LUBBOCK, Texas – The November Constitutional Amendment Election is just over a month away, and the Lubbock County Elections Office is still short-staffed.
“Over the years, it’s been harder to find workers,” said Roxzine Stinson, elections administrator with the Lubbock County Elections Office. “We still need about 40 poll workers to help have our maximum capacity at the polling places.”
Stinson said around 200 workers are needed at 38 polling locations across the county throughout Early Voting and on Election Day.
“We request that you do work every day,” Stinson said. “It’s hard. We do have some folks that would like to work split shifts, but if that second person doesn’t show up, then they’re short a worker at that location.”
Stinson said it’s typically an older crowd of workers. She estimated an average age of 70, but she said they have help from some youngsters too.
“Student workers aged 16 can work with the permission of parents and their school, and that includes homeschool students as well,” Stinson said. “They get paid for training, everyone does. Everyone gets paid the same hourly rate at the polling locations as well, including the students.”
Stinson said student workers have been greatly appreciated in the past.
“They’re not afraid of the computers, they help look up voters and they’re not afraid to help tear down or set up equipment,” Stinson said. “They’re really good to work with, and our workers enjoy working with them as well.”
Regardless of age or experience, Stinson said she hopes more people decide to help out.
“You’re doing a service for those voters,” Stinson said. “You’re providing them the means to be able to cast their vote. You’re serving the public is what you’re doing. We enjoy our jobs, so we’ve tried to make it as enjoyable as we possibly can for those poll workers as well.”
If you plan to vote in the November election, you’ll need to have your registration completed by October 10.
Early voting runs October 23 – November 3. Election day is November 7.
If you’d like to become a poll worker or find more information, head over to VoteLubbock.org.
