Election offices across Georgia are hiring thousands of poll workers for this fall’s presidential election, and they’re asking people to sign up.
A fresh push for poll workers arrives Thursday for National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, a national effort to encourage Americans to staff voting locations and help voters cast their ballots.
Many longtime poll workers have quit in recent years — especially those concerned about health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic and threats made against workers during and after the 2020 election when Donald Trump claimed the results were rigged — creating a need for a new generation of employees, said Marta Hanson of Power the Polls, a nonpartisan group leading the effort.
“If there’s one word to describe this election season so far, it’s ‘unpredictable.’ We need a deep bench of people who are able and willing to serve,” Hanson said. “For anyone who cares about safe, secure, fair and accessible elections, serving as a poll worker is the best way you can make an impact.”
At least seven Georgia counties urgently need poll workers: Cook, Dade, DeKalb, Early, Lowndes, Lincoln and Hall, Hanson said. Forty-one other counties are already actively recruiting.
In Gwinnett County, recruiting events are being held at high schools, and the county is trying to find at least one bilingual Spanish-speaking poll official for each of its 156 Election Day locations, Assistant Elections Supervisor Shantell Black said.
Gwinnett will likely reach its minimum number of poll workers, about 1,800, but it’s less certain whether the county will be able to hire its full staffing level of 2,500 workers, Black said. Poll worker pay varies from county to county, but Gwinnett pays at least $160 for Election Day clerks.
“The concern would be reaching that maximum number to ensure that when voters come out, they have a smooth, fast experience,” Black said. “We wouldn’t be able to put on an election if we didn’t have these volunteers.”
Across the country, 1 million poll workers are needed for this year’s presidential election, Hanson said.
In Georgia’s presidential election four years ago, there were over 22,000 poll workers on Election Day and an additional 5,000 during early voting, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
Georgians interested in becoming poll workers can contact their county election offices, sign up through the secretary of state’s website at https://sos.ga.gov/form/secure-vote-serve-poll-official, or get more information at powerthepolls.com.
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