In Maricopa County, pay for poll workers starts at $14.35 an hour.
It takes lots of people to make elections run smoothly. There are the elected officials and highly qualified staff who put things together, and then there are the temporary poll workers who run the show.
In fact, elections require so many of these poll workers that they make up the country’s largest single-day workforce.
Poll workers come from all walks of life and all political affiliations—the basic requirement is just to be a US citizen who is older than 17 and registered to vote. Some counties allow students 16 and older to work the polls with parental permission.
Poll workers can be assigned a variety of tasks, including setting up voting locations and equipment, checking in voters, handling ballots, translating, and answering voter questions.
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And no, this is not a volunteer position—poll workers get paid per hour, plus for training. In Maricopa County, pay starts at $14.35 an hour.
Assignments can span from 28 days to a single day.
Poll workers working Election Day will have to have some stamina, as polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. With set-up and closing tasks, the work day typically goes from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Jobs may require the ability to sit or stand for long periods and the ability to lift, push, and pull certain weights. Other jobs may require a personal vehicle and an active driver’s license.
Recommended skills for being a poll worker include customer service skills, teamwork, organization, and attention to detail. Counties also look for poll workers who are bilingual and can speak Spanish, Hopi, and Navajo.
Interested in signing up? Find your county’s requirements and application process here.
Are you ready to vote? Make sure to check your voter registration status, see who’s on your ballot, and make a voting plan here.
