Election workers attend training class in Topeka ahead of primary

TOPEKA ( KSNT ) – In a few weeks the polls will be busy for the upcoming primary election. Before people get to work, they have to learn the ropes.

That’s why on Tuesday, July 16, over 230 election workers attended a three-hour long class at the Fellowship Bible Church where they learned the machines and how they work, poll book usage and different voting laws.

“How you as an election worker make sure you follow the statutes, you follow the provisional process that the law requires, make sure voters are taken care of, you don’t deny a voter a ballot those kind of basic things,” Shawnee County Election Commissioner Andrew Howell said.

This training is nothing new for Virginia Eisenbarth. She’s done it for the last 12 years and has only missed a couple in that span.

“I just continue to do that. Even if you think oh I should quit, you just want to do it,” Eisenbarth said. “It’s important of course and it’s good to know that there’s people doing it because I know they always need help.”

For Carmen Metzger, she says it’s her responsibility as a citizen that keeps her coming back.

“Well it’s not for the pay, but it’s for just to help do my civic duty and support my country in any way I can,” Metzger said.

Although there was a big turnout Tuesday, Howell says they’re still looking for more workers.

“We think we’re getting close to the number we need for this election, but we’re really still encouraging people to sign up,” Howell said. “I need at least 200 more people for November, and we still may have a little bit of need yet if we end up having some drops at the last minute.”

If you would like to sign up to be an election worker you can go to the Shawnee County Election Office, or by going to their website .

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