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The Gatekeepers of Democracy #1
The Gatekeepers of Democracy
Inspired by over two decades of Election Day service in Fairfax County, Virginia, author Bill Lewers crafts a tale that celebrates the unsung heroes of the American political process:
The election officers.
The Gatekeepers of Democracy is a story of two citizens with different political persuasions, temperaments, and priorities who volunteer to serve on Election Day and find themselves thrown together as chief election officer and assistant chief at a precinct. Together through a grueling sixteen hour day, they battle malfunctioning equipment, implacable partisans, political dirty tricks, deteriorating weather, and most of all, each other as they strive to provide a positive voting experience for the citizens of their precinct. If you have ever served as an election officer, would consider serving, or are just interested in what happens at a precinct on Election Day, then this is the book for you.
The election officers.
The Gatekeepers of Democracy is a story of two citizens with different political persuasions, temperaments, and priorities who volunteer to serve on Election Day and find themselves thrown together as chief election officer and assistant chief at a precinct. Together through a grueling sixteen hour day, they battle malfunctioning equipment, implacable partisans, political dirty tricks, deteriorating weather, and most of all, each other as they strive to provide a positive voting experience for the citizens of their precinct. If you have ever served as an election officer, would consider serving, or are just interested in what happens at a precinct on Election Day, then this is the book for you.
276 pages, Paperback
Published April 24, 2016
9 people want to read
About the author
Bill Lewers
8 books2 followersWhile I have been a political junkie for as long as I can remember, it was only when I started serving as an election officer that I began to realize the special role these one-day volunteers have in ensuring that Election Day plays out as it should.
For fifteen hours or more, election officers get a ringside seat, as this crazy, mixed-up thing called democracy unfolds before them.
The voters come. They stand in line, quietly. They vote. They leave.
…and that’s how we pick out leaders.
And on that day, they are all equal. The rich. The poor. The well-connected. The marginalized. The healthy. The infirm. The prepared. The ignorant. The gracious. The less-than-gracious. And we election officers are charged with ensuring that each one is treated with accuracy, efficiency, and respect.
When I started to write, it seemed only natural that I should reflect on my own Election Day experiences, which I did in "A Voter’s Journey." But I also wanted to write fiction; to allow my imagination to build on the things I had seen to create stories that would hopefully connect with readers, both inside and outside the election administration community.
The result is the Gatekeepers of Democracy series, which is dedicated to the women and men who serve on Election Day. While the primary purpose of these books is to entertain, they hopefully do so in a way that mirrors the respect I have for the process and the people who make it work.
Right now the series consists of four volumes: "The Gatekeepers of Democracy," "November Third," "Primary Peril," and "The Main Event." In the meantime, I would encourage anyone who finds these books enjoyable, to consider signing up with their local office of elections. Election Day service is a rich and rewarding experience. Perhaps you will see things that will inspire you to add to the wide-open genre of “election officer fiction.”
In addition I have written an historical fiction title, "Eighteen Days in New York: A novel about the 1924 Democratic Convention."
For fifteen hours or more, election officers get a ringside seat, as this crazy, mixed-up thing called democracy unfolds before them.
The voters come. They stand in line, quietly. They vote. They leave.
…and that’s how we pick out leaders.
And on that day, they are all equal. The rich. The poor. The well-connected. The marginalized. The healthy. The infirm. The prepared. The ignorant. The gracious. The less-than-gracious. And we election officers are charged with ensuring that each one is treated with accuracy, efficiency, and respect.
When I started to write, it seemed only natural that I should reflect on my own Election Day experiences, which I did in "A Voter’s Journey." But I also wanted to write fiction; to allow my imagination to build on the things I had seen to create stories that would hopefully connect with readers, both inside and outside the election administration community.
The result is the Gatekeepers of Democracy series, which is dedicated to the women and men who serve on Election Day. While the primary purpose of these books is to entertain, they hopefully do so in a way that mirrors the respect I have for the process and the people who make it work.
Right now the series consists of four volumes: "The Gatekeepers of Democracy," "November Third," "Primary Peril," and "The Main Event." In the meantime, I would encourage anyone who finds these books enjoyable, to consider signing up with their local office of elections. Election Day service is a rich and rewarding experience. Perhaps you will see things that will inspire you to add to the wide-open genre of “election officer fiction.”
In addition I have written an historical fiction title, "Eighteen Days in New York: A novel about the 1924 Democratic Convention."
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 20, 2019
As a Canadian who’s worked too many elections to count, I found this book fascinating. The characters are engaging, and though the electoral process is different from ours, I could relate to their personal intrigue, drama, heart-warming moments, and unwavering sense of duty. It's worth reading.
November 17, 2024
Fun read
It’s a fun read, especially for us election nerds! Cool insight into the process and importance of Election Day as shown through the eyes and of some definite characters.
It’s a fun read, especially for us election nerds! Cool insight into the process and importance of Election Day as shown through the eyes and of some definite characters.
December 29, 2019
This book is good in spite of itself. The author loves the details on the electoral process (really loves!) and sometimes the minutiae drags the story down. Still an interesting read....
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews