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Sample Poll Worker Training Questions:

In-person Training

Your local election official sponsored in-person training sessions for election workers prior to the November 4, 2008 general election to teach workers about election procedures and how to use the electronic voting machines.  How many in-person training sessions did you attend in preparation for the November 4 elections?

Did you attend a training class for the June 6, 2006 Election?


If No, why not? ___________________________________

How convenient was the training location?
 How convenient was the training time?
Overall, how would you rate the quality of the in-person training session or sessions that you attended in preparation for the November 4, 2008 general election?
Do you think class training is valuable for working at the polls?

Did you receive any manuals, booklets, videos, or DVDs at your in-person training session to help you learn more about the election procedures?

If YES, how much of the material you received at the in-person training did you read or watch prior to Election Day?

Overall, how much do you think the additional training material you received helped improve your performance on Election Day?


Did you receive any reference materials (manuals, checklists, etc.) at training to take home?
If Yes, did you review any of the materials before reporting to your polling site on Election Day?

If you did NOT review materials received, why not? ________________________________________________________

Do you have additional comments about and/or suggestions for improving written poll worker reference materials?
          ________________________________________________________

Thinking back on your in-person training, please tell us whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.  Please select ONE number per line.

                                                                                                  Strongly  Somewhat  Neither Agree  Somewhat  Strongly
                                                                                                    Agree      Agree       nor Disagree   Disagree     Agree

I was able to spend enough time practicing on the voting machine.          1            2                  3                 4            5

The training session was too long.                                                        1            2                  3                 4            5

After the training, I was confident in my ability to do my job on
        Election Day.                                                                              1            2                  3                 4            5

The training was easy to understand.                                                    1            2                  3                 4            5

The training session was boring.                                                           1            2                  3                 4            5

The instructor for the training could not answer all questions asked.          1            2                  3                 4            5

The training session spent enough time covering election law
        and procedures.                                                                          1            2                  3                 4            5

The training prepared me well for Election Day.                                       1            2                  3                 4            5

The instructions we received from the election officials for opening
        the polls were clear.                                                                     1            2                  3                  4            5

The instructions we received from the election officials for closing
     the polls at the end of the day were clear.                                         1            2                  3                 4            5

The instructions for what types of voter identification I could
     accept were clear.                                                                           1            2                  3                 4            5

The instructions for when to allow voters to cast a provisional
      ballot were clear.                                                                           1            2                  3                 4            5

I knew how to manage the voting machines better after completing the
     in-person training.                                                                          1            2                  3                 4            5

The instructions for securing the voting machines [or ballots] were clear.    1            2                  3                 4            5

The instructions for when to ask a voter for his or her identification
     before voting were clear.                                                                  1            2                  3                 4            5

The instructions for reconciling the number of voters voting and the
     number of ballots cast were clear.                                                     1            2                  3                 4            5


Did you notice any differences between how you learned to use the voting machines in training and how the voting machines operated on Election Day?

If YES, to what extent did the training differ from the actual procedures?


                                                                                                                  (for questions below please circle the number that applies)

How well did the training prepare you for Election Day?          0 (N/A)      1(poor)     2      3(good)      4      5(excellent)

How well did the training prepare you to operate
any voting equipment (such as ballot marking devices,         0 (N/A)      1(poor)     2      3(good)      4      5(excellent)
ballot scanners, electronic machines) on Election Day?

How well did the training prepare you to demonstrate to 
voters how to operate any voting equipment (such as ballot   0 (N/A)      1(poor)     2      3(good)      4      5(excellent)
marking device, ballot scanners, electronic machines)?

How well did the training prepare you to manage different      0 (N/A)      1(poor)     2      3(good)      4      5(excellent)
voter situations and questions on Election Day?

How effective was the training in preparing you to serve         0 (N/A)      1(poor)     2      3(good)      4      5(excellent)
voters with disabilities?

How effective was the training in preparing you to serve         0 (N/A)      1(poor)     2      3(good)      4      5(excellent)
voters with limited English proficiency?

How helpful was the training/instruction you received             0 (N/A)      1(poor)     2      3(good)      4      5(excellent)
on Election Day from other poll workers or election staff?


Do you have additional comments about and/or suggestions for improvement of poll worker training? ________________________________________________________

On-line Training

A small number of poll workers were invited to participate in an additional on-line training using a computer.  Were you asked to participate in the on-line training?

If YES, did you complete the on-line training?

If NO, please indicate all reasons why you did not complete the on-line training:

Did you complete the on-line training before or after you attended the in-person training session?

Thinking about your decision to complete the on-line training course, please mark whether each of these reasons was very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not at all important in your decision to complete the on-line training.  Please select one number per line.

                                                                                                  Very         Somewhat    Not Very      Not at All   
                                                                                               Important    Important    Important   Important   

I was asked by elections officials to complete the on-line training.         1                 2                3               4

I was paid for completing the on-line training.                                     1                 2                3               4

I thought it would be interesting.                                                       1                 2                3               4

I wanted to learn more about using a computer.                                  1                2                 3               4

I wanted to be as prepared as possible for my job.                              1                 2                3               4


Overall, how would you rate the quality of your on-line training experience?       

In the next election, how important do you think it would be for all poll workers to participate in on-line training?

Thinking back on your on-line training, please tell us whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.  Please select ONE number per line.

                                                                                                    Strongly   Somewhat  Neither Agree   Somewhat   Strongly
                                                                                                     Agree       Agree       nor Disagree    Disagree      Agree

The on-line training session was boring.                                                 1             2                 3                  4              5

I received information from the on-line training that I would not have
     otherwise known.                                                                            1             2                 3                  4              5

The on-line training helped me to remember important information
     related to my job as a poll worker.                                                    1             2                 3                  4              5

I had a better experience on Election Day because I completed the
     on-line training.                                                                              1             2                 3                  4              5

I knew how to manage the voting machines better after completing
     the on-line training.                                                                         1             2                 3                  4              5

The on-line training experience made no difference in how I performed
     my job as a poll worker.                                                                   1             2                 3                  4              5

The on-line training was easy to understand.                                           1             2                 3                  4              5

The on-line training session was too long.                                               1             2                 3                  4              5

The on-line training helped me better understand how to handle
     provisional ballots.                                                                          1             2                 3                  4              5

I preferred receiving extra training on-line to an additional in-person
     training.                                                                                         1             2                 3                  4              5