Poll Workers Needed for November 6 Election

Source: Santa Barbara County

The Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters office is looking for volunteers to serve as poll workers for the November 6, 2018 Consolidated General Election. Community participation is key to staffing the nearly 170 precinct boards for the election. Large employers in the county can show support by allowing and encouraging their employees to participate.

As to why people should volunteer, Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor & Registrar of Voters said, “Poll workers are on the frontline of democracy; without them voting does not happen.”

Poll workers who work at a polling place receive a stipend of $180 to $240 for Election Day and to attend training. Each polling place has one or more Precinct Boards comprised of one inspector and two to four clerks. Each polling place has a coordinator and if needed, a traffic clerk. To be a poll worker, you must meet the following criteria:

Be a registered voter in the State of California or lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, as specified, and who is otherwise eligible to register to vote, except for his or her lack of United States citizenship.
Be able to follow written and verbal instruction.
Be available to serve Election Day (November 6) from approximately 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. or until all of the closing procedures have been completed.
Must be available to attend a mandatory training class.

Howard Hudson volunteers as a poll worker and as an Adopt-A-Poll organizer for the Santa Barbara Host Lions Club because he wants to be a part of the democratic process. Hudson added, “I feel that as a citizen I am obligated to do what I can to help with the process and I encourage others to get involved and participate. Election Day is busy, but rewarding and I get to meet others supporting our democratic process and right to vote.”

To learn more about the poll worker program and training process, please go to http://sbcassessor.com/Elections/Pollworker.aspx. To sign up, call 1 (844) 259-0348, or email to (Santa Barbara/Goleta/Carpinteria area): sbpolls@co.santa-barbara.ca.us or (Santa Maria/Lompoc/Santa Ynez area): smpolls@co.santa-barbara.ca.us.