Poll Watcher

Thanks for your interest in joining the Democratic Party of Georgia’s Poll Watching Team! Please read the Poll Watcher role information below. If you’re ready to join the team, you’ll need to complete two steps:

1. Fill out and submit the form below.
2. Register for a training – either a live virtual Zoom training on April 14 or April 30, or sign up to watch a recorded training at your leisure any time between April 15 and May 8.

Volunteer Role Description

As a Poll Watcher you will be the eyes and ears for the Democratic Party of Georgia’s (DPG) Voter Protection team inside an assigned polling location and the first line of defense against any concerted efforts to confuse and deter voters.

The May 19 primaries will be the first crucial test of Georgia’s new voting machines and procedures. During early voting for the now-postponed March 24 primary, our poll watchers observed a host of issues with the new machines and procedures, but we will not get to evaluate any in-person election day issues until May 19. The important data our poll watchers collect and report in real-time on May 19 – including how long voters wait to vote, whether the new election equipment and processes are functioning properly, and whether proper poll opening and closing procedures are followed – will play a critical role in shaping the DPG’s strategy for ensuring a fair General Election in November.

No previous poll watching experience is necessary.  You will receive training materials and be required to attend either a virtual or in-person training before you’re placed as a poll watcher for the May 19, 2020 primaries.

Responsibilities and Expectations of the Job:

• You must be available for at least a half-day of poll watching on Primary Day (May 19, 2020). The morning shift is from 6am to 1pm.  The evening shift is from 1pm to 8pm.
• You must have your own transportation to the polling location.
• You must have access to a smart phone that you can use throughout the day to report incidents, track numbers, and communicate with the DPG Voter Protection team.
• You must be able to pick up your official poll watching badge from the County Board of Elections during business hours on Friday, May 15 or Monday, May 18. You will not be permitted to poll watch without your badge!
• You must have access to a printer so you can print out your official poll watcher letter.
• You must review training materials and either attend one of the two live virtual Zoom training webinars (Tuesday, April 14 from 2-4pm / Thursday, April 30 from 10a-12p) or watch a recording of the webinar at your convenience between April 15 and May 8).
• You must check your email regularly for information from DPG about poll watching. Please make sure messages from @georgiademocrat.org, @zoom.us, and @mobilize.us  are not being sent to your spam folder. 
• We will also send you periodic text messages updates, but email will be the Voter Protection team’s primary mode of communication with you.
• You do not have to be a Georgia resident to poll watch in Georgia.

This Job is for You If:

• You can commit volunteering at least seven hours (one shift) or the entire day (6am to 8pm – with breaks) on May 19, 2020.
• You can watch a live or recorded webinar training and commit several hours to review detailed training materials in advance of Primary Day.
• You are a problem solver and critical thinker.
• You don’t mind volunteering by yourself (or maybe with one other volunteer.)

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Sign up here to be a DPG poll watcher: