Fact: There are strict requirements for becoming a poll worker, and poll workers must complete in-depth training to ensure elections run smoothly and are conducted in a fair and nonpartisan manner.
At least 44 states require poll workers to live in the precinct or county where the polling place is located (three of the remaining states conduct elections by mail, with limited in-person polling places). This means that the poll workers who help you vote are neighbors, friends, and members of your community.
Before serving voters, poll workers receive training on election rules and procedures. At least 44 states require this training by law. Additionally, at least 42 states require poll workers to take an oath. These oaths typically require poll workers to swear to uphold the Constitution, adhere to all federal and state laws, and act with integrity and professionalism.
Election jurisdictions also establish various checks to guarantee fairness and prevent any poll worker from interfering in elections. Forty-two states require polling places to have workers from opposing parties. Finally, poll work is transparent and open for the public to observe. Poll watchers or observers, who are typically appointed by political parties, can be present while voting takes place in all 50 states.
Rumor: Poll workers cannot be trusted to help run a fair election.
As part of a campaign to undermine confidence in election results, conspiracy theorists have targeted poll workers, with some rumors falsely alleging that political parties bring poll workers across state lines to rig the election. But in reality, poll workers are community members who help ensure elections run fairly and smoothly.
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We worked with Swayable, a research software platform that measures how effectively media content changes opinions, to determine what messages helped voters best understand the facts.
Suggested counter-messages based on our testing:
- Poll workers help ensure elections run smoothly and fairly. There are multiple steps in place to ensure all US citizens’ votes are counted and all voters can vote free from interference by anyone, including poll workers.
- Poll workers help ensure elections run smoothly and fairly. The law requires that polling locations are run in a bipartisan manner, with poll workers from both parties working at the polls.
The message above was found to be most effective in communicating the facts, though differences exist by region and demographic group. See Swayable’s dashboard to examine more detailed results, including other messages tested.
