Checkers and Challengers | Video

Retha Colclasure | 11/6/2012

There are a lot of new faces showing up at polling places all across the state today. And making sure qualified voters aren`t turned away is an important job. Most people showing up to vote have just a limited interaction with poll workers. And they might not even notice volunteer poll checkers like Lisa Omlid.

"I`m interested in human rights and civil rights and civic rights, so I volunteered to make sure everybody who has the right to vote is indeed able to vote," she said.

It`s an important position, but one that even she didn`t know about just a week ago.

"I don`t think most of us do know. Even people here on the election board, people who have worked many elections have never had a poll challenger or a poll checker ever show up."

Each party is allowed to have up to three poll challengers at every polling place. The Democratic-NPL party has been making sure those checkers and challengers are out and about.

"Poll challengers are able to actually challenge a ballot if there`s something strange going on or if there`s something that doesn`t seem right, they actually have the ability to challenge a ballot. A poll checker is really just there to pay attention and make sure things are moving smoothly. If not, they report back," said ND Dem NPL Communications Director Rania Batrice.

They`re there to make sure that someone who isn`t eligible to vote, because they`re underage, or in the wrong district, for example is sent away. While also making sure that those who are legitimate voters aren`t denied the opportunity to cast a ballot.

We reached out to the North Dakota GOP to see if they had any poll checkers or challengers at precincts, but they never returned our calls.

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