PORTLAND, Maine — Election workers across the state are completing trainings, preparing to help voters through the process of casting their votes in this year's presidential election.
Election Day is exactly one week away, and although hundreds of thousands of Mainers have already cast their votes through absentee ballots or early voting, many people will still flood the polls on Nov. 5.
City and town clerks across the state are expecting to see large voter turnouts, which makes poll workers just as vital as ever, especially at a time when many are concerned about election security.
"They're checking everybody in, they're making sure that everybody is registered for us, and they're making sure that they're getting the correct information as they're moving through the process," South Portland City Clerk Jessica Hughes said.
Hughes has been South Portland's clerk for five months. She attended the City of Portland's election worker training Tuesday, taking notes as she prepares to host her own training session Wednesday.
Hughes said she understands that election workers like Portland poll worker Anita Chandler function as the first line of defense in ensuring safe and secure elections.
Chandler takes her role as an election worker seriously, explaining that she has been volunteering as a poll worker for the last 15 years during local and presidential elections.
"No matter how they feel, they should get out and vote," Chandler said, encouraging people to exercise their voting rights. "Remember, it is a privilege as an American."
Poll workers like Chandler will assist with same-day voter registration, making sure people are at the right polling location and checking people in.
They'll also explain voting processes and procedures to concerned voters like Susanne Randall.
Randall casted her vote at Portland City Hall Tuesday. She said she thinks twice about election workers not requiring voters to provide proof of identity before they receive a ballot.
She said that she does not have many concerns about fair and honest voting in Portland, but she explained she does have some worries about other communities. She said she feels not requiring I.D. leaves room for people to impersonate others at the polls.
"I would feel better actually presenting an I.D. with a picture, because then I know that nobody could come behind me if they knew my date of birth and my street address and try to use my information to vote," Randall said.
Concerns like the ones Randall has emphasize the importance of staffing polls with trained election workers who are familiar with next steps if they have valid suspicions.
Hughes said poll workers thoroughly verify and confirm voter identity during registration. She said the use the most updated information when checking people in to vote.
She explained that when checking in to cast votes, voters are asked to verbally state their name and address. If there are any suspicions that a person may trying to vote in the wrong or multiple polling locations or if a person cannot state their name, address, or information requested, election workers can follow additional procedures to protect voters and protect the integrity of the election.
"They can be challenged," Hughes said. "The warden may do that, or another resident may do that if they feel that's not the person that they think has identified themselves."
Wardens will be available at polling locations to help election workers enforce rules.
Election workers are also given de-escalation techniques. Tensions have been high, and campaign rhetoric that some view as violent has created some concerns, but poll workers say they're prepared.
"I think that that's overplayed," Chandler said. "I think that most people consider it a privilege. we're calm. We're Mainers. We're not radical people."
Hughes said safety for election workers and voters is on the forefront of her mind.
"That is my priority," she said. "I have already met with our police department and our fire chief to make sure we have staff on hand that is needed should anything happen."