In this op-ed, René Johnson, a longtime election inspector, shares what a decade of working the polls has taught her about honesty, camaraderie, and safeguards in voting. Drawing on her Wesleyan tradition and the church’s call to social holiness, she urges United Methodists to vote without fear.
RENÉ JOHNSON
Midland: First UMC
As the election approaches, many people are consumed by anxiety. Will I be able to vote? Where do I vote? Will the post office deliver my ballot? Will the National Guard be at the polls? As an election inspector and a lifelong United Methodist, my answer to those questions is this: Fear not.
Of course, I can’t control everything related to the election, and we aren’t all equally affected by changes such as redrawn district lines or precinct closures. But what you and I can do is our part, and we can do it with integrity and hope.
Working on the election is one way I live out my faith. As a United Methodist, I have been guided by John Wesley’s maxim, “there is no holiness but social holiness.” Wesley saw the injustices of his day, and his faith compelled him to respond. He encouraged William Wilberforce to work to end the slave trade. He visited and preached to those in prison. He helped provide schooling and health care for the poor. Standing up for social justice has always been part of our denomination’s DNA.
Our recently adopted Social Principles reaffirm the centrality of social justice in our faith: “Our involvement in political systems is rooted in the Gospel imperative to love our neighbors, to do justice, and to care for the vulnerable.” We can fulfill that imperative by both feeding people and voting for policies that feed people. For me, neither action is better than the other; both are necessary to live out our faith. Take time to review this helpful resource on ways we can engage the electoral process faithfully as United Methodists.
I grew up amid the turmoil of the 1960s. In 1972, the year I turned 18, it was the first time eighteen-year-olds could vote in a presidential election. The voting age was lowered from 21 that year to allow young men to have a voice in who could send them to war. I have voted in every election since then.
Have you registered to vote in the Tuesday, November 3, election? Here in Michigan, the last day to register to vote by mail or online is October 19, 2026. Learn more.
Now retired, and with my own time to pursue whatever I want, I have followed in my mother’s footsteps. Like her, I now work at the polls as an election inspector. Here’s what I have learned.
Each team of five or six must include persons from both parties. This is required by law. It’s a built-in check to keep the election honest. Before the polls open, we all take a pledge to perform our duties to the best of our ability. We all take that oath seriously. Certain jobs that each team must complete require two people from different parties to sign off on them. Some tasks — for example, checking the beginning and end of the tabulator tape — must be signed by all team members.
Politics is off-limits at polling stations. We work from 6 am to 9 pm (working on the Absent Voter Counting Board is another story). That’s a long time to spend with four other people, but we find plenty to talk about despite the ban on politics. Throughout the day, we develop a deep sense of camaraderie. Our team guesses how many voters we will see, and the winner gets bragging rights.
The main point I want to make about our team is that we are united by our desire to run a smooth election. That doesn’t mean we don’t have voting issues to solve. We share a space with another precinct, and people occasionally end up in the wrong line. We simply redirect them to the proper line because you can only cast a ballot in your own precinct. Sometimes we have to send voters to another polling place altogether. We always make sure they know where they are going. Our reassurance has de-escalated voter anxiety. We do everything in our power to ensure every voter’s ballot is cast and counted.
We have also helped people who spoiled their ballots, sometimes as many as three times! We help voters who received absentee ballots but decided to vote in person. There’s a process for that. So, no, it’s impossible to vote twice. We have also helped people cast a provisional ballot. There are safeguards for every contingency. Our daylong training and station manuals walk us through every procedure, and if we have a question, our city and county clerks are only a phone call away.
I have learned that Democrats and Republicans can work together toward a common goal without animosity or partisanship. It’s worth noting that many prominent politicians, including U.S. presidents from both parties, have identified as United Methodist. Although they vociferously disagreed on many policies, we have seen former presidents interact cordially. They exemplify the phrase John Wesley popularized: agree to disagree, and then forge a friendship based on what you can both agree on.
I am well aware of how many election workers have been threatened. But I have also seen firsthand how much the public appreciates our work. Countless voters pause to thank us as they leave. I don’t know who they voted for, and they don’t know who I voted for. That allows us to treat each other with respect and civility. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, I didn’t encounter any issues with voters refusing to socially distance or wear a mask. We prepared for that possibility, but thankfully nothing happened.
Yes, there’s much to worry about these days, but I have faith in our election process because I have faith in my co-workers and the citizens who show up. Do not be dissuaded by fear of what might happen; chances are, nothing will. Our democracy needs people of goodwill to show up.
I wish everyone of voting age were required to work at least one election in their lifetime. You are trained in all the procedures. You see the redundancies that ensure each person can cast a vote, and only one vote. We have safe, secure elections.
Best of all, you see democracy in action. You see citizens of every kind enjoying their right to vote. And I do mean enjoying! I’ve encountered only one grumpy person in nearly a decade of elections. And what could be better than handing a “future voter” sticker to a four-year-old and seeing a big smile in return?
René Johnson is the Michigan Conference United Women in Faith Social Action Coordinator and serves as a member of the Michigan Conference Board of Justice.
The publication of this article was made possible thanks to generous financial gifts from local United Methodist churches in Michigan through Ministry Shares. Thank you! Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.
Last Updated on September 29, 2026