Two Counties Adopt Poll-Worker Palm Card
Voter Protections Newsletter Volume 3 Issue 4
October 3, 2008
PENNSYLVANIA - Director of Montgomery County Voter Services Joseph Passarella informed Advancement Project recently that the county is adopting its palm card, “Top 10 things Every Pennsylvania Poll Worker Should Know.”
Advancement Project Senior Attorney Kathryn Boockvar said the county has requested 2,700 palm cards to distribute to its poll workers.
Also, Charleston County Board of Elections Director Marilyn W. Bowers announced Thursday night that the palm card would be distributed in Charleston County, S.C. Bowers has requested 1,100 palm cards for the county’s poll workers.
The 5-by-7 inch card addresses several common problems that crop up for poll workers on Election Day in their states when those workers guide voters through the voting process. The palm card is designed to help poll workers follow state voting laws so that no voters are inadvertently disenfranchised.
Advancement Project first created poll-worker palm cards in 2006, to provide poll workers with guidance on problems commonly encountered on Election Day.
Poll workers often receive inadequate or ineffective training for elections. Also, the training may not emphasize common problems, sufficiently, or explain complex election laws. Poll workers in some counties must rely on very lengthy manuals to answer their questions on Election Day, whereas poll workers in other counties are given only cursory materials.
In Florida, both Osceola and Duval counties have adopted the palm card and are planning to distribute thousands of them. Missouri’s Secretary of State Robin Carnahan is planning to distribute 30,000 statewide in Missouri. Carnahan is the first secretary of state to agree to distribute the palm card.
Advancement Project is preparing palm cards in 21 states--including AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, LA, MD, MI, MO, MN, MS, NC, NM, NV, OH, PA, SC, VA, WA and WI--to help poll workers and voters on Election Day. Advancement Project is actively advocating for the use of these palm cards in all of these states.
