Sign up to become a poll worker for the 2024-2025 election cycle!

Is the role of Poll Worker a role for you in the upcoming election cycle? Poll Workers are essential to the voting process and protecting small-d democracy. It also provides an opportunity for you to serve your community and to get to know your neighbors. Come learn how you can advocate for voting rights in your community as a poll worker!

First step is to discover what is a poll worker. Do that by joining a WisDems Poll Worker Info Session! These 30-minute Zoom sessions will be offered every Tuesday night (5-5:30pmCT) and Thursday afternoon (1-1:30pmCT) throughout this summer and fall. They’ll discuss the requirements and basics of being a poll worker, and you can ask any questions that you might have.

Party-nominated poll workers get priority in being hired by Municipal Clerks. So, the second step  is to apply for nomination to the Chairperson of a local political party. In this case, that person is Kris Sadur of the Democratic Party of Door County. Contact Kris through the Comment panel below or on the Volunteer page.

We are in the nomination season – Wisconsin statutes expects both political parties to nominate poll workers each odd-numbered year. Nominations are submitted to the Clerks in November.

FAQ:

• Are nominees different from normal/unaffiliated poll workers?

• • Clerks must hire party nominees first by law, before any unaffiliated poll workers (even if unaffiliated poll workers are experienced at working elections). On Election Day, they are still nonpartisan and no different than any other poll worker!

• Does the GOP nominate poll workers too?

• • Yes! Wisconsin law expects both parties to nominate poll workers, and the GOP has been very public about their poll worker recruitment efforts. However, regardless of what others are doing, it’s important for us as Democrats to promote civic engagement and election participation in our communities.  We also need to ensure that our polling places are staffed by small-d democracy advocates. 

• If someone was nominated in 2021, do they have to be nominated again?

• • Yes they do! Nomination status resets every two years. Everyone must be re-nominated for each election cycle.

• Do poll workers get paid?

• • Yes! Pay varies by municipality, but the range is generally $150-225 for a full day, and more for Chief Inspectors.

Author: Kris Sadur