Earlier this week, I spent a long, long day—from 5:30 a.m. until 8:20 p.m.—as a poll worker. As always, I came home exhausted, feeling virtuous, civic-minded, and happy. I always have a great time.

Sociological Forum, the official journal of the Eastern Sociological Society, is a peer-review journal that emphasizes innovative articles developing topics or areas in new ways or directions. While ...