The safety of poll workers is a top priority as Election Day approaches

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — For more than a year, the WSYX investigative team has been investigating threats against the estimated 35,000 poll workers who will vote in the Buckeye State — and across the U.S. — on Nov. 5.

For months, the state has been working not only to recruit these workers but also to ensure they are safe at work. However, further measures are being taken to ensure that the day runs smoothly.

On Tuesday, young students at Columbus Alternative High School got hands-on experience operating voting machines. The group is part of a group of new poll workers who will be on the front lines on Election Day.

Given the threats many Ohio poll workers have already faced from election deniers, these students, despite their importance, will not have an easy task.

In a previous interview with WSYX, Aaron Ockerman, the head of the Ohio Association of Election Officials, outlined changes such as bulletproof glass and additional security at election offices across the state.

“I think there has been increased awareness of the need to protect election officials,” Ockerman said. “Threats against election officials are a real thing.” We can’t bury our heads in the sand and pretend that’s not the case.

Heightened security forces remain on alert around the Ohio Secretary of State's office after receiving threatening letters in the mail in mid-September that evoked the anthrax scare of the early 2000s. Frank LaRose was one of at least 16 election officials targeted with threatening messages, which the FBI continues to investigate.

This issue of security has been the focus of attention since voter denial turned violent after the 2020 election. The Columbus City Council passed an ordinance criminalizing harassment, intimidation or abuse of poll workers back in 2022, ahead of that year's midterm elections.

As Columbus Alternative High School's new poll workers head to Election Day, they're learning not only lessons about democracy, but also the hard work it takes to keep elections safe and secure.