Aug. 8 election: Poll worker recruitment picks up, despite early concerns of shortage

Three weeks out from Ohio's Aug. 8 election, some officials are feeling the heat as they try to fill poll worker slots for the statewide vote on Issue 1.

As of Monday, Ohio had recruited 89% of its target number of poll workers across the state, according to the Secretary of State Office's Poll Worker Tracker. Fifty-six of 88 counties were still short on poll workers, though many have reached the minimum number they need to operate the polls.

Monday's numbers show improvement after early concerns of a potential poll worker shortage — but some counties are still catching up.

More: Not all central Ohio elections officials happy about Aug. 8 vote, but say they'll be ready

“We're going to do everything we can to recruit and have the number of poll workers that we need, but you know, I think it is a concern," said Sherry Poland, director of elections for the Hamilton County Board of Elections. As of Monday, Hamilton County still needed to recruit over 1,000 more poll workers to hit its goal, according to the Poll Worker Tracker.

"We are sort of putting out that call to action and asking people to step up and work,” Poland said.

For most elections, officials have plenty of notice to recruit poll workers. Yet the August election was approved in May after supporters pushed to get Issue 1 on the ballot before the November election. With just 90 days notice, officials have scrambled to get the polls up and running.

Officials across the state say they remain confident they will hit their goals by Election Day.

"It's not something that we can't and won't overcome," said Aaron Ockerman, executive director of the Ohio Association of Election Officials. "I just think we need to really make a very concerted effort both at the state level and at the local level to get the word out."

Why are some counties short on poll workers?

It's been nearly 100 years since Ohioans have had to vote in a statewide election in August. The unusual timing of the election, Ockerman said, is a big reason behind the poll worker shortage in some counties.

"We had known going into this process that it was going to be a struggle to get poll workers just based on previous experiences," he said. "People tend to be on vacation in August and are just not available."

Between end-of-summer getaways and back-to-school preparations, it's hard to find enough people who are willing to pitch in during the summer months. Even in counties that are closer to hitting their targets for poll worker recruitment, officials say they're prepared to deal with more poll worker cancellations than usual.

Aaron Sellers, a spokesperson for the Franklin County Board of Elections, said that it's been "two steps forward, one step back" with poll worker recruitment for the state's largest county. Some days see an influx of poll worker signups, but cancellations and scheduling issues can pose a unique challenge in the summer, he said.

While the state tracker reported that Franklin County is seeking just over 4,000 poll workers, Sellers said the county always aims to over-recruit and is seeking over 5,000 — more than any other county in the state. The county had recruited just over 3,800 poll workers as of Monday. Sellers said he's "very confident" Franklin County will hit its goal before Election Day, though the county is still urging residents to sign up.

“We always recruit a significant number more of poll workers than we assign,” said Pete Zeigler, deputy director of the Summit County Board of Elections. Most counties shoot to recruit 115% of their minimum needed number of poll workers, and many have already surpassed this minimum, including Summit County.

Ockerman said counties that have hit their targets already will continue to recruit "all the way up until August 8."

What are officials doing to recruit more workers?

Most Ohio counties have a strong base of former poll workers who have stepped in to work on Aug. 8. Yet some have implemented their own "innovative" strategies to fill gaps, Ockerman said.

Through the statewide Continuing Legal Education program, attorneys can receive credit for working the polls. Some counties have also offered credits or other benefits for social workers, accountants and other professionals.

Poland said Hamilton County has looked to some of its county agencies to see if employees will step in to work on Aug. 8.

In Franklin County, Sellers said the board recently increased poll workers' pay for training. By statute, poll workers in all 88 counties are paid a minimum of $133.72 on Election Day, though counties have discretion to pay more for training and specific duties.

How can I prepare for Election Day?

With many counties close to hitting their target number of poll workers, Sellers said voters will not be impacted by any shortages at polling locations.

Ockerman said officials always encourage voters to make a plan for how they're going to vote.

Early voting started July 11, bringing unexpectedly high turnout in some counties. Voting by mail is also a way to beat the crowds on Aug. 8.

How to vote: Key dates to know for August 8 special election

More voting information can be found on the Secretary of State's website.

Due to summer scheduling issues, a handful of counties have less voting locations than usual. Ockerman said many schools and churches already had events on their schedules when the Aug. 8 election was approved, leaving them unavailable as polling locations. Zeigler noted it's "a case of temporary unavailability" for many locations.

If your voting location has been changed for the Aug. 8 election, the state is required to send out a notice via mail. Residents can also check online to confirm their polling location.

What's on the ballot?

Issue 1 is the only issue on the Aug. 8 ballot. If passed, it would change the rules for enacting new constitutional amendments in Ohio. It would:

• Require 60% of voters to pass a new constitutional amendment, instead of a simple majority of 50% plus one.

• Require citizens who want to place an amendment on the ballot to collect signatures from at least 5% of voters from the last gubernatorial election in all 88 counties, instead of the current 44.

• Eliminate a 10-day cure period that allows citizens to replace any signatures deemed faulty by the secretary of state's office.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: August 8 poll worker shortage looking up ahead of Issue 1 election