Supervisor says some Detroit poll workers not capable of doing the job [View all]
http://www.freep.com/story/news/columnists/rochelle-riley/2016/12/16/riley-supervisor-poll-workers-not-capable-job/95495230/
Rochelle Riley , Detroit Free Press Columnist
Janice Winfrey should have called a news conference last January and said Detroit could not run its 2016 elections effectively without people stepping up to replace aging, incapable poll workers. Had she done that, the Detroit city clerk, who was widely praised for transforming the department when she ousted former Clerk Jackie Currie in 2005, would not be facing a firestorm of criticism over mishandled voter ballots and malfunctioning machines. She also wouldnt have had some precincts where capable veterans worked alongside some people who could not read, werent properly trained, werent mobile and didnt know how to use new electronic polling books that long ago replaced paper sheets, one veteran polling supervisor who has worked the polls for 30 years asserted Thursday.
The one thing I noticed and this is where the problem is cropping up is that a lot of folks have mobility issues and other issues, said Christopher Flournoy, 52, a residential home improvement salesperson who lives in Russell Woods. Flournoy has been working the polls since he was in his 20s, and said things are not as they should be. I have personally been shocked when I go to training, he said. They do provide training and youll see people come in on walkers and with crutches, and the one thought I had is how on earth are they going to carry on their responsibilities as an elections inspector?
The biggest problem is training and I dont like to say disparaging things but the trainers are not trained to provide instruction. Theyre winging it. They dont have people who have been trained to provide training to adults. It becomes a gripe session about the previous election. You get handed some materials and nobody says good luck, but thats implied. Youll figure out as you go along."
The average age of poll workers nationwide is 68.
Detroit workers are older, Winfrey said earlier this week. And the work is grueling 15-18 hours with only two one-hour meal times and two other 15-minute breaks. Were getting older folks doing it because theyve always done it like me, and were getting another group doing it because its an easy way to make a $150, Flournoy said. Ive had workers in precincts I supervise who couldnt read. They absolutely could not read and couldnt operate the computer, he said, adding that Winfrey should return to giving the aptitude test she created when she was first elected. Thats where it goes back to training. Training is supposed to be mandatory, but Ive had people to show up and say No, I didnt do training, but they gave me a credential.'