Hamilton County is again looking for poll workers. The Board of Elections is looking for about 300 people to work the November election.
Precinct election officials hand out ballots to registered voters, answer questions, and staff polling locations. Board Director Sherry Poland says poll workers also set up, monitor and take down the electronic voting machines.
“Those people that are out there that have doubts about the election? What a better way to find out more,” she says. “Come and be a part of the process.”
Poland says to qualify, one has to be a U.S. citizen, a registered voter in Hamilton County, and can't be a felon or a candidate. She says they'll even hire people who are suspicious of the election results. “We would welcome someone to come in, go through our poll worker training class, right? Learn about the process. From the trusted source — from those that are actually doing the work, not what you see on social media.”
She says it's a bipartisan effort, and even election-doubters are welcome.
“You would not be automatically disqualified. That’s part of the process in what we’re doing here. We want to educate the voters and the general public on how the election is created,” she says.
Poland says poll workers have to take an oath to uphold the constitutions of the United States and the state of Ohio, and any poll worker not following the rules and instructions would be removed.
Last month, local election officials said they had seen increased requests for public records, following unfounded claims of voter fraud in 2020.
Poll workers have to attend paid, in-person training classes. The four-hour sessions begin Oct.10.
