Guardians at the Gates: Poll Worker Retention in a Challenging Election Environment
Contrary to previous research and press accounts, we find limited evidence that persons who worked the polls in the past, including the 2020 election, are reticent to work in future elections. Our explanation focuses on the motivation and affect persons need to have to work the polls. Persons who believe their work at the polls is consequential for their community and who feel their work is valued, respected, and well-supported are highly motivated to work the polls in future elections. Conflict at the polls with voters and poll watchers, aspects of poll worker training, and collaborations with other poll workers have no appreciable impact on the willingness to work the polls. Only the magnitude and diversity of problems poll workers observed voters had casting their ballots are significant deterrents to working the polls. Our findings identify efficacious steps that local election officials can take to recruit and retain persons to work the polls in future elections.
Authors
- David C. Kimball (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7981-8881)
- Michael D. Gilbert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0134-5663)
- Costas Panagopoulos
- Rachael Cobb
- Lisa Bryant (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3531-1226)
- Andrew Reeves (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7217-6601)
- Joshua D. Hostetter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5785-0626)
- Kenneth Hugh Mayer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7460-733X)
- Jennifer Nicoll Victor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6254-8782)
- Gayle Alberda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1821-2533)
- Lonna Rae Atkeson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5388-7325)
- Corwin D. Smidt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4760-1087)
- Barry C. Burden (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6486-7039)
- Matt Lamb (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9249-3989)
- Robert M. Stein (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9586-380X)
Institutions
- Florida State University (US)
- Texas Tech University (US)
- Fairfield University (US)
- Northeastern University (US)
- University of Wisconsin System (US)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- George Mason University (US)
- Washington University in St. Louis (US)
- University of Missouri–St. Louis (US)
- Suffolk University (US)
- State University System of Florida (US)
- California State University, Fresno (US)
- Rice University (US)
- Virginia Tech (US)
- Michigan State University (US)
- Citadel (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Election Law Journal Rules Politics and Policy
- Published
- 2024-11-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1089/elj.2024.0017
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Public Policy and Administration Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.57