Cook County seeking 'unsung heroes' to work Election Day

The Cook County clerk's office is looking for people to work at polling places on Election Day, Nov. 8.

The clerk's office operates election precincts at 782 suburban locations, and needs election judges and polling place technicians to work them.

Election judges, who will be paid $200, greet voters, sign them in and work together to ensure polling places run smoothly.

Polling place technicians, who are paid $365 for the day, check supplies and equipment and assist with the setup, maintenance and breakdown of election equipment.

The clerk's office will provide training for both jobs.

"Our judges are the gatekeepers for election operations and their work is critically important to keeping Election Day running smoothly," Clerk Karen Yarbrough said in a news release this week. "They are also the unsung heroes of our democratic process, who provide a vital public service to voters leading up to and on Election Day."

Election judges must be registered Cook County voters or an eligible college or high school student who is 16 or older.

Bilingual election judges especially are valued to work in precincts with high concentrations of people who primarily speak Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Tagalog, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Gujarati, Urdu or Arabic and may need special assistance.

To apply online, visit cookcountyclerk.com/work.