Editorial: There is more than 1 way to show up at the polls

Politics is ugly. Elections can be the worst expression of that ugliness.

In recent years, the voting process has become riddled with skepticism, distrust and hostility.

But does it have to be? Is there a way to get back to a place where we not only do our duty in voting but also trust the process that collects, tabulates and reports those votes?

Maybe. The solution could be the same as the problem. The people.

It is easy to dismiss a process that isn’t understood as unfair or corrupt. (Not to beat our favorite long-dead horse, but that’s why government transparency is so important.) That means the solution may be a real, inside-out understanding of how elections work.

The general election, less than a month away, could do just that.

Our elections are not something run by foreign hackers or by shadowy corporations, no matter the threats both might pose. The people who take your ID and hand you a ballot are our neighbors.

The people checking off names and making sure the rules are followed are the lady who makes a Bundt cake for funerals at church or the guy who drives a bus for your kids’ school. The nice woman who showed you how the voting machine works to ensure every person you pick in every race counts could be a retired nurse from your doctor’s office.

That next person who helps people fulfill their constitutional duty in casting a ballot could be you.

Poll workers are an integral part of the process. They are our fail-safe, the net under the tightrope of our electoral system. What has made it all so trustworthy for so long is that our elections happen at our most local level — not just in our municipalities, but in precincts that are corners of neighborhoods.

The poll workers live there, too. There should be five for every location: judge of election, minority inspector, majority inspector, clerk and machine inspector. Just as a flight attendant’s job is more about maintaining safety than serving drinks, a poll worker’s job is more about ensuring the integrity of elections than handing out “I voted!” stickers.

There is a good chance your precinct needs poll workers. Most do. You can put yourself out there to do the work by visiting the Department of State’s website or contacting your county election office. It’s a civic responsibility that even comes with a paycheck.

But the real return isn’t money. It’s a glimpse behind the curtain to see how things work. When working side by side with members of both major parties, it’s harder to see them as the enemy. They are just the people on the other side of the table.

And the Election Day process? It could run better. There are things that could be improved — that should be improved. But as flawed and imperfect as it may be, it is also remarkable because of those problems. We should always be striving to make elections better. But we have to have an honest understanding of what does and doesn’t work to start.

Politics is ugly because of the anger and distrust that is poured on it regularly like kerosene on a campfire. We can strip away the ugliness by learning about the process and pushing back against division.

The more we understand how government functions, the harder it is to see anything but other people following their hearts and fulfilling their responsibilities.

Voting is only part of being a citizen. If it is a pop quiz, participation is the final exam. We need a country where everyone gets involved.