Cook County election judges talk about civic duty as election day nears

Election judges play an important role in America’s electoral democracy: ensuring that the electoral process is administered fairly and in accordance with current election laws.

In Minnesota, election judges are required to complete election judge training, speak English, and take a legally binding oath to uphold election laws to the best of their ability. These requirements, and much more, are detailed in the 2024 Election Judge Guide from Minnesota’s Secretary of State Election Division.

But what is the actual experience of being an election judge like in Cook County?

WTIP interviewed four Cook County election judges about their training and motivations for participating in this year’s election process. John Bottger, Mary Ann Atwood, Joel Drotos and Don Oberg all agreed to share their experiences with the public.

Find audio of the four interviews below.

Chuck Olsen October 24, 2024