As primary and general elections approach in the Upper Cumberland, local election officials are sounding the alarm that more poll workers are needed to staff polling places across the region.
Election officials said while precincts are staffed, the list for standby workers is very slim. Putnam County Administrator of Elections Jennifer Murphy said currently, she only has one or two contacts she can call should she need help.
“As you know, life happens, and sometimes you can’t show up whenever you said you could come and work, Murphy said. “So, we need people to keep applying and get on a list to possibly be called at the last minute. So, that’s what we’re looking for right now.”
Jackson County Administrator of Elections Drew McMillan said reporting a similar need for standby poll workers.
“We currently have around 85 poll workers,” McMillan said. “We try to send about six poll workers out around to 13 precincts. So, you know, we need several people.”
McMillan and Murphy both said the need for poll workers is a challenge they face each election cycle. McMillan said the need is constant, as most poll workers are elderly people who can only help once or twice.
“Our average poll worker age is around 70 years old,” McMillan said. “So, a lot of times, you know, you have two years, four years between elections, that 70-year-old has decided, ‘hey, I need to give my job up to someone else, maybe someone that’s younger.’ And a lot of younger people, they either work or are just, just not as involved as the older generation, it seems.”
McMillan said poll workers are compensated on average $100 per election. Murphy said in Putnam County fiancial compensation varies depending on the type of job they assist with. Murphy said not much is required to become a poll worker.
“You have to be a registered Putnam County voter or be at least a 16 or 17-year-old student,” Murphy said. “You have to be able to read, write, and communicate in English, attend a training school before each election, be able to work that long day, so it’s usually about 12 to 14 hours, and also be available on election day.”
Though it sounds like a long list of requirements, Murphy said it is fairly easy to become a poll worker. Mmillan and Murphy said most people who become poll workers do it because they feel like it is their civic duty to do so. Both said to reach out to your local elections office if you are interested in becoming a poll worker for the upcoming elections.