Counties look to add poll workers

BENTONVILLE — Election officials in Benton and Washington counties are closing in on the number of poll workers needed for this election season.

Early voting starts Oct. 19 and the general election is Nov. 3.

Kim Dennison, Benton County election coordinator, said about 60% of her poll workers have indicated they will help this year. She needs about 450 poll workers. Dennison said she hired over 160 new poll workers last week but still needs to fill about 20 spots.

Jennifer Price, election coordinator for Washington County, said 65% to 75% of her poll workers have indicated they plan to work this year. She needs about 400 poll workers. Price said her office is processing about 100 poll worker applications.

Poll workers do myriad duties, Price said.

They check in people by verifying their identification, name, address and date of birth. That process takes the longest and is the most complicated, Price said. A would-be voter is sent to a poll site supervisor if he doesn’t have an ID or his address has changed.

Poll workers assist voters at the voting machines and ensure voters place their ballots in the ballot box before leaving.

Because of covid-19 concerns, poll workers will make sure voting equipment is cleaned between voters, that voters are socially distancing and give voters an unused stylus to check in and use on the equipment, Price said.

Poll workers must attend training before election day. They earn $11.30 an hour and supervisors make $12.30 an hour in Washington County, Price said. Supervisors receive $13 an hour and poll workers $11 an hour in Benton County, Dennison said. To be a supervisor, a person must have worked at least one general election, Dennison said.

Both counties are trying to get younger people as poll workers.

Act 328 of 2019 amended state law governing the duties of “election pages.” In the past, high school students were volunteers who observed the voting process and could seek information from election officials but couldn’t handle or touch ballots, voting machines or any other election material or enter any voting booth.

Under the changes, an election page trained by the county election commission may assist election officials with checking in voters, assist voters with operating voting machines, guard the ballot box and other related duties.

High school students aren’t allowed to have a supervisor role, Price said. The students also don’t get paid unless they are older than 18.

There are some qualifications to be a poll worker, Dennison said. A person must live in the county he or she wants to work in; be a registered voter, unless a high school volunteer; be able to stand for long periods of time; be comfortable using a computer; and be able to read and write English.

Being bilingual is a plus, Dennison and Price said. Those who are interested can call the election commission offices in Benton or Washington counties.

According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 58% of poll workers in the 2018 general election were over age 60. A person’s risk of severe illness from covid-19 increases with age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.