Commentary: I was an election judge in the mayoral runoff. By the end of the evening, I was practically in tears, from feeling exhausted and from witnessing democracy on the front lines.
Opinion content—editorials, columns and guest commentaries—is created independent of news reporting and is exclusive to subscribers.Election judge Jada Lodge, 17, from Evanston Township High School, directs a voter at O'Keeffe School in Chicago’s 5th Ward on Election Day on April 4, 2023.
The night before the runoff, I slept in fits, afraid of missing my predawn alarm. I arrived at the polling place at 5 a.m. already tired. I met my fellow election judge, George, who had election experience, and Lawrence, who had never worked an election. The three of us had to set up the polling place before the polls opened at 6. That meant assembling the ballot box and voting booths, which was like building a room of Ikea furniture, sleep-deprived and on a tight deadline.
In the absence of the seasoned key judge, we quickly figured out our strengths: Lawrence and George were adept at putting together the equipment and managing the flow of traffic. I, with my keyboarding skills, navigated the electronic poll book and did troubleshooting, which, 99% of the time, meant summoning Colleen, the unflappable key judge from the other precinct to our table.
At 7 p.m., we closed the polls, just as a group of three young men strolled in. “The polls are closed,” George announced, as he shot me a look knowing it pained me to turn anyone away. But he was right. The polls were closed, and we had to dismantle the machines, sign the envelopes and get the materials over to the supply station. ]
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