Overview

Each polling place has its own Election Board, composed of a Clerk and Inspectors, that are responsible for various processes occurring at early voting sites or at polling places on Election Day. [1] See “Polling Place Procedures Manual.”

The Clerk is the poll worker who is responsible for overseeing the precinct or polling location on Election Day, or who is a supervisor or site manager of an early voting site. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 5. Inspectors at each polling location or early voting site perform a variety of duties, including "setting up a tabulator, managing equipment or ballots, processing voters as they check in to vote, offering instruction to the voter, and otherwise assisting the clerk.” “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 5.

Election-Related Duties

The key duties of the Election Board are:

  1. Reconciling ballots at the end of every day during early voting and on Election Day. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 37.
  2. Posting vote results for each office or ballot issue at the polling place. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 38.
    1. Note: If ballots are more than one page long, the Election Board must follow the “supplemental accounting procedures prescribed by the Supervisor of Elections.” “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 38.
  3. Securing election equipment after polls close. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 36.
  4. Securing election materials after polls close. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 36.

The key duties of the Clerk are:

  1. Signing the precinct certificate of results before it is sealed and securely delivered to the Supervisor of Elections. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 38.
  2. Prohibiting the Sheriff, Deputy Sheriffs, police officers, and other officers of the law from entering the polling place unless they are there to vote. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 39. Once allowed in, a Deputy Sheriff (in an official capacity) remains subject to the Clerk’s commands. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 39.

The key duties of the Inspectors are:

  1. Instructing and assisting a voter on next steps (e.g., obtain another ballot or cast the ballot “as is”) if that voter’s ballot is rejected by the tabulation machine. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 34–35.
  2. Signing the precinct certificate of results before it is sealed and securely delivered to the Supervisor of Elections. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 38.
  3. Prohibiting the Sheriff, Deputy Sheriffs, police officers, and other officers of the law from entering the polling place unless they are there to vote. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 39. Once allowed in, a Deputy Sheriff (in an official capacity) remains subject to the Inspector’s commands. “Polling Place Procedures Manual” at 39.

Selection and Vacancy Information