What’s it like to volunteer as a poll worker for an election in Indiana?

What is it like to volunteer as a poll worker for an election in Indiana? Several members of our audience inspired this question.

Ellen Manolopoulos started volunteering as a poll worker after someone recruited her. She said she was nervous at first because there was so much she didn’t know.

“I didn’t realize that the training covers everything and every contingency. And that when you run into a problem or a question, the inspector is there,” she said.

Manolopoulos said her training took about an hour. Though, she said, Election Day can be pretty long. In her experience, Manolopoulos said election administrators break up the day into six-hour shifts to make it a little easier on volunteers.

“You can just sign up for the days you want to work,” Manolopoulos said. “Some people just work early voting, some people only work Election Day.”

Manolopoulos said the last decade and a half has fortified her faith in the security of elections — in every part of the process.

“Nobody gets to make a decision on her own at any step in the process,” Manolopoulos said.

During the 2022 election, more than 13,900 Hoosiers worked the polls. Which, according to the federal Election Administration and Voting Survey, was down from the 2018 election where nearly 16,800 Hoosiers volunteered.

READ MORE: How do I research candidates on my ballot?
 

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 765-275-1120. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues and the election, including our project Civically, Indiana.
 

Manolopoulos said it’s important for everyone to see how that process works.

“I have been thrilled with the diversity, lately, of people showing up to work at the polls,” she said. “True, for the most part, it’s my age group. Because we have the time to volunteer.”

In 2022, 57.5 percent of Hoosier poll workers were older than 60.

Manolopoulos said her experiences as a volunteer have been overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s really a lot of fun. You learn a lot,” she said. “You’re going to see your neighbors. I think it enhances a sense of community and, again, the sense of security in the process — faith in the process.”

To volunteer as a poll worker, Hoosiers must be registered to vote and at least 18 — unless they are volunteering through the Hoosier Hall Pass program.

Go to IndianaVoters.com to check your voter registration. You can also find contact information for your county election board to get more information on volunteering for elections. Depending on the county, poll workers can earn up to $150 for their time.
 

Lauren is our digital editor. Contact her at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @laurenechapman_.