What’s the job of the judge of elections?
This article is part of a campaign focused on explaining how government works and encouraging dialogue and understanding among Butler County residents.
The judges of elections are elected to their positions, which carry responsibilities such as making sure everyone is able to cast a vote, ensuring those votes are counted and getting the totals to the courthouse.
In total, there are 96 judges of election in Butler County — one at each precinct, where election code requires two inspectors of differing parties are also present on Election Day. When vacancies occur, people may be appointed to ensure differing political parties are represented at the polls.
“Running the polling place in compliance with all laws and regulations, falls to the judge of elections on Election Day,” said Jade Bowers, assistant director at the Butler County Elections Bureau.
She outlined how the Election Bureau offers multiple training sessions for both the judges and the inspectors before every election in different locations across the county for poll workers to attend.
“Some of the training includes reviewing duties required by the election code,” Bowers said. “Other training is specific to the type of equipment that is used.”
Further, before Election Day, as the machines go through mandated logic and accuracy testing, a Democrat and a Republican judge are there the entire time, observing, spot checking to make sure everything matches, and then signing off that the equipment is working as it should.
Election judges are also responsible for making sure enough clerks are available to help out at the precincts. For example, Kennedy oversees the Adams Precincts 2 and 3, which hold voting upstairs and downstairs in the municipal building and handles close to 4,000 registered voters. The most recent presidential election had 15 people working the polls.
They also have to be ready to step up to enforce the rules, following their training.
The judges are busy throughout Election Day, handling tasks such as counting provisional ballots, making sure nobody is campaigning within 10 feet of the designated entrance and otherwise assisting the voters.
In recent years, overall security has become a greater concern. Bowers said if there are issues outside or inside of a polling place, a constable is the first step in keeping the peace. The present judge of elections would rely on that individual to manage the situation.
“However, not every municipality has a constable, so they will call our office to help address the issue,” Bowers said.
However, the four election judges who recently spoke with the Butler Eagle said that no matter how many votes are cast, no matter how smooth or rocky Election Day goes, the buck stops with them in getting everything completed by the book.
“You set up. You close down. You take everything to the courthouse at night, and if there’s any problems, you’re the one that has to have the answers,” said Becky Koller, a judge of elections for Cherry Township.
