With every election that takes place, thousands of Americans come out to cast their vote for the candidate of their choice. Conducting a fair election involves a lot of effort and a huge support team. The U.S Election Assistance Commission encourages people to become election workers on Election Day. Jobs in elections season require people who are focused hardworking, and particularly interested in doing good for society at large.
Election workers are generally paid a small stipend for the work they perform. The primary responsibility of an election worker is registering voters, issuing ballots, monitoring the voter equipment, counting votes, and explaining to voters how to use the voting equipment.
With the presidential election season not too far away, there are a lot of full time and part-time opportunities out there for anyone interested. Let’s take a closer look at the different election jobs available this season.
1) Election Poll Worker
The key responsibility of an election poll worker is to oversee the polling site on election day. They issue ballots, distribute badges, and so on. They also may be required to work long hours, and at times their day can stretch anywhere between 12-14 hours.
The requirements to become an election poll worker are as follows:
- You should be a registered voter in the county where the municipality is.
- You need to pass a basic course in English that requires you to speak, read, and write the language fluently.
Election poll workers can earn anywhere between $150 to $250 on the day of elections though this depends on the level of elections conducted.
2) Communications Coordinator
A communication coordinator is required to write public information material, prepare news releases for the party they represent, take care of internal communications, and so on. The communication coordinator is required to start work at least six months before the voting day. They are supposed to maximize media coverage for the party that they represent in the days prior to the elections.
The basic requirements to become a communication coordinator for election season is:
- A high school diploma or degree in communications specialized in journalism, public relations, or technical writing.
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
3) Polling Outreach Executive
The primary responsibility of the polling outreach executive is to inform and educate the public on how to go about voting. The outreach coordinator should also reach out to senior citizens, college students, and prisoners eligible to vote, to inform them about their voting rights. An outreach coordinator starts work two months before polling day to maximize communication efforts.
You would require the following to become a successful polling outreach coordinator:
- A high school diploma or any outreach or social work experience.
- Excellent customer service skills and strong communication.
4) Technology Specialist
The role of a technology specialist is to record and maintain the voter database and keep voter privacy intact. Additional responsibilities for a technology specialist can include tech repairs maintaining audio ballots, and so on.
You would require the following to be a successful Election Technology Specialist:
- Knowledge or work experience in operating various software.
- A high school diploma in science or a bachelor’s degree in computer technology.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you are unemployed or want to do something different in your life, Jobs in the election season can be an outstanding learning experience. You might get to meet leaders of the state, deal with senior politicians, and interact with several diplomats. You should definitely consider these jobs not only are they a great experience, but they also have a lot of value if you want to tighten your CV.