Election Poll Workers: Responsibilities, Rewards and Risks

Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events

Voting in elections is central to our democracy. Casting a vote allows people to express their point of view about issues (e.g. the economy, healthcare, voting rights, reproductive rights, immigration) that are important to them. Voting enables voters to weigh in on the candidate they believe will best represent their positions and make the changes that are important to them.  

In political elections, people vote for a variety of offices and laws. This includes local elections (e.g., Mayor, City Council person, Judge), state elections (e.g., State Senator, Governor) and national elections (e.g., U.S. House of Representatives, Senator, President).   

If you’ve ever voted in any election, you would have likely seen and interacted with “poll workers.” Election or poll workers help manage the voting process and help voters at local polling sites on election day. They are a key part of the election process and help ensure that elections are accessible, accurate and fair. Poll workers make elections possible and are essential to our democratic process. 

What are the responsibilities of a poll worker?

First, let’s clarify the difference between election “officials” and election or “poll workers.” Election officials are elected, appointed, or hired to work year-round to conduct elections. Election officials maintain voter rolls, prepare training materials, secure voting equipment, and recruit poll workers – everything necessary to prepare for elections. Top election officials may have titles like deputy secretary of state, county clerk or elections director.  

Election or poll workers, who are the focus of this resource, are the temporary staff who do the hands-on work for every election. Poll workers are paid to work at Election Day polling places and Early Voting sites and are trained to execute general or more specialized roles. Their duties are varied and include: 

• Setting up the voting or polling place.
• Greeting voters.
• Ensuring voters are at the correct precinct.
• Checking voter registration, where required.
• Issuing ballots.
• Providing information and instructions to voters on how to cast their ballots.
• Operating voting equipment.
• Maintaining safety and an orderly flow at the polling place.
• Assisting older people and people with disabilities with voting.
• Updating voter registration information.
• Making sure every paper ballot that was distributed is accounted for.
• Counting ballots, where applicable.    

The specific duties and salary for poll workers vary depending on the location. The requirements to become a poll worker can vary from county to county and state to state. In most states, poll workers must be qualified or registered to vote. Generally, this means they are a U.S. citizen, at least eighteen years old, meet their state’s residency requirements and have no criminal history that would prevent them from voting, which also varies from state to state. 

To apply to become a poll worker, visit the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) website and use the Poll Worker Recruitment Tool. You will need to put in your state and local area or county to receive contact information, voter registration and work requirements, hours and compensation/salary.   

What are the benefits and rewards of being a poll worker?

Poll workers make elections possible. Many do the work because they have a strong belief in our democracy and want to have a role in it.  

Global Citizen shares that there are several benefits and rewards for being a poll worker. They include:

• Protecting U.S. democracy.
• Making the lives of voters safer and easier.
• Learning more about the voting process.
• Being financially compensated (in most cases).

According to the Brookings Institution's analysis of poll worker motivation: "A sense of civic duty and commitment to the election process were most important [to poll workers]. Showing support for one’s political party was a rarely stated motivation, even less common than the prospect of interacting with friends and neighbors at the polls.” 

Brookings’ 2022 survey of poll workers found that four out of five said they intended to serve again in the 2022 midterm elections. People with more experience working previous elections were also more likely to serve again. Poll workers were also likely to serve again “if they had felt good (had a positive “effect”) about the experience such as: feeling respected by election officials, being treated well by voters, feeling safe at the polls, and being compensated fairly.” 

What are the risks and dangers for poll workers?

In recent years, poll workers have faced increased risk and potentially dangerous conditions. These risks include violent threats (including death threats), others bringing weapons to polling and election count locations, harassment, misinformation, abuse, doxing (publishing private or identifying information about a specific person online, usually with bad intent) and other harmful behavior.   

During the 2020 Presidential election, two Georgia poll workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss (mother and daughter) were the targets of suspicion, threats and harassment with false accusations related to election fraud. Moss and Freeman were subject to intense harassment following the false accusations, and were forced to go into hiding due to death threats. Moss testified that many of the threats she received were racist and “hateful,” including, “be glad it’s 2020 and not 1920.” In 2021, they filed a lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy arising from false statements he made about them. In 2023, they were awarded just over $148M in compensatory and punitive damages. 

Their story is illustrative of and a cautionary tale about the kinds of threats and harassment that poll workers can and have faced in modern times. 

During the 2022 election season, conspiracy theorists and extremists attempted to insert themselves, their beliefs and rhetoric into the electoral process to disrupt and impact the outcome. These tactics included (1) getting involved in their local elections to identify possible election “fraud” and prevent the midterm elections from being “stolen,” (2) signing up to work the polls and joining their local precinct committees to have an impact on the process from the ground up and (3) signing up to become poll watchers, officials who observe the counting and recording of votes. Poll watchers ensure that all ballots are counted correctly and report suspected irregularities to local officials. In some states, poll watchers also have the power to challenge an individual voter’s right to vote. 

A 2024 survey of election officials conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice found that: 

• 38% of local election officials experienced threats, harassment, or abuse for doing their jobs.
• More than half of local election officials reported being concerned about the safety of their colleagues or staff, which is significantly higher than in 2023, but about equal to 2022. 
• More than one in four worried about being assaulted at home or work.
• More than one-third know at least one person who resigned at least in part due to safety concerns, up from 22% in 2023.  
• More than 90% reported having taken steps to increase election security over the past four years, such as participating in security training and updating polling place contingency plans and election technology.
• More than three in five said they are worried about political leaders interfering with how they or their colleagues around the country do their jobs, compared to 56% who reported worries about interference in their colleagues’ work in 2023. 
• 13% said they are concerned about facing pressure to certify results in favor of a specific candidate or party. 

What is being done to make it safer for poll workers and others?

To address these and other dangers and threats, the Department of Justice (DOJ) established a task force in 2021 to help local election officials and prioritize prosecutions (prosecutions are bringing criminal charges against a person). The DOJ increased their efforts to find and charge those making threats. Since the task force was created, election workers have relayed more than 2,000 threats to the F.B.I., which has opened about 100 investigations. In addition, the task force launched an outreach campaign to state and local election officials in more than 10,000 jurisdictions, encouraging them to report any threats to their local F.B.I. office. Attorney General Merrick Garland explained the reason for these efforts: “Our democracy cannot function if the public servants who administer our elections fear for their lives just for doing their jobs.”   

In leading up to the 2024 election cycle, states are taking steps to protect poll workers. Some are instituting new safety policies and procedures. For example, Arizona is organizing active-shooter drills for election workers and sent kits to county election offices that include tourniquets to stem bleeding, devices to barricade doors and hammers to break glass windows. In Michigan, local election workers have been trained on how to de-escalate dangerous situations and state officials are setting up a texting program so they can quickly contact their bosses and law enforcement if they are in danger. Some states also passed new laws to protect election workers. In California, new legislation gives election workers the option to have their addresses and other personal information removed from government records. Oregon has made it a crime to harass an election worker and allows the worker’s address to be shielded from public view. 

Engage in the Conversation

Age: 10 and up 

Questions to Start the Conversation

• What did you learn about poll workers that you didn’t know before?
• Why do you think people decide to become poll workers? 
• What do you think is satisfying or rewarding about being a poll worker? 
• What is concerning or difficult about being a poll worker?
• Do you know anyone who is a poll worker? How did they feel about doing this job?

Questions to Dig Deeper

(See the Related Content for more information.) 

• Why do you think poll workers have faced threats and harassment in recent years?
• How do you think conditions could be made safer for poll workers?
• As a community and society, why is it important that we make sure poll workers are safe and can comfortably do their jobs and help the voting process? 

Ideas for Taking Action

Ask: What can we do to help?  What individual and group actions can help make a difference? 

• Hold a school or community forum on the importance of elections, voting and why protecting poll workers is a critical part of the election process. You can also share relevant information on your social media channels about poll workers and what they do.
• Encourage family members, friends, neighbors and acquaintances who are eligible to register to vote. Encourage others to apply to be a poll worker by sharing some of this information and how to do so.
• Reach out to your state representative or member of Congress. to share your thoughts and concerns about the election process and election workers and encourage them to do what they can to protect poll workers.   

Republished with permission from ADL.