This content was published: November 4, 2008. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Election day, and the volunteers keep working
Photos and story by Dana Haynes
Six hours to go.
This is why I love election day so much: I step out into the College Center’s main mall and find two volunteers staffing a booth, taking people’s ballots. The ballots then will be dropped off at the Multnomah and Washington county elections divisions before tonight’s 8 o’clock deadline.
I asked Joy Prideaux why she was there. She’s not a student – although she formerly took classes at PCC. “I live near here, and I like to volunteer to help get out the vote,” Joy said. “This is a good thing to do.”
The other volunteer was Eric Johnson, a PCC student who formerly served in the U.S. Army. This is a guy who’s already served his country. Why do this?
He shrugged. “I don’t have classes today and I didn’t want to go home. This is important.”
The volunteers picked up an estimated 100 ballots on Monday and expect to do better today.
One guy dashed past the sealed box, slipped his rumpled ballot envelop through the slot, and huffed, “Wow! Got it. Thanks so much!” before dashing off to class.
And this is why I love election day so much.
Send your feedback to dana.haynes@pcc.edu. And thanks in advance.
About Dana Haynes
Dana Haynes, joined PCC in 2007 as the manager of the Office of Public Affairs, directing the college's media and government relations. Haynes spent the previous 20 years as a reporter, columnist and editor for Oregon newspapers, including ... more »