Samantha Bee, Trevor Noah, and Billie Eilish ask their fans to Power The Polls

Happy October! With one month to go before the election, it's time for some activism. Fortunately, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee provided a nonpartisan opportunity last week when the show uploaded It's Time to Work Those Polls!

If you've ever wanted to "work the polls" but lack the necessary athleticism or flexibility… you're in luck! There's a nationwide shortage of poll workers for the upcoming election! Full Frontal wants YOU to sign up today at www.powerthepolls.com.

As I wrote in Vox explains what long voting lines in the US really mean, "what about people who are voting in person? There will be people who go to polling places, either because they prefer to, even during a pandemic, or because they are unable, for whatever reason, to vote by mail." Because of a number of factors, they could face long lines for no other reason than a shortage of poll workers, a majority of whom, as Bee pointed out are elderly, like I am now (a belated happy birthday to me). That means, as Bee also mentioned, are vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore aren't working the polls this year. That also means it's time for younger people to sign up as poll workers.

Considering that millions are out of work and poll workers are paid, this is a good opportunity to earn some money, but not enough to mess up your unemployment benefits. I know, I worked the polls when I was unemployed in the early 1980s. I found it to be an interesting experience, one that I'm glad I had. Now I'm hoping to share it vicariously with my younger readers so they can save their parents and grandparents from the novel coronavirus and save voters from long lines.

Bee wasn't the first late-night comedian to ask their viewers to "power the polls." Trevor Noah was. Here's his message on Twitter from July.

America is facing a nationwide poll worker shortage, but you can help by going to https://t.co/70gHiVRezt pic.twitter.com/KFafzrH4nC

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) July 19, 2020

I would have placed this first in this post except this is the first time I remember embedding a tweet on my blog and I wasn't sure how it would work or if it would work as a preview image. Sorry, Trevor, but I wanted to make sure it would work first (it did).

Bee and Noah aren't the only celebrities to promote Power The Polls. Grammy-winner Billie Eilish did as well. Power The Polls shared Billie on Power the Polls on their YouTube channel last month.



Billie Eilish's message to the National Poll Worker Recruitment Day Town Hall
So far, this video has fewer than 100 views. I think it needs more visibility.

Once again, the link is https://www.powerthepolls.org/ to Power The Polls. If you're young, healthy, and otherwise not occupied on Election Day, sign up!