Tonia Clark doesn’t tolerate bad behavior.

The Allegheny Township resident pays particular attention to the motto during twice-a-year stints as a municipal election worker.

“If anyone comes in and is nasty to us or name-calling, I won’t put up with it,” said Clark, who serves as judge of elections at the township municipal building polling site.

“I tell them, ‘Calm it down.’ And if they don’t, I’ll just call the police.”

Clark is among the thousands of residents who perform a civic duty by helping others exercise their right to vote.

The job isn’t always easy.

In recent years, an uptick of harassment and intimidation has accompanied campaigns for high-profile offices such as U.S. president down to neighborhood races like borough council.

A 2023 survey of election officials across the country found that 38% have reported experiencing threats, harassment or abuse, according to NBC News.

The survey by the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice also found more than half of respondents were concerned about the safety of their colleagues.

The numbers around threats, harassment and interference remain unacceptably high, but election officials aren’t being passive in the face of this hostile environment, said Lawrence Norden, senior director of elections and government at the Brennan Center.

Leechburg resident Andrew Pallus, who serves as vice president of the Leechburg Area School Board, began working the elections at 18 because of his growing passion for local politics.

He recalled a few rowdy situations in 2020 that still stick with him.

“Someone was destroying a political candidate’s sign within 100 yards of the voting precinct,” he said.

“We also had a voter entering the poll and talking very loudly for one political candidate and the same voter talking very loudly against the other candidate.”

In each instance, poll workers stepped in and, with the help of the constable, were able to settle the disturbances without escalation.

Locally, police have responded to polling site scuffles in recent years, albeit infrequently.

In 2022, a Castle Shannon man caused a disruption at the borough’s library where people were trying to vote. He was accused of harassing poll workers, yelling at them and filming voters. His erratic behavior caused a temporary stoppage at the polls.

In 2020, a shoving match at the polling site at Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh happened after a man was said to be shouting obscenities at passersby before entering the building. Pittsburgh Public Schools and city police were called to break up the confrontations.

Westmoreland County Elections Director Greg McCloskey said he can recall only two election site disturbances in recent years. Both were deescalated by poll workers.

McCloskey said he believes the increased friction, especially in a presidential election cycle, has actually worked to entice poll workers rather than keep them away.

“It’s the opposite, as many more people want to be involved in elections,” he said.

“They’re proud of the work they do and want the voters to see that they do run fair and secure elections.”

In Westmoreland, there already is a full contingent of more than 1,700 election workers — as well as a waiting list of people. Workers are usually older, McCloskey said, “simply because there are more older residents in Westmoreland County.”

Abigail Gardner, Allegheny County spokeswoman, said her list of poll workers is 99% full for the Nov. 5 general election.

The county has recruited more than 6,800 workers for its 900 polling sites.

“My understanding is that, in presidential years, it is easier to fill than the off years,” Gardner said. The county also had a full complement of poll workers for the May primary.

“Filling positions this year was not difficult,” Gardner said. “We actually stopped advertising well ahead of schedule because we had so many people demonstrate interest months ahead of Election Day.”

She said about three-fourths of poll workers return race after race. And they include a wide range of volunteers of ages, including high school students.

Paid training for new poll workers covers deescalation tactics, Gardner said.

Poll workers in Allegheny County earn at least $150 for the day, which lasts about 15 hours. In Westmoreland, the pay starts at $175.

Pay is higher for people who serve as judge of elections, as they are charged with verifying and delivering results to the county headquarters.

Vandergrift native Hannah Patterson, 26, said her family stoked her interest in politics from a young age. They hosted election night parties to watch the results roll in.

During the pandemic, she saw a Facebook post asking for poll workers and didn’t hesitate.

“They were desperate for people to work, as many weren’t comfortable because of covid,” Patterson said. “I was the youngest worker there — I was a senior in college — and I had a great experience getting to talk with older workers.”

Patterson said she worked the polls twice in 2020 and both were peaceful shifts.

“I recall someone being defensive about how we asked for their ID, but I didn’t really understand why he was mad about it,” she said. “Overall, it was a positive experience.”

Similarly, Harrison resident Patty Babinsack can’t recall any serious trouble in the 30 years she has worked the polls in Natrona.

“People are so friendly, and so many of them are older,” she said. “It’s orderly.

“One time, someone wanted to vote in the primary, but they couldn’t because they were a registered independent. He caused a bit of a stir, but it didn’t get out of hand.”

Babinsack has worked in various capacities, from poll worker to inspector to her current role as election constable. When she was first recruited by former police Chief Ziggy Walkiewicz, the Natrona polling site was at the now-defunct fire hall on River Avenue. It moved from the original site of St. Joseph High School, then to St. Mathias and then to the Knights of Columbus.

“It’s a serious thing to do as far as helping people with their voting,” Babinsack said.

“Someone has to do it, so why not me?”

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