The role of poll watchers in Macon County elections

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND)- Illinois' midterm elections are only 40 days away.

It takes a lot of people and a lot of planning to run an election smoothly. One crucial group of volunteers is poll watchers.

"The function of a poll watcher is they maintain a list of everyone who has voted, report that back to the party headquarters, and then the party will take them off the list of people that they're calling to encourage people to come out and vote," said Macon County Clerk Josh Tanner.

Campaigns are able to spend their election day efficiently when they know who has already voted. They won't call people they know have already made it to the polls.

"Our poll watchers, they have a list of previously identified Republican voters," said Bruce Pillsbury, Chairman of the Republic Party in Macon County. "As someone would come in and and give their name, they check their list and see if those people are on their list and if they are they check them off."

Poll watchers are stationed at different polling areas to keep track of who is voting, how many people are coming in the door, and if there are any lines.

"They serve a crucial purpose and making sure everyone has the ability to take advantage of their vote and that anyone's being abridged or showed favoritism," said Karl Coleman, Chair of the Macon County Democratic Party.

Poll watchers can only have minimal interactions with voters. They must have credentials and go through training before working on election day.