Poll Workers

Important Links

• Election Day Poll Worker Application
• EasyVote Poll Worker Management
• Poll Worker Online Training
• In-Person Training Schedule for First Timers
• Election Equipment Open Houses
• Early Voting Poll Worker Training
• Paycheck Distribution Schedule

Requirements

• Must be 18 years old
• Minors ages 16-17 may work up to 8 hours on Election Day
• Must be a registered voter in Union County
• Must read and write English legibly
• Must be able to get to your polling location
• Attend mandatory training when required

Apply to Become a Union County Poll Worker

Election Day Poll Worker Application

Early Voting Poll Worker Application

Rate of Pay

The statutory pay for working an Election Day is $300

You can earn additional money…

• Earn an additional $12.50 for picking up the election supplies for your district.
• Earn an additional $12.50 for returning the election supplies for your district.
• Pick up and drop off of election supplies is coordinated by the municipal clerk in the town in which you are working. 
• Poll Workers working in Elizabeth will pick up their supplies on a first come, first serve basis from the UCBOE 271 No. Broad St., Elizabeth on the Monday before Election Day and return materials to the Elizabeth Municipal Clerk’s Office.

Responsibilities

• Help your community exercise their right to vote in Union County!!!
• Work the June Primary Election and the November General Election
• Work 5:15 am – 8:15 pm (approx.)
• Open and close the polls on time
• Open, operate and close the voting machines and electronic poll books
• Set up your polling place
• Process voters

Training & Rate of Pay

Pursuant to state statute, poll worker training is required every two years.  If you do not attend training when you are required, your pay is reduced.

In March 2022, the Governor signed legislation increasing poll worker pay to $300 for the day.  This new law also addresses poll worker pay for poll workers who are required to come to training, but fail to do so.  As has always been the case, training is required every two years.

The statute states “in the case of any member of the board who is required … to attend in a given year a training program for district board members, but who fails to attend such a training program in that year, that compensation shall be commensurate with the State minimum wage for each of those elections.” 

The new pay rate for poll workers is $21.43 per hour (or $300 for the day).  If you are required to attend training, but do not attend training and work the polls, you will be paid at a rate of $14 per hour on Election Day in 2023.  The minimum wage will increase to $15 per hour in 2024.

In person training is mandatory for First Time Poll Workers.  Seasoned poll workers may train virtually or in-person.  Virtual training is encouraged, but not required, prior to each election for all poll workers.

Online Poll Worker Application

Online Training

The Board of Elections is pleased to announce a NEW & IMPROVED virtual training platform in an effort to be more accessible and flexible for our poll workers.

• The platform will be available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. 
• You can review a specific section as often as you wish to ensure you understand all aspects of your duties on Election Day! 
• You can reference all materials on your mobile device on Election Day in the event you need additional support while things are happening!
• Videos have been added to show you how to interact with your voters and how to perform your functions well.
• Assessments are included so you can gauge your understanding of certain topics.

Mandatory Poll Worker Training

Pursuant to state statute, poll worker training is required every two years.  If you do not attend training when you are required, your pay is reduced.

In March 2022, the Governor signed legislation increasing poll worker pay to $300 for the day.  This new law also addresses poll worker pay for poll workers who are required to come to training, but fail to do so.  As has always been the case, training is required every two years.

The statute states “in the case of any member of the board who is required … to attend in a given year a training program for district board members, but who fails to attend such a training program in that year, that compensation shall be commensurate with the State minimum wage for each of those elections.” 

The new pay rate for poll workers is $21.41 per hour (or $300 for the day).  If you are required to attend training, but do not attend training and work the polls, you will be paid at a rate of $13 per hour on Election Day in 2022.  The minimum wage will increase to $14 per hour in 2023 and $15 per hour in 2024.

In-Person / First Timer Training

Space and Training Sessions are limited. In-Person training is required for First Time Poll Workers. Seasoned poll workers who need to train every two years are encouraged to train online, but may also train in person.

Also, we encourage you to attend the Election Equipment Open Houses if you would like to get hands-on experience with the voting machines and electronic poll books, without attending a formal presentation.

Training Requirement

Pursuant to State Statute, each new poll worker must receive training prior to working on Election Day and every two years thereafter. First timers must train in person. Please allow approximately 2 hours for training. If you are not on time, you will be asked to leave and attend another training.

Register for Training

Please do not leave training until the last possible moment; you may be turned away due to space restrictions. You can reserve your seat online at our poll worker website. Once you are a confirmed poll worker, you will receive an email to register for the EasyVote Poll Worker Management System. Once you have registered, you can access the portal by clicking here to register for training, confirm your availability for election day, get pay schedule information and more.

Nicole L. DiRado, Administrator
Union County Board of Elections

Early Voting Poll Worker Training Schedule for Early Voting Team Members

Training Dates

Registration link on the top of this page.

• Tuesday, May 23, 2023
  • 12:30pm – 1:30pm Union Township Senior Center, 652 Rahway Avenue, Union Twp.
• Wednesday, May 31, 2023
  • 6:00pm – 7:30pm Union County Emergency Services Building, 535 Laurel Avenue, Roselle Park

We look forward to seeing you at the training!

General Election Early Voting Dates

• Check back for 2023 updates

Election Equipment Open Houses

The Election Board is hosting election equipment open houses for seasoned poll workers and first timers who would like to better familiarize themselves with the ExpressVote XL Voting Machine and the NEW Electronic Poll Book.

• This is not a formal, required training session.
• The voting machines and electronic poll books will be available for poll workers to train.
• Staff will be available to answer any questions you may have.
• Capacity within the room will be limited.
• There will not be a formal training presentation. 
• Attending an Open House does not fulfill the training requirement.
• You may come at any time during the hours posted and stay for a long, or as short of a time, as you would like.

We hope you find this to be a helpful exercise in better preparing you for Election Day!  If you have any questions, please call us at 908-527-4236. Thank you in advance for your kind attention and your continued cooperation.

• Monday, May 22, 2023
  • 4pm – 6pm Mountainside Municipal Building, Community Room 1385 Route 22 East
• Wednesday, May 31, 2023
  • 12pm – 2pm Plainfield Public Library, 800 Park Avenue
• Wednesday, May 31, 2023
  • 10am – 2pm Union County Emergency Services Building, 535 Laurel Avenue, Roselle Park
• Thursday, June 1, 2023
  • 3pm – 7pm Union County Emergency Services Building, 535 Laurel Avenue, Roselle Park
• Friday, June 2, 2023
  • 1pm – 4pm Union County Emergency Services Building, 535 Laurel Avenue, Roselle Park
• Saturday, June 3, 2023
  • 10am – 2pm Union County Board of Elections, 271 No. Broad Street, Elizabeth
• Sunday, June 4, 2023
  • 10am – 2pm Union County Board of Elections, 271 No. Broad Street, Elizabeth

EasyVote Poll Worker Management

The Union County Board of Elections is pleased to announce that we have integrated a new poll worker management system.  The new system, EasyVote, allows you to create a profile within our system so you can register for training classes, update contact information, confirm your availability to work on Election Day and get your assignment information.  Rest assured, no confidential information is stored in the system.

You should have received an initial, personalized email which contains an individualized link, and your initial User ID & Password for our Poll Worker portal; You will need to enter your First Name, Last Name, and Voter ID number.  We recommend that you copy and paste from the email you received. 

Once you have gone through the initial registration, you can create your own username and password and access the site through the following link:

unioncountynj.easypollworker.com/

Poll Worker Paycheck Distribution Schedules and Paycheck Messenger Designee