Luzerne County urgently seeking May 16 primary election poll workers

Luzerne County Election Director Eryn Harvey has issued a plea for citizens willing to serve as poll workers on primary election day, May 16.

The need is particularly pressing in Wilkes-Barre Township’s Ward 2 because no poll workers are currently signed up, Harvey said.

In addition to Wilkes-Barre Township, she estimated a total 40 to 50 poll workers are needed in Dupont, Exeter, Hazleton, Nanticoke, Plymouth, West Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre and the townships of Bear Creek, Hanover, Hazle, Jenkins and Slocum.

Poll worker vacancies have been an issue for years, not only here, but the county has a particular challenge with 186 precincts that each must be staffed with clerks, machine operators, inspectors and judges, Harvey said.

With the primary less than three weeks away, the bureau’s administrative assistants have been proactively contacting past poll workers to verify their availability to serve on May 16, she said.

Harvey encouraged interested residents from any municipality to apply in case last-minute assignments are necessary. If the bureau is unable to secure poll workers residing in a voting precinct to fill vacancies, workers from outside the precinct must be requested, she said.

Judges of election receive a $200 base pay plus $20 when they return all election materials and $20 for undergoing training, Harvey said. Other workers receive $195 plus $20 for training.

All new workers must complete training.

Training is ongoing, and the bureau added more classes, she said. If necessary, Harvey said she will personally train poll workers added close to the election to ensure they are prepared.

New procedures have been added for the primary because the bureau is using hand-marked paper ballots at polling places instead of electronic ballot marking devices, although a device must still be set up in each precinct for those with disabilities.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Workers must arrive at the polling place at 6 a.m. to ensure proper set-up and opening of the voting systems.

Residents interested in working on Election Day can fill out the online application through the election department poll worker link at luzernecounty.org, email elections@luzernecounty.org or contact the election bureau at 570-825-1715.

In other updates, Harvey said primary election mail ballots were in production to be sent out and should hit mail boxes in the next few days.

Four ballot drop boxes have been set up, with locations and hours posted under the primary election section of the election page at luzernecounty.org.