Constables who patrol polls will be getting raises
A few months after officials granted raises to members of precinct-level election boards, the Washington County Election Board on Wednesday unanimously voted to increase election-day pay for constables who protect the polls.
Constables who had been making $85 will see a $15 raise.
As they are not on the ballot this year, the Washington County commissioners comprise the election board.
State law gives constables the power to maintain order at the polls and ensure that no qualified elector is obstructed from voting. Constables and their appointed deputies are the only peace officers permitted at the polls on election day. Failure to protect the polls, or provide for their protection through appointed deputies, is punishable with a fine. The constabulary predates the formation of many local police departments, and about 100 patrol the polls, said Wes Parry, Washington County assistant director of elections.
Last year, the commissioners increased the paychecks of local elections boards for the first time since 2002. Judge of elections, majority inspector, minority inspector and clerks will receive $130 for a full day, a raise of about $30. Those who work in precincts where more than 500 voters turn out will receive an additional $10 per day for every 100 additional voters or fraction thereof over 500, not to exceed the Election Code’s cap of $200. With 176 voting precincts potentially each having five seats, the county needs 880 workers for elections.
Parry has highlighted the difficulty of getting people to man the positions, and he has trained and recruited high school students to fill in where needed. Student precinct workers receive $7.25 per hour, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26, the Pennsylvania primary, and Tuesday, Nov. 8, for the general election.
Parry asked the commissioners to lobby state senators, representatives and Gov. Tom Wolf to change the state election code, which was enacted in 1937, saying he views the lack of manpower as an “impending disaster.”
Commissioner Harlan Shober, who is in line to become president of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, noted that the organization has an elections committee and asked Parry to submit a written synopsis. “I’ll make sure they look at it,” Shober said.