Sedgwick County in need of election workers; How to become one

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — The Sedgwick County Election Office is in need of election workers.

“We are short 100 to 150 election workers,” said Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater. “We’re somewhere between 500 and 550, and we need around 650.”

She says the Office is in need of election workers due to the three new satellite early voting sites, as well as the 17 new election-day polling sites.

Rainwater says it is a struggle to get people interested.

“It’s a long day, I’m not going to lie. It’s a 14-hour day. Election workers have to be at their polling site at 4:45 in the morning, and they don’t get home until 8 at night,” said Rainwater.

The position pays $8.50 an hour for election workers and $11 for supervising judges.

“It’s not much pay. I wish it were more,” said Rainwater. “Most people that are election workers don’t do it for the money. They do it out of service for their community and service for their country.”

There is a required four hour paid training.

“They do about an hour and a half of classroom training which we go over the policies, procedures, election statutes, what poll workers can and can’t do, what they can and can’t wear, what they can say. And then the final two and a half hours is actually working on the poll pads, learning how to operate the poll pads and all this election equipment,” said Rainwater.

She says the County is recruiting students.

“Any student that’s over 16 that has not yet turned 18 can also work the polls. They just have to have parental consent and a note from their school,” said Rainwater.

Rainwater said the position is good for college students wanting to make some extra spending money.

To be eligible to be an election worker, you:

Must be a registered voter in Sedgwick County or a 16 or 17-year-old who is otherwise eligible to register to vote, except for not yet being of legal age

Must be available to work on Election Day between 4:45 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. or until all of the closing procedures have been completed

Must be available to attend mandatory Election Worker Training each year

A full day shift for an election worker is 4:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., or until all closing duties are completed. A full day shift for supervising judges is from 4:45 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. or until all closing duties are completed and supplies are returned to the Election Office.

If you are interested in serving as an election worker, you may contact the SCEO by calling 316-660-7119 or by emailing [email protected]. Click here to become an election worker.