Poll workers play a critical role in elections. Having enough high-quality poll workers in each precinct helps to ensure that polling places operate efficiently and comply with laws protecting voters, cutting down on long waits and errors that can hamper voting. Keeping lines moving also helps maintain social distancing during COVID-19. Although poll workers do not need to be lawyers, lawyers often bring skills and knowledge that can make them particularly effective in these roles.

Volunteers for this project must be residents of Erie County, Pennsylvania.

COVID-19 has made recruiting and retaining poll workers extremely challenging. In typical elections, older people make up a large share of the poll worker population. Because older people are at heightened risk from COVID-19, many counties have fewer residents willing and able to serve as poll workers. Erie County, Pennsylvania has told us they have significant need for this reason.

The Erie County Board of Elections selects its own poll workers, but they need our help to ensure that enough qualified candidates apply. That’s why we seek lawyers who are registered to vote in Erie County, Pennsylvania to serve as poll workers for the June 2, 2020 primary election. All necessary training will be provided.

In addition to serving the voters of Erie County, these volunteers will help us streamline our processes for recruiting potential poll workers, which will allow us to help meet needs in many more counties and states for the general election in November.

Erie County poll workers may be paid up to $130-$155 by the County, and in addition to training from the Erie County Board of Elections, signups will be invited to an optional online info session with Voter Protection Corps senior staff to learn about our nationwide efforts to protect the vote in 2020.