May 5th is Primary Election Day in Indiana.
One of the very first items to which we, as poll
workers, attend is the taking of the poll worker oath.
The very first and foremost item (of eleven) of the
oath is the following:
“I will support the Constitution of the United States
and the Constitution of the State of Indiana.”
I am hoping everyone who decides to be a poll worker will take their oath seriously.
A couple of interesting Constitutional provisions, one
from the United States Constitution and one from the Indiana Constitution…
United States: Article VI Clause 3 last sentence…
“ but no religious Test shall ever be required as
a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
Which is notably similar to a provision within the
Indiana State Constitution:
Article 1
Section 5. ”No religious test shall be required, as a
qualification for any office of trust or profit.”
Section 4 is quite compelling also…
“ No preference shall be given, by law, to any creed,
religious society, or mode of worship; and no person shall be compelled to
attend, erect, or support, any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry,
against his consent.” (History: As Amended November 6, 1984).
These provisions are explicit in language and without any conditions such as “provided that”, or “except in the case of”.
Just remember, if a poll worker, you will be taking an
oath to support the Indiana State and United States Constitutions which contain those provisions.
As we take the oath, we do not get to pick and choose which parts of those Constitutions we will support and those we will not support.
The oath applies to all, equally.
Personal integrity matters.