WORKING THE ELECTION POLLS (part 1)

PREFACE
I am a poll worker. I started in 2016. What an initiation! I continue to be a poll worker. I worked the Primary election in the summer of 2018. And now I've completed the Mid-term elections of 2018. Interesting is an understatement.

STORY
I went through a 3 1/2 hour training session in the summer of 2016. The trainers went over the procedures involved for all the positions at the polls, and supervisory positions, over all polling stations. I was nervous the night before November 9th (2016) election. I barely got 90 minutes of sleep before getting up at 4 a.m. to be at the polling place at 5:30 a.m. I arrived and went to work helping set up the voting booths, the EVID machines (which I would operate one) that issue voting passes, setting up the signage outside the polling site, and whatever else needed to be done. We all pitched in to get the polls ready for the first voters to arrive and the polls to open at 7 a.m. Once the polls were officially declared OPEN, we had 75-80 voters standing outside in line ready to come in, stand in line again, and exercise their right to vote.

It was a steady pace all day, with a few lulls to take breaks for the bathroom, get water and snacks. The polling site provided lunch for the workers, and after the lunch crowd came through the polls, we took turns going "to lunch" from 1:30-2:30, so we could all be back in time for the teachers, school workers, and others who get off work earlier that 5 o'clock. We work until the polls are officially closed at 7 p.m., and beyond, as we run totals, pack up everything in a particular order, then sign official counts, post them, and account for everything. Nobody leaves until it's all done.

The 11/9/2016 day started with some controversy as a news crew brought cameras into the polling site and had to be asked to leave. Filming outside, away from the voting, is permissible. Also some voters brought cellphones in and began recording, which is NOT ALLOWED (under the law). Police had to be called to enforce some violations and objections but for the most part, it didn't escalate. There are always security people and off-duty police at the polling sites, just in case rules have to be enforced. We all know the outcome of the 2016 election. We didn't know anything until after 7 p.m., when the site hosting the voting poll turned on the TVs and we got caught up with the news. And 2016 kept everyone in suspense until the next morning.

When we work the polls, we have no exposure to the news the entire day. We are not allowed to use our cellphones (except for emergencies). We are instructed NOT to try to find out what's happening outside the polls and are not allowed to leave the site until the polls are officially closed. Suffice to say, we DO NOT express any political favor to voters while working the polls. Nonpartisan interaction only; no decals, icons, political T-shirts, opinions, etc.... We can help voters in particular ways that do not involve influencing their vote, only facilitating it. So it's 15 hours of isolation for us, and suppressing our own opinions and curiosity. It is a privilege to help insure the purity of the voting process.

CONCLUSION
No matter what the outcome, or your reaction to it, the voting process is a privilege (and a RIGHT in this country) that should be exercised whenever possible. These are human beings that we put in charge of making decisions about our lives. Even if you don't see it in the day-to-day, their decisions effect us. How they vote on laws. What laws they create. If they protect the laws and keep us safe, or are only interested in what their political position can do to enhance their own lives. We are the watchdogs! We cannot vote and then sit back and HOPE for the best. Our leaders are accountable to US. We the People! Our taxes pay their salaries. Our taxes pay for the services they provide to us. WE ARE THEIR BOSSES! VOTE, LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

FIFTY SHADES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

PREFACE
I have encountered sexual harassment at many levels throughout my life. I have not always recognized it as such at the time. Sometimes I realized it right after it happened, after thinking about it for some time (days, weeks, months, even years), and sometimes never realizing it until relating a story about it and someone else pointing it out. How odd is that?

STORY
I was working in a 7-Eleven on Saturday, setting up a display for the coming Christmas season. This store was the 15th location I had completed in the past six days. I work from a seated position as my lower back cannot take the bending and stooping required. I take my two-step A-frame step ladder with me and use it to sit on and get to lower levels and bottom rows.

A customer came in and walked over to me, standing behind me, he reached around leaning into my back to "reach for something" hanging on the display. I could smell the strong odor of Listerine (used to mask alcohol, as it triggered a memory of my alcoholic father). As I turned to see if I recognized him, he said something apologetic, giggled and walked away. Maybe this was his idea of flirting?

He then returned and leaned in behind me to give me a hug (of sorts), again feigning that he was going to buy something off the display I was setting up. Both his arms encircling me at just below shoulder height. Held only long enough as to not make me too uncomfortable. He said, "You know I'm just kidding around. I'm a regular in here," and then walked away again. Minutes later, he returned with a single rose bought from the counter as he checked out. He said, "For you, for putting up with me messing around. It's just that I hadn't seen you in here before. See you later." To which I replied, "You probably won't see me later, as I don't work here. But thanks for the flower."

CONCLUSION
As I reflected on the whole experience, I started to get creeped out. What he had done was sexual harassment at the least, sexual assault at the worst. He invaded my space. Touched me (a stranger) without permission, twice! And then gave me with a present to apologize for his actions. It had made me uncomfortable. He had had the positional advantage of standing while I was sitting. He had approached me from behind with no warning, both times, and had made the second encounter more intimate than the first. It was creepy.

While walking on the sidewalk or riding my bike, I have been sexually harassed by men on the side of the road or from moving vehicles, cat-calling; bosses making advances; customers being inappropriate while I worked as a server; and at least one incident of misjudging a sexual encounter. But not until recently, with all the "outing" of sexual predators, would I have taken notice of this brief encounter as an incident of sexual harassment. All the other times were when I was younger, slimmer, prettier, and I dealt with them as accepted behavior (as Weinstein's actions were accepted but not acceptable behavior). I have always thought it was disgusting but "it happens all the time." I am glad that this behavior is being called on to be accountable. That men need to realize that what they think is flirting, IS NOT. That it is NOT acceptable to invade someone's space or touch their body without permission. ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE A STRANGER! Geez! Men need to be re-trained in the art of social contact.

COUNTING 1, 2, 3...

PREFACE
Today Friday and tomorrow, Saturday, I have signed up to count all the patrons going to see the new Superman vs Batman movie at the Aventura Mall Cinema. Suffice to say I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I do patron counts (or Open Checking) at many theatres, at many openings. Never one this BIG! This is a new adventure in market research (aka mystery shopping).

STORY
I had checked the number of auditoriums playing the movie on Thursday night and they had 13 shows listed. That's a lot of shows normally and three to four auditoriums would be normally showing them. When I got up on Friday morning, they had 30 SHOWS!! listed, starting at 9:30 am and going to 12:30 am (Saturday morning). NINE auditoriums showing the movie 30 minutes apart! It was a hectic day to say the least. I barely had time to eat some chicken fingers and curly fries at 9 pm for dinner, which I was STARVING by that time. I always bring protein bars and bottled water with me but that doesn't sustain me through 15 hour days. I did get to watch the movie after my midnight count. It was very good but set too dark. You couldn't see what was going on on the screen at times.

I was glad they dropped one auditorium on Saturday, leaving me to check only 8 and having a few more minutes between shows. It wasn't so hard to get to the shows but they were at opposite ends of the theatre and at peak times it was very difficult to get through the crowds. I took to counting the line waiting to get in as they went in and then counting those who came in after. The hardest part of counting is the patrons that leave their seats and go to concession. Those going in and out can cause a huge difference in total numbers if you don't write down something about them you can remember when they come back in.

CONCLUSION
I am very grateful for my sister ordering me a counter machine and getting it delivered by Friday. Having this device made my counting go so much easier. The right tool for the right job! It was a very long two days but I earned over $180 per day, so it was worth it. I don't mind spending all day and night at a movie theatre. I feel very comfortable there after 15 years of my late husband managing and district managing them. I am a movie freak, plain and simple.