Nearly 80 volunteers are still needed to work at Santa Barbara County precincts and polling places during the June 5 Statewide Direct Primary Elections, according to the Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters Office. More than 50 of those positions are needed at Santa Maria locations alone.
While about 25 of the positions still unfilled in Santa Maria are for full-time poll workers, Poll Operations Supervisor Melissa Taite said the rest are standby and backup positions, needed only in case of last-minute cancellations or emergencies.
The Registrar of Voters Office typically hires an average of 1,000 volunteers, including backups, to work the 84 polling places and 167 precincts in Santa Barbara County, Taite said. The Voters Office currently has about 850 volunteers signed on for the June 5 election, she said.
Although poll workers are considered volunteers, Taite said they are paid a one-time stipend of $180 or $240, depending on the position. Volunteers are required to attend a single training class a few weeks before the election and are responsible for varying duties on Election Day, including distributing and collecting ballots and assisting voters with ballot and precinct information.
Each of the county's polling places staff anywhere from six to 20 volunteers, Taite said, who typically work from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Election Day.
Volunteers must be registered voters in California or lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, according to the Registrar of Voters Office website. Volunteers also must be available to attend a mandatory training class and work on Election Day from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m., or until all closing procedures have been completed.
It's not unusual for the Voters Office to struggle to find poll workers this time of year, Taite said.
"The June primary in a nonpresidential election is typically a harder election for us to staff," Taite told the Sun.
During November elections, Taite said the Voters Office uses a student poll worker program, which allows any 16-year-old or older student with high academic standing to work elections. In the most recent presidential election of 2016, Taite said nearly 100 Santa Barbara County students served as poll workers.
But most students will be on on or just reaching summer vacation by the June 5 election, and Taite said the busy time of year has led to an increase in student cancellations in the past.
Many of the retired senior citizens who typically volunteer to work the polls are "retiring from this job as well," Taite said.
Those interested in serving as poll workers can call 1-844-259-0348 or go to sbcassessor.com for more information.
