How to Become a Poll Worker, State by State

An election worker is an essential component to every polling place location on Election Day.

We at Ms. have done our best to find the most specific information on how to begin the poll worker application process. Our information is organized state by state, but the process for becoming a poll worker is different for every county and voting territory.

If you’re still having trouble finding information specific to your community, sign up with Power the Polls, look up your county via Work Elections or consider contacting your county clerk directly.

ALABAMA

  • Pay: $50-70 a day for adults, plus an unpaid student internship.
  • Time Commitment: unspecified.
  • Apply here.

ALASKA

  • Pay: $12 an hour statewide.
  • Time Commitment: 16+ hours on Election Day.
  • Apply here.

ARIZONA

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: about 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
  • Apply here.

ARKANSAS

  • Pay: $10 an hour statewide.
  • Time Commitment: Approximately 13 hours a day.
  • Arkansas FAQ on poll workers.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

CALIFORNIA

  • Pay: Varies by county, $95-140 average (student workers receive a $65-150 stipend). 
  • Time Commitment: about 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
  • California poll worker information.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

COLORADO

  • Pay: Varies by county, likely between $13-17 an hour. 
  • Time Commitment: about 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
  • Colorado poll worker information.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

CONNECTICUT

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified though some municipalities considered it “volunteering.”
  • Time Commitment: part-time, generally unspecified. 
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

DELAWARE

FLORIDA

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: unspecified.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

GEORGIA

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: unspecified.
  • Georgia poll worker website.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here. Or sign up at SecureVoteGA.com.

HAWAII

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: unspecified.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here, or lookup by state here.

IDAHO

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Long hours on Election Days.
  • Idaho poll worker information.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

ILLINOIS

  • Pay: Paid but it varies by the job—average $140- 200 a day.
  • Time Commitment: About 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

INDIANA

  • Pay: Earn up to $150 depending on the county.
  • Time Commitment: Long hours on Election Days.
  • Indiana poll worker information.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

IOWA

  • Pay: Pay rates vary by county.
  • Time Commitment: About 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Days.
  • Apply here (application at the bottom of the site).

KANSAS

  • Pay: $7.50 to $10.50 an hour depending on the position.
  • Time Commitment: About 4:45 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Days. 
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

KENTUCKY

  • Pay: Minimum of $60 for Election Day.
  • Time Commitment: About 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Election Days. 
  • Kentucky poll worker information.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

LOUISIANA

MAINE

  • Pay: $11-11.50 an hour depending on the position.
  • Time Commitment: 5:30 a.m. until polls close on Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: unspecified.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

MICHIGAN

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified but covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • Time Commitment: unspecified.
  • Apply here by clicking the “Sign Up Here” button.

MINNESOTA

  • Pay: You may choose to be paid or volunteer—wages vary by city.
  • Time Commitment: About 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your application and county officials’ contact information here.

MISSISSIPPI

  • Pay: $75 on Election Days or more depending on the position.
  • Time Commitment: Long hours on Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here. Or, search for your region here.

MISSOURI

  • Pay: Ranges from $64 to $100 for Election Days.
  • Time Commitment: Before 6 a.m. to after 7 p.m. on Election Days, split shifts allowed.
  • Apply here.

MONTANA

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Unspecified.
  • Montana poll worker information.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

NEBRASKA

  • Pay: Paid but it varies by county—starts at minimum wage.
  • Time Commitment: 12+ hour shifts on Election Days.
  • Apply here by filling out the interest form, printing and mailing it to your Secretary of State.

NEVADA

  • Pay: $150 for an Election Day (early voting workers paid by the hour).
  • Time Commitment: unspecified hours.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here by scrolling down to “NACO County Directory.”

NEW HAMPSHIRE

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Not specified.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here. Or, search for your region here.

NEW JERSEY

  • Pay: Paid but must fill out a reimbursement form—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Not specified.
  • New Jersey poll worker information.
  • Apply by filling out the application here and mailing it to your county election officials. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

NEW MEXICO

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: 14+ hour days on Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. Click here, then scroll down to select your county. Or contact one of your elected officials.

NEW YORK

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Needed Election Days, unspecified hours.
  • Apply here.

NORTH CAROLINA

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Unspecified hours.
  • North Carolina poll worker information.
  • Indicate your interest in becoming a poll worker by filling out the form here. Or you may contact your county election officials directly—you can find their contact information here.

NORTH DAKOTA

  • Pay: Pay varies by county, around $13 an hour in most.
  • Time Commitment: Whole Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can search for your county officials’ contact information here.

OHIO

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can search for your county officials’ contact information here.

OKLAHOMA

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Not specified.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here. Or, search for your region here.

OREGON

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Not specified 
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

Note: Oregon only accepts mail-in ballots so very few traditional poll workers are used.

PENNSYLVANIA

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Entirety Election Days from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
  • Pennsylvania poll worker information.
  • Indicate your interest in becoming a poll worker by filling out the form here. Or you may contact your county election officials directly—you can find their contact information here.

RHODE ISLAND

  • Pay: Pay varies by city and town.
  • Time Commitment: Unspecified hours.
  • To apply, fill out the application here and mail (or email) it to your local election officials. You can find your officials’ contact information here.

SOUTH CAROLINA

  • Pay: Pay varies by county.
  • Time Commitment: Minimum of 12 hours on Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information via your county website here.

SOUTH DAKOTA

  • Pay: Pay ranges from $125-225 depending on the election.
  • Time Commitment: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Days, 14 hour days sometimes.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information via your county website here.

TENNESSEE

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified. 
  • Time Commitment: Unspecified hours.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information via your county website here.

TEXAS

  • Pay: Varies depending on the county—typically $10 an hour.
  • Time Commitment: 12+ hours a day on Election Day, not exceeding 40 hours a week.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

UTAH

  • Pay: Paid but it varies by county—around $125-160 a day. 
  • Time Commitment: About 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Election Days.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information via their website here.

VERMONT

  • Pay: Pay varies depending on the county—around $11-13 an hour.
  • Time Commitment: Variety of shifts available.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your town clerk/county officials’ contact information by searching here.

VIRGINIA

  • Pay: Pay varies depending on the county—around $175 for a full Election Day.
  • Time Commitment: Election Days 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Apply here.

WASHINGTON

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Unspecified, but training is a significant time commitment.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.

WEST VIRGINIA

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Unspecified hours. 
  • Apply here.

WISCONSIN

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Days; split shifts are available in many counties.
  • Wisconsin poll worker information.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information via their website here.

WYOMING

  • Pay: Paid—amount unspecified.
  • Time Commitment: Unspecified hours.
  • Wyoming poll worker information.
  • To apply, contact your county election office. You can find your county officials’ contact information here.