Dolly Jewell has been familiar Election Day face for 25 years

After her career in education, teaching students from kindergarten through college, Dolly Jewel has used much of her time for civic purposes.

She volunteers at church, SoutheastHEALTH, Alzheimer's Association and Read to Succeed, among other activities. And for more than 25 years, she's been a poll worker for a Cape Girardeau precinct on Election Day.

It started when Rodney Miller was the county clerk, and one of Jewell's friends said she was going to serve as an election worker. A civic-minded person herself, Jewell thought it would be something she, too, would enjoy and a way to make a difference.

"I started out just as an election judge," Jewell told me Friday afternoon. "And then, since I've been with (County Clerk) Kara [Clark Summers], I have been the supervisory judge. You have one [judge] of each party."

The judges, she said, are tasked with making sure everything goes smoothly at their respective precinct. They are well trained to answer most questions. But if problems arise, they contact the county clerk's office.

Jewell first started working elections when voting was done in school hallways, she said. During the past 20 years, she's worked the same Cape Girardeau precinct: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Cape Rock Drive.

Jewell typically doesn't run into any issues at this precinct. Nearly everyone remembers to bring their voter ID.

"We like to think that we've educated our precincts so they know," she said.

The real excitement is when a parent comes in with their son or daughter who is voting for the first time.

"We get to help them through that process," she said with a bit of patriotic pride in her voice.

With absentee, mail-in, curbside, early in-person and regular Election Day voting, Jewell said there's no excuse for failing to vote this year.

"Kara and Allen in the [county clerk's] office, they just bent over backwards to make it as easy as possible for anybody to vote," she said.

With so many options to vote before Election Day, Jewell thinks it will lessen the load on Tuesday. But with the county clerk projecting 80 to 85% turnout of registered voters, there will still be plenty of people for Jewell and other election workers to help.

Several longtime workers opted out this year due to COVID-19. Many traditional poll workers are considered the most at-risk. Virus or no virus, Jewell was undeterred in her service and confident in the precautions being taken.

"I feel very safe with it," she said, adding that the August primary served as a trial run with the use of plexiglass shields. Plus, there's the addition of an election worker sanitizing pens and the voting facilities.

The judges are not required to wear a mask if behind the plexiglass, but in all other circumstances they are required to mask up.

There will be an influx of new workers on Tuesday. In fact, six of the workers at Jewell's precinct are new.

Election workers have to be ready at 5 a.m. -- polls open at 6 a.m. -- and work until the polls close at 7 p.m. It's a long day, Jewell said, but also rewarding.

At the end of the day, the supervisory judges return used and unused ballots, associated paperwork and voting devices to the county clerk's office in Jackson.

Technology has been one of the biggest changes Jewell has witnessed over the last 25 years.

"I didn't know if I was gonna be able to keep up with the technology. You know when they changed over to all the computerized stuff. But so far, I've managed just fine," she said.

If someone makes a mistake on their ballot, Jewell said not to worry. You can turn in the ballot to an election judge, have it voided and receive a new ballot to complete.

Not sure about some of the language on one of the amendments? An election judge can point you to a display that breaks the information down further. (And if you're reading this column, check out the Southeast Missourian's election coverage online at semissourian.com/elections. We also wrote an informational editorial about both Amendment 1 and 3 on the Missouri ballot.)

For those who think their one vote won't matter, Jewell says otherwise.

"One vote does matter. Yes. And I think it's our responsibility as Americans to vote. We have that privilege, and I say if you don't vote, you don't have any reason to complain."

People like Dolly Jewell probably don't get enough thanks for the service they provide. Election workers do get paid a nominal amount. But it's not about the money. These individuals understand the importance of elections, and they serve because they believe it's their civic duty. That's admirable and very much needed.

If you still haven't voted yet, take the time to do so today. And tell all the poll workers that you appreciate their service.

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.