This is it:
That if it wasn’t for women– especially women over 40– democracy as we know it would fall apart because there would be no one to run the polls.
I am just curious, how many men did you see running the polls where you went to vote?
Today was the first time I have ever seen male poll workers when I went to vote. Usually whenever I have voted before it has been all women. I realize that more men have to work during the day than women, but still it seems strange that it is always women.
Is this just a strange phenomenon of my own life?
What was the gender distribution of poll workers where you voted?
Also, for all you international readers I’d be curious to know how the polling places are in your country. Are they mainly run by men or women, or a good balance?
Just curious.
Personally, I think it is pretty awesome that so many women work the
polls in our country and keep democracy alive and well.
These women
would be proud.
I sure love old pictures of suffragettes, especially ones pushing babies.
Though, I’m glad strollers have gotten a bit more high-tech since then.
I love this, Heather!
There were ONLY women volunteering at my poll in Provo. I believe there were six of them at 8 a.m. this morning.
Yay for woman suffrage!!!
Women at my site as well!
I voted last week in early voting and there were several male election judges. Today I'm proud to say that my husband is an election judge in a small town in MD. This is his first time working the polls – I can't wait to hear what he has to say about his experience.
Usually we only have women in the polls too. But today was different. Today @ 7 a.m. we had three men and three women. For me there is usually always one, but mostly it is the women running the polls. Thanks for asking!
We have always had a good mix at our polling places in NC. School is not held on election day so we have a lot of teenagers volunteering at the polls, the rest of the volunteers are retirees. Both sexes are equally represented.
Yay, I am glad to hear that there is alot of diversity at the polls. How cool that teenagers get to help out, that is an awesome idea! I think it probably really depends on where you live 🙂
I live in Florida and the ratio was 2:1 at my poll. The real difference in Florida is AGE. Not one under 65 years old 😉
BTW, I worked at the WRI @ BYU as a secretary from 1997 to 1999. I LOVED my job! I found out later that Bonnie is related to me! We had a laugh about that.
I've been reading for a while and very much enjoy your insights! My husband does too 😉
In Australia usually 1/2 and 1/2 – but we hold our elections on Saturdays. the other week when I worked (at a local election)it was mainly men for a change.
I'm in NC and voted early (last Friday) and it was all women.
I'm from Alberta, Canada. At our last election, the station was run by quite a few men – maybe one woman? For the last couple of provincial/national elections i remember there being an even spread of men and women, if not more men.
In Denmark it is quite equal between men and women. There has to be 1:1 balance between which party they are members of (in the US it would be 1:1 republican/democrat) and if you have a job and voluntere to run the polls you still get paid even if you don't go to work that day. Hope that makes sence – the US system is not quite like the Danish one, but hopefully you get the picture anyway.
They have the retirees here work the polls, but it's definitely usually predominantly women. lol. MEAN women, at that. They'll take your head off if they suspect you of trying to take more than one cookie or sticker. lol.
I think it was split evenly at our polling place today. It has been that way every time I've voted here.
We had three women and one man that I saw.
No pollls here in oregon we vote by mail:)
I worked with an all female crew yesterday. None of us younger than 50. Two of us still employed full time; three retired. Long day, glad it's done.
Here in GA it was about equally split b/w men and women. Seems like it was about the same 4 yrs ago too.
Totally unrelated–have you read the book "Women of Faith"? It's a collection of stories of Mormon women–I'm reading it now and nearly all of them were actively involved in the suffragist movement. A solid recommendation if you haven't read it yet–it's right up your alley.
On a completely unrelated note, I recommended your blog to a girl in my speech class who did a speech on natural birth! 🙂
I just found your blog because it was the first 'meaty' thing that came up when I was looking for a further study on the widow @ Zarapeth (I know I spelled that wrong -sorry!) – your 2008 study was all that I was looking for, so – ty! Now, as to this question … I worked as an election poll clerk in NJ in the 80s and 90s and unless they were retired or trying to get on the police force, I would see few men at the polls BUT – and here's the BUT – I saw more women especially over 40 because they were from the generation where the women worked part-time jobs, took care of the kids and the house, AND DID CIVIC DUTIES, while the men worked full-time – in my generation (I was then in my 20s) it was very different – in fact, I always took time off work (I was single) to work the polls and that was pretty much unheard of in my generation!!!