This November, I had the privilege of serving as an election judge during one of the most consequential elections in recent memory.

The experience was challenging but rewarding. It gave me an inside view of democracy and the chance to contribute to my community.

As an election judge, my responsibilities ranged from verifying voter eligibility to ensuring that ballots were cast securely and privately. This commitment lasted from 5 a.m. to around 8 p.m. on election day. I also spent a few hours the night before the election setting up the polling place, a middle school gym in my neighborhood.

By design, I was not alone. I worked with a team of other election judges, some of whom were retired and others high school students. From the time the polls opened to when we packed up the voting equipment to be transported to the site where votes would be counted, our team of neighbors worked to maintain a fair, efficient, and transparent process. We also had some fun while we did it. I even made friends who didn’t share my political opinions.

Our main goals were to ensure that every eligible voter had their voice heard and to uphold the rules that make each election fair and valid. We had the privilege of registering first-time voters, from fresh-faced 18-year-olds to new U.S. citizens from around the world. Each interaction reminded me of the diversity of our electorate.

One of the most interesting parts was witnessing the meticulous planning and safeguards built into our electoral system. Tamper-proof seals on voting machines and bipartisan oversight during ballot handling are examples of the measures taken to preserve election integrity.

Rain presented the biggest challenge of the day, but we were able to process voters quickly, and despite a huge turnout, we kept most of the voters out of the elements. Though resolved quickly, technical glitches served as a reminder of the importance of robust training and contingency planning for election workers.

Serving as an election judge was an educational exercise in community engagement. In a time when skepticism about the electoral process runs high, participating firsthand reinforced my confidence in the system and its resilience. It also deepened my appreciation for the voters who braved the inconvenience of participating and for the many unseen hands that make elections possible.

While I didn’t get the job of handing out stickers to voters leaving the polling place, I realized it was probably the easiest job in the house. There’s always next time.