An election official, election officer, election judge, election clerk or poll worker is an official responsible for the proper and orderly voting at polling stations. Depending on the country or jurisdiction, election officials may be identified as members of a political party or non-partisan. They are generally volunteers or paid a small stipend for their work. Each polling station is staffed with multiple officials. The duties include signing in registered voters, explaining voting procedure and use of voting equipment, providing ballots, and monitoring the conduct of the election.
In US states with Election Day voter registration, they also register unregistered voters on election day. In most other countries, however, voters do not need to register, all citizens being automatically included in the lists of eligible voters. Depending on the jurisdiction, election officials are chosen by a board of elections, county official (such as the county clerk or county auditor), city or township official (such as a city clerk), the federal state, or a national committee.
In California, poll workers can be any citizen who requests the job at least two months prior to an election. Inspectors and site supervisors receive a minimum of two training classes, and clerks are required to attend a training class within two weeks of the election, with additional certification classes for any machine or technological devices to be used. These classes cover a wide range of topics, including opening and closing of the polls, which color pen to use on which paper, dealing with irate voters, and the rare times when a voter can be challenged.
In Pennsylvania three poll workers in each election division are elected by their neighbors for a four year term. These poll workers are elected in the year following the US Presidential election (e.g., 2017, 2021, etc.)[1]
In 41 of the 50 United States, high school students can serve as student election judges. Each state has its own set of requirements for students to serve as poll workers, but generally, students must be in good academic standing at their school and meet the particular age or grade conditions.
Threats to election officials since the 2020 election
Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea' Moss were driven from their home by death threats after being falsely accused by Trump advisor Rudy Giuliani of manipulating vote tallies. Freeman and Moss subsequently won a defamation judgment against Giuliani.[3]
After Trump falsely claimed[4] that then-Philadelphia City CommissionerAl Schmidt, a Republican, "refuse[d] to look at a mountain of corruption & dishonesty" in the city, Schmidt received graphic threats against his family.[5]
After a standoff with Arizona Senate Republicans over the handling of post-election voting materials, Republican Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates and his family were subject to explicit death threats, and Gates was hospitalized for treatment of PTSD.[6]
Threatening letters, some containing fentanyl, were mailed to elections offices in at least five states in November 2023, with some including messages such as "End elections now."[9]
As much as two years after the 2020 election, some election officials have reported varying their routes to their homes and offices to avoid being followed, training in de-escalation techniques, and upgrading their home security systems.[6] The profession as a whole has experienced an unparalleled exodus. A study by the Bipartisan Policy Center and UCLA found a four-year turnover rate of 39% for election officials in 2022.[10]
In February 2025, in response to concerns expressed by election administrators of both parties regarding an "expanded threat environment," EOLDN announced a broadening of its scope to include assisting election officials targeted by federal agencies including the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or Congress.[13]
Over the past two decades, significant changes in election laws and procedures have impacted the roles and responsibilities of election officials. These include:
State-level voting law changes such as stricter voter ID requirements, limitations on mail-in voting, and reductions in early voting periods.[17]
Adoption andrejection of alternative voting systems like ranked-choice voting (RCV). While states like Maine and Alaska, and cities including New York, Minneapolis, Cambridge (MA), and San Francisco[18] have implemented RCV to promote majority support and reduce negative campaigning, several states including Colorado, Oregon, Missouri, Idaho, and Nevada[19] have voted against adopting RCV, indicating varied public opinion on altering traditional voting methods.[20]
When enacted, these reforms and initiatives often required election officials to adapt to new regulations, implement updated voting systems, and address evolving security challenges to maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
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