Poll Workers

Help Carry the Torch - It takes many citizens to run the polls on Election Day!

 

Disability Sensitivity Training Video


What is required to be a Poll Worker?

  • County employees may not be eligible to serve as poll workers.  Please check with your supervisor or the Auditor's Office.
  • Must be a registered voter in Pennington County, or eligible to register
  • Must be able to read and write the English language
  • Must be able to work a long, 14+ hour day (May not leave and return to the polling location)
  • Must be able to lift 25 lbs
  • Must attend mandatory training before the General Election
  • Must be present on Election Day from 6 a.m. until all work is complete after the closing of the polls at 7 p.m. - all workers leave together
  • Must be willing to deal with the public in a courteous, efficient and patient manner


What positions are available at the polls on Election Day?

Poll worker and support staff positions:

  • Precinct Superintendent - responsible for the overall management of the activities and workers in the polling place.  Ensures order is maintained and the Election Board performs its duties correctly on Election Day.  Precinct Superintendents also contact workers to schedule work and training, pick up election supplies at Election School prior to each election, communicates with the Auditor’s Office to resolve questions pertaining to a voter's eligibility to vote, and returns election supplies to the Auditor’s Office on election night with another poll worker.
  • Precinct Deputy – Registration PollBook Official – responsible for properly processing voters, looks up voter registration in pollbook; processes the appropriate forms to update the record of an eligible voter; verifies voter ID and/or personal ID affidavit; records voter’s record/history in the ePollBook; helps setting up and breaking down the polling room.
  • Precinct Deputy - Ballot Clerk – issues correct ballot to the voter and supervising the ballot box at all times.  Also assists in setting up and breaking down the polling room.  In some precincts, this official is also the Precinct Superintendent.
  • Precinct Deputy – Voter Assist Terminal – assists voters who vote on the ExpressVote ballot marking device which provides privacy and accessibility to voters who are blind, vision-impaired, or have a disability or condition that would make it difficult or impossible to mark a ballot in the usual way.
  • Alternates/Standby - additional poll workers who are hired and trained for the specific purpose of being ready to work on an as-needed basis.  Alternates do not report to a polling place until contacted by the Auditor’s Office and remain available to report to a polling location until 9 a.m. on election day.
  • Absentee Precinct Deputy – responsible for properly processing absentee ballots, verifying signatures and resolving questions as to a voter’s identity, transports ballots to counting center, sets up and breaks down the Absentee Precinct.  Must also be available as an Alternate and may be sent to a Precinct in need of help on Election Day.

On Election Day, Election Board officials and members of the Auditor’s office staff work as a team to ensure the integrity of the Election process and to guarantee the voting rights of all qualified voters in Pennington County.


Is it a paid position?

Yes. Poll workers are paid for training plus a flat rate for the day. Total pay ranges from $125-$275 per election, depending on the position held.


What are the duties?

  • Report to your polling place by 6:00 a.m. on Election Day
  • Assist in preparing the precinct for voting
  • Greet voters warmly and process them for voting
  • Demonstrate our voting procedure to the voter, including the new Voter Assist Terminal (ExpressVote)
  • Process ballots, forms and other election requirements with accuracy
  • Assist with closing the polls and preparation of returning voted ballots to the Auditor’s Office for counting


Is poll worker training required?

Yes, all Poll Workers are required to attend a 2-hour Election School and any special training sessions.


Is there a test?

Not at this time. However, in the future, it may be required that Poll Workers must pass a quiz which measures their understanding of the duties of the position they have been trained to fill on Election Day.


How will I know where I will work?

While we try to assign workers to their preferred precinct, poll workers must be willing to work in nearby precincts if needed.


If I do not work in my home precinct, how do I vote?

Poll Workers working outside of their home precinct should vote early at the Auditor’s Office, or request an Absentee Ballot and return the voted Absentee Ballot to our office before Election Day.


When is poll worker training?

Scheduled training sessions are held the week before the election.  You will be contacted and informed as to the session you will attend. Precincts will attend training together. You will be paid for completing training, but will not be eligible for training pay or be eligible to work if you do not attend the required training.


What do our poll workers say about working at the Polls?

"It is a great experience; a lot of fun, and you get to meet new people."

"It's a good opportunity to work with your neighbors to assure the electoral process works; that every voter is welcomed and well-treated at the polls... and that every vote counts."

"It's a day to serve your country. It's a day to visit with neighbors.  It's a day to feel proud to be an American."


How do I apply to become a poll worker?

Call Dayna at the Auditor's Office at 605-394-2153