National Poll Worker Recruitment Day Celebrates Those That Help Elections Run

On National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, Upper Cumberland Election Administrators gave thanks for poll workers.

Putnam County Election Administrator Michele Honeycutt said the county had recently combined some precincts, reducing the total from 22 to 18.

Honeycutt said this was because they had a hard time recruiting poll workers.

“Just encourage your friends, your family,” Honeycutt said. “It’s a good thing. A lot of the precincts that have worked together, the same people have requested to stay together. So they have a good time, even though they’re doing an important job.”

She said Putnam recruits from age 16 at the High School, as well as recruiting through newspaper, radio, and word of mouth.

Warren County Election Administrator Susie Davenport said she has 120 people in Warren County who volunteer as poll workers. She said Tennessee election integrity is essential, and that only happens if the people who run our elections have the highest integrity.

Davenport said many poll workers are older or retired teachers and veterans who make wonderful volunteers.

“They are your friends and your neighbors,” Davenport said. “People that you know. That makes things a lot better. Because you know the person you’re dealing with. It’s not like some autonomous somebody from somewhere far off that you don’t know.”