Advertise with us

Secretary Pate launches new site to encourage younger people to become poll workers

by | Apr 30, 2020 | State Government

Iowa Secretary of State launches a new website to entice younger people to become poll workers. Secretary Paul Pate announced the site Pollworker.Iowa.gov yesterday. It calls on healthy younger Iowans to step up for democracy and step in for older poll workers. According to the site, most of Iowa’s poll workers are in their 60s and 70s. Their age makes them especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus.

“This is a call to action for patriotic Iowans. Your state and country need you on June 2,” Secretary Pate said. “We need younger, healthy Iowans to help staff our polling locations to ensure a clean, smooth election process. Also, these are paid positions. You can put a little extra money in your pocket.”

 

Iowa requires poll workers to be registered to vote and be least 17 years old. Poll workers must also be a resident in the county where they will be working and complete the required training. Poll workers are paid for their effort. Rates of pay vary from county to county. Poll workers are the official staff of the polling location and not to be confused with the volunteer pool watchers that political parties recruit.

According to a press release, the Secretary of State’s Office is providing masks, hand sanitizers, cleaning supplies, social distancing markers, and other materials to every precinct to protect voters and poll workers from the risk of spreading COVID-19.

 

In preparation for the upcoming June 2nd primary, the Secretary of State’s office launched the vote safe Iowa initiative, which saw absentee ballot request forms sent to every active registered voter in the state. Despite the massive vote by mail effort, in-person polling locations will still be open.

For more information on voting in the June primary, visit VoterReady.Iowa.gov