Uncle Sam wants you for this year’s general election.
New poll workers are in high demand, according to Matt Finfgeld, director of the Richland County Board of Elections.
“Poll workers are the backbone of democracy,” Finfgeld said. “Without poll workers, you can’t have all these polling locations.”
Recruits need not worry about their voting knowledge because election office workers will teach them.
Training takes about two hours. New poll workers will learn how to check voters in, operate the voting machines and handle ballots.
“It’s kind of a simulated election day with everything that could happen,” Finfgeld said.
Training will be in the upstairs classroom at the Longview Center, 1495 W. Longview Ave., in Mansfield.
Classes will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 10; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Oct. 15; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oct. 18; and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Oct. 20.
“They don’t have to tell us what time they’re coming. They come whenever they want,” Finfgeld said. “It takes about two hours, so we ask them to be there at least two hours before we’re closing.”
When is the 2025 general election?
This year’s general election is Nov. 4.
“We ask them to be there an hour before the polls open,” Finfgeld said.
That means workers need to arrive by 5:30 a.m. to set up and make sure everything is in order.
Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
“Then it takes about an hour to run all the final reports and pack everything up,” Finfgeld said. “It could be two hours if you’re one of the people that are bringing the ballots back.”
This election will not be as busy as a presidential election year, but it still takes the same number of staff: in Richland County, that’s 400 poll workers.
“All of our precincts have at least four workers in them,” Finfgeld said. “Some of our locations have five precincts, which means there’s at least 20 workers there.”
Who would make a good poll worker?
New poll workers are asked their party affiliation, but only so that staff can ensure each precinct has an equal number of Republicans and Democrats.
“It can’t be out of balance,” Finfgeld said.
Independent and third-party recruits are welcome.
Ohioans of all skill levels and ages are encouraged to join.
“We have had some young people,” Finfgeld said. “A poll worker can work if they’re 17, so a high school student could work and, a lot of times with high schools, they’ll give them an excused day off.”
Becoming a poll worker is a way many civic-minded residents give back to their community.
What are the benefits?
After the two-hour training and lengthy election day shift, poll workers can have more nearly 20 invested in the experience.
For their efforts, they are paid anywhere from $145 to $190 based on their position.
The money is more of a stipend and not an incentive to join – most people who help are doing so out of love for democracy and the elections process.
“Actually, we’re in more need in the odd-year elections,” Finfgeld said. “It’s easier to find poll workers in the even years because people are excited about the presidential election or the governor’s race.”
Lower voter turnout this election cycle makes it a great time for new poll workers to get experience.
Once they finish their first election, poll workers are always invited back.
“We are very fortunate to have a good base that returns every election,” Finfgeld said. “If someone doesn’t work one election, we still keep them in and try to get them back the following one.”
ztuggle@gannett.com
419-564-3508
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Poll workers needed for this year’s general election in Richland County
Reporting by Zach Tuggle, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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