“I love working the polls!” a friend told me recently. “It strengthens my trust in the whole process. And it’s fun getting to help eligible voters flex their civic muscles.”
I think about my friend’s experience as I hear stories about mistrust in our elections.
National and state laws set some guardrails for our elections, but elections are managed locally. That means that our friends and neighbors run elections. Thousands of veterans and members of military families work at polling stations, as do nurses, retirees, small business owners and others. “We the People,” indeed.
In this spirit, what can we do to build trust in elections and ensure that everyone feels votes have been counted fairly?
As individuals, we can learn how a polling place works.
We can check out the website of our state board of elections and learn about the many levels of observation and control. We can learn about poll workers’ training, the oath they swear to run a fair and transparent process and the many safeguards against cheating. We can think about our concerns: cyber attacks? Are people voting multiple times? Are ineligible voters casting ballots? Physical intimidation at the polls? Then, we can explore how our own jurisdictions guard against those threats.
As humans, we’re hardwired to receive most of our information subconsciously. That means we’re very susceptible to repetition of claims that “there will be problems.” We can refuse to accept such claims at face value and instead research and conclude for ourselves.
Candidates can be mindful of the fear that is causing both sides to worry about losing the election—the fear of being left out and overridden. They can promise a seat at the table so that everyone’s voice is heard, such as by forming bipartisan commissions to study issues facing the community.
Finally, and very importantly, candidates can uphold peaceful forms of civic participation, reminding voters that violence has no place in our elections. We can remind them of this responsibility, further living out the extraordinary promise of our nation—“We the People.”
Melinda Burrell, PhD, is a former humanitarian aid worker.
