Poll Worker Information
Promote Democracy: Serve as a Poll Worker on Election Day
If you are a registered voter or an eligible high school student, you may serve as a
poll worker!
- Get involved and assist voters on Election Day
- Earn extra money (amount varies by county)
- Contact your county
elections official to apply to be a poll worker
Secretary of State's poll worker recruitment flyer
Poll Worker Requirements
- A poll worker shall be a voter of the state.
- The poll worker may serve only in the precinct for which his or her appointment is received.
- A student may be appointed (refer to Student Poll Worker Program information below) as a poll worker. However, an elections official may appoint not more than five students per precinct to serve under the direct supervision of precinct board members designated by the elections official.
Student Poll Worker Program
California Elections Code section 12302 allows eligible students to be appointed as poll workers on Election Day. As
poll workers, students learn first hand the importance of participating in the electoral
process. In addition, they provide much needed support at polling place locations.
In order to eligible to be appointed as a poll worker, a student must be:
- A United States citizen;
- At least 16 years of age at the time of the election in which he or she will be serving;
- A high school student with a grade point average of at least 2.5 (based on a 4.0 scale);
- A student in good standing, attending a public or private secondary educational institution.
In addition to gaining experience in the electoral process, students can also be paid
between $65 and $150 for service (each county sets its own pay scale, but stipends generally fall
within this range).
For more information, please contact your county elections official.
Secretary of State's student poll worker recruitment flyer
State Employees
Government Code section 19844.7, allows state employees to take time off, without loss of pay, to serve
as poll workers on Election Day.
Regulations:
- Employee shall be eligible for both regular state compensation and the fee paid by the
Registrar of Voters for serving as a poll worker.
- Eligibility of a state employee to serve at the polls is subject
to approval by the employee's manager or supervisor.
- Employee seeking release time to work at the polls shall provide sufficient notice
to allow department to maintain adequate coverage and meet operational needs.
- Verification of service as a poll worker on Election Day may be required by the
appointing authority by requiring the employee to provide written verification of service
from the Registrar of Voters, including the name of the employee serving and the date of the
election.
View a list of state agencies in your county.
For more information, please contact your county elections official.
Poll Worker Training Standards
Elections Code section 12309.5, requires the Secretary of State to adopt uniform poll worker training standards. These 2010 revised standards reflect lessons learned and changes in state law that have taken effect since the original standards were published in 2006.
2010 Poll Worker Training Standards (pdf ~326KB)
Historical information on Poll Worker Training
