Welp, early voting in NC is finishing today. I have loved being a poll worker for the first time, and am blown away by the people I am working with at the Wake Commons site. I’d like to share some of their stories with you. #ralpol #Election2020

Carolyn and Bill: married 57 years, have lived in multiple states, roadtripped around the country, and even spent a year in Saudi Arabia. Carolyn has worked the polls for years, but this is the first time they’ve worked the same site together.

Debra: moved here from Texas, and still goes back every year to visit the state fair so she can sit in all of the new cars. When she was little, her mom would tell her about needing to pay a poll tax or recite the Declaration before she was allowed to vote, because of her skin.

But her mom always saved so that she could pay the poll tax, because voting was that important to her, and Debra never misses an election because of her mother’s example.

Dorothy and Calvin: repeat volunteers, and the driest communication styles. Flirted with each other every day and took breaks together.

Clara: daughter of Black farmers. She has a community garden and her favorite things to grow are herbs and tomatoes. She wishes avocado trees could grow in the NC climate because she loves them so much.

Renee: has a masters and PhD in divinity studies. She’s from Mississippi, lived in Georgia, and now calls NC home with her wife. Semi adopted all the rookies on her team immediately. Absolute troublemaker and incredibly gracious.

Hannah: young mom, new college graduate who went back to school to finish her degree in political science. Maybe wants to go to law school, waiting till post-COVID for her kids’ schedules to settle before deciding what comes next for her.

Tyrone: has the best morning laugh. He worked curbside the whole time, and was the bookie for our (very low stakes) pool on when our site would pass 10,000 voters.

Dawn, Cleve, Lichi: veteran poll workers - they’ve been doing this for years. Able to answer any question or hypothetical and troubleshoot any problem. Absolute gems, and so kind to all of us who were new.

Brian, Athena, Lauren, Marni: like me, all first-time volunteers. Excited to learn and serve, inspired by the process.

Democracy is a team effort, and it really is just a bunch of normal people coming together to make the process work.

As much as it thrilled me to register new voters and celebrate folks who showed up to vote, it meant just as much to meet the people who make it logistically possible for us to exercise our right. 11/10 experience, would recommend.