The Village of Shorewood Clerk’s Office is still low on the number of Election Inspectors needed for the upcoming two-year inspector term (2020-2021). The term starts with the 2020 Spring Primary Election on February 18, 2020. If you are looking for an opportunity to fulfill your civic duty, to give back to your community or to simply be available to greet your friends and neighbors on Election Day, here’s your chance.
The basic requirements to be an Election Inspector (also known as a poll worker) are:
- Be a qualified elector in Milwaukee County (i.e. an adult U.S. citizen who has resided in Milwaukee County for 10 consecutive days and is not otherwise disqualified from voting)
- Be able to fluently speak, read and write the English language
- Have strong clerical, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Possess good handwriting, vision, hearing, attention to detail, and the ability to follow directions
- NOT be a candidate for any office on the ballot for the election taking place
- Familiarity and skills with keyboarding, scanner, computer and mouse helpful
- Must be able to stand or sit for extended periods of time
Election Inspectors are the keepers of democracy and are crucial to conducting open, accurate, dignified and fair elections in Wisconsin. Election Inspectors handle a variety of assigned duties at a polling location on Election Day. Some of the duties include: issuing ballots, registering voters, monitoring the voting equipment, and completing required paperwork. Election Inspectors do receive a stipend for their services. To ensure that our Election Inspectors are able to fulfill their assignments on Election Day, paid training is provided prior to each election.
Did you know that Wisconsin law requires every employer to grant an unpaid leave of absence to each employee who is appointed to serve as an election inspector? If an employee provides the employer with at least seven (7) days’ notice before they are scheduled to serve as an inspector an employee is entitled an unpaid leave of absence to serve. The leave is for the entire 24-hour period of each Election Day in which the employee serves as an election inspector. [Wis. Statute 7.33(3)].
If you are interested in learning more about being an Election Inspector, please visit the Village website or complete an application. If you have more questions, feel free to contact Village Clerk Sara Bruckman at 414.847.2608 or via email at sbruckman@villageofshorewood.org.