Election Officials and Poll Workers

Election officials and poll workers are the people who carry out elections. Officials include state election directors and local clerks who register voters and run counts. Poll workers staff voting places on Election Day and in early voting. States set qualifications, training, and pay.

People usually ask who runs elections in their area, how to become a poll worker, and what these workers are trained to do. They also ask how they handle problems at the polls, such as a voter whose eligibility is in question and who must vote by provisional ballot.