Clerks' Corner: A Sneak Peek behind the scenes…. Or “Show Time” into our State Primary and State General Elections

The information contained in this article is not intended as legal advice and may no longer be accurate due to changes in the law. Consult NHMA's legal services or your municipal attorney. 

While most people were off enjoying the Labor Day Weekend, maybe preparing for the first days of school, and remembering what Labor Day is and why we observe this American Holiday.  Remembering American workers present and past and all that they contribute to our daily lives.  The blood sweat and tears of how we got here and the why behind a three-day weekend.

For your election teams, when we have an election that Tuesday, their labor doesn’t stop this weekend, it is in full gear.  How could you know, but on the Friday before this Labor Day election teams across our great state were planning and setting up gyms, churches and other polling areas so that they would be ready to go on election day or as I always say it’s “show time” and “no room for error.” 

Labor Day Monday, for most of us, was a day of excitement and worry all rolled into one.  Who can rest or relax when we are honored to oversee something that many countries are not permitted to participate in at all. One New Hampshire resident, proudly shared that his son,  has served 4 tours of duty for our country in the military.  He has served in Iraq and Afghanistan’s.  He has witnessed countries where people are not permitted to vote, and countries where those who live there must walk miles to cast their vote. Other countries vote in fear of retaliation, yet many still come out to vote.  Sadly, voter apathy in our country is very real, but perhaps together we can change that.  Every Vote is so important and does count, fairly, transparently and because of your election teams that are devoted to the American way and our election process that was established by our forefathers and woman at the birth of our nation.  As I always say, it is the very least we can do, to cast our Vote! Let our voices become ONE for the country we love. 

Many of our Town Clerk Offices are invited to nursing homes, and assisted living places to ensure that every registered voter can cast their vote.  Clerks and their assistants often hear things like one resident shared …she thought she would never be able to case her vote again.  Many of our seniors have not missed an election since they were first eligible at the age of 18.  It is our honor to serve and do our best to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to Vote.

Something I always say is that in New Hampshire we do it the very best! 

Back to how our Town and State elections happen, and how those doors open first thing in the morning and close sometime in the evening.  Your Town and City election team is made up of your moderator, town clerk, assistant moderators, deputy town clerk, election works, police, fire, public works, school, departments and our completely volunteer ALERT team in our town of Londonderry.  When I say “it takes a village” it really does!

Many people have no idea, but for your Town and City Clerks around our great state, were required to be in their offices between 3pm and 5pm to assist with absentee ballots on Labor Day Monday.  For many of us we came in earlier to triple check supplies and to work with our moderators because who could relax anyway with such a great event just ahead of us.  For most of your election officials Tuesday morning by 4am in the case of Londonderry and I bet for other surrounding towns, your election teams were back at it, checking and double checking, removing ballots from their secure locations so that they could be escorted to the polling area by your local police department.  Setting up our ballot counting devices and poll pads which are used to check in voters and making sure that the hard copy voter registration book’s team is set-up and ready to go as a backup which is required by law in our state. 

You might think that’s not so bad, doors open at 6am and polls close at 8pm, a long day but not a big deal, a few times a year.  Boy, do we wish that’s when it all ended, but that’s when the next level of work and detail is just getting started.  All votes must be tallied, and every ballot must be accounted for.  That includes absentee ballots, spoiled ballots and write-ins. Our moderators are the leads in calculating and reporting our totals, while many of the hopeful candidates are waiting nearby for the results.

Once all the paperwork and numbers have been reported, the polling area must be broken down by often incredible school department custodial or public works teams that had been there to set them up.  If your election team is lucky, they might have ended their day by 1am or 2am Wednesday morning.  It seems hard to believe, but a 20 hour plus day is not unusual for your election teams. 

Now it’s time for all of us to get ready for State General Election which is right around the corner on November 3rd.  Please mark your calendar now, because we are all in this together.  God Bless American and our Right to Cast Our Vote.

This week my Sherry’s Hat goes off too all Election Teams across the state we love. 

Sherry

“I'm very proud of Moultonborough's election team.  Without knowledgeable, calm, capable officials, the stress of an election could easily make a difficult day disastrous. Thank You to my entire team, especially my moderator,Paul Punturieri, and my Deputy, Jennifer Boyll.  I'm grateful for your hard work and dedication!" Moultonborough Town Clerk Julie Marchand