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<p>Due to vacancies, Luzerne County is seeking registered voters to work in some polling places in the May 21 primary election.</p><p>Like many other jurisdictions throughout Pennsylvania, the county typically has a shortage of workers, said county Election Director Marisa Crispell.</p><p>Each of the county&#8217;s 180 election districts must have a separate board with one judge of elections and two inspectors, Crispell said. Both the judge and inspector positions are elected, and sometimes nobody runs, she said.</p><p>In addition, each district usually has at least one clerk and machine operator, with more added in high-traffic districts, she said.</p><p>&#8220;Even though I might have two districts voting in the same building, each must have separate boards to run their election,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Vacancies also arise because voters are interested in working but must miss an election due to a vacation or illness, she said.</p><p>The election office has started cross-training workers so a district is not stuck if an emergency vacancy occurs, Crispell said.</p><p>Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.</p><p>Workers must arrive at the polling place at 6 a.m. to ensure proper set-up and opening of the voting systems. After closing, workers must stay with other board members until tabulation is completed, she said.</p><p>The pay is $100 for clerks, $125 for machine operators and inspectors and $150 for judges.</p><p>Although more openings may develop, the office currently needs the following workers in eight municipalities, Crispell said: Dupont, clerk and machine operator; Duryea, inspector; Hazleton, various positions in multiple polling places; Hughestown, clerk and possibly a judge; Larksville, judge and inspectors; Nescopeck Township, judge; Pittston, various vacant positions; and Wilkes-Barre Township, machine operator and inspector.</p><p>Training sessions will be held before the election.</p><p>Visit the election page at <a href="https://www.luzernecounty.org/1093/Election-Day-Poll-Workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.luzernecounty.org</a> for more information on the duties and to apply online.</p><p>Clerks and machine operators can work outside their district of residency if they are willing to travel and vote by absentee ballot, Crispell said. </p><p>Judges and inspectors should reside in the district where they are assigned, but Crispell said her office must rely on an outside worker if no residents are available.</p><p>After the primary, Crispell said she plans to send postcards to faithful voters in districts with poll worker vacancies urging them to consider signing up for election day work.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County Courthouse </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_luzcocourthouse01.jpg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County Courthouse </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County needs election day poll workers, director said