Election workers' service spans decades

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) There wasn't a rush for the city elections Tuesday -- unlike the 2008 presidential election or the ISL vote -- so Bernice Less, of Le Mars, had time to quilt when she wasn't helping voters with changes of address. Less has served as an election worker for more than 20 years. [Click to enlarge]

They arrive one hour before voting starts.

They don't leave the building, not even for lunch.

They stay until the last vote from their precinct is counted.

Meet the Le Mars election workers that help you make sure your vote counts.

Bernice Koopman started serving at the polls 40 years ago.

She, along with other election workers, helps eligible voters register, change their address if necessary and -- if they ask -- help them with the ballot.

Even if it means missing bingo night.

Voting and elections are important, Koopman said, sitting at a table during Tuesday's election at the Le Mars Convention Center, waiting to help voters as needed.

"We do it so we get good people to rule," she said. "It's our duty."

But when it comes to working all day at the polls for close to minimum wage, Koopman doesn't mind.

"I kind of look forward to it," she said. "I like the people I work with."

One of those people is Jeannine Downing, who has also been an election worker for more than four decades.

They've worked together many of those years, and election day ends up being a reunion of sorts.

"We get to see people we haven't seen for a while," Downing said.

"And we all bring food," added Joyce Langel, who has been working as an election worker at the same voting precinct with them for about 10 years.

But it's more than just a social gathering for them.

"Election workers are critical to the success of election," said Auditor Stacey Feldman. "They insure the operations of the election run smoothly and they give the voters the opportunity to make sure their vote is counted."

The workers train with staff from Feldman's office before the election on setting up and operating voting machines, registering voters and changing addresses so they can answer voters' questions.

Along with helping people vote, election workers make sure nothing improper is going on at the polling place.

"If two people in line are in a discussion about a candidate, we ask them to go outside to talk," Langel said.

A new rule Le Mars election workers are enforcing is that cellphones must be turned off at the polls to keep the room quiet for voters.

To maintain continuity, election workers are asked to stay the entire day if possible.

"It keeps the flow of the day working well," Feldman said. "A lot of shift changes would break the flow. It's a long day, but they know that."

Tuesday was a shorter election day, with polls opening at noon.

But general elections for presidents or other offices can start at 7 a.m., meaning poll workers arrive at 6 a.m. and work until the polls close at 9 p.m., even staying until nearly 10 p.m. to clean up.

They can't play a radio or TV during the vote in case candidates' commercials came on the air.

"It's a long day," said Bernice Less, an election worker for 20 years, who helped Le Mars voters change their addresses if they had moved. In between voters, which were sparse Tuesday, she stitched a quilt.

But Less remembers a time when election day was even longer.

"When we had to count the votes by hand, we were there way later than midnight," she said. "Now a machine does that all."

The 2004 general election was a long day even with machines counting ballots, she remembered. She helped count absentee ballots that year, and that stretched until 4 a.m.

"I bet my husband thought, 'Where in the world have you been?'" Less said with a laugh.

Tuesday's voter turnout was slim with incumbents running unopposed for Le Mars positions.

"I wish more people would come and vote, show they're interested in the community and get involved with what's going on," Downing said.

But they've seen large turnouts, too.

Both the 2008 presidential election and the Instructional Support Levy vote for Le Mars Community Schools saw Le Mars voters lined up out the door.

"More people turn out when it's a money issue, raise the taxes, that kind of thing," said Ed Downing, Jeannine's husband, who started working elections with her about 20 years ago.

"At the 2008 presidential election we saw a lot of first time voters," he added.

New people to add to the pool of election workers are always needed, Feldman said.

"It's hard to find new people who are willing to serve because it is a long day," she said. "But we're always looking for people to serve."

Those interested can contact the auditor's office at 546-6100.

After working at the polls for 40 years, Jeannine Downing had only encouragement for those considering signing up for next election.

"I think anybody who tried it would enjoy it," she said.