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PARKERSBURG -- With the 2024 General Election coming in November, both local and state officials are beginning the work to recruit poll workers to help conduct the election.
With the election for U.S. President, a U.S. Senator and two positions in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as governor and a number of state and local positions, the state will be in need of people to man the polls.
West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner announced this week that the National Poll Worker Recruitment Day is set for Aug. 1 in cooperation with the state's county clerks, including Wood County Clerk Joe Gonzales; the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission (EAC); and other states in a national poll worker recruitment effort.
The National Poll Worker Recruitment Day is a national effort to address the ongoing need for poll workers and to inspire civic engagement, according to a press release from Warner's office. Warner's administration has been recognized nationally for its efforts over the last seven years for working with veterans groups, the West Virginia Board of Realtors, and students to recruit poll workers, the release added.
"Poll workers are critical to facilitating the election process and instilling confidence in voters," Warner said. "To ensure that we have accessible, safe, and accurate elections we need to fully staff every polling place with trained poll workers."
Currently there are 1,704 voting precincts throughout West Virginia, which requires more than 8,000 poll workers to adequately, safely, and securely manage those precincts on election day, according to Warner.
Gonzales said his office is aware of the recruitment day efforts as the Wood County Clerk's Office is on the lookout for potential poll workers throughout the year who would be able to work across the county's 71 voting precincts during both the May Primary and the November General Election.
"We call people who have been poll workers in the past," Gonzales said. " We are going to advertise it again.
"In September we are going to set up appointments with the schools to try to get students to help out as poll workers for the election."
During the primary in May, the Wood County Clerk's Office actually had some poll workers who came to the county through the schools and were able to work during the election.
"I think they enjoyed it and really learned a lot," Gonzales said. "We are hoping we can get some younger people involved.
"We are doing this throughout the year."
They will be going to a number of civic organizations to see if they have people who would be interested in being poll workers.
Back in May on the day before the Primary, they had 18 poll workers call off and they were scrambling to fill the poll worker spots, Gonzales said. They had alternates and all 15 of his staff were out in the field as poll workers.
Gonzales said they have to have people who are registered Republicans, Democrats, non-partisan, Mountain or other political parties
"We have more Rs than Ds so we are also looking for non-partisans," he said. "We try to fill equal amounts. If we don't have that we try to recruit or we place a non-partisan or Mountain or whoever might be available.
"It is getting more difficult to fill all of the slots in our precincts with poll workers."
Wood County needs 307 poll workers to conduct the election, but they are looking for people to be alternates as there are regularly people who might call in sick or something happens where they can't serve.
Before the election, the Wood County Clerk's Office does a week of training in the evening for the different jobs, whether it is a poll worker, poll commissioner or a ballot commissioner.
People get paid to be poll workers. People get paid $25 for the training session, $175 to work Election Day and the people who deliver the ballots to the courthouse are paid an extra $10.
"Being a paid poll worker is a great way to participate in our democracy right here in West Virginia," Warner said in his release. "The most secure way to cast a confidential election ballot, free and clear of any undue influence or intimidation, is to do so at a polling place staffed by trained poll workers selected by the political parties. Ensuring there are enough poll workers to assist voters is always a priority for the Secretary of State's Office and the county clerks."
Gonzales said Wood County has been fortunate with its poll workers and he felt the primary went smoothly because of the people they had out.
"We have had excellent poll workers," he said. "Wood County has been fortunate that we have a lot of dedicated citizens who are willing to work and they came in and did a great job for us in the primary.
"They provide a great service and we are fortunate to have each and every one of them come and help us on Election Day."
Poll workers in West Virginia must be registered voters. Individuals who volunteer to be poll workers in their home county are paid an amount set by the county commission for their services.
Warner is asking any registered West Virginia voter who would like to learn more about becoming a poll worker for the upcoming November 5 General Election to complete the short and easy Poll Worker Application (at https://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/PollWorkers/Register) on or before August 1.
For additional information on elections in West Virginia including voter registration and absentee ballots, people are encouraged to contact their local county clerk or visit the Secretary of State's secure website at GoVoteWV.com.
People can also call the Wood County Clerk's Office at 304-424-1860.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com