PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Tuesday was
National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, and the Philadelphia City Commissioner’s Office announced a new effort to hire thousands of poll workers for Election Day — with a focus on millennials.
During the June 2 primary, the city opened only about 200 polling locations for in-person voting. The result: long lines, especially in Black and brown neighborhoods, where individuals were less likely to use the mail-in ballot option.
Long voting lines here at the #majidullah I#on Limekiln Pike. Voters said they would not miss today. Many of the young voters I spoke to mentioned the protests and unrest- they said, #DontLootVote. #ElectionDay is step one. More on @KYWNewsradio #georgefloyd #riots #philly pic.twitter.com/r8fdLo8tmo
— Cherri Gregg -------- (@cherrigregg)
June 2, 2020 “In the primary we had unprecedented call-outs with our poll workers — so that lad to the long lines,” says Omar Sabir, city commissioner.
Sabir says his office is hoping to reduce the congestion by opening 800 polling places for Nov. 3.
However, in order to make that happen, they’re going to need help.
“We need 8,500 poll workers,” Sabir said. “We are going to need people who are willing to come and work on Election Day, so we have increased our investment in the process.”
Philly Commish @OmarSabir215 announces that they are looking for millennials to sign up to be poll workers. The pay is now $250 for the day- and they city wants to open 800 polls on #ElectionDay, up from 200 on Primary Day.#NationalPollWorkerRecruitmentDay pic.twitter.com/M8ZlsRct5R
— Cherri Gregg -------- (@cherrigregg)
September 1, 2020 He says those who sign up to become a poll worker and take the virtual training will get $250 for working Election Day from 6:30 a.m. until the polls close.
Notably, that is double the poll worker pay for last general election.
Sabir notes that, because the average poll worker is age 60 and vulnerable during the pandemic, the city wants young people to sign up.
“Young people said that we didn’t call on them,” he said, “so we’re calling on the millennials."
Abu Edwards, founder of political action committee Millennials in Action, says, “If we don’t do it, nobody else will."
MIA is part of a coalition of groups that includes, Black Voters Matter, Young Democrats, Committee of Seventy, Barristers of Philadelphia, and more that have pledged to work to recruit millennial poll workers.
They say these young people need to step up and protect democracy.
“In 2020. It’s vote or die,” Edwards says.
People interested in working the polls on Election Day can register online.
