U.S. Short at Least 500,000 Poll Workers (AP)

[cthrumatrix]

U.S. Short at Least 500,000 Poll Workers


By RACHEL KONRAD, Associated Press Writer

A shortage of at least 500,000 poll workers nationwide means many voters could face long lines, cranky volunteers, polling places that don't open or close on schedule and the chance that results won't be known until long after the polls are closed.

Roughly 1.4 million people have been trained to serve as poll workers on Tuesday, about the same as four years ago, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. But nearly 2 million will be needed to deal with expected heavy turnout, huge numbers of first-time voters and unfamiliar touch-screen machines in hundreds of counties.


Desperate for workers, the Election Assistance Commission urged businesses and federal agencies to give volunteers the day off with pay to staff the polls. But as the last deadline for training new workers passed Friday, critical shortages remained in many states.


"If the criminal justice system didn't have access to jurors, the criminal justice system wouldn't exist. Poll workers are just as important as jurors," said DeForest Soaries Jr., chairman of the EAC and former New Jersey secretary of state.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041...

goes on to say that the sortage is "accute in major cities"....shocked I tell you...WTF have people been doing for 4 yrs.

[cthrumatrix]

1. kick for awareness...

[Catfight]

2. Then every Secretary of Elections should be voted out if they can't

run their districts seriously. It's Anti-American to have crappy elections. Our democracy depends on this election!

[meganmonkey]

3. Maybe if we all got the day off from work...?!

This is yet another example of why election day needs to be a priority! Or on a weekend! Or 2 days long! AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

I could go on and on....

[TexasTreasure]

4. A Fair Election

I'm an election judge on Tuesday. I don't care how crowded it gets, everyone will have his/her chance to vote. I know the Constitution says that the states make the voting laws, but I do wish there was some consistency from state to state. Some states require photo I.D.s to be able to register and to vote, others require no documentation whatsoever. If anybody can vote, what's the point of being a citizen and having the rights of one?