LAMA at the Polls
Happy Election Day! Today (March 19th), is the first of many statewide elections happening in 2024. Today, the two major political parties voted to nominate a presidential candidate for the upcoming November election.
To celebrate Election Day and honor LAMA’s commitment to voting and civic engagement, Solveig and Autumn spent the day at the polls.
Solveig’s Day as a Poll Monitor
Today I served as a poll monitor at the South Phoenix Missionary Baptist Church. I took the early shift, 5:30 am to 10:00 am. When I rolled up at 5:30, I was impressed to see the signs were already placed, and it looked like the registration tables were already fully staffed in preparation for the 6:00 am opening. It was still pitch dark!
I introduced myself, noting that I was a bipartisan volunteer with Election Protection Arizona, an initiative of Our Vote and Common Cause to ensure safe, free and fair elections. Joe, the bilingual director of the polling site and a 40-year polling center veteran, was initially put off, I would say even skeptical, and he indicated in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed inside. That was fine, I said, as my monitoring role was to take place outside. I was to observe whether the polls opened on time, whether there was adequate parking, adequate signage, easy access for voters with disabilities, ensure voters people are receiving provisional ballots if indicated, ensure any activists stayed outside the 75-foot perimeter, answer questions, etc. I received another quizzical look, and word spread like wildfire inside – or so I imagined – that they were being observed. Another observer, this in addition to the inside observer.
Then they asked me to move my car – the parking lot was huge, but okay, happy to move my car.
‘Great,’ I thought. ‘It’s pitch dark, it’s freezing, and I’m going to be standing outside in the parking lot for 5 hours getting the cold shoulder.’ And probably no one’s going to come by – well, Deacon Ed projected maybe 50 people. Why did I think this was a good idea?
James, the self-appointed welcoming committee who spent most of the day at the door manning the ballot drop-off box, asked me why I was there today, where had I been all week? That’s when it dawned on me that this wasn’t Voting Day per se, this was just the last day of in-person Presidential Preference Election (PPE) voting. They’d been at this every day, they had a routine, everyone knew each other. They’re a crew, a well-oiled machine. Doh! Of course they’re thinking, ‘who’s this chick bouncing in at the 11th hour offering to help set up?’ I’m an idiot.
So I started stamping my feet and blowing on my fingers and waited for 6:00. James stepped out the door promptly at 6:00, formed his hands into a megaphone and announced, “The pooooolllllls are officialleeee oooooopen!” To nobody. He couldn’t have done it more perfectly if he’d had a shofar. I burst out laughing, and then he started laughing. Yes! I was in with James.
The amazing Andrea - pic taken 75 feet from the door.
It warmed up, and one-by-one, they warmed up. All of this came about when they discovered Andrea, their favorite poll worker who manages L – S, or is it K – P? – I never knew, remember I couldn’t go it – and I sing next to each other in choir at Grace Lutheran Church, having known each other for 20 years. At one point, Deacon Ed said, “She has a wonderful attitude.” “I agree!”, said I. This surprising fun fact ensured all the good will I could ask for. Padded chairs started coming out to the lot in case I wanted to sit , donuts were offered, coffee… Joe told me about Ruben Gallego having to go back home for his ballot, and how his wife had to go to the hospital yesterday; Deacon Ed and I chewed the fat about church attendance before and after COVID, when they paid the final note on the sanctuary upgrade, strategies for be in community with their neighbors… lovely. Community. Bridge building.
PLUS… people started trickling in, and kept up a steady stream the entire time I was on duty. James and I together became the welcoming committee – me from the outside – and a few people even asked me questions. Mostly, I just paced the parking lot, but now I was an acknowledged part of their team.
I gave them a perfect score on my checklist review. And I did that at 5:45 am.
Autumn’s Day as a Greeter
Though I have worked as an election clerk in the past, this election, I didn’t actually work for Maricopa County or an election related organization. Instead, I volunteered with my congregation.
University Lutheran Church in Tempe has been a polling place in every election for the last 20 years. We love to host voters; opening our doors as a polling place allows us to be of service to our neighborhood, to ASU, and to members of our congregation!
Turning over Lutheran Campus Ministry’s Campus Center to the elections department has never been enough for us; we also make sure we have a cart of snacks and water, along with a member of the congregation to greet everyone who comes through the door. . We provide refreshments incase lines get long or folks are voting during a meal time, as well as to thank all the poll workers for their service. We want to welcome our community with open arms, because our church is here for them.
I love that this is something we do with and for our neighbors. It shows that our church isn’t just open to the community, but is an active part of it. Having a volunteer present introduces our congregation to people who may not have interacted with us before, and it creates a welcoming and collaborative environment for voters and election workers. We may only have the power to smile and offer snacks, but we are happy to do what we can to make the voting process the best it can be.
This year, our church didn’t see too much voter traffic. That makes sense: the vast majority of folks in Arizona vote by mail, unaffiliated voters can’t participate in the Presidential Preference Election, and turn out is always lower in the primaries. However, I did get the chance to have several nice conversations with folks! I chatted with election workers visiting from the main office, people from the neighborhood, and ASU students. One voter asked about the prayer shawl I was crocheting, and I got to tell her about one of the ministries of care in our congregation. An election worker and I talked at length about the history of our congregation and our relationship with ASU. Several of our neighbors chatted about our landscaping and the owls that call our mesquite trees home. I even had someone inquire about our service times!
My job today was not to proselytize or advertise our services, but by volunteering at our welcome cart and offering refreshments to all our voters, I had the privilege of representing our congregation to the outside world— which is always a good opportunity. I feel that our community know our church just a little better after today, and I am glad I had the chance to be a witness.
I would encourage your churches to become polling places and set up a welcome cart for voters and staff. It is a great way to introduce people to your congregation and ministries, as well as start conversations and serve your community. Every location will be slightly different, depending on various requirements and building layouts, but every church should be able to set up something like this. I think this would be a great activity for a civic engagement group, a human care committee, a social justice ministry, or even just an assortment of volunteers.
Voting is an important way that we get to steward our society. It is an instrumental part of how we are able to advocate for the common good and build a world that cares for all of God’s children. I am so blessed to be a part of a congregation that so actively and fervently facilitates the process.
