By Mike W. Ray
| Southwest Chronicle
OKLAHOMA CITY — A measure that would raise the pay for election poll workers will be considered during the legislative session that starts in earnest next month.
“Poll workers are instrumental in ensuring integrity in Oklahoma’s elections and are absolutely essential to the process,” said Sen. Warren Hamilton (R-McCurtain). “But during this last election cycle, many counties faced worker shortages. I believe increasing the compensation for these jobs would help address this issue.”
Inspectors who staff polling sites across the state are paid $110 per day, and judges and clerks are paid $100 per day, he said. Hamilton’s proposed legislation would boost their compensation to $200 a day.
“These volunteers spend long days at polling places, as they arrive well before the polls open and are still working after they close,” he said. “A pay increase would not only help attract the workers our counties need, but it’s also a way we can show our appreciation to these individuals who work so hard to ensure an efficient and secure voting process in each of our precincts.”
Each precinct is required by law to have a minimum of three poll workers (inspector, judge, and clerk), and Oklahoma has 1,982 precincts, said Misha Mohr, public information officer for the State Election Board.
Poll workers are hired by each county’s election board, and all counties “have back-up poll workers in case of emergencies – such as poll workers being unexpectedly hospitalized, vehicle issues, etc.,” Mohr said.