Democratic Party of Collin County

Are you an election judge and wondering what to do prior to election day, before polls open, during election day and after the polls close? The following will provide you with information needed to run a successful primary election. 

2010 Democratic Party Primary Election
ELECTION JUDGE RESPONSIBILITIES

(All precinct conventions begin in the polling place at 7:15 pm or after the last person in the voting line votes on Election Day, March 2nd, whichever is later.

Prior to Election Day:

1. Work with your site manager (e.g. school principal or church secretary) and your Republication counterpart to plan your election day polling place layout and for space(s) for the evening precinct convention(s). If you have multiple precincts voting in your polling place, you may need a separate place for each precinct (and for each political party within each precinct).
2. Pick up the grey tote box of Election Day materials, ePollBook laptop or printed poll book binders, and signs from the Collin County Elections Office on the Sunday or Monday before Election Day. Verify that the grey tote box includes all election materials and one precinct convention packet for each of your election evening Precinct Conventions. (Go to the loading dock at the rear of the Elections Office at 2010 Redbud Blvd., Suite 102, McKinney, TX 75069)
3. Become familiar with the Election Day materials and precinct convention materials before Election Day morning. Call the Democratic Party office at 972-578-1483 if you do not have everything that is needed or if you have any questions.
4. Recruit precinct chairs or others to convene the precinct convention(s) and coordinate an election evening convention hand off plan.

Before the Polls Open:

1. Post notices regarding the precinct and other conventions in places clearly visible to voters as you post other election day polling place notices. Note these are required per state law.
2. Lay out the County Convention and/or Volunteer Interest and State Convention Interest forms. A good place for this may be a place visible to voter when they turn their Voter Access Card.
3. Have available the “DEMOCRATIC” stamps (to stamp voter registration cards) and the party affiliation cards. Note: You must under Texas law stamp any voter registration card that is presented to you as identification for voting in the Democratic Primary, and issue a party affiliation certificate to any voter that votes in the Democratic Primary using another any other form of identification besides a voter registration card (All this is important for the later precinct convention sign-in process).

During Election Day:

1. After people finish voting, remind them about the later precinct convention. Ask them if they plan to return. If they are interested but cannot or may not return that evening, ask them to sign the County Convention Interest form.
2. Post the “Democratic Precinct Convention___Meets Here” posters at the locations you earlier determined for the convention(s).
3. If one of the precinct conventions lacks someone serve as the temporary precinct convention chair, try to recruit someone during the Election Day.

After the Polls Close:

1. Ensure voters returning at or shortly before 7:15 pm. Have access to the building and/or area(s) where the conventions will be held. (In fewer words, make sure they do not encounter locked doors when they return).
2. Give a Precinct Convention Chair Packet to someone from each precinct. (You may designate any voter from the precinct to be the temporary chair. You do not need to wait for a precinct chair to arrive). Also given them the County Convention and/or Volunteer Interest and Sate Convention Interest forms.
3. Note that you should not hand out precinct convention packets until 7:15pm or after the last voter votes on Election Day, March 2nd, whichever is later. If you anticipate you may still be closing up the polls at that time, you may want to designate area(s) in your building for this activity other than the voting area.
4. Have the printed poll book binder, or the list of early voters for each election precinct provided to each Election Judge by the county election registrar and the poll list of election day voters available to facilitate convention sign-in.

Note: Some early voting officials have not been diligent in stamping “DEMOCRATIC” on voter registration cards or in providing affiliation cards. Some early voters and Election Day voters will forget to bring their card back. Also, convention participants can elect county convention delegates and alternates who are not in attendance. Verification of voter status will be needed for all these people.

The Precinct Convention Chair packets include controlled documents. You are responsible for safeguarding them until 7:15pm on Election Day. Record the name and telephone number of each person receiving a precinct convention packet. If no one shows up from a particular precinct, you have a continued responsibility to safeguard that precinct’s packet, and you will turn in the unused precinct convention packet to Party Chairman Shawn Stevens.

Returning Completed Documents: VERY IMPORTANT

You have one of three possible roles for each precinct.

1. If a convention is concluded before you leave the polling place, the convention chair may return the precinct convention documents to you. In that case, you will take them with you to the Elections Office in McKinney and give them to Shawn Stevens, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Collin County, who will be at the Elections Department.
2. The convention chair has ultimate responsibility for returning the precinct convention documents to the County Chair. Several options are available in the convention chair instructions. In that case, make sure you recorded the name and telephone number of the responsible person. Give that information to Chairman Stevens (so we will know who to call if the documents are not later received).
3. If no one shows up from a particular precinct, put a note on that precinct’s packet: “No Convention Held.” Take the entire packet with you to the Elections Office in McKinney and give it to Chairman Stevens.