Greenwood County: Recruiting Poll Workers

Were you aware that it takes over 300 people to run the polls in Greenwood County on Election Day during countywide elections? 
 
With what promises to be a very hectic 2022 election season, we are now in the process of recruiting poll workers and poll managers.  
What does a poll worker do?
Poll workers assist voters in their polling locations on Election Day.  Their duties include verifying voter credentials, marking poll lists, activating ballot marking devices, ensuring that voters are properly scanning their ballots, and other duties as assigned by the poll manager.
What does a poll manager do?
The poll manager is responsible for picking up the equipment the day before the election, setting up the polls and returning the equipment to our office once the polls have closed.  A poll manager oversees the poll workers, assigns duties, maintains order in the polling location, ensures voting equipment and ballots are secure at all times, handles provisional and failsafe ballots and all associated paperwork, and ensures that all applicable election laws are followed.
You can access more detailed information regarding poll worker and poll manager duties on our website, as well as review the 2020 Poll Manager Handbook, application and a link to the State Election Commission website.  
The requirements to work the polls in SC are as follows:
1. To be a poll worker, you must be a registered voter in South Carolina.
2. Sixteen and seventeen year-olds may also work the polls.  They are compensated at the same pay rate as adults.
3. To be a manager, you must be a registered voter in Greenwood County or an adjoining county (Abbeville, Edgefield, Laurens, McCormick, or Saluda Counties).
4. Attend a mandated poll worker training class before EACH election.  You can take the training online or in-person depending on your preference. Classes are approximately 2 hours in length.
5. Be willing and able to work the entire day of the election, from approximately 6:30 AM until approximately 7:30 PM.
You may be wondering if you will be compensated for your service on Election Day.  The answer is yes, you will be paid for working the polls on Election Day.  Poll workers are compensated at a rate of $135.00 for Election Day work ($60 for training and $75 for Election Day).  Poll Managers are compensated at a rate of $195.00 for Election Day work ($60 for training and $135 for Election Day).  In the case of a runoff, the rate of pay for a poll worker would be $180.00 total since no additional training will be offered.  The rate of pay for a poll manager would be $330.00 total since no additional training will be offered.  Payroll checks for working the polls typically go in the mail within a week after each election.  If there is a runoff, only one check will be issued within a week after the runoff.
 If you are interested in being a poll worker, and you meet the requirements listed, complete the poll worker survey form on our page of the Greenwood County website at www.greenwoodcounty-sc.gov/governmant/departments-s-z/voter-registration/become-a-poll-worker and either fax or email the form to us.  You can also apply in our office or email us at vote.greenwood@elections.sc.gov and we can email you the paperwork which consists of an application, forms for the SC Retirement System, and Federal and State W-4 forms for payroll purposes.
The Greenwood County Voter Registration & Elections Office is located at 600 Monument Street, Suite 113.  Our office hours are 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday.  The phone number is 942-8585