Members of local election boards to make more money
After hearing complaints that those who put in 13 hours – or more – on election days are working for peanuts, the Washington County commissioners on Thursday unanimously granted raises to those who facilitate voting at church halls, fire halls or town halls.
Election board members’ paychecks, which have stayed the same since 2002, will be a bit bigger for the Nov. 3 general election and beyond.
Chief Clerk Mary Helicke read into the record the new rates. Judge of elections, majority inspector, minority inspector and clerks will receive $130 for a full day, a raise of about $30. Those who work in precincts where more than 500 voters turn out will receive an additional $10 per day for every 100 additional voters or fraction thereof over 500, not to exceed the Election Code’s cap of $200.
The judge of elections and minority inspector who return election equipment to the county complex in Washington will each be paid an additional $20 plus mileage for the person whose vehicle is used. All precinct workers, including students working outside the precinct in which they live, will receive mileage for traveling to and from the polling place.
Student precinct workers will receive $7.25 per hour, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, and all students must abide by state and federal Child Labor acts for those under age 18.
Constables providing security at polling places will receive $85. If precinct workers are unable to provide the set-up duties required before Election Day, $7.50 will be available for the person who assists with set-up. If precinct workers are unable to perform janitorial duties, $15 will be available for this service.
The county commissioners are running this year, so they are on hiatus as members of Washington County Election Board. Commission Chariman Larry Maggi said after the commissioners’ meeting, “It’s something we’ve been wanting to do for the past year or so and it’s been brought to light that we’ve been having a difficult time getting poll workers. We’re in a position financially this year that we’re able to compensate a little higher for their services.
“People don’t want to go and sit there all day and it’s a difficult, tedious job. I think, hopefully, with the higher compensation, we’ll encourage more people to get involved with it.”
Wes Parry, Washington County assistant elections director, has been recruiting high school students to fill holes on 176 local election boards, which typically have five seats, translating to 880 workers. As a result, Maggi said, “There have been questions about how long students could work and would they make the same amount as the poll workers?”
Parry passed along a story he received via a colleague in Mercer County from Canton, Ohio, where a story earlier this month in the Repository told of how Stark County Board of Elections resorted to hiring a consultant to find qualified poll workers.
Many of those who man the polls in Washington County went by the wayside as electronic voting machines and poll books required technological skills not needed in the paper-ballot and punch-card era before 2006, said Larry Spahr, Washington County elections director.
The higher pay is a result of “how critical this situation with election boards has become,” Spahr continued. “We’ve had instances where (poll workers) didn’t show up on election morning. It may entice other folks who might be willing to serve.”