Poll worker management
Poll workers are the face of the election and contribute to public confidence in the voting process. When we think of poll workers, we think of the election judges, booth workers, precinct officials, or board workers who serve in voting locations on Election Day or during early voting. This is one of four standards that define excellence in poll worker programs. This draft standard will be updated based on feedback from the election community.
Standard
Your election office manages poll workers by efficiently maintaining information, communicating effectively, and facilitating compensation. To achieve this standard:
- You have a secure system to track and update poll worker information, including contact information, training status, and voting location site assignments.
- You proactively communicate with poll workers from their recruitment to voting location placement, and are able to do so with timely and effective communication methods.
- You have a clear process for poll workers to escalate questions and prioritize support issues based on urgency.
- You support your local process to compensate poll workers in a timely manner.
- Your processes for poll workers are documented and updated to reflect current practices.
- You identify opportunities to improve your poll worker program and act on them.
Why this standard matters
It is important that we are explicit about the underlying why for each standard. While not attached to measurements, the intended impact of an election department achieving this standard is that:
- Election departments will be able to easily communicate with poll workers, access information about their active poll workers, and be flexible with changes to assignments.
- Poll workers are more likely to have a positive experience when they have access to up-to-date-information and know how to get help when they need it.
- The public will have reliable poll workers who build their confidence in the election process.
