January 27, 2022
By:
On National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, Secretary of State Tre Hargett launched a new statewide campaign, Be an Election Hero. Become a Poll Worker., to encourage Tennesseans to serve their community as poll workers for the 2022 election cycle.
“We cannot run elections in Tennessee without poll workers. They are the most fundamental piece of the process,” said Secretary Hargett. “That is why we are encouraging Tennesseans, especially young adults, to step up to serve their community as poll workers and be the next generation of election heroes for our great state.”
DeKalb County Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley agreed. “At the training classes I routinely tell our workers we could not have an election without them. They are the core of the voting process,” he said.
During early voting and on Election Day, poll workers help polling sites in their community run smoothly by conducting various tasks, including greeting voters, answering questions, explaining how to cast a ballot, and counting votes.
Poll workers are paid for working during early voting and on Election Day, as well as for attending required training sessions.
Most Tennesseans are eligible to work as poll workers, regardless of political affiliation. The minimum age to work as a poll worker is 16 years old. Anyone over 18 must be a registered voter in the county they are serving in.
Qualifications to Be a Tennessee Poll Worker:
•Be at least 16 years old
•Be a registered voter in the county if 18 or older
•Be able to read and write in the English language
•Not be a candidate or close relative of a candidate
•Not be supervised by a county or municipal elected worker on the ballot
Government Employees Who Can Serve as Poll Workers:
•All City, County and Metro employees (unless working directly under the supervision of an elected worker on the ballot)
•State of Tennessee employees
•Federal employees – consult your Human Resources Department to ensure eligibility
“It takes thousands of poll workers to help Tennessee’s 95 county election commissions run elections so that voters can confidently cast their ballot and know the election results are secure,” said Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins.
Established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, National Poll Worker Recruitment Day aims to raise awareness about the important role poll workers play in elections.
For the latest information about becoming a poll worker or upcoming Tennessee elections, follow the Secretary of State’s social media channels Twitter: @SecTreHargett, Facebook: Tennessee Secretary of State and Instagram: @tnsecofstate.
To step up to serve your community as a poll worker, apply now at GoVoteTN.gov or call the DeKalb County Election Office at 615-597-4146.