Earn $230 as a Chicago Election Judge
COTC 3/13/20: As you may have read in the media 10% of all Election Judges, many who are senior citizens, are resigning. So what will happen is on election day there may be long lines because polling places will be short staffed. Please consider becoming an Election Judge if you are off of work now. All polling places will have wipes and hand sanitizer. Or bring your own for your personal use. At this point the training is online only. The City needs you!
The next elections are:
March 17, 2020 Primary Election and November 3, 2020 General Election
About Election Judges
There is a shortage of Election Judges for the upcoming election(s). The shortage is most acute in many North side wards including the 42nd, 43rd-50th, 41st, 1st, 36th and 38th. There is no shortage on the South side below Pershing Road (3900S).
I have served as an Election Coordinator the last six elections. I detail my experience here. I spent a total of about 28 hours training, studying and working for the first election. You are required to take two four hour classes annually plus and online class before the first election of the year. Consider taking a vacation day, help out and get paid $450. The required training is available days, evenings and weekends. Last election it was at Block37. More info here.
Election judge pay is $230 for new judges
Extra compensation is also paid to judges who:
– Allow the use of the judge’s cell phone (by all judges within the polling place) on Election Day;
– Return the election materials to a receiving station on election night (to be determined by all judges on Election Day.)
– Serve additional days in Vote By Mail ballot processing, nursing-home voting or in post-election counting activities in the warehouse.
Registration and request your ward and precinct
Registration is online and you can request (based on availability) to serve not only in your ward but also in your precinct. Find your ward and precinct here (you have to be a registered voter for this database to work). Once you complete the training you can call to request your ward and precinct 312-269-0877.
In order to serve you must be a registered voter, a resident of Chicago and meet other qualifications (links below) to serve as a judge or coordinator. Register to vote here.
Apply online here The assignment is for two Elections. The Board of Elections is asking applicants to commit to work the next two elections on March 17, 2020 Primary Election and November 3, 2020 General Election. If you can only work one call and see what they say. They will probably take you.
What is a Judge of Election?
Judges of Election are paid to work on Election Day to manage the precinct polling place, including preparing reports after the polls close. The job is challenging and personally rewarding.
Judges share responsibilities that include:
(1) Arriving at 5 a.m. on Election Day to set up equipment to open on time;
(2) Opening the polls at 6 a.m. on Election Day;
(3) Issuing the correct ballots to each voter and otherwise helping voters with registration and other questions, from 6 a.m. through 7 p.m., including voters in line in the polling place by 7 p.m.
(4) Completing results reports and other documents after the polls close.
Pay is $230 for those who complete training and then serve on Election Day ($255 for those who served/completed training before and complete training/serve again ahead of the March 2020 Primary).
Judges of Election must meet all of these requirements. Judges of Election must:
– Be registered voters in Cook County (U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age);
– Be able to speak, read and write English;
– Be able to perform basic math;
– Be of good understanding and capable;
– Not be a committeeman, precinct captain or candidate and must agree not to serve as a judge if they become one;
– Notify the Board of Elections if a person who shares his or her residence becomes a candidate, and must not serve as a judge in that election in any precinct where that candidate is on the ballot;
– Be of good repute and character and not a registered sex offender anywhere in the United States and not have committed a crime that would require registering as a sex offender anywhere in the United States;
– Agree that if the judge applicant is removed as an election judge due to misbehavior, neglect of duty or other cause, the person will not be paid for training or election day service;
– Agree that if a person fails to perform all of the services required of a judge, the compensation may be reduced accordingly;
– Agree that by law, the name, address and party affiliation are subject to public disclosure; and,
– Agree that the Board of Elections may use any personal data provided in the Judge Application for the Board’s internal operations.
