Michael Plaut, 77, considers working at polling stations a public service.
“(Poll workers) do what we can to make it possible for everyone to cast a ballot,” he said.
Plaut, an Alachua County poll worker of five years, recalls a time during early voting for the 2016 General Election when he helped a voter struggling with a language barrier cast her vote.
The older woman spoke little English and had difficulty understanding the ballot, he said. Plaut connected her with a student in line who spoke fluent Spanish to translate in order to help her vote.
Now, the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections office is putting out a call for more poll workers to ensure November’s election day runs smoothly. The orientation sessions will be held from noon to 6 p.m. on Thursday on the first floor of the Josiah T. Walls Building, near the Thomas Center. Attendees will learn what being a poll worker involves, including the responsibilities for each position and an overview of elections equipment.
The office is looking to recruit 100 more poll workers before November’s general election to accommodate the high voter turnout anticipated, said TJ Pyche, director of outreach for Alachua County Supervisor of Elections.
Each election, the office strives to employ 500 poll workers, but it’s especially important that the goal is met this year, Pyche said.
This year’s primary election voter turnout jumped to 28 percent, compared to 19 percent from the primary race in 2014, according to the Supervisor of Elections website. Because of this increase, Pyche expects there to be an even higher turnout in November, he said.
“You can see an increased level of excitement among people from all age groups,” he said. “Young people especially are more interested in elections this year than the same age group was in the past.”
Poll workers are paid hourly rates ranging from $8.25 to $9.08 for attending mandatory training and working election day. They are also paid a set rate per mile based on the distance they travel from their home to the training session, according to Pyche.
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. Workers are expected to commit all day, usually arriving around 6 a.m. and finishing around 8 p.m, he said.
Poll workers attend two- to four-hour individual trainings depending on their positions. Positions include clerks, assistant clerks, deputies and more, Pyche said.
This year, many workers check in voters on the Electronic Voter Identification system. The office began using these electronic poll books during the city election in March, he said.
Plaut has risen through the ranks as a poll worker. He began as an inspector checking in voters and now is in charge of a precinct.
He urges people to attend orientation and see what being a poll worker involves. There are a number of things people can do and it’s not as strenuous as some people think, he said.
“Most of the reason I do it is that it’s a way of contributing to our democratic process,” he said.
Kathy Bolton (center), a Gainesville poll worker, helps direct students and hands out "I voted" stickers in the Reitz Union computer lab Tuesday. UF students can vote in Student Government elections until 8:30 p.m. today.
