Help wanted: apply at Board of Elections

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 18, 2003

It takes a lot of manpower to organize and execute an election.

The law requires each of the county's 84 precincts to have four poll workers, two Democrat and two Republican, to operate the precinct the entire time the polling place is open.

Lawrence County Board of Elections Director Mary Wipert is putting out the "Help Wanted" sign well in time for the 2004 primary. Wipert said many of the faithful workers who have been dependable all these years are getting older. Still others may be intimidated by the new touch-screen system that is expected to replace the punch card system during the March primary. Wipert said she is not sure how many new workers she will need.

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Qualifications are few."You need to be a registered voter and be willing to take the mandatory training," Wipert said.

Workers are paid for their time, and the state legislature may opt to increase that amount. Still, Wipert said the money should not be a motivating factor in drawing prospective poll workers.

"I'd like for people to think of it as a civic duty," she said. "It is a long day."

Those who are interested may call the Board of Elections at 532-0444.