Be a Poll Worker
This fall, voters will once again have access to all of Ohio’s normal options for casting a ballot: early in-person voting, absentee voting, and convenient in-person voting on Election Day. However, it would be naïve to say this will be a normal election. The Ohio Secretary of State and our bipartisan boards of elections are working overtime to ensure a secure, accessible and safe election for every voter – but they cannot do it alone.
For decades, thousands of Ohioans have worked to defend our democracy by serving as poll workers. They help voters check in, navigate the voting booth, answer questions, and hand out the coveted “I Voted” stickers. This year, given the public health crisis, the need for new poll workers is more pressing than ever before. Our state needs your help. That is why we are calling on every able Ohioan to consider signing up to serve as a poll worker by visiting VoteOhio.gov/DefendDemocracy.
Getting involved is safe and easy. Once you sign up, your local county board of elections will ask a few qualification questions and share dates and times for a training session. Afterwards, you will be assigned to a polling location, where you will be asked to serve from around 5:30 am until after the polls close at 7:30 pm on Election Day, November 3rd, 2020.
Poll workers earn an average of $100 for their time. As an added bonus, many Ohio professional associations, such as those for attorneys and CPAs, are granting continuing education credits for poll worker experience. Most importantly, serving as a poll worker will help others in your community, state, and country make their voices heard.
Help ensure our elections remain fair and strong.