Election volunteers honored

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  
October 16, 2008                                                                                CONTACT:        Marcia Ventura (562) 462-2726 or                                                                                                                        Eileen Shea       (562) 462-2648

                                               

ELECTION VOLUNTEERS RECOGNIZED FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

 TO THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC), Dean Logan, will recognize 14 individuals for outstanding service as election volunteers at a Recognition Ceremony to be held October 21, 2008 during the Board of Supervisors meeting in Room 381B of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The Board meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. with presentation of scrolls first on the Agenda.

The individuals to be recognized have distinguished themselves by their exemplary dedication to service and leadership in the community.  Their participation in the electoral process represents 849 accrued elections of which civic minded citizens Mary Guerrero, Roxie Katangian, Sue Iwakiri, Thelma Movey, Virginia Hurtado, Blanche Clay, Mattie Hart, Geraldine Cooper, Rosa Soriano, Ella Marie Bailey, Emily Duran, Mary Coyne Wagoner, Frances Carey and Marjorie Austin have volunteered to serve as pollworkers.  Sylvia Levin will also be recognized for her invaluable contribution to the residents of Los Angeles County for her 35 years of unremitting and exceptional service as a deputy registrar of voters. 

“These individuals represent the spirit of democracy by volunteering to serve their community and voters at the polls.  Their commitment to public service is a tribute to the voting process and it is a reflection of the strength of our Democracy.  They are an inspiration for others to enlist in civic duty,” said Logan.

Pollworkers serve on the frontline of democracy.  They are the most important and necessary component of a successful election.   Pollworker programs nationally have suffered from shortages as a result of the number of pollworkers who are veteran volunteers dwindling in recent years as many civic-minded, stay-at-home moms have now joined the workforce and “World War II generation” voters reach the age when they are unable to continue serving.  Logan stated, “Over the past decade, volunteerism has dropped off and recruitment, training and retention of pollworkers have become increasingly difficult.  Pollworkers have dropped out in large numbers due to the long hours required on Election Day and the increasing complexity of election procedures.”

Critical pollworker recruiting problems and Election Day “no shows” are forcing election officials nationwide to turn to increasingly creative ways to supplement the traditional force of dedicated pollworkers.  Los Angeles County has transitioned its pollworker recruiting methods toward specialty recruiting programs such as high school and college pollworker programs, and a County employee pollworker program, targeted at potential audiences with whom the County has a connection.

Pollworkers must be available between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. to set up the polls, provide assistance to voters, and conduct poll closing procedures.  Pollworkers are compensated $80 for working Election Day plus $25 for attending a 1-1/2 hour training session.  More than 25,000 pollworkers are needed to support a countywide election.

Training sessions are conducted throughout Los Angeles County in the weeks prior to the election.  A schedule of classes, pollworker training videos, and

training materials can be found on the RR/CC website www.lavote.net by clicking the link BE A POLLWORKER on the main page.  Additionally, pollworker

training videos are available at County libraries.

Logan added, “The RR/CC is committed to providing qualified electors with the opportunity to register to vote and ensuring that registration forms are properly completed to prevent delays and complications in the registration and election process.”  The RR/CC offers a Deputy Registrar training program for those interested in becoming deputy registrars.  The program provides valuable information to those registering voters and to volunteers conducting petition drives.  Topics include proper methods and techniques for registering voters, assisting electors with the completion of voter registration forms, and a review of important California Election Code sections related to registration requirements.

Certification Training sessions are held at the RR/CC Headquarters located at 12400 Imperial Hwy., Norwalk, CA, Room 3207.  Participants receive a Deputy Registrar of Voters Certificate upon the successful completion of the training program.

If interested in becoming a pollworker for the November 4 Presidential General Election, please call the Polls Section of the RR/CC at 1 (800) 815-2666,

option 7 or visit the RR/CC website at www.lavote.net.   Information on becoming a deputy registrar of voters may be found on www.lavote.net under Voter &

Election Information or call the Voter Records Administrative Unit at (562) 462-2881.

 

Persons requiring multilingual assistance in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino or Vietnamese regarding information in this press release, can call (800) 481-8683.

# # # #