The Portage County Board of Elections is looking for poll workers for the upcoming election on Nov. 4, and the last training will be held Friday, Oct. 17.
Poll workers are responsible for opening and closing the voting site, guiding voters through the voting process, ensuring the materials are kept safe and giving the ballots to the appropriate precinct individuals at the end of the election day.
Poll workers are an essential element of elections that help the process run smoothly. Becoming an election worker is an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the voting system, according to Faith Lyon, the director at the Portage County Board of Elections.
To become an election poll worker, you must be 18 or older, registered to vote and able to complete an in-person 3-4 hour paid training. The training is held in the Portage County Administration Office, and participants will be compensated $20. After completing the required training and working the polls, workers will receive $140.
For poll workers, the election day begins at 5:45 a.m., voting begins at 6:30 a.m., the polls close at 7:30 p.m. and workers close the location around 8 p.m. or later if the election is bigger, Lyon said.
“I think it is a great opportunity for everyone, and everyone 18 and up should be a poll worker at least once. It allows you to see the process and understand it,” Lyon said.
Craig Berger, the associate director of the Center for Student Involvement, believes that this opportunity not only poses financial gain but also provides an opportunity for students to be involved in the Kent community.
“When you are in a community that is not your own, it allows you to see things you wouldn’t see otherwise,” Berger said. “It can be helpful to develop relationships with the people here. It can make you feel like you belong not only on the campus but in the community.”
Becoming a poll worker can be an opportunity to grow awareness of how the voting and election process works. Which, according to Berger, may be helpful for students with growing skepticism surrounding elections.
“It is really an up-close view of how elections work, the setup, and it provides a glimpse into people who are full of integrity that are in the system to make sure they run without a hitch,” Berger said. “Working the polls can help remove suspicion; it provides students an opportunity to see for themselves what this looks like in operation.”
Kent State Civic and Community Engagement encourages students to be a part of elections. Berger said they can vote, participate in a campaign or work the polls.
Joi Sims is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].