Their Election Day routine starts at 3:30 a.m., but preparation takes months

By Sydney Boehman, Special to the Citizen

Henrico County Deputy Registrar Anne Marie Middlesworth knows what her day will look like Nov. 5. She will get to her office at 3:30 a.m to prepare for Election Day and will not leave until after midnight.

In order for election day to operate flawlessly, much must be done behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. 

First, county officials need to select polling places. Henrico County has 90 polling sites, each defined by a geographic area located within boundaries set by roads or rivers. Henrico tries mostly to use public buildings such as schools and community centers as polling places. 

“Usually the Registrar and Electoral Board make recommendations.” Middlesworth said, “Typically, we look for buildings that are visible and have parking and handicapped accessibility.” When there is not a public building available within the precinct boundary or within a mile of the boundary, a church or a private facility can be used.

Since 2015, all localities in Virginia have used optical scan voting equipment from the Election Systems and Software. In order to prepare for elections all the equipment must be tested and sealed before it can be delivered to the 90 precincts in Henrico.

“Testing, testing, testing!” Middlesworth said, “We test the equipment, electronic poll books and test ballots.”

The Virginia Department of Elections requires that each locality completes Logic and Accuracy Testing on all devices that will be used in an election. 

“Once we test, we certify the equipment is ready and it is sealed.” Middlesworth said. “We have teams of workers that work the precincts, they are trained prior to each election. We have to deliver equipment to 90 precincts within the few days prior to the election. All of this is going on while we are doing early voting and sending and receiving absentee by mail ballots.”

Henrico uses paper ballots. When a voter gets a ballot, he or she darkens the oval next to each intended candidate. The ballot is then scanned and digital images are kept. In the event of the recount the ballots are available for review.

When mail in ballots are returned, Middlesworth said teams from the Central Absentee Precinct work to adjudicate the ballots, verify the voter’s name and address on the poll book and what is on the ballot. Once verified, the ballot is scanned into a voting machine and the voter’s ballot is considered pre processed. 

“If there is an issue with the voter’s ballot – for example, they didn’t sign the ballot envelope or messed up their address – we contact the voter to cure the ballot and give the voter an opportunity to fix the mistake.” Middlesworth said, “If it’s corrected the ballot can be counted.”

The early voting ballots are scanned into the voting machine as voters vote. 

“If the scanners get full at any point in the 45-day early voting period, the ballots are sealed in ballot retention boxes and locked up.” Middlesworth said. 

Just like a chain of evidence, there is a chain of custody of all equipment used and ballots scanned daily versus the number of voters checked in on the poll book. 

“This happens on a daily basis, verification of number checked in, number of ballots issued and number of ballots scanned into the machine.” Middlesworth said.

By 3:30 a.m. on Election Day, staffers will have arrived to prepare before the elections officers arrive at the precincts to set up. Elections officers arrive at 5 a.m., allowing them an hour to hang signs, open machines and gather their materials to be ready. Then the polls open at 6 a.m. and stay open until 7 p.m. 

The precincts aren’t the only places that are busy during election day; the Office of the General Registrar and Electoral Board of Henrico County also has transformed. 

“On Election Day, our office has a call center taking calls from the public and also calls from the precincts with issues and handling non routine voters that need more assistance.” Middlesworth said.

When the polls close at 7 p.m., precinct volunteers spend an hour tabulating results at each precinct while elections officers are completing paperwork to validate the results. 

At the Office of the General Registrar and Electoral Board, the space transitions once again from a call center to taking results and uploading them to the Virginia Department of Elections and state websites. 

“After precincts call in results, they return supplies to our office, including ballots.” Middlesworth said. “Ballots are stored in the clerk's office once they are returned from the precincts on election night. The Clerk of Circuit Court keeps the ballots locked for 22 months.”

According to Middlesworth, no party has access to the counted ballots unless a recount or contest has been called or under the direction of the Department of Elections.

Then, Election Day is over and the months of preparation have concluded. 

“In a small election we leave around 11 pm.” Middlesworth said, “It’s usually after midnight in a presidential election, due to volume.”

Volunteers can have many roles within election day and early voting as well as many different reasons to become a volunteer.  

Polly Dieter just retired from her career in May and is now a full time volunteer, but during the past couple of years has been helping here and there. She’s currently a poll greeter for early voting and works at the coordinated campaign office as a volunteer supervisor.

“Our early voting employees are 'staff' hired by our office and county,” Middlesworth said, “Virginia does not have party registration, so voters are not registered as Democrats or Republicans. As in any polling location, our staff is prohibited from discussing politics or doing anything to influence voters in their voting experience – it is a nonpartisan environment.”

Volunteers just sign up and complete training and then they have the ability to work at the polls.

“It’s easy, easy training.” Dieter said, “ You need to make sure that you are following the laws and the rules.”

Dieter said that the training can consist of reading over materials, which takes no more than 30 minutes to complete. She enjoys talking to people as part of her volunteer role. 

“I am a very happy volunteer.” Dieter said, “ I enjoy talking to the other volunteers, I enjoy talking to campaign workers and I enjoy talking to people who aren’t volunteering who just want to know more about the candidates or are interested in maybe getting a yard sign or what’s on the ballot.”

Given the current political climate some volunteers have had safety concerns around working at the polls. 

“I am very careful to not do anything by myself,” Dieter said. “Sometimes it’s night when I am volunteering. I am aware of my circumstances and surroundings but most of the time I try to be with other people.”

The volunteers, as part of their training, learn what to do if someone tries to act up. 

“The most important thing is not to engage with people who are trying to instigate something and so that’s how I roll.” Dieter said, “I just smile and turn right away from people.”