Clerk of Court Holli Vining recently conducted two training workshops for election poll workers, one in Minden on September 18 and another in Springhill on September 26. The sessions aimed to prepare workers for the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for November 5.
To be eligible to serve as a poll worker, individuals must be registered voters, able to vote without assistance, and willing to work from 5 AM to 9 PM on election day. Additionally, applicants must be open to serving in any precinct within the parish and must not be law enforcement officers.
Compensation for each election worked is $200, and workers are selected by random drawing. To become a certified poll worker, candidates must pass a brief, open-book test.
“We have 177 total commissioners, and 20 of those are new,” Vining said. “However, we are down 31 commissioners from our previous pool.” She added that not all certified workers would be available for the presidential election due to its Tuesday date, as many may be unable to take off work.
Vining is hopeful more commissioners will be certified before the election and noted that new applicants are accepted year-round. Anyone interested in becoming certified should contact the Clerk of Court’s office for more information.
As the November election approaches, the training ensures that Webster Parish will have a well-prepared team of poll workers to facilitate a smooth voting process.
