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Due to vacancies, Luzerne County is seeking registered voters to work in some polling places in the May 21 primary election.
Like many other jurisdictions throughout Pennsylvania, the county typically has a shortage of workers, said county Election Director Marisa Crispell.
Each of the county’s 180 election districts must have a separate board with one judge of elections and two inspectors, Crispell said. Both the judge and inspector positions are elected, and sometimes nobody runs, she said.
In addition, each district usually has at least one clerk and machine operator, with more added in high-traffic districts, she said.
“Even though I might have two districts voting in the same building, each must have separate boards to run their election,” she said.
Vacancies also arise because voters are interested in working but must miss an election due to a vacation or illness, she said.
The election office has started cross-training workers so a district is not stuck if an emergency vacancy occurs, Crispell said.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Workers must arrive at the polling place at 6 a.m. to ensure proper set-up and opening of the voting systems. After closing, workers must stay with other board members until tabulation is completed, she said.
The pay is $100 for clerks, $125 for machine operators and inspectors and $150 for judges.
Although more openings may develop, the office currently needs the following workers in eight municipalities, Crispell said: Dupont, clerk and machine operator; Duryea, inspector; Hazleton, various positions in multiple polling places; Hughestown, clerk and possibly a judge; Larksville, judge and inspectors; Nescopeck Township, judge; Pittston, various vacant positions; and Wilkes-Barre Township, machine operator and inspector.
Training sessions will be held before the election.
Visit the election page at www.luzernecounty.org for more information on the duties and to apply online.
Clerks and machine operators can work outside their district of residency if they are willing to travel and vote by absentee ballot, Crispell said.
Judges and inspectors should reside in the district where they are assigned, but Crispell said her office must rely on an outside worker if no residents are available.
After the primary, Crispell said she plans to send postcards to faithful voters in districts with poll worker vacancies urging them to consider signing up for election day work.