CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Tuesday marks National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, and the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office is among the groups trying to entice people into working at polling precincts during the general election.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, 9,000 poll workers are needed to help manage around 1,700 precincts in the state.
Secretary of State Mac Warner said the effort is focused on getting alternative poll workers. People who apply will be placed on a waiting list and asked to work if another poll worker cannot.
“If you do have a spike in COVID-19 and poll workers start calling in sick or not wanting to work the polls at the last minute, the clerks will already have a list of poll workers available that they can turn to immediately or perhaps even train,” he said.
Registered voters interested in the paid opportunity can apply at the Secretary of State’s website, in which people will be asked if they can work during the early voting period — from Oct. 21 to Oct. 31 — and on Election Day, which is Nov. 3.
Warner added part of his office’s mission for the general election includes providing safe voting options; registered voters can request an absentee ballot by Oct. 28, and people can cite the coronavirus pandemic. Warner said more than 48,000 registered voters have already applied to vote by mail.