Election Poll Workers: Responsibilities, Rewards and Risks

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.   

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).

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. 

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.