Despite advances in Brazilian electoral process and increase of poll workers, errors and inappropriate behaviors that hinder or impede the exercise of voting rights continue to occur. In order to establish a reflection that will help in better understanding the problem, we proposed to analyze the subjective meanings that emerge opposite the participation of these volunteers. We adopted as theoretical, epistemological and methodological background the Historic-Cultural Theory of Subjectivity, by González Rey. The methods used were open questionnaire, sentence construction, writing and conversations. This study included eleven poll workers, who participated in the 2008 elections, in the 55th Electoral Zone / ES. The meanings identified relate to feelings of distrust, desire for social change, moral / social obligation, personal satisfaction and private benefits. We concluded that the subjective senses interfere in the poll workers behavior during voluntary participation, suggesting the need for adjustments in the process management.
subjectivity; subjective senses; voluntary participation; poll workers; elections
