Galveston County Election Department Needs Your Help
LWVTX fights for the right of ALL Texas voters to protect their health and be allowed to vote safely and securely in our democracy! Casting your vote is more important than ever before and more challenging. County election officials are committed to offering all voters a safe and secure way to vote, whether by mail or in person. They need your support!
Why is Help Needed?
Counties rely on trained election workers for each election.
Counties need plenty of trained poll workers and election judges to cover absences and prevent the closure of polling places.
The earlier these jobs are filled, the more training can occur.
How Do I Sign Up To Help?
Contact the Galveston County Election Office to volunteer or to apply to work as a poll worker.
Political parties offer suggestions to counties for election judges and deputy election judges, etc.
Sign up with the Galveston County Democratic Party Chair.
Sign up with the Galveston County Republican Party Chair.
If you can't work the polls, you may be able to help in other ways! Call the Galveston County Election Administrator to ask how!
Small counties need help too -- with one to two-member staff, volunteers can make a big difference.
What Types of Volunteer Opportunities Are Available?
Election Judge
An election judge's duties include managing polling places on election day, preserving order, and preventing breaches of peace. Management of clerks' hours and activities.
Election Clerk and Bi-lingual Election Clerk
Performs duties assigned by a judge in conducting elections.
If 5% or more of inhabitants of a precinct speak Spanish or other languages, counties must provide a bilingual clerk.
Early Voting Ballot Board
Early Voting Ballot Board processes early voting results for the election-mail ballots and processes provisional ballots.
Signature Verification Committee
The Signature Verification Committee compares signatures on applications for mail ballots to carrier envelopes to confirm that the signature is the voter's.
Poll Workers
At each polling location, poll workers check in voters, answer voters’ questions, set up and test voting machines, issue ballots, etc.
Poll workers help voters who encounter problems - from registration issues to voter ID questions to language barriers.
When Do Volunteers Work?
Poll workers are needed during each day of early voting and on election day.
More election-related jobs may be available.
Each county determines the hours poll workers are needed.
Who Can Apply?
Any person, at least 16 years of age, interested in helping democracy work at the local level.
High school and college students: this is a great way to learn hands-on about elections! FAQs from the Texas Secretary of State on high school election clerks.
What Training Is Provided?
The Texas Secretary of State offers general online poll worker training.
Poll workers are trained on the voting process and election rules.
Each county provides training on their specific election equipment and procedures.
Resources
Texas Secretary of State
US Elections Assistance Commission: A US government agency that provides information to American voters.
