Report Poll Worker Training

Introduction

Across the country, local election officials, or LEOs, train thousands of poll workers each year, ensuring that the people running our polling places and processing our ballots are knowledgeable, safe and capable of administering accurate, secure elections. Indeed, most people see poll workers as the face of America’s representative democracy.

Yet relatively little information exists regarding how poll workers are trained. Who develops and conducts training? What does training cover? What challenges do LEOs face in training poll workers? How does training differ for different poll worker positions—does the person checking in the voters take the same class as the person staffing the tabulator?

This report seeks to provide state lawmakers with answers to those questions so they are informed as they consider their role in establishing consistent election processes within their states. The contents are drawn from interviews with six LEOs in jurisdictions across the country, ranging from urban to rural counties, from the Upper Midwest to the Deep South and beyond.

The robust poll worker training programs these LEOs create and administer do more than just help Election Day run smoothly. They encourage trust in elections across the board—LEOs told us that poll workers spread trust throughout their communities. The programs help ensure elections are accurate and secure and help promote public faith in that accuracy and security.

State Law Requirements

As with all things elections, poll worker training requirements vary by state. Statewide training requirements are often general, giving LEOs considerable discretion. Some states require a minimum level of training for all poll workers, while others have different requirements for different positions. Some states do not dictate the contents of training, while others provide some uniform courses or materials. See NCSL’s Election Poll Workers page for more information.

In one LEO’s state, for example, some poll workers must complete a specific training that can be conducted only by certified trainers. There are a few dozen certified trainers in that state, including the LEO interviewed. That LEO trains poll workers in her own jurisdiction as well as in a neighboring county.

Bottom Line: State laws and guidance on poll worker training are only a starting point; customizing or designing training at the local level is common. 

• Several LEOs said state-provided training materials were too high-level or did not include correct information about county-specific procedures and voting machines. 
• One LEO reported that state statutes say the secretary of state’s office will provide training materials, but was unaware of any instance of such materials being provided. 
• One LEO was frustrated by the secretary of state’s refusal to give counties affirmative instructions because of the notion that elections are run at the local level. 

Developing Training Materials

Every LEO we spoke to develops at least some county-specific training materials to supplement state-provided resources. One LEO noted that state-developed materials on subjects like signature verification and interacting with poll watchers helps ensure statewide consistency.

Illustrating how state- and county-developed materials can complement one another, one LEO’s state provides poll workers with an Election Day reference manual and a short guide to verifying voter ID at the polls. Beyond these resources, the LEO provides poll workers with one-pagers explaining proof-of-residency requirements and absentee ballot processing.

Bottom Line: Poll worker training will “make or break” an election; well-trained poll workers run smooth, accurate elections, and a smooth, accurate election is a good election. 

• LEOs invest significant time and energy to achieve what they see as the necessary amount of training to ensure elections run smoothly. 
• LEOs develop curriculum and training materials, structure class agendas and teach courses, in addition to what the state offers. 
• Some LEOs collaborate with other jurisdictions to develop training programs. 

Training Costs—Who Pays?

Developing and providing training materials costs money, as does paying poll workers to attend training. The funds often come from municipal budgets, though state funding is sometimes provided.

• Poll worker training and compensation is often paid for from the election official’s budget, which is determined at the local level.
• In one jurisdiction, the state pays the cost of printing some training materials if the training session is open to anyone in the state.
• Training costs often fall comfortably within the portion of the local budget already dedicated to elections and hiring and training poll workers.
• One LEO’s budget is too tight to allow for virtual training.
• One LEO personally conducts all training sessions because there are no funds to hire other trainers.

Timing of Poll Worker Training

Poll worker training occurs at varying times of year in different jurisdictions, with some doing it once every two years and others before every election, which can mean several times a year.

Requiring training before each election “helps remind poll workers of their duties and adjust to any legislative changes” since the last election.
—Carly Koppes, clerk and recorder, Weld County, Colo.

The LEOs we spoke to largely agreed that it is best for training to occur close to an election. Most conduct their trainings between three months and a couple of weeks before an election. Jurisdictions that offer training further out from the election may offer short refresher trainings as the election gets closer.

• Some LEOs’ states require annual training, but the LEOs choose to require training before each election.
• Many states require clerks to conduct a public test of election equipment (“logic and accuracy testing”) in the days leading up to an election. One LEO who starts offering trainings in January reported that clerks use the testing event as a short refresher course for poll workers.

LEOs commonly offer training sessions several days per week across a few weeks to accommodate poll workers’ personal schedules. One LEO noted that many poll workers are snowbirds—retirees who live out of state in the winter. That LEO begins offering trainings in January but repeats courses in spring and summer months to ensure that returning snowbirds can refresh their skills before the next election.

Class lengths vary. For instance:

• Classes are commonly one hour to three hours long. Daylong trainings are also common.
• Classes for supervisory positions are often longer.
• Basic trainings for rank-and-file poll workers may be shorter.

Longer in-person trainings often include hands-on sessions, where poll workers use election equipment and run through mock scenarios they may encounter on Election Day.

Class Delivery: In-Person, Hybrid or Virtual

Like so much else, poll worker training in many states went virtual in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the six LEOs interviewed, all but one switched to virtual training in 2020. Since then, many of them have retained some virtual or online training elements.

The bulk of training today, however, takes place in person. In-person training provides opportunities to foster personal connections with poll workers, the LEOs reported. It also makes it easier to evaluate how trainees are performing and creates opportunity for questions and feedback.

Virtual training often covers basic overviews, logistics of working an election and the general legal background of elections. In-person training then drills down on specific details and hands-on scenarios. Some LEOs have also experimented with short online refresher courses scheduled between poll workers’ initial trainings and Election Day.

Overall, the LEOs felt that conducting high-level overview trainings online can help in-person trainings run more effectively. Basic online trainings prime poll workers with information and can allow them to focus on the specific details of their positions during in-person classes. Online training can be more or less effective depending on a given individual’s attentiveness and level of comfort with technology.

Class Content

Poll worker classes vary by state, jurisdiction and poll worker position. One LEO is rolling out a poll worker certification program for the county. Offered in odd-numbered years, the program will certify participants who take at least two courses. Courses will provide more in-depth and hands-on opportunities to learn about various aspects of poll worker duties. Notably, the program will offer a class on situational awareness and de-escalation. Poll workers are already demonstrating strong interest in this class, with two sessions scheduled for the first program. 

Bottom Line: Different poll worker positions often require different trainings, and hands-on training is often useful for everyone. 

• In some jurisdictions, all poll workers must take basic training, and some must take additional training designed for their specific position.  
• Classes might cover subjects such as e-pollbooks, voter ID, tabulators and absentee ballot processing. 
• Poll workers with supervisory responsibilities may attend longer, more in-depth trainings covering additional subjects, including technology. 
• Hands-on training may include turning voting equipment on, troubleshooting and powering machines down. Hands-on training can allow trainers to evaluate how trainees are performing and to identify and assist anyone who is struggling. 

Administering multiple sessions of each class over multiple weeks is “exhausting but well worth it on Election Day when things run smoothly.”
—Joseph Kirk, election supervisor, Bartow County, Ga. 

Bottom Line: Administering robust training programs like these can be exhausting for the LEOs who run them, but it’s a crucial piece of running a smooth, accurate and secure election. 

• LEOs are often solely responsible for developing and teaching each poll worker course. 
• LEOs often work evening and weekend hours beyond their 9-to-5 duties to recruit and train dedicated, confident, competent poll workers. 
• Not all LEOs offer the same level of training as the ones interviewed here. 
• The risk of burnout from the many demands on LEOs’ time and energy (including training) could increase as threats and harassment against election administrators continue. 

Assessments

Few LEOs interviewed for this report said they used assessments during poll worker trainings. No one reported using assessments to “fail” or disqualify a trainee. Two indicated they do incorporate an assessment into their virtual trainings only to confirm an individual has completed the online course or to evaluate the course’s effectiveness.

In general, the LEOs we spoke to said that discussion sessions and the hands-on portions of training classes provide ample opportunity to evaluate whether trainees are grasping the material and what areas might need more in-depth coverage. One LEO noted that more experienced poll workers typically take a back seat during hands-on training to allow newer poll workers to get more practice.

All the LEOs felt confident that their training programs provide sufficient opportunity to monitor and evaluate trainee performance and to address any difficulties a trainee is having without an assessment. One LEO opts not to administer assessments because it is unclear what could happen to someone who failed. The county can afford neither to administer remedial education nor to turn away workers because they “fail” an assessment. This LEO emphasized that the “sad but true” reality is that having a sufficient number of poll workers on Election Day matters above all else.

How Much Are Poll Workers Paid for Training? Are There Snacks?

Compensation—and food—can help recruit poll workers.

• The LEOs reported that poll workers receive compensation for attending training. How much varies by jurisdiction and sometimes by poll worker position.
• Some states stipulate a minimum amount poll workers must receive for attending training. Some LEOs pay more than this.
• See NCSL’s Election Poll Workers page for information on state statutes covering poll worker compensation.
• All the LEOs we interviewed provided at least water at their trainings.
• Some LEOs provide small snacks—cookies are a favorite in one jurisdiction. Others do not provide food to avoid complications with food allergies.
• One LEO provides lunch at daylong trainings.
• One LEO provides poll workers with dinner on Election Day.

One LEO who pays poll workers for each class they attend noted that while her budget allows her to pay for only two classes per worker, many poll workers attend multiple classes simply because of their interest in and dedication to the subject. That LEO emphasized that this level of dedication is a result of fostering close, mutually respectful relationships with poll workers—the LEO’s investment in the poll workers is reflected in their commitment to serving in elections.

Civic Engagement and Repercussions for Well-Run, Trusted Elections

The LEOs echoed a common sentiment among election officials: People who are skeptical of election accuracy and security might consider serving as poll workers. These individuals often become valuable poll workers and help bolster the legitimacy of elections in the eyes of their communities. The LEOs’ comments on this subject were strikingly similar, especially considering the diversity of regions and sizes of jurisdictions they represent.

"[Poll workers] are my election partners ... I don’t have to get on Facebook and defend what we’re doing” because poll workers are speaking up on behalf of elections in the community.
—Tammy Smith, administrator of elections, Wilson County, Tenn.

Every LEO emphasized that some of their best poll workers began as skeptics of the accuracy of elections. These individuals often became poll workers because they wanted to see for themselves what was going on behind the scenes. While many of these individuals have come to trust elections in their counties, LEOs report hearing comments like, “I definitely trust elections here in my county, but when it comes to that other county, or that big city, or that other state, I’m not so sure.” Some LEOs work to assuage these concerns by explaining that training requirements are fairly uniform across the state, or that they know the LEOs in the “other” jurisdiction and can promise that their practices are just as legitimate as those in the poll worker’s home county. Nevertheless, this type of skepticism persists.

However, some LEOs we spoke to noted that poll workers who are particularly aggressive about their skepticism may set other poll workers on edge.

A couple LEOs reported concerns about the possibility of poll workers who could take some nefarious action “from the inside.” One LEO requires poll workers to sign a code of conduct to help guard against these issues; it has been well received by poll workers in that jurisdiction.

Some of the LEOs we spoke to foster good relationships with groups in their communities that are skeptical of election processes and accuracy. These groups can become sources of poll worker recruits. Those new poll workers are likely to have their own faith in elections restored, and can pass that trust along to members of their communities. While LEOs reported being happy to speak with these groups and answer their questions, they noted that the groups also need to be respectful of the time and effort the LEOs spend building these relationships.

LEOs see poll workers as dedicated, helpful individuals who not only keep elections running smoothly but also can explain and defend the trustworthiness of local elections in settings ranging from social media to public meetings. One LEO said one of the reasons poll workers have so much respect for and dedication to elections is that the LEO spends time investing in poll workers. This requires extra work for the LEO, but it pays off when elections run smoothly and safely.