GREENSBORO, N.C. – A steady stream of chief precinct judges filed in and out of the Guilford Elections Board offices Monday. They were picking up registration books and other materials needed for the polls on Election Day.
- Around 1,200 people work the county's 165 precincts on Election Day
- They get paid anywhere from $100 to $200
Josie Kite is the Chief Judge at precinct G54, at Southside Baptist Church.
"I think we're going to be pretty busy, even though we had record turnout for early voting,” said Kite.
That was echoed by Alitah Blackmon, the chief at Faith Presbyterian Church Precinct.
"On average (we have) 25 to 28 percent turnout for my precinct. When you look at all the numbers that come in from other precincts, it's pretty good voting precinct," said Blackmon.
Elections Director Charlie Collicutt says around 1,200 people work the county's 165 precincts on Election Day.
"We need people to check in, to help voters, to assist, just to monitor and we need them all,” said Collicutt.
They get paid anywhere from $100 to $200.
“After that long, 13, 14, 15-hour day, it's probably not enough, you know. We have to treat them as volunteers,” said Collicutt.
Collicutt says a sense of civic duty and being involved in the process motivates workers.
Kite’s been working in precincts for 16 years and says her parents stressed the importance of voting while she was growing up.
“My mom was one of the ones who picked people up and took them back and forth to the precinct,” said Kite. “They always impressed upon us the importance of this process, and what was at stake.”
Blackmon has been working the polls for five years.
“I feel like somebody needs to do it, and I'm retired, and I can do it. I have the time to do it,” said Blackmon.
Collicutt says precinct workers are an essential part of the process.
“We really couldn't run these elections without them,” said Collicutt.
