Weld Recruiting Military Veterans, Families To Serve As Poll Workers
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WHEELING - West Virginia Senate Majority Whip Ryan Weld believes military veterans could make ideal poll workers at election time, and he wants to recruit them to provide that public service.
Weld, R-Brooke, is himself an Air Force veteran, and he knows what training these citizens have.
"Veterans make good poll workers," he said. "Think about the skills we learn in the military - organization, teamwork.
"When you are in a voting precinct, you have to be organized and you have to be able to work with others. You have to be able to get everything in order."
In the military, recruits are taught all about following procedures, Weld continued.
"And that is what elections are about - from the time you open until the time you close."
Weld announced on Friday a partnership with nonprofit Vet the Vote to encourage Mountain State vets and their families to volunteer as poll workers in this year's elections.
"Without a doubt, veterans are the most trusted demographic in the nation," he said. "And we can think of no better group to step up and help solve our election volunteer shortage.
"We are asking our veterans to serve once again and help ensure that all West Virginians who are able to vote in this year's election can," he added.
West Virginia will need more than 8,400 volunteer poll workers to help in both this year's primary and general elections. By appealing to the state's veteran community, this initiative hopes to ease the burden on West Virginia's county clerks as they seek to find a sufficient number of poll workers this year.
Dan Vallone, a veteran of the U.S Army and Director of Vet the Vote, said that the state's veterans and military families have always stepped forward to serve their communities.
“As trusted members of the community with a deep commitment to service, veterans and military families can play a unique role in addressing the urgent need for poll workers here in West Virginia and across the country,” Vallone said. “And by encouraging them to answer this call, we hope to forge a new tradition of patriotic civic engagement among veterans and military families.”
The West Virginia County Clerks Association has stepped up to assist with the Vet the Vote effort to ensure participation in each of the state's 55 counties. Weld, who is also chairman of the Senate Military Committee, is the lead sponsor of Senate Resolution 61, encouraging West Virginia military veterans to volunteer as election workers in 2024 statewide elections. The resolution highlights the critical skills veterans bring to the administration of elections and that their participation as poll workers will help continue our citizens' strong sense of confidence in the electoral process.
He also believes veterans should want to serve as poll workers, as they have already established a pattern of self-service.
"They should want to make sure that one of our fundamental rights is available, and always available," Weld said. "In states where there are not enough poll workers they are consolidating precincts and decreasing the number of check-in tables. This leads to longer lines and impedes a person’s fundamental right to vote.
"You (as a veteran) have already made the decision to serve once before. Please do so again by volunteering again as a poll worker. You will be ensuring the rights you worked to ensure while you were in uniform are still able to be enjoyed today - such as the fundamental right to vote."
Weld suggests that if anyone wants to serve as poll worker for the upcoming election they stop by their county's elections office - which is in most local counties the county clerk's office.
In Ohio County, those wanting to be poll workers should contact the Ohio County Commission office at 304-234-3628.
Poll worker training classes begin April 15 in time for the May 14 primary election.