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Two of California's Longest-Serving
Poll Workers Honored; Elections Officials Call
For Others to Join the Front Lines of Democracy

SACRAMENTO - Constance (Connie) Adkins and Carol Marchbank, who have staffed the polls during elections in the last 60 and 55 years respectively, were recognized today by Secretary of State Debra Bowen for their extraordinary commitment to the electoral process. While praising their dedication, Secretary Bowen called for more people to contribute to their democracy this November.

"For decades Santa Cruz residents have counted on Connie and Carol to keep the polls running smoothly and I thank them for their valuable public service," said Secretary Bowen, California's chief elections official. "Experienced poll workers play an indispensable part of any successful election, but even the most seasoned veterans need help. I"d love to see more voters and high school students in Santa Cruz join Carol and Connie by dedicating a day to democracy and be a poll worker on November 6!"

"Connie and Carol have been such an important part of our team for so many years, I don't know how we could have managed without them," added Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin. "Election day could not happen without the outstanding service of people like Connie and Carol. I hope they inspire many new volunteers for November."

Each statewide election requires a one-day army of 100,000 poll workers in nearly 22,000 polling places across California. Poll workers help to secure ballots, educate voters about their rights, ensure accessibility for voters with disabilities, and more. A poll worker is paid an average of $100 for the day’s work, though rates vary among counties. Interested people may call their county elections offices to sign up or visit www.sos.ca.gov/elections/pollworker.htm for more information.

To serve as a poll worker, a person must be a registered voter or a high-school student in good standing who is a United States citizen, at least 16 years old, and has a minimum 2.5 grade-point average.

The last day to register to vote in the November 6 General Election is October 22. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is October 30.

Keep up with the latest California election news and trivia by following @CASOSvote on Twitter. To sign up for ballot measure updates via email, RSS feed or Twitter, go to www.sos.ca.gov/multimedia.

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