voting precinct 2020 March 10 primary election
Voting Tuesday in Michigan for the Presidential primary election: result was Joe Biden over Bernie Sanders for the Democratic Party. The voter is greeted at the entry by a table of pens and forms to enter personal particulars. Taking the form to the long set of tables in this photo, the computer person verifies the voter is enrolled (registered) for that address. A new law coming into effect on this occasion allows a person "same day registration" if proof of residence and government-issued form of identification document (drivers license, usually) is present. Another innovation in this state on this date is the "no excuse absentee voting" (previously a reason such as travel, health, or perhaps disability were among approved/accepted reasons to vote by absentee ballot).
In the middle of this table in the photo are "privacy protection sleeves" into which the actual optical scan paper ballot is secured. The counterfoil has the same number as the ballot and is torn off along the perforation by a volunteer from within the protection sleeve, even before any vote has been marked by darkening the box adjacent to the candidate's name. Some elections include local proposals and may include voting spaces on front and back of the tally machine. After marking the ballot, the voter places it into the privacy protection sleeve to take to the tabulator/tally machine, carefully inserting and waiting for the confirmation chirping sound and green light to indicate successful receipt of the voter's choices.
Since this is a city of Grand Rapids precinct, maybe there is some stipend for some of the workers who set up the voting stations for 7 a.m. early voters and clear up after polling places close at 8 p.m. But most jurisdictions depend on the help of trained elections volunteers to carry out the day's work.
Just before leaving the voting hall, staff invite the person to take a sticker with national colors and the words "I voted" to place on clothing that is visible to others and thus serve as unspoken reminder to turn up at one's voting place to cast a ballot.
Press L for lightbox (large) view; click the image or press Z for full image display.
voting precinct 2020 March 10 primary election
Voting Tuesday in Michigan for the Presidential primary election: result was Joe Biden over Bernie Sanders for the Democratic Party. The voter is greeted at the entry by a table of pens and forms to enter personal particulars. Taking the form to the long set of tables in this photo, the computer person verifies the voter is enrolled (registered) for that address. A new law coming into effect on this occasion allows a person "same day registration" if proof of residence and government-issued form of identification document (drivers license, usually) is present. Another innovation in this state on this date is the "no excuse absentee voting" (previously a reason such as travel, health, or perhaps disability were among approved/accepted reasons to vote by absentee ballot).
In the middle of this table in the photo are "privacy protection sleeves" into which the actual optical scan paper ballot is secured. The counterfoil has the same number as the ballot and is torn off along the perforation by a volunteer from within the protection sleeve, even before any vote has been marked by darkening the box adjacent to the candidate's name. Some elections include local proposals and may include voting spaces on front and back of the tally machine. After marking the ballot, the voter places it into the privacy protection sleeve to take to the tabulator/tally machine, carefully inserting and waiting for the confirmation chirping sound and green light to indicate successful receipt of the voter's choices.
Since this is a city of Grand Rapids precinct, maybe there is some stipend for some of the workers who set up the voting stations for 7 a.m. early voters and clear up after polling places close at 8 p.m. But most jurisdictions depend on the help of trained elections volunteers to carry out the day's work.
Just before leaving the voting hall, staff invite the person to take a sticker with national colors and the words "I voted" to place on clothing that is visible to others and thus serve as unspoken reminder to turn up at one's voting place to cast a ballot.
Press L for lightbox (large) view; click the image or press Z for full image display.