Elections Feature Experienced Crews
Long-time Poll Workers
Roosevelt County is fortunate to have an experienced group of workers at the polls during election days. Shelley Rodenberg and Gary Macdonald were two of the crew member greeting voters again on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Wolf Point.
Rodenberg says she has served as an election worker for at least 35 years.
When asked what she enjoys about election day, she replied, “Visiting with the people, both the voters and the people at your table.”
She doesn’t exactly remember how she started to become involved. “I was a housewife, so I could be there all the days,” Rodenberg said. “I look forward to it.”
Although some nights at the polls were longer than others during general elections, Rodenberg said she experienced much longer days with school elections because the judges needed to stay and count the votes. For general elections, workers just need to reconcile the votes before the ballots are transported across the street to the courthouse.
Macdonald, a former county commissioner, has served as an election worker for roughly 20 years. He missed some elections because he couldn’t work in that capacity when his name was on the ballot for commissioner.
“I made the mistake of volunteering,” Macdonald joked about how he got started. “As a commissioner, back then, I wasn’t the only commissioner doing that.” He added that Jim Shanks worked at the polls in Brockton.
Macdonald said that most presidential elections attracted large turnouts in the area.
“I think I actually encouraged people to vote for Lincoln,” Macdonald laughed about how long he has worked elections.
He likes the opportunity to visit with residents throughout election day. “I get to see people I haven’t seen for a while,” Macdonald said.
Memories of elections past have included reminding activists that they needed to stay 100 feet away from the voting location.
“We would see some pretty radical ones,” Macdonald said.
Fellow election worker Samantha Goodman started being a poll worker after being recruited by Macdonald. “She’s my adopted grandchild so she didn’t have a choice,” Macdonald laughed. In turn, Goodman recruited Jacob Boysun.
“I wish more people would get involved,” Macdonald said. “It’s an important function.”
