Utah's poll workers are the unsung heroes of Tuesday's election.
In our research on the voting experience in Utah, we have found that the interaction voters have with poll workers strongly affects whether voters are confident in the election process. This is because poll workers are essentially street-level bureaucrats who are temporarily empowered with the authority to administer elections and interpret the law in direct interaction with voters. With the introduction of electronic voting, these interactions were put to the test: Poorly trained workers might undermine confidence in the process, while well-trained poll workers could bolster it.
Fortunately, election officials took poll-worker training seriously. Poll workers attended thorough training sessions and some received additional last-minute refresher training. The training was hands-on and in small groups, which allowed the poll workers to develop solid familiarity with the new equipment.
In addition, many counties developed very detailed, step-by-step guides for setting up and closing down polling places. As we spoke to poll workers during the day on Tuesday, and as one of us watched a precinct close down Tuesday night, it was evident that the poll workers knew to follow the specific process the county had put in place and did so in a way that ensured the security of the voting equipment and the ballots.
What was the result of this training? First, there were relatively few problems that arose on Election Day. The call centers that were set up in county offices were not flooded with calls. Sure, there are always a few hiccups in a process that involves multiple levels of government and thousands of volunteer temporary workers, but the problems were few. The vast majority of voters throughout the state were able to cast ballots without serious difficulty or delay.
Second, voters had a positive impression of both the new voting machines and the job performance of the poll workers. During the election Tuesday the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University conducted a scientific exit poll in the 3rd Congressional district, the site of Tuesday's most competitive primary election.
Ninety-five percent of voters rated the performance of the poll workers at their precinct as "good" or "excellent." When asked more specific questions about their experience with poll workers, the results were similarly positive. Large majorities of voters agreed that the poll workers knew what they were doing (93 percent), treated them with respect (95 percent), were helpful (95 percent), and knew how to operate the voting machines (95 percent).
Voters in the primary also thought the voting equipment itself performed well, with 88 percent agreeing that the machines were easy to use and 95 percent reporting that the touchscreen machines were either much better or somewhat better than the punchcard system used in previous elections.
Only 3 percent of voters reported having any problems with the new equipment, and when voters asked for help using the touchscreen machines, they nearly always received it from a poll worker.
The general election in November will produce a new set of challenges to local election officials and to poll workers. Turnout will be much higher across the state and many voters will be using the technology for the first time. Elections will also be more visible and more closely contested and watched. The primary election shows that with the right preparation and training Utah's election officials and poll workers are up to the challenge.
We hope poll workers and election officials will continue to work hard to administer clean, fair and efficient elections. We hope that elected officials at the state and county level responsible for funding election administration will not turn a blind eye to the needs of those who actually administer the elections and will give them sufficient resources to do their jobs well.
If so, Utah voters will continue to express confidence in our election system.
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Thad Hall is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Utah; Quin Monson is an assistant professor of political science and assistant director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy, Brigham Young University; Kelly Patterson is an associate professor of political science and the BYU center's director.
