Benton County Needs Election Workers

Sunday, January 19, 2014

BENTONVILLE — Election officials want additional poll workers to staff voting sites as the number of voting precincts in Benton County increases this year.

“Basically it’s because we had to reduce the size of our precincts down to no more than 3,000 voters,” John Brown Jr., Election Commission chairman, said of the need for more poll workers. “We need precinct workers and sheriffs to do the job right and we need to train them before they have to work an election.”

Web Watch

Poll Workers

Application forms for poll workers are available on the Benton County website at www.bentoncountyar.gov in the Election Commission; Poll workers section under the Departments tab.

Source: Staff Report


At A Glance

Benton County Election Officials

Election officials must be 18 or older, be a registered voter and live in Benton County. Election officials work on a part-time basis as needed and are paid $8 an hour. Benton County is looking for:

• Early voting workers who work from Monday through Saturday but no more than 40 hours in a week.

• Election day precinct workers who work on Tuesdays only.

• Election day field techs who work on Tuesdays only.

For more information, call the Benton County Election Commission at 479-271-1049.

Source: Staff Report

Kim Dennison, county election coordinator, said she would like to have another 150 new poll workers and sheriffs. The county will need at least 127 additional workers, in addition to the approximately 460 it now has, for the 2014 elections.

“We have to have 127 to do the job and make it function,” Dennison said. “To be comfortable, we’d like to have 150.”

The county has completed work on redrawing precinct lines as required by Act 1211 of 2013, Dennison said. That law, which capped the size of precincts at 3,000 voters, caused the county to increase the number of precincts from 57 to 73.

Tara Douglas has worked as a poll worker and precinct sheriff for several years. She said people should look into volunteering for the jobs. She said she did and has enjoyed the experience.

“It certainly is not difficult, as long as you follow their instructions,” she said. “The instruction books are so precise. They have everything written down for you. And they’re not going to put you in a precinct where there are all new people. There’s always going to be someone there you can ask.”

Sandy Quam is another poll worker who has enjoyed her experience, which includes working the last two presidential elections. She said she began when she was between jobs and has continued with the poll work even after returning to work.

“I had just been laid off and I when I walked into vote there was a note on the table that said they were looking for poll workers,” Quam said. “I thought it was a chance to do my civic duty and it was something I had the time to do.”

The application process was simple and the training was very good, Quam said.

“They were very hands-on with the voting machines,” she said. “The trainers were very patient and there’s a manual that you get to take with you to use as a quick reference if you have questions.”

Quam said working elections is both enjoyable and rewarding.

“You make a little extra money and you get to get out of the house,” she said. “You get to see all the people from your area when they come in to vote. I think it’s fun. That’s why I still do it. It’s also very rewarding when you see 1,700 people go through there who get to vote and for the most part they’re happy.”