The Athens County Board of Elections could be facing a shortage of available poll workers for Ohio's primary election Tuesday.
Republican and nonpartisan poll workers are harder to come by this year than in the past, said Penny Brooks, deputy director of the board of elections. -
so I have to replace those (workers) she said.
Brooks said that she thinks poor weather conditions and the possibility of getting sick might be other reasons why fewer people have signed up to work the polls.
There are also fewer Republicans in the Athens area, and that might have an effect on the shortage of poll workers, said Emily Mullin, vice president of the Ohio University College Republicans.
A lot of Republicans and even independents might be closet Republicans because the area is so overwhelmingly Democratic and liberal Mullin said. Those who are of the right-wing persuasion are more apprehensive about stating their political views.
Universities in general tend to be fairly liberal and the larger size of the College Democrats-
Brooks said. It's great that they want to vote and get encouraged to work the polls but they choose a party and it makes it harder to fill some of the seats.
Lauren Elliott, vice president of the OU College Democrats, said she tried signing up to work as a Democratic poll worker but was told the board needed only Republicans and nonpartisans.
(Working at the polling station) pays pretty well and it's a way to stay involved without actually supporting a candidate
she said.
Poll workers earn $90 for working a full shift on Election Day and earn an additional $20 for completing training.
Despite the diminished numbers of people willing to work at polling stations, Brooks says that no polling station will be closed because of a lack of workers.
We never close down
Brooks said. Once in a blue moon there might be three poll workers
but I always have each party represented. There's always a Democrat
there's always a Republican. There's never one (political) party at a polling location.
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