Serve as a Poll Worker
Join thousands of Ohioans who help make our elections free, fair, and secure. Ohio is recognized as the gold standard for election integrity, and your service helps keep it that way.
Why Become a Poll Worker?
Poll workers play a vital role in protecting democracy — and there are great benefits, too:
Earn payment for your service
Earn continuing education credits for select professions
Get Started
Join your local elections team and make a difference in your community.
Poll Worker Frequently Asked Questions
No, signing up simply puts you on a list to be contacted by your county’s board of elections. They’ll confirm your availability, check your qualifications, and share more details.
Poll workers typically earn between $100 and $150, including paid training. Depending on your county and position, you could earn up to $200. Contact your county’s board of elections for specific pay details.
You’ll attend a paid training session and then be assigned to a polling location for Election Day. If you’re unable to work on Election Day due to illness, contact your county’s board of elections as soon as possible.
Training is paid and lasts about three hours. Sessions are offered on weekdays, weeknights, and weekends for your convenience.
Poll workers arrive by 5:30 a.m. to prepare and stay until the polls close at 7:30 p.m. There are breaks throughout the day, and you won’t be standing the entire time. It's a long day, but a rewarding experience!
Under Ohio law, you cannot serve as a poll worker if you've been convicted of a felony or violated election laws (R.C. 3501.27(A)).
Poll Worker Resources
Training Resources
Get the knowledge and tools you need to serve with confidence on Election Day. Explore our free, self-paced training courses covering essential poll worker roles, with de-escalation strategies and practical election day management courses soon to follow. This course is intended to provide supplemental information only. Each board of elections is responsible for conducting its own required training for poll workers.
Poll Worker Quick Reference Guide - last revised 07/2026 (PDF)
De-Escalation Training Resources
Recruitment Resources
Help us spread the word! Use the Recruitment Toolkit below to promote participation at your:
Office
School
Community events
Each toolkit includes:
Downloadable posters and flyers
Videos and graphics for social media
Talking points and FAQs for outreach
Poll Worker Information and Sign-Up Cards
Banner Graphics
Special Programs
Give a Day for Democracy
As a business owner, you already strengthen your community by creating jobs and driving the economy. Now, you can take it one step further — help protect democracy.
Encourage your employees to serve as poll workers and give them a day off for democracy!
Social Media Graphics
Poll Worker Information
Lawyers for Liberty
Lawyers for Liberty is a partnership between the Ohio Secretary of State’s office and the Supreme Court of Ohio that encourages attorneys to serve their communities by helping ensure fair and efficient elections.
This initiative recognizes the vital role legal professionals play in protecting the democratic process and offers an opportunity to serve while earning Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit.
Earn CLE Credit by Serving as a Poll Worker
Ohio lawyers are required to complete 24 hours of CLE every two years.
By serving as a poll worker, attorneys can earn up to four CLE credit hours — at no cost — through this authorized public service opportunity. Learn more here.
Second Call to Duty (Veterans)
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose learned through his military service that free elections are a blessing worth defending. Now, he’s inviting his fellow veterans to answer a second call to duty — to defend Ohio’s democracy by serving as poll workers.
Serve. Protect. Lead.
Ohio is recognized as the gold standard for election security and voter accessibility. Generations of proud service members have helped uphold those standards — both abroad and at home.
Now, you can continue that legacy of service by:
Signing up to serve as a poll worker, or
Recruiting fellow veterans through your County Veterans Service Office or other veterans’ support organizations.
Continuing Education for Other Professions
Professions such as CPAs, realtors, librarians and social workers can also earn continuing education credits by serving as poll workers. Please provide your professional association number when signing up, and the Board will send a confirmation for credit.
Youth at the Booth
You can change lives by helping young people understand the power of voting.
When even one student serves as a poll worker, they can inspire dozens of peers — research shows that young poll workers can increase youth voter turnout by up to 20%.
For Teachers and Youth Leaders
If you’re a teacher, counselor, or youth organization leader, you can play an important role in shaping the next generation of civic leaders.
Use the materials in the Youth at the Booth Toolkit below to:
Encourage eligible students to serve as poll workers
Provide information on how to get started
Share promotional materials to inspire student participation
High school students (age 17 and older) can serve as poll workers and gain valuable experience for resumes and college applications. Younger students may be able to volunteer for other election-related tasks; check with your school and county board of elections for available opportunities.
Styling for Democracy
Barbershops and salons can help promote voter registration by displaying a poster encouraging people to become poll workers.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose knows that as a stylist, you do more than cut hair — you lead conversations and inspire your community.
There are more than 15,000 salons and barbershops across Ohio.
If each one recruited just one poll worker, Ohio’s standing as the gold standard for election security and accessibility would remain strong for years to come.
Get Involved
Use the materials in the Styling for Democracy Toolkit below to:
Encourage your customers to register to vote
Inspire them to serve as poll workers this Election Day
Display posters or graphics that promote civic engagement in your salon or shop
Work a Day, Donate Your Pay
Nonprofits are encouraged to work as poll workers and donate their pay to a charity of their choice.
