Looking for an opportunity to earn some extra cash and play a valuable role in the democratic process?
Then head over to the Oxford Township clerk’s office and apply to be an election worker.
The 2016 elections are fast-approaching and Clerk Curtis Wright wants to ensure he has adequate manpower at the polling locations when voters stream in to elect leaders and decide ballot issues.
‘We’re looking to have applications on hand in case we get short-handed,? he explained.
Election workers are called inspectors and they earn $150, plus training. Precinct chairpersons earn $175, plus training.
In order to be an election worker, a person must be registered to vote in Michigan, although high school students age 16 and older are eligible as well. Inspectors must attend training sessions and be able to work the entire election day.
Although the polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on election days, poll workers must be on the job from 6 a.m. until usually 9 or 10 p.m. They stay until all the work is done.
‘It’s a long day,? Wright said. ‘But as long as there’s activity (at the polls), which you’ll see next year at least in the primary and presidential (elections), there isn’t a whole lot of time to sit around.?
Training sessions typically do not entail a significant investment of time.
‘Depending on (people’s) comprehension levels, you probably can do it in a couple hours,? Wright said. ‘It’s basically just running through the voting process, from start to finish.?
‘There’s a little more extensive training (concerning) the electronic poll books that replaced paper books,? he added. ‘That takes a little more training because it’s a computer and it’s a little intimidating for some people who have never done it.?
Electronic poll books allow election workers to swipe a voter’s state-issued driver’s license or identification card through a card reader, enabling the system to automatically locate the person in the state’s qualified voter file and check them. With the old paper books, election workers had to manually search through a binder for the voter’s name, then check it off with a marker.
‘We really do need more people who are interested in learning (how to use electronic poll books),? noted Deputy Clerk Susan McCullough. ‘A lot of our workers are older and a lot of them are not comfortable with computers . . . That’s why I would really like to get some of these high school students. We’ve got two high school students now, but we would really like to get more of the young people involved.?
Qualifications to be an election worker include computer experience and a willingness to learn.
Previous election experience is a plus.
A person is prohibited from serving as an election worker if he or she has ever been convicted of a felony or an election crime.
When applying to become an election inspector, a person is required to declare their political party affiliation and the only two choices are Republican and Democrat.
Each precinct must have representatives from both of the major political parties to ensure ‘it’s not one-sided,? Wright explained. The pool of election workers is divided accordingly to balance things out as best as possible.
‘The track-record in Oxford has been probably two-thirds Republican and one-third Democrat,? he said.
Oxford Township has seven voter precincts, plus an absentee ballot counting board that basically functions as the unofficial eighth precinct.
‘We have anywhere from three inspectors all the way up to six inspectors (per precinct), in addition to the chairperson, depending on the size of the election,? Wright said.
Wright believes working at the polls is a great way to ‘serve your community? and ‘be part of the election process.?
‘It’s something you can feel good about,? he said.
For more information, please call the township clerk’s office at (248) 628-9787, Extension 5.