In Maine, citizens are needed to help administer the elections for their community. Every town and city in the state lines up citizen workers for every election. Working at elections can be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Citizens are needed to work at the polls on election day as well as in advance, helping to process absentee ballots. Municipal clerks can explain more details about the work involved with election administration. Training is provided for all positions. The hours of work will vary in each community.
Below is some basic information for all Maine residents who are interested in serving as election workers:
ELIGIBILITY TO BE AN ELECTION WORKER
State law sets the requirements for election workers:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must be a registered Maine voter
- Must be a resident of the municipality or county where they will be serving
- Students who are age 16 are allowed to serve if qualified
- Must not be a candidate or a member of a candidate’s immediate family
DUTIES AND TASKS OF AN ELECTION WORKER
Although the work may vary slightly, the following duties are standard at many polling places:
- Check in voters at the Incoming Voting List check-in table
- Distribute ballots
- Monitor the voting machine or ballot box
- Help tally results at the end of the night
BENEFITS OF WORKING
There are several benefits of working at the polls:
- Opportunity to help community and residents
- Chance to visit and see neighbors, former co-workers, old friends that you may not have seen in a while
- Learn more about the election process
- Some positions are paid positions and some are volunteer; this varies between communities
To sign up to serve as an election worker, please contact your town office/city hall and speak with the municipal clerk. If you need contact information, please visit the Maine Secretary of State’s Office website for a full statewide listing of phone numbers: https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/munic.html
This is a project of the Maine Town & City Clerks’ Association.