By Anne White
Greenwich’s poll workers were celebrated Tuesday night on the Town Hall patio, where about 125 election workers gathered for an outdoor dinner hosted by the Registrars of Voters. The office, which recently received national recognition for two pollworker initiatives, continues to demonstrate its appreciation for Greenwich poll workers.
The dinner, held June 16, brought together elected officials and the people who staff Greenwich’s polling places, guide voters through check-in, answer procedural questions, help maintain order, and return year after year for some of the longest public-service days in town government.
The food came from several of the same local businesses that participated in the Registrars’ award-winning Polling Place Food Sponsorship Program, which was honored last month by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission with a 2025 National Clearinghouse Award, known as a Clearie.
Garden Catering, Corbo’s Deli, Constantino’s Pasta Bowls, and The Makerie provided food for Tuesday’s appreciation dinner. Each poll worker also received a keepsake pin carrying the official Town of Greenwich America 250 logo.
Democratic Registrar of Voters Mary Hegarty said the evening reflected a continuing effort to recognize the people whose work is visible to voters for only a few minutes at a time, but essential to the full Election Day operation.
“We’re always happy to have an opportunity to celebrate the hard work that goes into running an election,” Hegarty said. “What our 39,000 voters see on election day would not be possible without all of these individuals here tonight.”
Republican Registrar Fred DeCaro III said the expansion of early voting has made the recruitment, training, and scheduling of poll workers a larger undertaking than many residents realize.
“Some of our early voting poll workers volunteer to work the entire consecutive 14 days,” DeCaro said. “Others can only help out on the weekends. The scaling up to maintain those extra 120 hours of voting is no small task. We’re grateful to all who contribute their time and talent.”
The June 16 celebration followed an unusual distinction for the Greenwich Registrars of Voters. The EAC recognized Greenwich with two 2025 Clearie awards in the category of Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers. One award recognized the Polling Place Food Sponsorship Program. The other recognized the Poll Worker Training Flashcards.
No town in Connecticut has previously won a Clearie, and Greenwich is the only town in New England with more than one.
The awards recognize practical work. Elections are judged, in part, by whether the public sees lines moving, procedures followed, questions answered, and ballots handled properly. Much of that depends on local poll workers.
The Polling Place Food Sponsorship Program began with a simple premise: Election Day is long, and the people who work it should be supported by the community they serve. Poll workers often arrive before dawn and remain into the evening, with moderators sometimes working even later as they close polling places and return results.
“We’re trying to remind people that poll workers are their friends and neighbors,” DeCaro said in describing the program. “They’re there as volunteers, putting in a super-long day.”
The sponsorship program paired local food-service businesses with polling locations to provide lunch and dinner to poll workers. In return, the businesses received recognition through signs, email announcements, and media coverage. The Greenwich Sentinel served as a media sponsor.
“There wasn’t a single place that said no,” DeCaro said. “Several told me, ‘If you need us to cover one more, just say the word.’”
Local restaurant owners described the program as a way to thank election workers directly.
“We’re happy to support the poll workers on Election Day,” said Tina Carpenteri of Garden Catering. “They give so much of their time to make sure everything runs smoothly, and donating meals is our way of showing how much we appreciate their commitment to our community.”
Love You A Latte representatives said, “We’re honored to be part of such a great initiative! At Love You A Latte, we believe that good coffee and fresh food have a special way of bringing people together, especially on important days like Election Day.”
Doug Grabe of Little Pub said the program “simply doesn’t happen without Fred’s leadership” and said the business was pleased to participate because it offered “the opportunity to give back a community that supports us so much.”
Samuel Silva of Planet Pizza said, “Greenwich always shows support to its small businesses, so when we can, we like to give back to show appreciation!”
The second Clearie honored the Poll Worker Training Flashcards, a 52-card deck created to help election workers review laws, procedures, roles, and common scenarios. DeCaro used an AI tool he created to generate a large set of questions and answers from official materials. He and Hegarty then refined the material into a deck that could be used before and during election work.
The cards were distributed to poll workers during early voting and training sessions. Poll workers were later observed quizzing one another during slower moments.
“I think poll workers appreciated the cards as a refresher for basic facts, and also as a fun keepsake to remember their valued participation,” Hegarty said.
The concept has already moved beyond Greenwich. Newport, R.I.; Norwalk; and Harford County, Md., asked Greenwich for samples and materials after hearing about the cards. Harford County has produced 1,200 decks for its own poll workers, according to material provided by the Registrars.
DeCaro received a congratulatory call from EAC Vice Chair Christy McCormick after Greenwich was selected.
“Christy expressed her delight to see a Connecticut town represented for the first time in these awards,” DeCaro said. “She told me she previously lived in CT, including Greenwich, so she understands the unique challenges of administering elections on a town-by-town basis.”
Tuesday’s dinner was attended by Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, State Representatives Steven Meskers and Hector Arzeno, Selectwomen Lauren Rabin and Rachel Khanna, Town Clerk Jackie Budkins, Tax Collector Heather Smeriglio, and multiple members of the Board of Estimate and Taxation.
Their presence underscored the nature of the event. This was not a political gathering. It was a civic thank-you.
“The individuals who work the polls often have impressive backgrounds,” DeCaro said. “We have doctors and lawyers and other professionals. We have individuals who write software, and individuals who manage customer service teams. One of our poll workers is managing the television broadcasts of the New York Knicks tickertape parade on behalf of the City of New York.”
On Tuesday Greenwich got to say thank you.
