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I just got my $300 check in the mail from the Dutchess County Board of Elections. In the past I’ve received several for $50, but that was just for a few hours’ work. This latest one involved 14 hours as a poll worker on Nov. 5.

With all the claims of election fraud over the past couple of years, I decided to see for myself if there was any possibility of an election worker changing or rigging cast votes. Here’s my view from the inside.

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My work began before Election Day: The optical scanners used by New York require a day of training; the procedures are complex to ensure the integrity of every vote. I reported to the poll site in Dutchess County at 5 a.m. on Nov. 5 with a sense of excitement, trepidation and wonder. Excitement because I was taking part in a treasured American institution: democracy. Trepidation because of reports of election workers being threatened. And wonder at resolving my question: Were enough safeguards in place to prevent someone from changing a recorded vote?

My poll site was staffed with workers from both major parties, Democrats and Republicans, working side by side and out in the open. Not being a member of either team, I had to choose one, so I picked Republican and that’s who I communicated with. (If you’re curious, in the November election, I voted by mail-in ballot for some Democrats and some Republicans — and for two races, for myself: For justices, I selected two........

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