THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 14, 1996 TAG: 9607120163
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GREG BURT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 56 lines
The November presidential election is just around the corner.
At least, that's the way it seems to Virginia Beach Voter Registrar Marlene Hager, who needs to hire 150 extra poll workers to accommodate Virginia Beach's biggest voting day.
``I would expect that we might have about 140,000 people come out for the presidential elections,'' said Hager. With voter numbers like that, representing more than 80 percent of the city's registered voters, extra workers will be needed to man the city's 65 precincts. Three of those precincts were added this year - Rosemont Forest, Culver and Colonial - to accommodate Virginia Beach's ever increasing voting population, said Hager.
Virginia Forbes has worked the polls for 10 years and although she tries to recruit her friends and neighbors she still finds reluctance.
``Most people are afraid that they won't know how to do it,'' said the retired school teacher and housewife. ``As long as you can count . . . , find people's names in the roll book, that is all there is to it.'' Forbes, who now is the election chief at Ocean Lake Elementary, says the work is not complicated and she always teams up newcomers with experienced workers. ``You feel like you are really performing a service, but it's also nice to enjoy the company of the other people,'' said Forbes.
The requirements for poll workers are few: be a Virginia Beach resident, a registered voter and at least 18 years of age. Participants receive 2 1/2 hours of paid training at the Municipal Center before the November election. Training hours are flexible with times in the morning, afternoon and evening.
Hager said they are paid $70 a day to work the polls and her office tries to place workers in precincts near their homes. ``It's a good opportunity to help your city,'' said Hager. ``You are really doing something for your neighbors and friends.''
A poll worker's election day starts at the crack of dawn, 5:30 a.m., and ends around 8 p.m.
Responsibilities include setting up voting equipment, checking people's names in the registered voters roll book and helping people correctly get their vote tallied.
Many poll workers enjoy seeing and meeting their neighbors and learning the nuts and bolts of how the election works, Hager added.
Even though the election day is long and tiring, Eugene Crabtree, Larkspur precinct's chief election official said, ``It's a very necessary public service that we perform.'' Crabtree, 62, retired from 31 years of active Navy service, has been serving as a poll worker in Virginia Beach since 1984. He sees voting as one of the most important rights Americans have, and said he enjoys being part of helping local residents exercise that right. ``It's very essential that everyone does their patriotic duty and at least goes to vote.
``If you are going to complain, you have to vote,'' he said.
Those interested in working the polls should call the registrar's office by Sept. 15 at 427-8683. by CNB