By Devon Mooring

Howard University News Service

As voters cast their ballots across Washington, D.C., a dedicated group of volunteers and poll workers stands on the frontlines of democracy. From first-timers motivated by political uncertainty to veterans who have staffed elections for decades, these individuals bring diverse motivations and experiences to the polls.

 Poll workers in DC’s Ward 1 share their stories and discuss personal and political reasons that drive them to serve.

Early voting centers opened across the District of Columbia on Monday, Oct. 28, giving residents the opportunity to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. If you found yourself near the Prince Hall Center for Performing Arts, just off U Street, you’d likely run into one of D.C.’s poll volunteers, greeting voters with a smile.

Inside, visitors see a well-oiled machine at work, with volunteers stationed throughout, ready to assist voters in performing their civic duty.

Jill Dunn is one of the many dedicated poll workers ensuring a smooth election process. For Dunn, a D/C. native who lives only a few blocks from Prince Hall, the biggest draw of volunteering was the activity itself.

“It gets you out of the house, it gives you something to do,” she said.

Heading into this election, Dunn has felt anxious and fatigued by the current political climate. “It’s terrible,” she admitted. “It’s a lot going on, but I just want it to be over.”

Yet Dunn maintains faith in the election system and its workers. Having previously volunteered as a poll worker in Pittsburgh, she’s been impressed by how smoothly the District polling site operates. “This is my first time working the polls here in D.C.,” said Dunn. “I think it’s better – this is more organized.”

Seated at her station, greeting and signing in fellow volunteers, Dunn shared that this year has been her best one yet as a poll worker.

“Being a poll worker is very exciting. I’mma do it again next year,” she said.

Across the room from Dunn, at the voter registration table, sits Kierica Carter, a 32-year-old employee of the Department of Human Services. This week, however, she’s taken time off to volunteer as a first-time poll worker. For Carter, the decision to take an active role in this year’s election was inspired by a few factors.

“I realized as I’m getting older, my interests have changed and as I think about stuff that goes on in our country – me being a woman and stuff that’s gonna affect me for the future – I want to do more than post something on social media like most people my age would do.”

Originally from the Midwest, Carter views her involvement in poll work as an investment in her newfound home of D.C. “People ask me all the time about why I wouldn’t move back,” Carter said. “Well, back home it isn’t as progressive as it is here.

“You think about those political aspects of [if] you want to be in an area where they’re gonna support different types of communities and are really about change.”

For Carter, who has built her career around serving her community, this election offers an opportunity to continue empowering her neighbors to make their voices heard.

“I thought this was a good way to help my community and teach people the importance of voting because their vote does count,” said Carter.

While workers like Carter are new to the polls, Site Coordinator Daniel Barutta is a seasoned veteran. Barutta began his journey in 2006 as a ballot clerk in Ward 2 and has since worked his way up to site coordinator. 

Approaching nearly two decades of election work, Barutta likens the atmosphere around this election to that of 2008, when Obama was elected as America’s first Black president.

“There was a spark – there was something new happening that really motivated a lot of people to come out and vote. And I haven’t felt that spark [again] until now,” he said, adding that this year’s election has brought in some demographics more than he’s seen in the past. “We’ve seen a lot of young people come in over the past couple of days and a lot of people of color.”

For Barutta, the most rewarding part of his job is helping people exercise their rights and making sure their voices are heard. Reflecting on his time at the early voting site this week, one memory stands out as a reminder of what his job is all about.

“We had three young girls from Howard come in, and they were just so excited to be voting for the first time. It was really great,” he said.

With volunteers from vastly different backgrounds, it could be easy to overlook the unifying force that brings them all together, beyond just living in the same neighborhood. Barutta sums up this force best: 

“There is an energy, at least in DC, that something big is about to happen, and if we get out to vote, we can be part of that.”

Devon Mooring is an HU News Service reporter.