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With a busy 2024 election year on the horizon, Garvin County election board officials are looking for additional poll workers to staff precincts on election days.
Holly Levis, Garvin County assistant election board secretary, said poll workers are in short supply across the state and Garvin County is no exception.
More than 50 precinct officials are needed to staff Garvin County’s 17 precincts during elections that require all precincts to be open.
Levis said the Election Board has seen a decrease in the number of new precinct workers volunteering in the last few years.
Kelly Smith, of Pauls Valley, has served as a precinct official in Garvin County since 2017 and said it has been a great experience and one she highly recommends.
“I’ve had the best time, and I’ve met the most amazing people, everyone from voters to other precinct workers,” Smith said.
She said while poll workers do work long hours on election day, she thinks one of the biggest misconceptions people have about working an election is that they will be required to sit in one spot for a full 12-hour day. Smith said that is not usually the case, and there are plenty of opportunities during slow times to get up and walk around or take breaks.
Another misconception, Smith said, is that the positions are unpaid.
Precinct officials do get paid for their services, and those pay rates are set to double in 2024. Each precinct is assigned an inspector, a judge and a clerk.
Currently the pay rate for inspectors is $110 per day plus mileage. That will increase to $225 per day effective July 1, 2024.
Inspectors are responsible for picking up supplies from the election board office before the election and returning them at the end of the day. Inspectors also contact the precinct judge and clerk to ensure they will be able to work on election day.
Precinct clerks and judges currently make $100 per day, plus mileage in certain circumstances. Those rates will increase to $200 per day as of July 1.
Precinct judges assist voters in signing the precinct registry and check voter identification, while clerks distribute the appropriate ballot(s) to voters.
Precinct officials must be registered voters in the county in which they plan to serve, and they must attend the provided training session before they are able to work an election.
Anyone interested in becoming a precinct official can contact the Garvin County Election Board office at 405238-3303 or garvincounty@elections.ok.gov. The Garvin County Election Board is located at 201 W. Grant St., Room 8, in Pauls Valley and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.