Fort Dodge Messenger, IA
03-08-07
County election officials participate in training
Weekly sessions address requirements
By JESSE HELLING, Messenger staff writer
Alan Vandehaar, a community development specialist with Iowa State
University Extension, conducts the first of three training sessions for local
election officials Wednesday morning at the ISU Extension offices in downtown
Fort Dodge.
Absent catastrophic circumstances — and then only with the Iowa secretary of
state’s approval — Webster County elections must always be held as scheduled.
Precinct election officials discussed emergency plans Wednesday, as part of a
larger training exercise that will see certified officials in all precincts by the 2008
election.
Over the next three weeks, precinct workers will participate in weekly sessions
designed to specifically address all aspects and requirements of an election on
the local level.
‘‘Trust me, you didn’t do anything wrong in November,’’ said Webster County
Auditor Carol Messerly to the workers attending Wednesday morning’s session.
‘‘Everything was absolutely wonderful ... there were very few problems of any
kind.’’
Rather, the training, which is being conducted in conjunction of the Help America
Vote Act of 2002, is designed to reinforce regulations and clear up all necessary
information.
The training is being conducted by the Iowa State University Extension, in
conjunction with the Iowa secretary of state’s office.
Community Development Specialist Alan Vandehaar worked to develop the
program, and conducted Wednesday’s training.
‘‘The goal is to have one certified election official in each precinct in Iowa by the
2008 election,’’ Vandehaar said.
In 2006, 1,800 people completed certification training, he said.
An additional 2,000 to 2,500 officials are scheduled to be trained before the 2008
election, Vandehaar said.
Sessions are intentionally designed for small groups, he said.
‘‘We wanted a program that was highly interactive,’’ said Vandehaar.
During Wednesday’s session, precinct workers broke into small groups to
discuss issues that might disrupt a precinct — such as fire alarms, tornado
warnings or power outages.
Dealing with a set of hypothetical scenarios, small groups also discussed
‘‘customer service,’’ ways in which they could comport themselves that would be
pleasant and helpful to voters.
Vandehaar discussed such regulations as prohibitions against electioneering and
who is allowed in a polling place.
For example, poll watchers, who are required to present credentials to precinct
officials, can challenge votes but may not interfere with the work of election
officials, Vandehaar said.
No more than three poll watchers from each party are allowed within a precinct
polling place, he said.
Above all, the rule of thumb for a precinct election official is ‘‘when in doubt, call
the auditor,’’ said Vandehaar.
Training sessions will be held again on March 14, in which officials discuss
setting up election equipment and closing the polls, and on March 21.
Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net