the polls on Election Day is a 19 hr shift!!! Goodness that’s long even for the non-elderly. Thanks for the make-believe respite.

    2
  • Reply ganching October 8, 2020 at 4:35 am

    I do it in the UK and would strongly recommend lots of layers as you are either too hot or too cold, a phone charger and a lot of snacks.

    3
    • Reply Zoe October 8, 2020 at 11:21 am

      Phone charger! I wouldn’t have thought of this, good one!

      2

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