Polling preparations begin: Seegers Union readies for presidential election

As the end of the 2016 election season and Election Day draws ever-closer, preparations for Seegers Union to serve as a polling location are underway.

Various departments across campus are crucial in ensuring the best experience for those who will vote in Seegers Union on Tuesday, Nov. 8. This includes staffing the polling location with poll workers and students working as language interpreters as well as maintaining safety for all – from individuals waiting in line to vote or students just going about their normal day.

If turnout numbers from the primary season are any indication, voters should expect longer-than- normal waits at the polls. The Pew Research Center reports that the turnout rates for Democrats and Republicans combined during the primaries was 28.5 percent, which makes it the second highest; in 2008, it was 30.4 percent. Although early voting measures are designed to increase overall turnout and reduce lines at the polls on Election Day, Pennsylvania does not allow early voting for those who do not qualify for an absentee ballot.

Beth Halpern, the Director of Community Service and Engagement, helps coordinate on-campus efforts to prepare Seegers as a polling site. Halpern says that while Lehigh County has not issued any specific instructions for this election, they have notified her of an increased need for poll workers because of the anticipated turnout.

Beginning in 2009, students and some members of the surrounding Allentown were informed that Seegers would be their new polling location.

“Students voted at William Allen High School for the presidential election of 2008, and the lines were incredibly long,” said Halpern. “That, and I believe some lobbying from the College, convinced the county to add a polling location on campus.”

According to the Lehigh County Department of Voter Registration, Seegers Union is the polling place for Allentown’s Eleventh Ward, Fourth District. This region encompasses an area of just three-quarters of a square mile, as seen on the document obtained from the County website. However, that small perimeter contains an estimated ten thousand residents living within its borders.

In light of Donald Trump’s calls to “get everybody out to go and watch” the polls on Election Day to prevent voter fraud, questions about security for voters are now increasingly relevant.

Muhlenberg College, of course, has a Campus Safety department. Brian Fidati, the Chief of Police and Director of Campus Safety, reiterated that safety on Election Day is the department’s number one priority, even if a specific threat has not been reported.

“As with any campus event, Campus Safety conducts a threat assessment for events open to the public based on intelligence reports received from law enforcement, or input from the College Administration, faculty and staff. There are no specific concerns being raised by any of those sources at this point,” said Fidati.

Campus Safety will operate normally, meaning that if a complaint-based call is made, it will be addressed by the responding officer. Additionally, this Election Day is no different from those in years past, even with a potential for armed poll watchers.

“At this point in time, absent any additional information, Campus Safety is making no preparations beyond what we have done during past presidential election cycles,” said Fidati. “Campus Safety has received no information thus far from law enforcement sources that would indicate there is any heightened threat of armed poll watchers.’”

Fidati also noted that the College’s weapon policy, which “prohibits firearms on campus at any time” for everyone except law enforcement, will still be in effect on Election Day.

The other crucial element for ensuring the smoothest Election Day possible is poll workers and interpreters. Dr. Erika Sutherland, Associate Professor of Spanish, has developed a program that has trained student interpreters to assist at the polls for the last three presidential elections.

“Lehigh County is one of three Pennsylvania counties with a federal mandate to provide language assistance at the polls for Spanish speakers,” said Sutherland. “Given that Allentown city is nearly 50 percent Hispanic—and some districts are nearly 100 percent Hispanic—it is eye-opening for our student volunteers to see how the English-speaking community still struggles to embrace their not- so-new-anymore neighbors.”

Additionally, these volunteer interpreters may find themselves in a potentially hostile situation. Sutherland, however, is confident they will be prepared to handle such a scenario professionally and safely.

“Part of our training includes explaining how intimidation and harassment play out, and students will have emergency numbers to call should they encounter intimidation,” said Sutherland. “While I do recognize that there will likely be heightened emotions at the polls, I have faith that well-trained, youthful, idealistic volunteers can be a force for good at the polls.”

In an election season that has been anything but normal, preparations for Nov. 8 on campus have been delightfully uneventful.

Photos courtesy of David Budnick and Lehigh County Department of Voter Registration