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Johnson County Election Office seeking 1,300 volunteer poll workers for August 2 primary

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The Johnson County Election Office is seeking thousands of volunteers to be poll workers ahead of the primary election this August.

Why? More than 3,000 election worker volunteers are needed annually to pull off Election Day, according to Johnson County Election Office’s website.

  • Johnson County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson told the board of county commissioners on June 9 that the office needs 1,200 to 1,300 volunteers for the primary and 1,500 to 1,800 for the general election in November.
  • Postoak Ferguson said poll workers do receive a stipend. Fox 4 News reports the stipend is $110 per Election Day and per advanced voting day that the volunteer works.

Poll worker duties: Election poll workers help move along the voting process on Election Day.

  • Some specific duties include finding voter names on an iPad, dubbed a Poll Pad, checking voter identification and helping with set-up and teardown at their assigned location.
  • Poll workers must complete a four-hour classroom training as well as a one-hour hands-on training, according to the county’s website.
  • Election Day itself is about 14 hours long, including set-up and teardown.

Qualifications: There are a few more requirements to become a poll worker volunteer aside from being a Johnson County resident who is registered to vote at their current address.

  • Poll workers must submit a clear and current copy of their social security card and driver’s license to the payroll department.
  • Volunteers cannot be on the ballot, nor can they be related to anyone on the ballot in their appointed precinct.
  • Poll workers must be available for the complete day, as polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. — and they must arrive at their precinct at least an hour and a half before it opens.

How to apply: Visit Johnson County Election Office’s website here for an application to become an election poll worker.

  • Only residents over the age of 18 can apply online.
  • Students who are either 16 or 17-years-old can fill out this paper application.
  • Each student application must be accompanied by a teacher, counselor or administrator letter of recommendation, according to the application.
  • Additionally, there are a limited number of student worker positions available and students who are selected will be notified via letter.

About the author

Juliana Garcia
Juliana Garcia

👋 Hi! I’m Juliana Garcia, and I cover Prairie Village and northeast Johnson County for the Johnson County Post.

I grew up in Roeland Park and graduated from Shawnee Mission North before going on to the University of Kansas, where I wrote for the University Daily Kansan and earned my bachelor’s degree in  journalism. Prior to joining the Post in 2019, I worked as an intern at the Kansas City Business Journal.

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