By, Abbey Monzo

On Monday, October 19, Daniel Pense, Director of Elections and General Registrar of Virginia, spoke at NCC, providing students with a front row seat into election reporting. Now a retired election official and consultant, Pense brought the experience of his 25-year-long career in Wall Street technology to local elections and to NCC’s campus.

As November 3 quickly approaches, it becomes increasingly apparent that many individuals, particularly students, may not be familiar with the various aspects of the voting process. Fortunately, Pense shared an informational PowerPoint explaining how elections work, outlining the voting process, and discussing recent legislation that contributes to voting laws. Pense also prepared a hands-on activity for students to participate in.

Students were able to take part in a class activity that modeled how ballots are manually counted. Just as ballot counters do in a manual tally, the students had to compile votes for each of the candidates, ensuring that each vote was fulfilled with accuracy—no slash marks, use of felt tip pens, or circling of the candidates’ name, for example. Although the students were only given the task to organize 21 sample ballots, the legal procedure outlines the same efforts, and is performed in a much more tedious, cautious, and organized manner.

In addition, Pense emphasized that elections involve extensive logistical planning long before voters arrive at the polls. Voting machines must be prepared and tested; polling stations must be set up, and ballots and other necessary supplies must be ready for Election Day. Election workers also play a crucial role in ensuring the process runs smoothly, from checking in voters and verifying their eligibility to issuing the correct ballots and maintaining accurate records. These quality-control measures help ensure that eligible voters can cast their ballots and that each vote is properly accounted for. Pense also explained that the process can vary from state to state, as each state establishes its own election laws and procedures governing voter eligibility and ballot casting.

For example, in a primary election, residents of Pennsylvania must be registered as a specific party to vote. However, in a state such as Virginia, where Pense just so happens to reside, individuals do not need to be affiliated with any party; they can simply vote at the polls or by using a mail-in ballot.

In his closing statement, Pense urged students of the importance of acting upon their civic duty. “In Northampton County alone, there are approximately 134 polling locations. There are about 324,410 residents living in Northampton County, and of those residents 233,000 are registered to vote,” he stated.

That is 233,000 voices with the power to make a difference. 233,000 opportunities to advocate for a better quality of life. 233,000 people whose decisions, perspectives and participation could mold the future of our community and the lives of the people who call it home.