Prince William County needs 200 Election Officers. Now.

We asked the Prince William County Office of Elections if they needed help finding election officers for the upcoming General Election on Nov. 8, 2016.

Julie Gideon, who spoke on behalf of Prince William County General Registrar, replied:

Yes, we do need help!

So we asked some questions, and she answered: 

Please describe the need for election officers in PWC for the November 8, 2016 General Election. Are the needs proportional in all areas of the county? (east, west, central)?

We need officers all over Prince William County, but the greatest need is in Gainesville, Haymarket, Bristow and Manassas north and west of Manassas City.

How does the Office of Elections recruit new election officers? Please describe the scope of work/expectations of an election officer working on Election Day. What is the pay? Please describe what, if any, training is provided.

We are reaching out to the community to recruit Election Officers as part of our voter education effort. We have attended local events such as the Prince William County Fair and Haymarket Days, and are also speaking to local groups, and organizations.

Election Officers work a very long day – but it’s worth it! Our day at the polls starts at 5:00 a.m. so that we can set everything up before the polls open at 6:00 a.m., and lasts until after the polls close at 7:00 p.m. and all of the votes are counted and the equipment put away which is usually around 9:00 p.m.

Election Officers are paid $125 for election day plus $15 per training class. New officers are required to take a process training class, and are encourage to take a hands-on workshop to learn how to operate the machines they will work with on Election Day.

How many elections officers does PWC currently have on hand? How much more are needed?

Currently, we have over 1400 elections officers for 91 precincts. We need an additional 200.

Please describe what the conditions at the polls could be like on Election Day if more elections officers are not obtained?

During the November 2012 Presidential Election, voters in many precincts experienced very long lines which meant that it took hours in some cases to vote. We have implemented many changes since then to achieve our goal of no voter waiting more than 30 minutes to cast their vote. These changes include new optical scanners with paper ballots instead of the Electronic Voting Machines, additional laptops for checking in voters, and most importantly additional Election Officers to help guide voters through the process. Without the Officers, the equipment cannot be utilized to its full potential.

What are the requirements to become an election officer?

All Election Officers must be registered voters in Virginia. If you are not yet registered to vote, please go to vote.virginia.gov. Election Officers also cannot hold elected office or be employed by an elected official.

How can residents sign up to become an election officer?

Please visit our website at pwcvotes.com and click on “Become an Election Officer” and click on “online application.” This website also includes additional information about Absentee Voting and the constitutional amendments on the ballot in November.