With just two days remaining before Americans go to the polls and early voting now closed in many states, thoughts begin to turn to Election Day, when vote centers will experience the most intense demands. The 2024 presidential election is not likely to reach levels seen in 2020 but outpace levels seen in 2012 and 2016.

Central to proceedings are the poll workers who ensure that voters can make their voices heard as efficiently and safely as possible, a particularly important task this year. Most workers are part-time, temporary employees hired by local election officials to work at polling places around Election Day, with each local body deciding exactly how much they get paid.

Are there fixed rates for polling center employers?

Although workers are all part of a national effort to get the votes collected and counted, the amount they get paid varies from state to state and even county to county. The exact role can also vary across the country, with some doubling up as vote counters once the last ballot has been received.

To reflect their different roles, poll workers are given different job titles, with poll workers also known as election clerks, election judges, inspectors, or commissioners in different parts of the US. Over 644,000 poll workers supported election officials in 2022, and a greater number are expected to be working on Tuesday.

How much do poll workers get paid in each state?

The method varies between states, with some setting a minimum hourly wage and others opting for daily compensation, but local authorities can, and often do, pay more to ensure they have enough staff.

Of the states to offer a daily stipend to poll workers, 13 of them have a minimum amount of less than $100 a day:

Another seven areas (five states and two territories) guarantee poll workers a minimum daily stipend of at least $100 a day:

In eleven states poll workers are entitled to be paid at the state or federal minimum wage or higher, on an hourly basis:

Three states have designated a specific hourly or daily wage that differs from the minimum wage:

And poll workers in the remaining states and one territory are not bound by a state-defined minimum wage or daily stipend, leaving the decision of payment entirely in the hands of local election officials:

Opportunities to volunteer have likely passed, but you can always check with your county election office on Monday to see if they require any additional assistance.