Prince William County launching push for poll workers
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. - Election Day is 63 days away and for some people anxiety is rising.
Figuring out where, when and how to vote can be a task in itself.
READ MORE: Early in-person voting is an option for many across the US in 2020
In Northern Virginia, Prince William County needs 1,600 poll workers and they’re turning to the public for help.
Call it election anxiety — the average poll worker is reportedly 60+ years old and in the high risk category for contracting the coronavirus so many who normally work as poll workers are are opting out this Election Day.
That means Prince William County has 1600 openings for poll workers and applications are due October 2nd.
Information is on the county’s election website.
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The poll workers must be residents of Prince William County and registered to vote. Plus, they’d be working across 93 different polling locations.
FOX 5’s Tisha Lewis reports the pay is about $125 for the day, plus paid training.
The county’s office of elections says several counties across our area are in the same predicament, mainly due to the coronavirus pandemic impacting a large sector of the population who typically work at the polls, the elderly.
“The biggest challenge I think is obviously the pandemic and concerns people have about whether the polls are going to be safe,” said Keith Scarborough, an Electoral Board Member for Prince William County.
On average, between 800-900 poll workers are needed across the county.
This year an additional 1600 are needed since it’s a presidential election and we’re amid a pandemic.
Scarborough says election officials are pushing lawmakers to make Election Day a holiday, so state workers and young people can step in and work as poll workers without missing work or school.