Join the excitement of being part of the Presidential Election Year! The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has a wide variety of job openings with no experience required and we offer work for people of all skill levels. While great computer skills are certainly appreciated, they are absolutely NOT required! Bilingual applicants are also in demand.
About the Jobs As you might imagine, the Board is hiring Precinct Election Officials (Poll Workers) for Election Day-only work. But there’s more! We are also hiring for longer-term assignments such as assisting nursing home voters, processing absentee ballots – opening and counting them, telephone operators, data entry and performing many other tasks. Although the 2020 Primary Election is not until March, several assignments will be starting as soon as January, just in time to help with those holiday bills.
Workers will be placed in positions that are a good fit with their skills and schedule. The Board is taking applications now. You can’t be hired until you apply! You may apply by calling 216-443-6600 or online at www.443VOTE.us.
Job Fair: January 6, 2020 We are hosting a job fair to fill more than 4,000 open positions for Election Day and more than 300 open positions for full-time temporary clerks. Precinct Election Officials (Poll Workers) earn $172.10 and clerks are paid $11.50 per hour for assignments that can last several weeks or months.
When: Monday, January 6, 2020
Location: The Cuyahoga County Garage, 2501 Harvard Avenue, Newburgh Heights, Ohio 44105 (map)
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Have Questions? Call 216-443-6600.
No registration required!
People don’t have to wait for the job fair to apply for work. The Board is taking applications now. They may apply by calling 216-443-6600 or online at www.443VOTE.us.
Author: Mike West, Community Outreach Manager, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
We hire thousands of election officials to staff every election. Most of our workers are front and center assisting voters at the polls, but many of them also work behind the scenes to ensure a successful election. Some of these duties include transporting ballots and supplies to polling locations, loading and unloading vehicles, safeguarding sensitive documents, and more.
Right now, we still need to fill openings for the following positions. These workers will begin at 6:00 p.m. on election night and assist with very important Election Day processes. To apply, submit an application on our website, or call 216-443-3277.
Ballot Drop-off Assistant The Ballot Drop-off Assistant helps the Drop-Off Captain in fulfilling duties, loads and unloads supplies from PEOs and ballot-transportation vehicles, and performs all other duties as assigned. Base rate is $65.00 per election; hours begin at 6:00 p.m. on Election Day until complete. Click for full job description.
Ride-along Clerk Ride-along Clerks are essential to help maintain political balance on Election Day. They ride with law enforcement officials to and from drop-off locations and the Board of Elections warehouse to deliver ballots and other election materials on the evening of Election Day. Each vehicle is staffed with one Democrat and one Republican. This position earns $15/hour with a four-hour minimum; hours vary by election. Click for full job description.
The Board of Elections is hiring temporary staff and poll workers for the upcoming election. Republicans are especially needed to fill bipartisan teams, but all are encouraged to apply.
Temporary Employment Opportunities Temporary jobs pay $11.50 per hour and may last up to
several weeks or months depending on the assignment and department. Some
examples of duties performed by temporary employees include proofing ballots,
scanning absentee ballots, testing voting units, opening mail, processing
absentee applications, staffing in-office early voting, preparing
election-related equipment and supplies, counting and packing voter materials,
providing customer service, and basic clerical functions such as typing, data
entry, filing, copying, and answering phones, among other duties.
Poll Worker Opportunities Poll workers earn about $172.00 for each election they work. If you are a leader looking to serve your community, becoming a poll worker is a great way to do just that! More than 4,500 people are needed on Election Day to help staff the polls, transport ballots and materials, and maintain political balance. Click here to learn more about the open positions and apply online.
We’re having a job fair! Election season is fast approaching, and we need full-time temporary staff to help us prepare, conduct and wrap up the November 5, 2019 General Election. Applicants who attend the job fair can apply, complete a skills assessment, and be interviewed for positions during the event.
What: Job Fair
When: Friday, August 2, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Location: Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115 (Map) Parking: Free parking is located across the street, south of the Board of Elections, at 2921 Prospect Ct., Cleveland, OH 44115 (Map)
Preregistration is encouraged, but not required. To register, simply complete our temporary employment application: https://boardofelections.knack.com/temps#apply/
About the Jobs
The jobs pay $11.50 per hour and may last up to several weeks or months depending on the assignment and department. Some examples of duties performed by temporary employees include proofing ballots, scanning absentee ballots, testing voting units, opening mail, processing absentee applications, staffing in-office early voting, preparing election-related equipment and supplies, counting and packing voter materials, providing customer service, and basic clerical functions such as typing, data entry, filing, copying, and answering phones, among other duties.
Each year, the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections hires about 4,500 election officials to work the polls for the General Election. Having enough people staff each polling location is critical to the overall success of the election, which is why we don’t take any chances. We are now hiring stand-by poll workers to step up in the event someone cannot fulfill their Election Day assignment.
Stand-by poll workers will receive a minimum stipend of $100 for being on call Monday and reporting on Tuesday. See below for additional requirements, and click here to apply.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections must hire nearly 300 temporary employees to successfully prepare for, conduct and wrap up the election this November. Job seekers are invited to attend an open house and job fair to learn more about the open positions, meet staff and hiring managers, and apply in person.
Date: Tuesday, August 21, 2018 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Location: Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115 Cost: Free (Free parking available in rear of building)
We’ve asked some of our long-time poll workers to share their stories as part of our poll worker spotlight series. Throughout the years, Alicia Alto has made great memories serving her community as a poll worker, and encourages everyone who is able to try it out. Continue reading to learn more about her experience and see what it’s like to work the polls.
Alicia Alto, Five-Year Poll Worker
How long have you been serving as a poll worker? Since 2013.
What brings you back each year? The feeling and knowledge that my participation in election facilitation is an important role in our society’s success.
What are some of your most memorable moments as an Election Official? As a Voting Location Manager, I have great memories of meeting new precinct election officials (PEOs) who are working for the first time – and then seeing them return at the next election. I also love hearing from other PEOs who have been working for longer than I have even been able to vote. A lot of folks take great pride in their role in election facilitation.
What is your favorite part about being an Election Official? My favorite part of being an Election Official is meeting like-minded individuals who also feel a sense of responsibility to do this civic duty. There is great opportunity to learn from their experiences, both in regards to working an election and in regards to life outside of the election.
I also love meeting and seeing regular/return voters. They care so much about the community. It’s very encouraging.
Describe the energy at polling locations on Election Day. There are many different vibes throughout the day. In the morning, there is a sense of urgency to get the location operational for voters.
During the “rushes” where many voters show up at one time, there is a very focused atmosphere. Everyone is ready and willing to help voters exercise their right to vote.
During the lulls in voter activity, there is a lot of friendly conversation and joking between PEOs. It keeps the day entertaining.
At the end of the day, there is a great sense of accomplishment – We made it through the election! It’s followed by a surge in energy while everyone works together to get the polls closed up so that we can get home.
Why is being an Election Official important to you? It is very important to me that I do what I can to make a difference. I do volunteer and donate when I am able, but working the elections is a great way to serve my community in a way that addresses their fundamental right to speak their mind through the voting process.
Did you feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day? Can you describe this? Yes. The Election Day is a very long but very important day. Sometimes the day throws you a curve ball and sometimes everything runs more smoothly than you could ever imagine – but either way, it’s a great feeling to know that you’ve been a huge part of the voting process for folks who care to speak their mind and rock their vote in an attempt to affect change in our society. The right to vote is so important and I enjoy feeling like I’ve helped others to exercise that right.
What is it like to know you made a difference in our electoral process? It’s a great feeling. I think that a lot of Americans take their right to vote for granted, but that doesn’t render it any less important. The more that I am involved and the more that I encourage others to be involved, the greater the difference I am making.
Why, in your opinion, should others become Election Officials? It is a new experience with great opportunity – opportunity to meet others, opportunity to make a difference, opportunity to make money, opportunity for a change of pace. I think everyone should work at least one election. I think many would even return!
Learn More
We are now accepting applications for poll workers for the May 8 Primary Election. To be considered for this honorable service, please apply online or call 216-443-3277 for more information.
To view all of the stories in our poll worker spotlight series, click here.
Did you know that we hire more than 4,000 poll workers for every election?
Perhaps you have come to recognize some of the friendly faces at your polling location. People who come back election after election because of the relationships they’ve made and the pride they have for serving their communities.
While we at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections are fortunate to have a core workforce of returning poll workers, we still have a large quota to meet for each election and are always in need of new faces to help staff polling locations.
Being a poll worker can be a rewarding experience. We have asked some of our most loyal workers to share what helping out with elections means to them. We will be featuring stories from several poll workers over the coming weeks.
Continue reading for our first poll worker spotlight.
Poll Worker Spotlight: John Derwis
How long have you been serving as a poll worker? Six years.
What brings you back each year? A sense of giving back to the community.
John Derwis, Six-year poll worker for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
What are some of your most memorable moments as an Election Official? I enjoy seeing people who vote because they are concerned about their community and country.
What is your favorite part about being an Election Official? The camaraderie among the workers whether Democrat, Republican or Independent.
Describe the energy at polling locations on Election Day. Everyone seems to be working with peak awareness that they are serving our country in a very important way.
Why is being an Election Official important to you? Rather than just taking up space in this country, I am serving—as I did in the Army through the Vietnam War—with a very important purpose of maintaining a free country.
Did you feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day? Can you describe this? I felt that I did my small part in protecting our rights as citizens of the United States of America. By the end of the day, I was exhausted, but had a feeling of accomplishment and gratification.
What is it like to know you made a difference in our electoral process? It is very gratifying to know I made a difference in the electoral process.
Why, in your opinion, should others become Election Officials? If you have some sense of duty and understanding of how our country operates, I would recommend you working the polls.
Please share any thoughts you have about being an Election Official. Many thanks to our forefathers who established our system of government.
We thank John for his service as a poll worker and for participating in our spotlight series. If you or someone you know may be interested in becoming a poll worker, learn more by clicking here.
To view all of the stories in our poll worker spotlight series, click here.
Our Election Officials department is hiring temporary workers to help recruit, place, train and coordinate poll workers for the 2018 May Primary Election. Open positions include:
This month we are proud to recognize some of our most loyal and long-time poll workers. We can rely on these election officials to successfully run elections at their polling locations, return for work election after election, and set an example for their fellow workers.
Staff from our election officials department nominated high-achieving workers for the following recognition categories:
Leadership Awards
Voting Location Managers and Directors for outstanding leadership
Service & Loyalty Awards
Longest-serving election official in Cuyahoga County (62 elections!)
Election officials having served 30+ elections
Achievement Awards
Individual Precinct Election Officials for outstanding performance
Each award winner received a personalized thank-you letter and certificate for their accomplishments. Overall, 250 poll workers were recognized for their service, and 300 certificates were mailed out, as some workers received more than one recognition. Thousands of workers are typically hired to work a single election.
Congratulations to these workers who demonstrate exceptional leadership and service!
