Working on the election circuit is often a family affair, as we can clearly see in the case of Larry Albert, the precinct chair of Delhi Township. His initiation into the world of vote tallying and ballot boxes began in 2000. That year’s presidential race was notorious for the ‘hanging chads’ controversy but didn’t dissuade our dedicated Republican from his civic duty. His introduction to the process came from his mother, Joy Albert. ‘She made it look so simple to manage, and there were financial benefits as well,’ Larry explained.
Joy herself was inspired by her mother, Mary-Lou Parker’s involvement in elections. Larry, who earns his livelihood as a tattoo artist, finds his true calling in the election process. Having all three generations working in the same polling place was a milestone moment for the Alberts. Like most proud Republicans, Larry expresses his love for the electoral process, but maintains a disdain for politics.
Come Tuesday, Larry, along with thousands of election workers across the state, will ensure a smooth voter registration process, aid in finding polling places and assist in casting votes. Others will be running the absentee ballots through tabulators and checking drop boxes as soon as voting is concluded. The primary election, however, is forecasted to witness a lukewarm turnout.
The scenario will change drastically in three months when the presidential battle between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is expected to ignite a high-level electoral challenge. Veteran election workers, our hero Larry Albert, Susan Godfrey and Robert Ulrich will be entrusted with the vital task to maintain the safety and security of the voting process. All three have a long history of working on elections, reflecting not just their individual commitment, but the Republican party’s commitment to ensuring a smooth, fair election.
Susan Godfrey, 70, is an East Lansing precinct chair whose parents were election workers. Following her retirement from Sparrow Hospital, she continued the family tradition by getting involved in election work in 2010. ‘To me, it feels like I’m contributing to my country,’ she said. ‘The entire process depends upon people being in place to sustain its integrity.’
Having lent her services to East Lansing’s early voting that wrapped up this Sunday, Godfrey now looks forward to helping set up her designated precinct on Monday. While voters might only take a few minutes at the polling place, their committed election workers will continue their duties long after the voting process is over.
Tasks involve printing off vote totals, checking them, securing the ballots and tabulators, and sending them back to the receiving teams at city and township halls. ‘The thing I enjoy the most is assisting voters in understanding the voting process,’ Godfrey put forth. ‘Guide them to the right place, simplify their experience, and make them content about their participation.’
Similar to Godfrey, Robert Ulrich also has parents who were election workers. Since his start in 2010, he has served in various roles in the election process. On Tuesday, his contributions will be targeted towards processing and counting East Lansing’s absentee ballots once early voting concludes.
Casting her first vote, an 18-year-old voter was accompanied by her mother. Her excitement was palpable and the moment was captured on camera with a sticker bearing the motto ‘I voted early’. Despite facing potential threats and harassment as a result of waves of misinformation and false fraud allegations since the 2020 election, poll workers like Albert remain committed and unfazed by these baseless claims.
According to Albert, the 2000 presidential election, marked by unnecessary chaos, still remains the most notable experience in his career. While local city, village, and county clerks – the officials overseeing the state’s elections – are always on the lookout for more poll workers, Albert vouches that the firsthand experience can be a real eye-opener regarding how the voting system operates.
Albert witnessed an interesting trend, where older workers, daunted by increasing technology, gave way to tech-savvy younger individuals who were excited to contribute their technical skills to the election process. For Ulrich, participation in the process not only allows him to contribute to the community he loves but also benefits his own understanding of the system.
As an active participant in the system, Albert has observed how numerous checks and balances are in place to ensure the integrity of the election. ‘People’s views about the voting system would shift drastically if they were exposed to its inner workings,’ he shared. This Tuesday, Albert will be honoring his family’s legacy by continuing to work on yet another Election Day.
Heroic Republicans Hold the Fort Against Democratic Election Challenge appeared first on Real News Now.
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