In this edition of Politics on Point, we meet Mike West, manager of community outreach at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
Mike explains the balanced structure of the Board, with two Democrats and two Republicans overseeing operations. This ensures transparency and security, with checks like split passwords and locked ballot rooms.
The Board prepares months in advance for elections, handling candidate filings, testing ballots, and offering multiple voting options, including early voting and vote-by-mail.
Poll workers from both parties ensure smooth Election Day operations. After the polls close at 7:30pm on Election day, the results are securely tabulated, with audits and recounts ensuring accuracy before finalizing outcomes.
Discussion Questions:
- Why do you think it's important that there are an equal number of Democrats and Republicans on the Board of Elections?
- The Board of Elections gives voters a few different ways to vote. Which way do you think is best for most people—voting by mail, voting early, or voting on Election Day? Why?
- Why is it important that poll workers come from the community and help on Election Day? How do you think it makes people feel to see their neighbors at the polls?
Read the Script:
[MIKE WEST / CUYAHOGA COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS]: MY NAME'S MIKE WEST. I'M THE MANAGER OF THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH DEPARTMENT FOR THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
[POP INTRO]
[MIKE WEST / CUYAHOGA COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS]: THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IS ACTUALLY MADE UP OF FOUR BOARD MEMBERS. TWO OF THEM ARE DEMOCRATS AND TWO OF THEM ARE REPUBLICANS. WE HAVE A DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR. ONE'S A REPUBLICAN. ONE'S A DEMOCRAT. AND THEY RUN THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE POLITICAL BALANCE. HALF REPUBLICAN AND HALF DEMOCRAT FOR ALL OUR OPERATIONS FROM THE TOP LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT DOWN TO THE FRONT LINE WORKERS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK WE JUST WORK TWO DAYS A YEAR FOR THE SPRING PRIMARY AND THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. BUT THERE IS QUITE A BIT THAT GOES ON. THE ELECTION CYCLE STARTS MANY MONTHS BEFORE THE ACTUAL ELECTION BECAUSE BALLOTS HAVE TO BE CREATED, THEY HAVE TO BE PROOFED, THEY HAVE TO BE TESTED ON OUR MACHINES. AND WE HAVE A CHECKLIST OF ABOUT 2000 ITEMS THAT ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO DO.
ANYONE WHO'S A REGISTERED VOTER CAN WORK AT THE POLLS. AND WHEN YOU GO INTO THE POLLS AND YOU SHOULD ASK SOMEBODY TO BRING YOU THERE ON ELECTION DAY SO YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF. YOU'LL FIND TABLES SET UP AND YOU'LL FIND TABLETS THAT WE USE TO SCAN A PERSON'S ID. ONCE IT'S SCANNED IN, WE SEE ON A SCREEN THEIR NAME, ADDRESS, BIRTHDATE AND THEIR SIGNATURE.
IF THE SIGNATURE MATCHES AND THE OTHER INFORMATION MATCHES, THEN WE ISSUE A BALLOT TO THEM. THEY TAKE THE PAPER BALLOT TO THE VOTING BOOTH. THEY MAKE THEIR SELECTIONS, BRING IT TO THE SCANNER, SCAN IT IN. THEN THE BALLOT DROPS INTO THE BALLOT BOX FOR SAFEKEEPING. SO ON ELECTION DAY, PEOPLE CAN VOTE FROM 630 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 730 AT NIGHT.
WELL, AT 730, WE TAKE ALL OF THE VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS THAT HAVE COME IN AND WE HAVE PRE SCANNED THEM, BUT WE HAVEN'T TABULATED THEM. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOBODY CAN KNOW THE RESULTS UNTIL THE POLLS CLOSE AT 730 ON ELECTION NIGHT. AND THEN SINCE THE POLLS ARE CLOSED, THE BALLOTS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT START COMING IN FROM THE FIELD AND WE ADD THOSE TO THE COUNT.
HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT ON ELECTION NIGHT, THESE ARE ONLY UNOFFICIAL RESULTS AND ONCE THE RESULTS ARE FINAL, IF THERE'S A CLOSE RACE, WE CAN DO A RECOUNT OF THE BALLOTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNT WAS ACCURATE. AND THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT WE REASSURE PEOPLE THAT OUR ELECTION SYSTEM IS FAIR AND TRANSPARENT AND ACCURATE.