In late August, more than 100 Georgians gathered at an Atlanta Teamsters union hall in a sleepy east side neighborhood. Outside, the summer heat settled over the city. Inside, prospective volunteers spent their Saturday learning how to help protect the right to vote.
Tori McFarland, an ACLU of Georgia community organizer, moved between the stage and crowd, microphone in hand. He asked attendees if they’d experienced any issues at polling places in previous elections.
People raised a few concerns: voters arriving at the wrong location and not being told about provisional ballots, a polling place that lost power, and voting equipment that wasn't accessible to people with disabilities.
For ACLU of Georgia poll observers Malissa Sole and Jeff Hopkins, the questions offered an opportunity to explain why they chose to volunteer with us.
What Poll Observers Do
Poll observers are assigned to voting sites statewide to watch what’s happening, talk with voters, and help connect people with resources when they encounter problems. They can also observe whether polling places are meeting accessibility standards and report issues through the ACLU of Georgia's staff.
For Malissa Sole, the role was initially intimidating.
“The first time I volunteered I was nervous,” she said. At her assigned precinct, many things were happening: voters asking questions, people needing help, and accessibility concerns including parking problems.
By the end of the day, she found herself encouraged by how many people she’d been able to help. Now, she feels comfortable in the role.
“Practice makes perfect,” Sole said.
Sole came to the August training with a busy life already. She works several jobs and fits volunteering around them. Still, she sees election protection as everyone's responsibility.
“I feel a civic responsibility,” she said. “But we need help and it’s really up to us.”
The Small Things Matter
For Jeff Hopkins, volunteering is a way to practice that responsibility. He has observed during early voting, Election Day, and at tabulation centers. He arrives prepared, bringing items to help him get through the day.
He also knows the importance of something as simple as introducing yourself to the polling place manager when you arrive.
His experience has taught him election protection does not necessarily involve dramatic confrontations or headline-making events.
“I’ve never witnessed anything that would garner a New York Times headline, but the small things matter, too. I've met so many people whose values I share and whose dedication I respect," Hopkins said.
Election protection work carried out by ACLU of Georgia staff and volunteers can be hard to see. When voting works as it should, most people never meet those watching, documenting, and helping behind the scenes.
Making Sure Voters Can Participate
Our Voter Access Project trains volunteers to observe elections and election administration throughout the voting process, including early voting, Election Day, tabulation, and certification. The program is part of the broader Election Protection coalition working across Georgia.
The goal is straightforward: help ensure that eligible voters can cast their ballots free from intimidation, harassment, and unlawful barriers.
The work means giving attention to the details that are easy to overlook.
Is a voter unsure where to go? Is someone having trouble accessing the polling place? Is there an issue that needs reporting or escalation? A trained observer can ensure those questions don’t go unanswered.
A Good Election Day Is a Boring One
Sometimes, the best possible outcome is that nothing happens at all.
Hopkins said he hopes that when he is observing, Election Day will be “the most boring four hours” of his day.
McFarland put it another way during the training: “A good day is a boring day.”
For Sole, a good election day means Georgians get to easily vote. She wants registered voters to be able to arrive at the right polling place, understand the process, and cast their ballots without unnecessary obstacles.
“I want all registered voters to have a smooth, nice, chill, peaceful voting experience,” she said.
Election protection is often about ordinary people making sure their family, friends, and neighbors can exercise a fundamental right.
Over the coming months, Sole and Hopkins will continue that work as Georgia's 2026 election season unfolds. We'll follow them for early voting, when they spend time at polling places, and see what election protection looks like up close.
Apply to become an ACLU of Georgia poll observer today.
Check out our resources hub for important information on the 2026 election season.
