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SANTA FE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE Wanted: Presiding Judges for 2012 Elections

Do you want to give back to your community? Do you enjoy meeting and helping people? Can you follow instructions? Are you organized? Are you a problem solver? Do you mind being up before the crack of dawn and staying up until 10:00 PM? If so, Santa Fe County Clerk Valerie Espinoza wants you to consider being a Presiding Judge (PJ) during the 2012 elections. Because of natural attrition (people move or retire from working the polls), the BOE will need at least a dozen new PJs for the Primary Election on June 5, 2012 and for the General Election on November 6, 2012.

Presiding Judges play a vital role in elections. As the team leaders of each precinct board, they are expected to know more about how elections are run—from running the machines to closing the books—than the rest of the team. The PJ assigns tasks to individual workers and substitutes for them when they go on break. In addition, the PJ is a problem solver, helping voters who are lost or need instruction on how to complete the envelope for a Provisional ballot. PJs mediate disputes: one PJ had to intervene when voters were close to having a fight over a parking place. A good part of Election Day, the PJ is on the phone to the BOE or the technicians, asking questions about what to do in a particular sticky situation, such as how to fix a recalcitrant printer on the M-100. Throughout the day, PJs must exhibit diplomatic characteristics —grace under pressure—thus instilling confidence in both their team and the voters.

And then there are the extra tasks that PJs must do. A week or so before the election, PJs call other members of the precinct board to give directions to the polling place and remind them to bring their lunches, snacks and water. The day before the Election, PJs must go to the County Warehouse to be sworn in and to pick up the Rosters and other election supplies. At the end of Election Day, it's the PJs who bring back the ballot boxes, Rosters, and election supplies to the County Courthouse in Santa Fe. That makes for a very long Election Day for these stalwart workers.

The long hours and extra responsibilities have caused many people to shy away from becoming PJs. To attract more people to the job, Ms. Espinoza raised their pay from $150 to $160 per election. In addition, the BOE has extensively revised the training manual based on suggestions from experienced PJs, making the information comprehensive and easier to follow. The staff makes every effort to give PJs the support they need, whether it is extra training on voting machines at the Warehouse or telephone support before and on Election Day.

One innovation that the BOE will implement next year is a mentoring program for prospective PJs. Presiding Judges-in-training will serve as precinct members and work closely with experienced PJs (mentors) in the upcoming Santa Fe Public School Bond Election on February 7, 2012. The trainee will shadow the mentoring PJ from picking up the rosters the day before the election through setting up and turning on the machines, to closing the books and returning the ballot boxes to the County Courthouse on election night. Throughout the day, the mentor will explain what is being done and why and answer any questions. The trainee will be given as much opportunity as possible to get hands-on experience with the machines and bookkeeping. The goal is to ensure that new PJs feel confident in their abilities and are competent.

So why do people become Presiding Judges? The answers are as varied as the people who serve. Toby Rosenblatt, who works for NM State Government likes "being satisfied that, at the precinct level, there is very little opportunity for corruption of the voting system in NM." Nancy Riley, a retiree from Edgewood, remembers, "When I first started serving I didn't even realize that I would get paid. I just thought it was a wonderful way to serve my community and state and nation. I still feel that way!" Retired physician Nancy Fordyce offers this advice for anyone taking on this job: "One hour before the polls close, the Presiding Judge should go outside and gaze at the moon for 15 minutes and let nature soothe your soul. Then come in, go over the whole shutting down process, and get organized. The Presiding Judge must be super organized."

If you are interested in becoming a Presiding Judge and participating in the mentoring program, please contact Pat Hummer, Election-Worker Coordinator at 505-986-6379 or pmhummer@santafecounty.org.