GEORGIA NEEDS POLL WORKERS!
Q. Who can be a poll worker?
A: In Georgia, poll workers must:
- Be a citizen of the United States.
- Be a resident or employee of the county where they will be a poll worker.
- Be at least 16 years of age.
- Be able to read, write, and speak the English language.
- Not hold public office or be a candidate for public office.
- Not be an immediate relative of an elected official where the relative is a candidate.
Pay ranges from $40 to $150 per day on Election Day plus $20-$40 for the required training beforehand, depending on the county.
Q: What do poll workers do?
A: They open and close the polling precincts, check voters in, assist them, and ensure that votes get counted. Workers must have a flexible enough schedule to take required training and be at a polling location all day (this can be from 6AM – 8PM, or longer).
Q: When can you apply?
A: Right now! Even though early voting has already begun, there is still a need for poll workers throughout the state, especially since record turnout is predicted from now through Election Day.
Q: Where do you get more information about applying?
A: You can apply to be a poll worker on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, https://securevotega.com/pollworkerrecruitment/ or by contacting your county registrar’s office. You can see a list of links to apply in some of the state’s larger counties.
Q: Why be a poll worker?
A: Our elections are made possible due to thousands of people devoting their time to serve as poll workers. Having enough poll workers is an integral component to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to exercise their right to vote. Without sufficient numbers of poll workers, in-person voting locations must close. When in-person options are limited, large numbers of voters are forced to congregate at the few polling places remaining, leading to long lines and wait times.
However, Georgia faces a shortage of poll workers as the global pandemic has placed an increasing strain on poll worker recruitment. The average age of Georgia’s poll workers is in the high-risk group for COVID-19 – causing many long-time poll workers to step down from their duties given their susceptibility to COVID-19 complications, and making it vital to bring in a new generation of poll workers to fill the gaps left by older workers. It is also important to bring diversity to the poll worker pool due to the increased technology in our voting process.
Last updated 10.21.2020