Who counts the votes in the general election? These are the officials responsible for counting your ballot
Election officials play an important role in protecting the electoral process. They make sure ballots are cast fairly and are counted correctly.
The presidential election is only two weeks away, and while the candidates take center stage, there are thousands of poll workers who work behind the scenes to make sure Americans are able to cast their ballot fairly and votes are counted correctly.
After the disputed 2020 presidential elections, local officials and volunteers received a lot of public attention and sympathy, especially after they were harassed by people who falsely claimed the elections were rigged.
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Who counts the votes in the general election? These are the officials responsible for counting your ballot
Come election time, voters entrust their ballots to local election workers, who need to meet some requirements to perform their tasks. There are different kinds of election staff, but majority of them are poll workers.
Poll workers
These workers are recruited temporarily to fulfill duties on election day as well as the days leading up to it. They are responsible for managing polling places during the elections.
Their duties include setting up polling stations, checking in voters, verifying voter eligibility, issuing ballots, assisting people with the voting process, and counting ballots, among other responsibilities.
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They go by different titles, depending on the state or county. They may be called election judges, inspectors, election clerks, or booth workers.
Many poll workers are volunteers, and need to fulfill some requirements to carry out the work needed, such as being a registered voter, complying with a minimum age, residency mandates, and undergoing training. Requirements vary from state to state.
Some areas have had difficulties recruiting poll workers because of the possibility they would receive death threats.
Election officials
These workers are professional election officials, usually hired by a county, city, or state election board. They oversee the administration of elections and manage poll workers, the election process, voter registration, and vote-counting procedures. They often have responsibilities aside from election administration, and work all-year-round.