“The polls are open,” I announced signaling the start of voting at 7 a.m.  On election day, I worked 14 hours as a student poll worker at a Placer County vote center. 

The hum of the ballot scanners and the click of the “Sign, Scan and Go” process echoed through the room as I greeted voters, directed them to the ballot drop-off stations and helped them navigate the new voting process.

“A new way that we’re going to try to gain some trust is through ‘Sign Scan and Go’,” Phillip Tantre, Placer County’s election manager, said. Tantre previously served as the election manager in Santa Clara County for 16 years.

The system “Sign, Scan and Go” allows voters to bring their mail-in ballots to a vote center, where staff will verify that the ballot has not already been cast. Once verified, the ballot will be scanned, ensuring it is counted immediately and not delayed until after Election Day. 

Voters using “Sign, Scan and Go” verify their name, date of birth and address. They then receive a DYMO label that confirms their voter identification, which is cross-checked with their ballot and signature in a separate Roster Binder that verifies the date.

“In Placer County, the number of people voting in person on Election Day is decreasing each year. Most people tend to vote by mail ballot,” Tantre said.  “While voting by mail is convenient, many voters procrastinate and wait until Election Day to return their ballots, causing delays in processing and counting.”

Vote-by-mail ballots can’t be counted on Election Day because of the time-consuming verification process. As a result, they are counted after Election Day, which has led to public frustration and concerns about election integrity.

Assisting with the “Sign, Scan and Go” process, I instructed voters on how to place their marked ballots into the secrecy sleeve. Ballot secrecy sleeves are optionally provided to ensure voter privacy when scanning or placing ballots in the scanner.

As a student poll worker, I was not permitted to touch any scanned or voted ballots or handle a laptop, as poll workers are required to be 18. I assisted voters by explaining the registration process and issuing the correct envelopes after verifying completed forms.

Voters with registration issues receive pink provisional ballots, counted once eligibility is verified. Conditional voters, not in the voter records, are issued yellow ballots in red sleeves, counted after eligibility is confirmed. Both require manual review before being counted, as they can’t be scanned right away.

During the day, our printer temporarily jammed, preventing us from printing ballots. Accessible ballot-marking devices, located in large blue booths, allow voters to privately make selections via touchscreen and print their marked ballot, offering an alternative when technical issues arise. Available for curbside and disabled voters, the printed ballot is either scanned for counting or placed in a provisional envelope if verification is required.

If a voter insists on receiving a new ballot at the vote center (even if the mail-in ballot is identical), their original ballot is “surrendered” and placed in a sealed envelope, and a new ballot is issued.

A blind voter was unable to enter the vote center or leave his car, so we used the curbside voting cart to make it accessible and convenient for him to complete his ballot. Curbside voting improves accessibility with a portable cart that includes a ballot-marking device, printer, and backup battery. Covered with weatherproof canvas, the cart is brought to the voter’s location upon request. I assisted by reading the ballot to the voter and marking his chosen candidates, so he could officially cast his vote.

By the end of Election Day, I had helped many voters, and I felt happy to contribute in any way I could to maintain election integrity and support the election process, even though I couldn’t vote. I learned a lot and left with hopes of returning for the next election—with an “I Voted” sticker.