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Navigating Election Day: Poll Watchers and Poll Workers
Clip: 9/20/2024 | 3m 10sVideo has Closed Captions
Learn about poll watchers and poll workers in this clip from DEADLOCK: an election story.
What is the difference between a poll watcher and a poll worker? Two high-ranking officials in Middlevania’s elections help describe the difference. Middlevania and poll watcher Uncle Bill may be hypothetical, but the issues surrounding it are not. ‘DEADLOCK: an election story’ encourages civil dialogue and critical thinking in an era dominated by polarizing debates.
Funding for DEADLOCK: an election story is provided in part by Rick Burnes and PBS Viewers.
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Navigating Election Day: Poll Watchers and Poll Workers
Clip: 9/20/2024 | 3m 10sVideo has Closed Captions
What is the difference between a poll watcher and a poll worker? Two high-ranking officials in Middlevania’s elections help describe the difference. Middlevania and poll watcher Uncle Bill may be hypothetical, but the issues surrounding it are not. ‘DEADLOCK: an election story’ encourages civil dialogue and critical thinking in an era dominated by polarizing debates.
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- What is the difference between a poll watcher and a poll worker?
We have, very luckily, two high-ranking officials in Middlevania's elections who can help us know the difference.
Secretary of State, Fontes.
Mr. Fontes, you are in fact the Secretary of State here in Middlevania.
- The best state in the union, by the way.
(group laughs) - Could you just help us understand generally what is the difference between a poll worker and a poll watcher?
- Well, basically poll workers are the folks, regular average citizens who set up the polling place ahead of time and help voters not only check in, get their ballots, help work them through the process.
Poll watchers, on the other hand, are those folks who are generally speaking, appointed by their political parties and they can do certain things within the law to observe, as we wanna make sure that the integrity and uprightness of our election systems are preserved.
- Okay, so poll workers, not partisan, nuts and bolts of administering the election.
Poll watchers, affiliated with candidates, campaigns, there to observe what's best for their candidate.
- Exactly.
- Mr. Sterling, Gabriel Sterling, you are the Chief Operations Officer of the Middlevania Secretary of State's office.
A wonderful role.
And you know that the Challengers Party, the party that controls the Middlevania state legislature has recently passed a new law.
Could you tell our viewers and one another what access Uncle Bill is going to have under this new law?
- It allows him to get close to what we would consider intervening with the voter and their process of voting, which is what you really don't want to see.
But there are people out there who want to allow for greater access because they're under the impression that there are shenanigans going on.
- Mr. Kobach, would you agree with what Mr. Sterling said?
- Well, sometimes it's an impression that's unfounded.
Sometimes there really are shenanigans and something illegal was done.
- So to come back to you, Elise and Eddie, you know that your Uncle Bill is a poll watcher for the Challenger this election.
How does it make you feel, this idea of driving him to the polls?
- Oh, let's just give the guy a ride.
He's crazy, but you know.
- After the way he behaved last Thanksgiving, there's nothing about the experience I had with Uncle Bill, and there's nothing about the positions that he's put forward to lead me to believe that his role as a poll watcher is rooted in a commitment to democracy as such.
- Hm.
So you send him the text message, a little white lie?
- No, I wouldn't lie to him.
- [Aaron] What would you write?
- I'm not picking you up.
- [Aaron] Wow.
(crowd laughs) - [Panelist] Because the turkey was dry.
- Because of his stuffing or because of?
- Exactly.
- [Aaron] Okay.
(crowd laughs)
When Disinformation Meets Social Media
Video has Closed Captions
What ethical actions should be taken when a fake video goes viral on social media? (4m 8s)
Video has Closed Captions
Violence could erupt at the polls, in this clip from ‘DEADLOCK: An Election Story.’ (2m 16s)
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What can and should we do differently as we approach the upcoming elections? (3m 54s)
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A panel of influential figures talks through ethical dilemmas based on a real-life scenario. (1m 14s)
Video has Closed Captions
Experts explore ethical dilemmas, promoting constructive dialogue about polarizing issues. (31s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipFunding for DEADLOCK: an election story is provided in part by Rick Burnes and PBS Viewers.