Agenda

Back to Calendar Return

Regular Agenda Item 3. K.

Regular BOS Meeting

Meeting Date:	11/01/2022
Submitted For:	Eric Mariscal	Submitted By:	Erin Miller, Elections Assistant
Department:	Elections

Information

Request/Subject

Approval of pay increase for Gila County Poll Workers.

Background Information

The pay for poll workers in Gila County has not been adjusted since 2008. In order to conduct successful elections poll workers are essential. A poll worker in Gila County works an average of 16 hours on Elections Day and spends three hours in training prior to the election.

Evaluation

The Gila County Elections department uses approximately 121 poll workers on Election Day. This includes 21 Inspectors and 100 ID clerks, provisional clerks, ballot judges, and marshals. The current pay rate is $145 per day for Inspectors and $105 per day for all other workers.

Inspectors work a total of 15 hours on Election Day and attend 5 hours of training for a total of 20 hours. All other poll worker positions work 15 hours on Election Day and attend 3 hours of training for a total of 18 hours. This current pay rate when broken into hours equates to $7.25/hour for Inspectors and $5.83/hour for all other workers.

An increase in the pay rate to minimum wage ($12.80/hour) would lead to an increase in pay to $256 for Inspectors and $230.40 for all other workers.

The overall costs of paying poll workers for working an election would increase from $13,545 to $28,416.

By increasing the poll worker pay to at least the minimum wage per hour worked would allow the Gila County Elections Department to acquire a larger and possibly more diverse pool of poll workers.

Conclusion

In order to perform successful elections the Gila County Elections Department needs to be able to recruit poll workers from a broad range of our citizenry. The ability for a citizen to apply to work the polls with adequate compensation would allow a broader range of potential poll workers to be fielded in future county elections. The current pay rate does not allow for this to occur. It is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit poll workers in todays economy. The desire to be a poll worker is there, but without compensation that is at least the minimum wage our recruitment efforts will fall short and put us in a position

Recommendation

The Gila County Elections Department Director recommends the Gila County Board of Supervisors approve a pay increase for Poll Workers as follows: 21 Inspectors from a rate of $145/day to a new rate of $12.80/hour, for 20 hours, for a total of $256 each worker per election; and approximately a combined 100 ID clerks, Provisional Clerks, Ballot Judges, and Marshals from a pay rate of $105/day to a new rate of $12.80/hour, for 18 hours, for a total of $230.40 each worker per election.

Suggested Motion

Information/Discussion/Action to increase poll worker pay to the following minimum wage rates; 21 Inspectors at a rate of $12.80/hour, for 20 hours, for a total of $256 per day for each worker per election; and approximately a combined number of 100 ID clerks, Provisional Clerks, Ballot Judges, and Marshals at a rate of $12.80/hour, for 18 hours, for a total of $230.40 per day for each worker per election. (Eric Mariscal)

Attachments
Pay Rate
Poll Worker Pay
2019 Poll Worker Pay