Anyone ever volunteer to be an Election Poll worker?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

i’m an election worker, where i live (Nebraska) it’s open 8-8, so setup starts at 7, finish is when everything is checked (number of ballots = voters signed in) and packed to go back to the Elections Office. Usually about 8:45 to 9PM. We’re paid a bit over minimum wage, but i still think of myself as a volunteer. A nearby city has so few volunteers, they have a system for calling election workers like they do people for jury duty. So i’m glad i’m where i am, everyone is a volunteer.

62

Me too! Also in Nebraska, for about 15 years. I really enjoy it and am glad to do a part in keeping elections fair and honest and easily open to all voters.

63

St. Louis County (Missouri).

There’s over 2,000 poll workers, all of whom get 3-4 hrs of training — mostly zoom, but in-person for newbies. Presumably it’s easier for the County to deal with 2,000 long shifts, than to hire, train, and coordinate 4,000 shorter shifts.

But, yeah, it’s a long day. I’ve got some back issues, and now bring in four high-quality folding chairs (for me and whoever else); prior to getting those I was barely mobile the day after.

The workday is 5 am to approx 8 pm with an hour lunch break. Leaving for lunch is the norm. The last election was just local issues, so there was some thumb-twiddling, but the new hires need real world experience before this year’s “real” elections.

64

Just finished the training here in Virginia. They were very clear and up front about the long days (~0530-2000) I was told from the very first info they sent. Long day but I’ll be retired by then and a bit of $$ is welcome.

65

Hours and rules will vary not just by state, but by jurisdiction. I’m also an election officer in Virginia, and in my county:

  • The polls are open from 6am-7pm: we have to arrive NLT 5am, and except for the two absentee ballot collectors (who take the absentee ballots to the government center as soon as the polls close) we are required to stay until everything is done*. Usually that’s around 8:30pm, but it can be later.
  • Once we’re sworn in (at 5am), we aren’t allowed to leave the grounds until everything is done that night; the farthest we can go is our cars/the parking lot. There’s no leaving to get lunch or run home or anything like that. Everyone is told about that well in advance, multiple times: we’re repeatedly instructed to bring all of the food, medication, etc., that we’ll need for the day. People are allowed to bring us lunch/dinner, but visitors can’t hang around in the main voting area.
  • There are lunch/dinner breaks, plus various smaller breaks throughout the day. There are (almost) always enough officers to cover all of the stations if someone needs to use the bathroom, make a phone call, go walk around for a few minutes, etc. Some chiefs might make a schedule, but it usually works just fine if we handle breaks among ourselves.
  • Electronics are allowed. It’s not uncommon during slow periods to see officers sitting around with phones, iPads, Kindles, etc. in addition to books or magazines. Phone conversations or electronic sounds aren’t allowed just out of courtesy, and it’s understood that everyone puts everything away the moment a voter enters the room. A lot of downtime also gets filled with chit-chat.
  • Becoming an election officer is voluntary, but with every election we have the option of getting paid by the county.

    *A lot happens after the polls close: all interior and exterior signs have to be taken down, the voting machines have to be shut down properly, tapes from the voting machines have to be printed, various metrics have to be collected and noted on various forms, there are 7-8 giant numbered envelopes for everything created that day (same-day registrations, requests for assistance, etc.) and instructions for what goes where, unused ballots have to be counted and boxed, all of the equipment and supplies have to be returned to a giant rolling metal cage that gets locked and that the county picks up the next day, etc. When everyone is experienced it can be relatively painless, but it always takes time.

    I started doing this in November 2020, when I was 49. That summer I’d heard that a lot of the usual election workers (retirees) likely wouldn’t be available due to COVID concerns, and the county was worried about not having enough people. I figured I’d sign up. They were very up front about the hours. :slight_smile: I’ve only missed two elections so far, but I’ll be missing next month’s primaries: the super long day does require some recovery time, and I have a long drive two days later. I will definitely work the November election, though; hopefully at my usual/home precinct. I always respond to the “are you available” emails as soon as I can, and request my preferred assignment (same-day registration specialist) and location.