NASHVILLE – Secretary of State Tre Hargett announces a new statewide campaign to recruit poll officials for the August 6 State and Federal Primary and County General Election. Tennesseans can apply now to join the campaign, “Be a Patriot. Become a Poll Official.”
“Poll officials are the backbone of successful elections across Tennessee,” said Hargett. “By raising your hand to become a poll official, you will have a front-row seat to democracy during early voting and on Election Day.”
Poll officials perform various tasks to help polling sites run smoothly, including greeting voters, answering questions, processing voters, explaining how to cast a ballot and counting votes. Any voter is eligible to apply, regardless of political affiliation.
Qualifications to be a poll official:
- Be a registered voter, if 18 or older.
- Be at least 16 years old.
- Not be a candidate or close relative of a candidate.
- Be able to read and write in the English language.
The following government employees can also serve as poll officials:
- City, County or Metro employees, unless working directly under the supervision of an elected official on the ballot.
- State of Tennessee employee.
- Federal employees – consult your Human Resources department to ensure eligibility.
Poll officials are compensated for working during early voting and on Election Day, as well as for attending required training sessions.
For more information and to sign up to become a poll official, visit GoVoteTN.com
