Looking for a temporary job that gives you a glimpse of how the American election process works? If so, Georgia election officials are looking for you.

Many local election offices have begun training thousands of temporary poll workers and other essential staff for the Nov. 5 general election, according to W. Travis Doss III, president of the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials. 

Hundreds more are needed.

Gwinnett County, the state’s second-largest elections office, has already hired 1,400 to 1,500 temporary election workers and is looking to pump up that number to 2,000 for election day. 

“We’re not completely maxed out,” Zach Manifold, Gwinnett County election supervisor, told State Affairs. “We’re always kind of looking to add.”

After the 2020 election, post-election conspiracy theories and threats combined with the growing complexity of election processes, machines and duties led to thousands of election officials and workers leaving. The pandemic also contributed to the turnover.

A Bipartisan Policy Center report released in April found that the exodus steadily increased over two decades. Turnover grew from 28% in 2004 to 39% in 2022, but the situation is improving. 

“It’s been easier to get poll officials this year than in 2022,” Manifold said.

Interested in becoming an election worker? Here’s what to expect:

Training.  Lots of training.

“Elections don’t just happen overnight,” Doss said. “Workers just don’t just show up on election day. They definitely have to go through an exhaustive amount of training.”

Training varies by county and polling job. Larger counties will likely have daylong training sessions, said Doss, who is also executive director for the Richmond County Board of Elections in Augusta. Richmond County, which has 43 polling locations, requires a three-hour training session.

Poll workers will learn what’s expected of them on election morning, Doss said. Counties without separate operations for equipment setup will likely undergo additional training sessions for that task as well as election processes.

Columbia County, for example, has a delivery crew that just drops off equipment “so poll workers have to come in and actually set everything up,” Doss noted.

Poll workers are paid for their training.

Jobs and pay

Once you’ve completed training, you’ll receive a polling assignment. Pay varies based on the assignment and skill requirement. 

There is a wide range of jobs:

• Basic or non-issuing clerks greet voters, answer questions about voting equipment and direct voters to the scanners.
• Equipment workers help set up voting machines and other equipment.
• Poll pad workers check in voters and make sure they are registered to vote.
• Voter assistance workers help voters with issues such as updating their address and filling out provisional ballots.
• Managers and assistant managers. State law requires at least three people in any polling place, usually a manager and two assistant managers. 

Challenges

“Our biggest concern right now is anything that changes our procedures or rules, and that all comes out of the State Election Board,” Manifold said. “The less change we can have, the better off we’ll be.”

The State Election Board appears to differ. Last Friday, the board approved a rule requiring counties to hand count ballots in November’s presidential election, a process that critics say could create confusion and delay Georgia’s and the national election results. 

Board chair John Fervier said the rule is being instituted too close to the election, citing a lack of resources and training already having gotten underway in many counties.

To be an election worker:

• You must be a resident of the county you want to work in.*
• Check your county’s website for details. If your county election office doesn’t have an online presence, call or visit the office to find out the qualifications for being a poll or election worker.
• Once you’ve applied and been accepted, find out what training you’ll need.**

Find out more about poll worker qualifications and duties here.

Have questions, comments or tips? Contact Tammy Joyner on X @lvjoyner or at [email protected].

Know the most important news affecting Georgia

Get our free weekly newsletter that covers government, policy and politics that impact your everyday life—in 5 minutes or less.

Sign Up