Montgomery County election officials say they are hoping to recruit more poll workers as the number of them has decreased due to a lack of interest.
Poll workers have kept busy all day Tuesday across Ohio. Ilona Ratliff has been a poll worker for the past 20 years.
“It’s something to do,” Ratliff said. “And because I’m retired.”
But the number of people working the polls like Ratliff has been dropping, according to officials. Ratliff’s polling place at Cox Arboretum has one-third fewer poll workers than a few years ago, she said, with eight people working there this year compared to a dozen in previous years.
“We are seeing an increased need in our recruiting of precinct election officials to work at our 173 locations,” said Jan Kelly, board of elections director for Montgomery County.
Kelly said she is not sure why fewer people are interested in becoming poll workers. But she said the board of elections can’t do it alone, and poll workers are a crucial part of the process.
“It’s a great day for people to work for our democracy,” Kelly said. “It’s important. We have a right to vote, and we’d love to have people help us exercise in our community that right.”
Kelly said her office is incredibly grateful to the people that serve as poll workers.
Officials are looking for poll workers for the November election. For more information, click here.
