The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) will be holding its fourth annual National Poll Worker Recruitment Day on Thursday, August 1, 2024. Amid a continued shortage of poll workers throughout the country, this day of action will be especially pivotal in ensuring a secure and efficient electoral process this November.
Poll workers are a crucial part of the democratic process and play a vital role in helping citizens cast their ballots. Anyone interested in signing up to be a poll worker can use the EAC’s user-friendly Poll Worker Recruitment Lookup Tool to find their local precinct and sign up.
Although rates vary by state, poll workers can also be compensated for their service. At least six states, Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Oklahoma have recently funded poll worker pay raises.
Amid continuing concerns about election integrity, poll workers are set to have an especially large impact this fall. Election law requires both Republicans and Democrats to work the polls in order to ensure an unbiased and bipartisan process.
Despite their importance, many jurisdictions continue to face shortfalls of poll workers. In 2022, half of precincts said recruiting enough people to work the polls was “very” or “somewhat” difficult.
In 2020, there were nearly 177,000 total precincts throughout the United States where nearly 800,000 Americans served their communities as poll workers. This year those figures are expected to be even higher.
Serving as a poll worker is an easy way to get involved in the community and help keep the wheels of democracy turning. Any eligible voter who is interested can sign up using the EAC’s recruitment tool or by contacting their local elections office.