Election work presents challenge
It is caucus and primary season in the United States, and many are talking about elections.
This may seem distant to high school students, but teenagers can actively support the election process right here in Washington County.
E. Wesley Parry III, assistant director of elections in Washington County, is recruiting responsible students to hold positions at the polls on election days. Students must be at least 17 years old, and students who are 18 or older must be registered voters.
Parry has been working with Trinity, Canon-McMillan, Ringgold and Chartiers-Houston school districts to find students who can fill positions at the polls. School excuses are available for students in these districts.
He typically asks teachers “to do some vetting,” to ensure that the students are reliable. Students who do not attend these schools can contact Parry directly.
“I’d be more than willing to take on home school or cyber schoolers,” he said. “The more the merrier.” Parry highlighted how important it is for everyone working at the polls to be responsible.
“These are important positions that are being filled. So if you say ‘Yep, I’ll do it,’ I’m going to hold you to that,” he said.
Before an election, Parry meets with students to show them how to set up an election machine, how the electronic poll book works and to “give them an idea of what to expect.” Parry then assigns each student to a particular precinct.
When a student arrives on Election Day, he or she is assigned to one of several tasks. These tasks can include checking voters in using the electronic poll book, acting as an “ad hoc catchall” to “do everything,” and filling out a hand-written, numbered list of voters. Minors work eight-hour shifts, either from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. or from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Students 18 or older are able to work all day.
Students receive minimum wage ($7.25/hour) and additional pay for mileage if they work outside of their home precinct ($0.54/mile). Although there is not an exact dress code, students are expected to have “decent judgement” when it comes to attire.
Holding a position at the polls on Election Day has an added benefit for students who are applying to colleges or jobs.
“Colleges and corporations – or whoever you’d be looking for – they want people who are responsible, people who will step outside their comfort zone a little bit and do some of these things. It shows some responsibility,” said Parry.
The current Pennsylvania Election Code was written in 1937, when political parties in each precinct wanted to fill poll positions in order to “relay information about candidates,” since voters could not access information on the Internet or over the phone.
“That process just doesn’t work anymore. People don’t get their information that way,” Parry said. “There’s not the party involvement there was back then at the precinct level, so there’s not the drive to fill these positions from the parties.”
He added, historically, housewives generally filled the positions at the polls. But today, many women have jobs and are not able to work during the elections.
“The whole system needs revamped,” said Parry.
He said one idea being discussed is that each county could be given “the flexibility to deliver the service in a manner that makes sense for their county.” He said there is a need for state legislators to address “these systemic problems that we have.”
Students or adults who are interested in holding positions at the polls can contact Parry by calling 724-228-6750, or emailing him at parrywes@co.washington.pa.us. Parry will schedule training dates in order to complete training as soon as possible for Pennsylvania’s upcoming primary, on April 26. Those unable to work for the primary should plan to make arrangements for training before the General Election on Nov. 8.
“It gets increasingly difficult to find all the bodies we need to fill all the positions every election,” said Parry.
By Grace Scofield
Sophomore, Homeschooled