Many of us have yet to experience our country’s electoral process firsthand. But Calvin Tsang (’13), a seemingly ordinary Baron, is already playing a small role in the upcoming election.
Tsang signed up as a volunteer through the Student Poll Worker Program, which caters specifically to Orange County students.
When asked why he did so, he said, “I thought it would be cool to see how things work and how the overall process of politics goes and to see how the public or we the people are actually involved.”
The responsibilities of a poll worker are much more elaborate than what may seem. Besides performing simple tasks such as answering questions and directing people into voting booths, poll workers have to make sure everything runs smoothly.
“The voting process is not just ‘I’m going to write down this guy’s name, and done, I voted.’ There are processes you have to go through when you enter the election polling center, like getting your voting pass and confirming who you are to prevent voter fraud,” Tsang explained.
Perpetrators of voter fraud will vote using fictitious character names, pseudonyms, or names of the deceased. Tsang highlights and writes down names when voters enter the polling center to keep track of such a crime.
On Election Day, student volunteers will be paid $100 for a shift running from 6 AM to 9 PM.
“What will I be doing on Election Day? It will be like any other day at work,” Tsang said.
Want to get involved? http://www.ocvote.com/volunteer/volunteer-to-serve/
