Putnam County Election Commission. (Memphis, Jackson: bus, paid, weather)

[John1960]

Primary Site: ELECTION RESULTS: Feb 5th, 2008

Putnam County

[Wordy]

I have a question about the rules in Putnam County voting. Are the poll workers allowed to make political commentary? I really don't know if they are or not. I sort of assumed they were not supposed to, but my daughter told me that one of the women working behind the desk at the polls (she was taking the voting application you had to fill out) said: "Well. Looks like we are going to have either a black president or a woman president." Not that bad as far as comments go but I would just not have thought it was ok to make any kind of remarks that expressed bias/talked about results until they took off their poll worker hats.

[CookevilleWeatherGuy]

Originally Posted by Wordy

I have a question about the rules in Putnam County voting. Are the poll workers allowed to make political commentary? I really don't know if they are or not. I sort of assumed they were not supposed to, but my daughter told me that one of the women working behind the desk at the polls (she was taking the voting application you had to fill out) said: "Well. Looks like we are going to have either a black president or a woman president." Not that bad as far as comments go but I would just not have thought it was ok to make any kind of remarks that expressed bias/talked about results until they took off their poll worker hats.

Most of these poll workers are elderly as well as 'heavily involved' with one candidate or another...they shouldn't be running their mouth, but unfortunately, some do....

Maybe we should VOLUNTEER to work the polls....I know one poll captain who said they are in need of help, BIG TIME!

[JMT]

Originally Posted by CookevilleWeatherGuy

Most of these poll workers are elderly as well as 'heavily involved' with one candidate or another...they shouldn't be running their mouth, but unfortunately, some do....

Maybe we should VOLUNTEER to work the polls....I know one poll captain who said they are in need of help, BIG TIME!

I remember my brother was stunned about 15 years ago when he went to vote in Cookeville and a poll worker was wearing a political button on her sweater. It seems to me that they have since made that illegal. But I agree with both you and Wordy, the poll workers should also keep their mouths shut.

[alleycat]

In Nashville we'll just be happy if they don't get any more laptop computers stolen . . . with everyone's voter registration information.

[2mares]

I experienced just the opposite this primary. I had to change voting to Cumberland Co. and vote in the big city of Mayland. Twice I heard citizens asking poll workers questions and the workers explaning that they cant tell anyone who to vote for or could not comment of which candidate was for or against what. My boss votes in Jackson Co. and had one elderly lady ask him who she should vote for.
In all the years I voted in Putnam Co. I never experienced any volunteers discussing the election other than if there had been many or few people voting.

[Wordy]

Are the poll workers volunteers? I was under the impression it was a paid (albeit probably low paid) position. I wonder if having volunteers would make the problem better or worse. I tend to think it would make it worse, but I could be totally wrong about that.

[Ridgerunner]

Originally Posted by Wordy

Are the poll workers volunteers? I was under the impression it was a paid (albeit probably low paid) position. I wonder if having volunteers would make the problem better or worse. I tend to think it would make it worse, but I could be totally wrong about that.

I believe these are paid positions and must be equally divided among the political parties represented.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner

I believe these are paid positions and must be equally divided among the political parties represented.

I'm not saying I don't believe you, but I can't imagine that half of the poll workers in inner-city Memphis are Republican.

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by JMT

I'm not saying I don't believe you, but I can't imagine that half of the poll workers in inner-city Memphis are Republican.

They probably bus 'em in from Germantown!

;-)