NPR: How To Sign Up To Work The Polls On Election Day

If you’ve ever voted in-person, you’ve been helped by a poll worker: they’ve checked you in and pointed you in the right direction to cast your ballot. Maybe it was your retired neighbor, even a family member or former teacher, greeting you at the polls year after year.

This year, many of those folks are avoiding public spaces.

Risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, and in the 2018 general election, 58% of poll workers were 61 or older, according to the Election Assistance Commission. Over a quarter of them were 71 or older.

“In normal circumstances, election officials find it very difficult to have enough poll workers to run elections,” says Sylvia Albert, Director of Voting and Elections at the watchdog group Common Cause. This year, she says, “the problem is exponentially larger.” …

Don’t forget to bring snacks and wear comfortable clothes and shoes, says Albert at Common Cause. You’ll also want to bring a charger or battery backup for your phone.

This year, states and cities will usually supply PPE for poll workers — but, as always, bringing your own mask and taking COVID-19 precautions is a good idea, to keep people around you safe and healthy.

Don’t forget to enjoy it. You’re making democracy happen.