Election administrators ready for Tuesday, …or not?

Less than two days before Election Day, the main factors election administrators nationwide are worrying about, given the large expected turnout, are the number of poll workers -in particular,  well trained poll workers, the number of voting machines, the number of voting booths, the number of paper and provisional ballots, the rules governing ID requirements, where to establish “end-of-the-lines” to close at reasonable hours, and how to address voter use of partisan slogans.

In general, most election administrators feel confident about some of the listed factors, but not about others. Though several say that they are ready, others seem on the verge of a nervous breakdown –such as the executive director of the National Association of Election Officials, who told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that “there are so many things that could make this thing difficult that it just drives you insane.”

Also, one wonders about the consequences of last minute measures intended to solve problems such as long waiting lines, when Florida’s Secretary of State Kurt Browning says that “there (is) no law requiring people to vote in a privacy booth. If booths are full,  he said, why not set out some tables?”

A manager for electionline.org Sean Greene summarizes well the uncertainty regarding Tuesday’s voting when he says “There’s always the chance that it’ll be fine.”

Inés and Janell