Board of Elections seeks poll workers

The Huron County Board of Elections is currently seeking individuals to serve as Precinct Election Officials (PEOs), more commonly known as poll workers. Huron County will have 14 polling locations open for the primary election on March 19, 2024, servicing all 46 precincts. To ensure these precincts are fully staffed on election day, the Board of Elections will hire more than 140 bi-partisan PEOs, back-ups and support staff. To maintain the integrity of each polling place, no more than one half of the total number of workers can be affiliated with one major political party or the other. Deputy director Ben Kline said they need between 140-150 workers per election, and the sooner applications are submitted the better. Many of the PEOs in Huron County are retirees looking to serve their communities. March primaries offer a unique challenge for our area as there are some PEOs who spend their winters outside of Ohio and will not return until later in the spring. The staff of the board hires PEOs in the months leading up to an election. The staff tries to keep PEOs as close to their home precincts as possible, but some may need to travel depending on the need. PEO training will occur before the election at the Huron County Administration Building in Norwalk. Kline said that training for these positions is required, which begins next week through the second week of February. PEOs who complete the training and the full day of work at the polls will receive $150. Any registered voter in Huron County can serve as a PEO. As part of the Secretary of State's Youth at the Booth program, any 17-year-old students can also serve as a PEO. 17-year-old students should talk to their school counselors and contact the office regarding serving. Interested individuals can sign up to be PEOs by visiting the board of elections during normal office hours, or by calling the board of elections at 419-668-8238 For general information, voters can visit the board's website at www.huron.boe.ohio.gov