What’s the difference between Poll Worker & Poll Watcher?
Poll Worker:
Nonpartisan, Paid (Clerks, Judges, Inspectors, Checker, Precinct Worker)
Poll Watcher:
Partisan, Volunteer (Observers, Monitors, Challengers)
PENNSYLVANIA
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
To be a poll worker (Judge, Majority & Minority Inspector, Clerks, Machine Operators) You must be 18+, registered to vote in Pennsylvania, resident of election district for 30+ days prior to the election. $100+ To signup, contact your County Election Office.
HOW POLL WORKERS ARE CHOSEN:
Judges & Inspectors elected at municipal elections; not of same political party & serve 4 years. Judge of elections and the majority & minority inspectors manage polling places, keep track of number of voters & make sure returns are delivered to county election office at end of day;
Clerks & Machine operators are appointed by inspectors – Help check-in voters, manage the lines & make sure voters know where to go at each step in voting.
**Overseers: Must be qualified to serve on an election board, no training needed. 2 ‘judicious sober & intelligent voters’ of district of different political parties. 5 or more voters must petition appointing overseers is a reasonable precaution to secure purity & fairness of election.
Contact your County Election Office:
- Find your County Election Office here.
POLL WATCHER INFO
Each candidate for nomination or election at any election shall be entitled to appoint two watchers for each election district in which such candidate is voted for. Each political party and each political body which has nominated candidates in accordance with the provisions of this act, shall be entitled to appoint three watchers at any general, municipal or special election for each election district in which the candidates of such party or political body are to be voted for. Such watchers shall serve without expense to the county. Each watcher so appointed must be a qualified registered elector of the county in which the election district for which the watcher was appointed is located.
Who is Authorized to Challenge a Voter’s Eligibility on Election Day?
Any person, although personally registered as an elector, may be challenged by any qualified elector, election officer, overseer, or watcher at any primary or election as to his identity, as to his continued residence in the election district or as to any alleged violation of the provisions of section 1210.
Resources for Pennsylvania:
- Retweetable Tweet with links for Pennsylvania here.
- Shareable FB post & downloadable graphic here.
- GoogleDoc here.
POLL WORKER (and Poll Watcher) Requirements & links to sign-up in All 50 States, STATE BY STATE Including:
- QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
- HOW POLL WORKERS ARE CHOSEN
- POLL WATCHER INFO;
- Who is Authorised to Challenge a Voter’s Eligibility on Election Day?
- & Links to retweetable TWEETS & shareable FB Posts for each State
- Twitter THREAD with links here.
- Facebook shareable Album with downloadable graphics here.
- On the Postcards for America website here.
- On the Unhack the Vote Website here.
