Press Releases
09/23/2020
Secretary of the State Denise Merrill Teams Up with NASS, NASED, the CBA, and the ABA to Promote Poll Worker Recruitment Initiative for the 2020 General Election
HARTFORD – Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill has joined with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA), and the American Bar Association (ABA) to recruit attorneys and law students to serve as poll workers for the November 3, 2020 General Election. The recruitment effort is titled “Poll Worker, Esq.”, and the hashtag #PollWorkerEsq will be used on each organization’s social media and materials. Secretary Merrill was featured in the Poll Worker, Esq. launch video: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/election_law/poll-worker-esq/.
Interested attorneys and law students can sign up at myvote.ct.gov/volunteer.
"Attorneys and law students who work at a polling place or town hall on Election Day can make the difference between a successful election that runs smoothly, or an election with long lines and delayed results," said Secretary Merrill. "It has been well publicized that demographic change and COVID-19 could cause a shortage of poll workers this November - lawyers and law students can be the heroes of this election if they volunteer to help local election officials."
"Attorneys and legal professionals throughout Connecticut welcome this opportunity to do our part to protect democracy on Election Day," says CBA President Amy Lin Meyerson. "We look forward to participating in #PollWorkersEsq and the CBA Secretary's Legal Assistance Program to support Secretary Merrill and the Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State."
“States across the country are thinking creatively to recruit election workers who are in lower risk populations,” said Lori Augino, NASED President and Director of Elections for the Washington Secretary of State. “Even in states, like Washington, where most voting takes place by mail, election workers are an integral part of our democracy. This partnership with the American Bar Association will help state and local election officials by filling a critical staffing need and will help voters cast their ballots.”
“During this unprecedented time, states are conducting massive poll worker recruitment efforts to reach Americans who are not part of the high-risk population. This is why the partnership with the American Bar Association is crucial. Their members’ service as poll workers will unequivocally help communities, election officials and our democracy,” stated Maggie Toulouse Oliver, NASS President and New Mexico Secretary of State.
“Serving as a poll worker is integral to assuring a free and fair election this November, and lawyers are especially suited to help” said Patricia Lee Refo, president of the ABA. “With the added obstacle of a pandemic this year, finding people who are at lower risk to assist as poll workers is even more important. This is an opportunity for lawyers, and soon-to-be lawyers, to step up and serve.”
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world and has an extensive communications network.
Poll workers and absentee ballot counters are hired at the local level, but the local election officials. For more information, visit myvote.ct.gov/volunteer or https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/election_law/poll-worker-esq/.
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