9/20 Update! November 5, 2025 General Election Day Guide for Poll Workers Now Available
POLL WORKERS: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Poll workers form the backbone of American elections, protecting every voter's right to vote and defending the integrity of secure and accurate elections in Delaware County. Poll worker responsibilities include setting up the polling location, checking in registered voters, explaining voting procedures to voters, oversight of voting equipment and ballots, monitoring the conduct of the election and ensuring a “campaign-free zone” inside the precinct.
POLL WORKER HOTLINE
The Poll Worker Hotline (484) 460-3750 handles calls regarding information on: Poll Worker drop-off and pick-up of Election Day supplies, in-person and online training, the Poll Worker test, election board positions, filling vacancies and much more.
FILLING VACANCIES IN AN ELECTION BOARD: VACANCY KITS
Judge of Election and Inspectors vacancies can be filled for the remainder of the term (through Nov. 2025) by submitting the “Vacancy Kit” application. Petition due dates and court hearings for the 2024 General are:
| Petitions Due in Office | Court Hearing Date and Time |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, September 3, 2024 | Tuesday, September 10, 2024 10:00 a.m. |
| Tuesday, September 17, 2024 | Tuesday, September 24, 2024 9:30 a.m. |
| Tuesday, October 1, 2024 | Tuesday, October 8, 2024 9:30 a.m. |
| Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | Tuesday, October 15, 2024 9:30 a.m. |
| Note that individuals seeking to fill a vacancy are NOT expected to appear at these Court dates. | |
FILLING VACANCIES THROUGH EMERGENCY APPOINTMENTS
Pennsylvania Election Code (25 P.S. §2675) directs that “(c) Vacancies in election boards occurring at any time during the five days immediately preceding any primary or election or on the day of the primary or election may be filled by appointment by the County Board of Elections from a pool of competent persons who are qualified registered electors of the county … Any person appointed to fill a vacancy in accordance with this subsection shall serve as a member of the election board on the day of the primary or election only…”
If you are interested in serving as a member of an election board (aka, working as a Poll Worker), please complete this form.
Note that both new and current Poll Workers must be available to attend one of the County training sessions (in-person and online training is available). The Poll Worker Hotline Team will contact you regarding your emergency appointment within five days of the election.
STUDENT POLL WORKER PROGRAM
The Delaware County Elections Bureau is now accepting applications for the Student Poll Worker Program. This program promotes civic awareness and educates high school students (at least 17 years of age) about the election process by allowing students to serve as paid Clerks or Machine Operators on election day. Students will learn responsibility, teamwork, and leadership while serving the community. Students will be placed in voting precincts throughout the county as needed with a maximum of two students per precinct. Students will be required to attend a training session and will be expected to work their assigned shift.
Submit completed form by email at
DelcoPollWorkers@co.delaware.pa.us OR submit in person at:
Delaware County Bureau of Elections
201 West Front Street
Government Center Bldg., Ground Floor
Media, PA 19063-2728
THE ELECTION DAY GUIDE FOR POLL WORKERS
2024 GENERAL ELECTION EDITION
The November 5, 2024 General Election Day Guide is now available.
The Election Day Guide, in addition to in-person training, help poll workers to:
- Set up the polling place properly,
- Use the Poll Pads to check in voters,
- Properly direct voters and poll watchers,
- Manage a “campaign free zone” in the polling place, and,
- Properly close the polls and complete your paperwork.
NEW this election:
- To make way for bigger turnout, we are supplying more three-fold tabletop voting stations. Return these tabletop voting stations in the cage. They are NOT disposable items
- Also new: return your spoiled/ remitted envelope in the cage – along with the numbered-list binder and with the box of unused ballots.
- We highlighted areas on the provisional envelopes where the voter, the JOE and the Minority Inspector must sign. Be sure to complete all sections of that envelope!
- In-person training will include tips on streamlining check-ins.
- For rooms with two or more precincts, you will have a color-coded “menu” style sign on a stand (beige, gray, gold, green, purple, or pink). This will be in the cage. This is intended to help you direct the voter from the Poll Pad table to the correct precinct table.
Please note that in-person instruction is equally important. We recommend all Judges of Election take in-person training.
IN-PERSON POLL WORKER TRAINING
Delaware County in-person training sessions for Poll Workers will run from mid-September through the Saturday before Election Day.
Please note: In-person sessions and related trainings are coordinated via email. Registration is required. An email will be sent to poll workers when dates and times are finalized. This email will also include a link for sign up.
All in-person classes will include hands on Poll Pad experience. Poll Workers are asked to check their email inbox for information regarding training sessions and open houses.
Note: ALL classes will be held in the County Council Room, located on 1st floor in the Government Center Building (201 W. Front Street, Media, PA).
Free garage parking is available in the Court House Garage on 3rd Street ONLY during classes held Monday - Friday evenings and Saturdays. Media Borough charges $1.50 per hour for street parking from 8:00 a.m.to 8:00 p.m., Monday - Saturday. Meters accept quarters only and the kiosks accept quarters, credit cards and the Passport App. There are very limited free parking spaces nearby.
Call the Poll Worker Hotline at 484-460-3750 if you have any questions regarding training or training pay.
Online training is available for ALL Poll Workers, but please note the following:
- In-person training is required for any Judge of Election who has NOT completed an in-person training for at least one of the following elections: May 2023, November 2023 and April 2024.
- To receive training pay, a Judge of Election must complete in-person training for this election OR must have completed in-person training for May 2023, November 2023 and April 2024 and pass the poll worker test and serve successfully.
- A Poll Worker who is newly court appointed must complete in-person training.
ELECTION EQUIPMENT OPEN HOUSES
The Bureau of Elections will hold four Election Equipment Open Houses before the General Election. We encourage all poll workers to join us to familiarize themselves with the equipment, and to ask questions about equipment set up, use and shut down. Open Houses are not structured classes but instead opportunities to get hands-on experience with the equipment and ask as many questions of equipment experts as you need, at your own pace. Visit as long or as briefly as you like.
A LIST OF OPEN HOUSE DATES AND TIMES WILL BE SENT TO EACH POLL WORKER BY WAY OF EMAIL.
All Open Houses will be held in the Delaware County Council Room, 1st floor in the Government Center Building, located at 201 W. Front St., in Media.
Poll workers are asked to check their email for details, including information about parking, and can contact the Poll Worker Hotline at (484) 460-3750 with questions.
Note: Attending an Open House does NOT qualify as a training class and attendance is unpaid.
POLL WORKER TRAINING TEST
The Poll Worker Training Test for the November 5, 2024 General Election will be available in October.
About the Poll Worker Test
To qualify for training pay, all poll workers must pass the Delaware County Poll Worker Test, regardless of experience or participating in online or in-person training. The test is customized to each election. Poll workers will NOT be paid for training if they fail to pass the test and successfully serve on Election Day.
A score of 80% (20 out of 25 questions answered correctly) is needed to pass. The test can be taken as many times as needed to score a passing grade. If a Poll Worker would prefer a hard copy of the test, please contact the Poll Worker Hotline at (484) 460-3750 to make arrangements. To ensure poll workers are rested before Election Day, the test link will be removed at 9:00 p.m. .on Monday, November 4, 2024.
POLL WORKER ELECTION MATERIAL PICK-UPS
Election Day supplies are to be picked up by the Judge of Elections, the Majority Inspector, or the Minority Inspector. If none of these individuals are available to pick up the supplies, a designated individual may be used only if this affidavit is completed by the Judge of Elections, the Majority Inspector, or the Minority Inspector. This affidavit allows the Judge of Elections, the Majority Inspector, or the Minority Inspector to designate an individual to pick-up the supplies for the precinct. Without the affidavit, the Bureau of Elections may not release supplies to anyone else. The affidavit may be delivered in person or emailed to the Bureau of Elections. Judges of Election or their representative will be able to pick up Election Day supplies at the County Government Center in Media on Friday, November 1, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 2, 2024 from 8:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
On Saturday only, Poll Workers should enter via the parking garage on Third Street side of Government Center Building, park their car on Level C, take the elevator to the Lobby on the Ground Floor, and then proceed to the Voter Registration table. On Friday, Poll workers will have to find on street parking.
NOTE: The Judge (or the Judge’s representative) must present valid PHOTO ID.
POLL WORKER ELECTION MATERIAL DROP-OFFS
ALL Election Day material drop-offs will be held at the Government Center Building in Media. Poll Workers should enter via the parking garage on Third Street side of Government Center Building, park their car on Level C, then and take the elevator to the Lobby on the Ground Floor.
Poll Worker Pay
| Judge of Elections | $150 | For each service precinct. Maximum of 2 precincts. |
| Majority Inspector | $140 | For each service precinct. Maximum of 2 precincts. |
| Minority Inspector | $140 | For each service precinct. Maximum of 2 precincts. |
| Machine Inspector | $140 | For each service precinct. Maximum of 2 precincts. |
| Clerk | $140 | For each service precinct. Maximum of 2 precincts. |
| Pick up Supplies | $20 | Per election officer. |
| Return Supplies | $20 | Per election officer. |
| The supply pay is $20 regardless of how many precincts the election officer is handling. | ||
Online training pay:
$100 for Inspectors, Machine Operators and Clerks who complete online training AND pass the test AND serve successfully on Election Day. Judges of Election may complete online training AND pass the test AND serve successfully to receive online training pay only if they previously completed in-person training for this election or at least one of the following elections: May 2023, or November 2023, or April 2024.
Judges who last completed in-person training in 2022 or earlier will NOT be eligible for training pay if they do not complete in-person training for this election. If you are not sure of your status, call the Poll Worker Hotline. Online training pay is $50 for those who meet the qualifications above but serve only half of Election Day.,
In-person training pay:
- $150 for poll workers who complete in-person training in the weeks before the November 2024 General Election AND who pass the test AND serve successfully on Election Day
- $75 for any who meet these qualifications but serve only half of Election Day.
Election Day Machine Setup Training Video
This comprehensive video explains all aspects of set-up and breakdown for equipment used on Election Day, with clearly labeled chapters for each Poll Worker process.
Please note that you can easily navigate back and forth across these 60+ chapters.
Click “SHOW MORE” underneath the video description, then click on the blue timecode that corresponds to the chapter you wish to watch. For example, to jump ahead to the chapter called “Ballot Box Setup”, just click “SHOW MORE”, scroll down, and click the blue timecode listed as 00:10:19.
STATE GUIDELINES ON ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND WHO IS ALLOWED IN THE POLLING PLACE
This helpful document from the PA Department of State provides state guidance on the laws and rules in effect at polling places to help voters, election officials, attorneys, and watchers understand their respective roles, responsibilities, and rights.
HOW TO BECOME A POLL WORKER
Poll workers are either elected to a four-year term – or appointed. The Judge of Elections and the Majority and Minority Inspectors are elected, while the Machine Operator and Clerk are appointed. If a vacancy exists, eligible voters may be court-appointed to fill out the remaining term as Judge or Majority or Minority Inspector.
To work this election, interested Delaware County voters may complete the application below If there is no vacancy in your area, you may be asked to consider serving in other areas of the County. If you are not appointed during the current election cycle, we will retain your information for future elections.
The Poll Worker Hotline uses email to communicate directly with Poll Workers. New Poll Workers are asked to complete the Poll Worker Staff Form, accessible through the button below. Please do not complete this form if you are already a Poll Worker.
POLL WORKER REQUIREMENTS
Citizen of the United States and a Registered Delaware County Voter
Must not hold any public office, appointment or employment in the government including municipal, state or county employees.
Must not be a candidate running for public office on the ballot in precinct
Able to read, write and speak English
Physically capable of sitting and/or standing for long periods, hearing voters and writing information
Ability to follow instructions from the Judge of Election
Patiently listen to and communicate with voters and coworkers in a courteous, efficient manner
Must attend County administered training sessions in advance of election
Must be completely non-partisan while serving (not campaigning, handing out literature or wearing political items), and must work to keep the rest of the room where voting occurs a “campaign-free zone.” The “campaign-free zone” in the polling place is to ensure that voters are free to cast ballots without influence or intimidation.
POLL WORKER POSITIONS
The legal staffing standard is five (5) Election Officials in each precinct. Sometimes more are needed in larger precincts, and sometimes fewer can manage a small precinct or two smaller precincts working together. Judges and Inspectors are required to work a full day which is from 6:00AM to 9:00PM approximately. Clerks and Machine Operators may work a 1/2 day shift. Standard positions and responsibilities are:
Judge of Elections
The Judge of Elections oversees all Election Day activities and personnel inside the polls, including the Constable. The Judge opens and closes the polls and is responsible for the paperwork as well as pick up and return of election supplies to the County Election Bureau.
Majority Inspector
The Majority Inspector will assist the Judge of Elections and share responsibility for the operation of the polling site. Along with the Minority Inspector, this inspector will manage the poll pads and assist voter sign-in and delivery of ballots to eligible voters.
Minority Inspector
The Minority Inspector has the same responsibilities as the Majority Inspector. In addition, the Minority Inspector is expected to appoint a Minority Clerk and sign the provisional ballot envelope. The Minority Inspector will also receive “Minority Inspector Envelope” on election night. This contains a copy of the election results and numbered list of voters. The Minority Inspector must keep this record of election day in the sealed envelope for two years.
Clerk
The Clerk is appointed by the Minority Inspector to assist in the operations of the polling location on election day. They are tasked with checking in voters, tracking voters in the numbered list of voter books, and delivering ballots.
Machine Inspector
The Machine Inspector is appointed by the Majority Inspector or if the local precinct board is all of the same party, by the county Board of Elections. The Machine Inspector assists in the operations of the ballot scanning equipment and the ballot marking device on election day. They are tasked with assisting voters and maintaining voter privacy.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions about serving as a poll worker, please contact the Poll WorkerHotline by email at delcopollworkers@co.delaware.pa.us or call at (484) - 460 - 3750.