Vet the Vote honors Mon County poll workers who’ve served the nation
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dbeard@dominionpost.com
MORGANTOWN - Veterans, military family members and community members gathered at the Monongalia County Election Center Thursday evening to honor veterans and their family members who serve as poll workers - and perhaps recruit some more.
The event was put on by We the Veterans and Military Families through its Vet the Vote program.
The program included a panel discussion with veterans who now serve as poll workers, and Army veteran Ron Williams summed up the essence of what they do in response to a question about the long hours at the polling places on election day.
"It’s not about money. It’s about serving," he said. "And it’s about helping, and about helping your fellow Americans. You deal with it. It’s not insurmountable because it’s so rewarding. Because it’s such a validating process for such a little, teeny speck of your time out of the course of your week or month or year. It really means a lot to a lot of people."
We the Veterans and Military Families describes itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization created by veterans and military family members to engage and empower the 16-plus million veterans and their family members living in the U.S. to help build a more perfect Union.
Vet the Vote’s slogan is "Vote. Volunteer. Support those who do."
Ingrid Sundlee, chief of staff and director of programs for We the Veterans, said they have recruited more than 165,000 veterans and military family members across the U.S. to serve as poll workers. More than 600 volunteer in West Virginia, with 23 of them in Monongalia County.
Secretary of State Kris Warner delivered a brief keynote. "West Virginia is a state built on service, sacrifice and love of country," he said. "Those values are also deeply rooted in our veteran community."
Veterans learn and practice courage, commitment to mission, dedication to something larger than oneself, he said. "Veterans are not just former service members. They’re assets to our society."
Warner said, "Poll workers are the face of our elections. It’s their professionalism, patience and dedication that helps give voters confidence that every ballot cast will be secured, protected and received by election officials for tallying and safekeeping."
And veterans are well suited for the work. They understand discipline, integrity and teamwork. They remain calm under challenging circumstances and complete the mission.
The poll-worker panelists were Navy veteran Julie Hendricks, director of operations for We the Veterans and a poll worker in Virginia; Kathy Maier, veteran Air Force nurse; Jacqueline Mier, veteran Army nurse; Ron Williams, veteran Army and West Virginia Army National Guard officer; and Tracy Dingess, veteran Army linguist and POW information specialist.
Dingess took a question on what motivated him to become a poll worker. He said he teachers civics and community service to international students. Students would ask him what poll workers do, and he decided to become one to find out.
That service, he said, inspired him to bring service learning into his linguistics and culture curriculum, to connect the students with needs in their host community. "So that started it. My kids are responsible."
Mier answered the same question.
In her service abroad, she said, "I realized how much the world admires the United States and the fact we have a voting system where the citizens vote and we are not punished for who we vote for. I think it’s an honor and a privilege, and as a veteran I think we need to encourage the community, and it’s a way that I can do that."
Hendricks answered a question on what they brought from their military service to their service at the polling places.
The Navy taught her priorities, she said, in order: ship, shipmate, self.
"When you are in that polling station, the mission is helping people vote. ... You truly don’t care who folks are voting for. If they need help in some way, you figure out how to do that. ... You have each other’s backs. You’re paying attention to details."
Maier talked about the long days at the polling place - from 6:30 a.m. to when the polls close at 7:30 p.m., and a bit past that.
She goes to bed early the night before, she said with a chuckle. "You get up early, drink lots of coffee." Throughout the day, you get up and walk, socialize.
"You meet people, learn from them, and why they’re there. ... You’re never alone. You have somebody to help you when you run into a problem."
A question on what surprises the panelists encountered led Mier to comment on the integrity of West Virginia’s elections.
"I was very very surprised at how careful the West Virginia voting process has been set up and how well all of the steps are covered," she said. "And how seriously most of the poll workers take their job. I think we should all be so proud of the West Virginia process for voting. I think there’s absolutely no reason to criticize it."
Williams picked up that thought in the context of reports of controversial election processes in some other states.
"The elections in West Virginia are honest," he said. "It’s working. And it works well. You never see those kind of tensions and fights and aggravations. ... It really is a testament to the way Carye [county Clerk Carye Blaney] and people like Carye all around the state of West Virginia run this business of elections."
At various times during the panel discussion, the topic of youth involvement in elections - or the lack of it - arose.
Williams said, "We don’t have many young people as poll workers. ... That’s a little bit concerning to me."
Dingess said, "I was surprised in my years of service there were no poll workers under the age of 40." Youth voter turnout is also low.
And Mier said, "There has to be a way for us to inspire the children that are coming up. This is their duty. ... We really have to somehow get young people in."
Warner noted that during its last session, the state Legislature passed a bill to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to serve as poll workers.
The evening concluded with an award presentation. Sundlee explained Vet the Vote Awards, which recognizes any governmental jurisdiction where more than 10% of poll workers are military or military family members. The awards range from bronze to platinum.
Blaney was presented with a gold award, for having 48% of Mon County poll workers with military ties.
She said, "We could not run the accurate, transparent, honest elections that we run without each of our poll workers."
Warner said, "Their efforts here in Monongalia County are strengthening elections and serving as a model for counties across West Virginia."