1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: Here at fifty five cater ce the talk station. 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,840 Speaker 2: Brian Thomas wishing everyone a very happy Wednesday and inviting 3 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 2: everybody to lunch. 4 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: They're going to be at Liberty Collective. 5 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 2: They're excited about showing showing up there today about eleven thirty. 6 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: You can show up real early. 7 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 2: Their coffee shops opening at I think seven o'clock this morning, 8 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: so it's open and welcome back. It's been a little while, 9 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 2: but it is coming up on election time. We've got 10 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 2: a May fifth primary. Write it down in your count 11 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 2: and make sure you vote. Welcome back to Sherry Pulling 12 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 2: from the Hamilton County Board of Elections. It's good having 13 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 2: you on the show this morning. 14 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 3: Good morning, Brian, it's good to be here. 15 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 2: Start with a thank you to you and all the 16 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 2: folks at the Hamilton County Board of Elections. It is 17 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 2: my experience and I'll praise you for it. A very 18 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 2: well oiled machine at the Hamilton County Board of Elections. 19 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: I think your location is great. 20 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 2: Parking is easy, and even if there's a line around 21 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 2: the corner out the door, that line goes very very quickly, 22 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 2: but sadly not as much of a line we have 23 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: primary season not a lot of folks take exercise their 24 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 2: freedom to vote and their right to vote. But that's 25 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 2: what we're going to talk about today because there are 26 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: some changes that we're have to having to deal with 27 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 2: this year. Let's start by talking about the polling locations 28 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 2: and redistricting changes that are taking place this year. 29 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 3: Yes, so in Hamilton County, we consolidated some of our 30 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 3: smaller polling location. So what that means is we eliminated 31 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 3: a small location and moved those voters to a nearby 32 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 3: existing polling location and that might be a little larger 33 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 3: facility that is able to accommodate those voters. And we 34 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 3: did that because we, you know, take a look at 35 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 3: our budget and we see where can we create efficiencies 36 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 3: and and and sort of cut down our spending a 37 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 3: little bit. And we realized that those smaller locations were 38 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 3: just not very efficient. So by consolidating them, we're able. 39 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 3: You know, that's fewer pullworkers that we us to recruit, train, pay, 40 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 3: you know, it's it's less equipment voting equipment that needs 41 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 3: to be delivered and tested and prepared. And so we 42 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 3: did this as you know, a way to be be 43 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 3: more efficient. You know, as you just mentioned a really, 44 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 3: voting in person at the Board of Elections is just 45 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 3: increasingly popular, and so we don't that means that we 46 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 3: don't have as many folks voting on election day. 47 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 2: And I understand in getting through the whole process, it 48 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: doesn't take that long to get a voter, you know, registered, 49 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,399 Speaker 2: and give them their their their ballot and modern technology 50 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 2: and matching signatures with photo ids' it's I understand why 51 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 2: you would consolidate these polling locations. You did that recently. 52 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 2: I had a prior polling location that was at the 53 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: Good Shepherd Church and you moved us down around the 54 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 2: corner of Montgomery Montgomery Road, which is equally convenient. 55 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: It's not that much. 56 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 2: Farther away, but one stop and it can I think 57 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 2: you got rid of several different polling locations by putting 58 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 2: in a one spot, so it works out fine. No, 59 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 2: not as many poll workers though, that's great because you're 60 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: always running short on poll workers, Sherry. 61 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 3: It is difficult to recruit poll workers. We know it's 62 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 3: a long day, so you know, anything we can do 63 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 3: to help with that, we're going to take. 64 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: A look at doing fantastic. Now you're going to be 65 00:02:58,280 --> 00:02:59,679 Speaker 2: sending you the Bard of Election is going to be 66 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 2: sending a postcard notice about where people should be voting 67 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: the current polling location. 68 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,359 Speaker 3: That's correct. Those are in the mail stream as we speak, 69 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 3: so voters should be seeing those any day now appear 70 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 3: in their mailboxes. Because we've had these changes. Now, not 71 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 3: everyone's polling location has changed. Actually, only about nine percent 72 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 3: of the voters in Hamilton County will see a change 73 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 3: to their polling location. But we just thought, you know, 74 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 3: we want to make sure every voter is well informed 75 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 3: and there's no confusion. So in the abundance of caution, 76 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 3: we decided we're going to maild every registered voter that notice. 77 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 3: That postcard will tell them they're precinct where they go 78 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 3: to vote in their voting districts. Because something else that 79 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 3: has changed this year is some again not all, but 80 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 3: some voters about twenty three percent will see a change 81 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 3: in their congressional district. The state did some tweaking of 82 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 3: the congressional lines, and again some of those voters will 83 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 3: be voting in a different congressional district this election near. 84 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:03,839 Speaker 3: So we wanted to make sure that voters, every voter 85 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 3: was informed of their voting districts. 86 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 2: Well, I know my listening audience is quite informed on 87 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 2: who they'll be voting for, but that's not always the 88 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 2: case because there's a lot of folks out there that 89 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: don't even know who the representative is. So where can 90 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: people find this out? Okay, I guess is there still 91 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: time to register to vote or update name and address 92 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 2: for the for the primary election this November? I'm sorry 93 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 2: this upcoming election. 94 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 3: Upcoming primary election. Yes, May fifth primary. There is still time, 95 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 3: but the deadline's fast approaching. So in order to register 96 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 3: or update your registration, you need to do so by Monday, 97 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 3: April six, So this coming Monday, the Board of Elections 98 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: and really all board of elections across the state are 99 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 3: required to be open until nine pm on that day, 100 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 3: so you can just walk in, go to your Board 101 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 3: of Elections and update. You can also go to your 102 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 3: local BMB local libraries. They all when accept registrations on 103 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 3: that date now they have normal business hours, or you 104 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 3: can join from the convenience of your home and register 105 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,799 Speaker 3: to vote online. And you do need to register online 106 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 3: by eleven fifty nine pm on Monday, so. 107 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 2: There's still time and registering online that way is to 108 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 2: go to vote Ohio dot gov. 109 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 1: That's the Secretary of State site. 110 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 3: That's cract. You can go directly to the Secretary of 111 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 3: State's site. If you go to our website, that's fine too. 112 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 3: We provide a link to the Secretary's site. 113 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: Which is vote Hamilton Countyohio dot gov. 114 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: Do I have that one rite? Serry? 115 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 3: You do? You do very well. 116 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 2: Have gave me such awesome notes, Sherry, I'll admit that 117 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: I'm working. I'm working off some notes here. Now let's 118 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 2: go back to poll workers, Sherry, poll and you have 119 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 2: an opportunity here to maybe incentivize some people to come 120 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 2: and work the polls. I'm sure you probably need more 121 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 2: poll workers. 122 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 3: Yes, we always need more poll workers. You know, just 123 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 3: in general as a society, we don't seem to pay 124 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 3: as much attention to the primary elections as we do November, 125 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 3: so we don't have as many new poll workers. To 126 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 3: put a shout out to our returning poll workers that 127 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 3: come back election after election. We couldn't do it without them. 128 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 3: But we you know, we always have some drop off 129 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 3: people have vacations, other plans, and so we're always recruiting 130 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 3: new This is a great first time election to come 131 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 3: and work because we do anticipate the lower turnouts. So 132 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 3: come and right work this one. It will be a 133 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 3: good first first time. Get your feet wet, and then 134 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 3: that way you'll be well prepared to work in the 135 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 3: November election where we will see a larger turning out. 136 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 3: Oh yes, and we did compensate. Yeah, we are preparing 137 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 3: for a large turnout in November. Absolutely, but doing it 138 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 3: how pullworkers are compensated for their time two hundred and 139 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 3: twenty five dollars, maybe a little more if you are 140 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 3: a manager in another managing position. 141 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 2: Well, anybody out here in my listening audience who complains 142 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 2: and worries about the integrity of the vote, that this 143 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 2: is exactly how we maintain the integrity of the vote. 144 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 2: You've got Republicans, you've got Democrats, both are writing heard 145 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 2: watching out make sure the rules are followed, they work 146 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 2: out any disputes with disparities, are concerns with the with 147 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 2: the voters. That's the role that you're playing. And it's 148 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 2: such an important and vital civic role. So it's not 149 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: about the money. It's about exercising your civic duties. 150 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,239 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and you know it really truly is a place, 151 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 3: both the polling places and the Board of Elections office 152 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 3: where Democrats and Republicans come together, and it's easy to 153 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 3: do because we just have a common mission. We don't 154 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 3: we don't bring our politics into the to that space 155 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 3: and said, we just focused on our common mission and 156 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 3: that's conducting free and fair elections in Hamilton County? 157 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: Have you? 158 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: And I'm reluctant to even ask the question, Shery pull, 159 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 2: But I've got to know because my wife worked the polls, 160 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 2: I don't know, years and years and years and years. 161 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,119 Speaker 2: Never have I heard a single complaint from her about 162 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 2: one of the the the other side politically being rude 163 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 2: or disrespectful. There never be any fights, outbreaks, no shouting, 164 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 2: no argument. Everybody plays along really really nicely. If there 165 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 2: were a problem, how does that go about being resolved 166 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: by the poll workers? Do they contact the Board of 167 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 2: Elections you or they work it out amongst themselves? And 168 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 2: I guess upfront, is that even an issue? Generally speaking? 169 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 3: Generally speaking? Now now you know not, you know, if 170 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 3: we have a poll worker that might be there might 171 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 3: be a disagreement regarding a proper procedure. That can happen 172 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 3: from time to time, especially if there's changes an election administration, 173 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 3: and so we have a help desk set up on 174 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 3: election day that's dedicated to the poll workers. So we 175 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 3: have one that's dedicated to the public, so we have 176 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 3: staff manning that phone line help desk, and then we 177 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 3: have another one that is solely for the poll workers, 178 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 3: and it's made up of our trainers, so our seasonal 179 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 3: workers that train the poll workers for a whole month 180 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 3: before election day then man that help desk along with 181 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 3: our full time staff, so we can quickly answer any 182 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 3: questions or resolve any issues that come up if we're 183 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 3: not able to resolve it on the phone. We also 184 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 3: have staff what we call field troubles So those are 185 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 3: people that have more experienced, more training than the poll 186 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 3: workers and they are assigned to anywhere from maybe five 187 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,319 Speaker 3: to seven polling locations, and so they are actually out 188 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:14,199 Speaker 3: in the field all day long in the area of 189 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 3: roaming the polling locations, making sure everything is up and running, 190 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 3: and if we do have a problem, we can dispatch 191 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:24,319 Speaker 3: then quickly to get to the polling place. So we 192 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,079 Speaker 3: have many contingencies lined up so that we can make 193 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 3: sure voting goes as smoothly impossible and voters are in 194 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 3: and out quickly while following. 195 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 2: Ohio law, which has always been my experience. It always 196 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:38,680 Speaker 2: works great. Sherry polland Hamlin County Board of Elections, I 197 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 2: can't thank you enough for the work you've done over 198 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 2: the years, and we're reminding my listeners of this important 199 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 2: information this morning. Vote Hamiltoncountyohio dot gov right there, make 200 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 2: sure you're registered. If you're not, vote Ohio dot gov. 201 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 2: It's all linked up for the Hamlin County Bard of Elections. 202 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 2: Sherry polland thanks again for your time today and I 203 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 2: wish you all the success on a smooth May fifth 204 00:09:58,200 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 2: primary election. 205 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 3: Thank you, Brian, I appreciate you having me on and 206 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 3: helping us get this message out to voters. 207 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 1: We