Election day is November 5th – and early voting begins on October 21st.
Many Texas residents are preparing for the upcoming presidential election by registering to vote. The last day to register is October 7.
But if you’re feeling particularly civically engaged this year, you can do more than just vote. You can also sign up to be a poll worker – and get paid for it.
Which jobs can I apply for?
You can use the “Poll Worker Application” on the Dallas County website to express your interest in working as a poll worker or poll worker during early voting or on Election Day. Poll worker work is typically the most common way for citizens to help work at polling places.
In the meantime, the district court appoints the presiding judge and deputy presiding judges from lists provided by the major political parties, said Heider Garcia, Dallas County elections director.
“If you want to be a poll worker or a substitute, call your party and say, ‘Hey, I want to be a judge or a substitute,'” Garcia said.
He added that election officials are usually hired after the judges.
How do I apply?
The process for applying to be a poll worker may vary by county. In Dallas County, for example, you can fill out an online form to express your interest in working as a poll worker, but the application process also involves in-person attendance. On the online form, potential poll workers must select all the positions they are interested in and indicate their political party. This is in part because Texas election law requires that presiding judges and assistant presiding judges in each precinct belong to different political parties.
In Tarrant County, those interested in becoming a poll worker can fill out a PDF form and email it to the county email address or mail it to the election office. Collin County residents can also fill out a PDF form that they can email to a local election official or drop off directly.
Am I qualified to be an election worker?
First, all poll workers must be registered voters.
“When someone applies, we check their registration status and say, ‘Hey, you need to register if you really want to work,'” he said.
But even if you meet the registration criteria, some other restrictions may prevent you from becoming a poll worker, including if:
- You hold an elected office
- You are an opposition candidate
- You work for an opposition candidate
- You are a relative of an opposition candidate
- You are campaign treasurer for a candidate on the ballot
- You are a campaign manager for a candidate on the ballot
- They were convicted of an electoral offence
What would I do as an election worker?
Poll workers sometimes work overtime to make sure elections run smoothly across the state. Polls in Dallas County are open for 12 hours on Election Day and half of the early voting dates. Poll workers are often present before and after the election to make sure everything is set up and taken down properly, Garcia said.
“It can be a little stressful, but they do it because they love their communities and just want to help,” Garcia said.
In addition, poll workers help voters check in and give them ballots.
Would I get paid?
Yes. Poll workers across the state are paid hourly for their work. Wages vary by region, with wages in Dallas County being higher than in some neighboring counties.
In Dallas County, a poll worker makes $20.22 per hour during early voting and $24.22 per hour on Election Day. Poll workers make $18.24 per hour on Election Day and during early voting, according to the county’s poll worker application form.
Poll workers in all Texas counties must be paid more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
Can I vote in elections if I am under 18?
Even if you are not yet eligible to vote and will not be eligible on Election Day, you can still participate in the voting process. In Texas counties, including Dallas County, high school students ages 16 and older can register to be poll workers.
To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen, have permission from your parent or guardian and school principal, and have completed a poll worker training course. Students who wish to participate but are homeschooled only need permission from their parent or guardian.
The students take on some of the typical tasks of an election worker, such as answering voters’ questions, organizing the polling station before it opens, or distributing ballots to voters.
