Be An Election Judge!
ELECTION JUDGE APPLICATION
What does an Election Judge Do?
Election judges are responsible for the administration of election procedures in the voting place on election day. Election judges are trained to handle all aspects of voting at the polling place. Serving as an election judge is a chance to learn about elections, and is a great service to the community.
What are some of the duties of Election Judges?
- To open and close the polls (judges work from 6:00 a.m. to about 9:00 p.m.)
- To be responsible for all election materials.
- To ensure only qualified voters are permitted to vote.
- To ensure all election laws are followed.
- To distribute ballots.
- To ensure voter privacy is maintained.
- To assist voters requesting assistance.
- To maintain order in the precinct throughout the day.
- To certify the precinct election results.
Who is eligible?
You must be eligible to vote in Minnesota and able to read, write and speak English. Students 16 and 17 years-old can be election judge trainees.
There are restrictions on having relatives serve together as election judges. A relative is defined as a spouse, parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, sibling, or stepsibling.
Relatives cannot serve together in the same precinct at the same time. In addition, relatives of a candidate, and anyone who temporarily or permanently lives in the same house as a candidate, cannot serve in the precinct where the candidate is on the ballot.
Candidates cannot serve in a precinct where they are on the ballot.
Compensation
You can choose to volunteer or be paid. The current rate of pay for election judges is $13.00 per hour and $15.00 for Head Judges. In 2024, Judges may be assigned to work the Presidential Nomination Primary (March 5th), the Primary Election (August 13th), the General Election (November 5th), or a combination of the three.
How are Election Judges Selected?
Election Judge appointments are made by the City Clerk’s Office depending on the needs for each election, and are approved by the City Council. Duluth has 34 precincts. Each precinct is staffed by 4 to 8 election judges.
How can I become an Election Judge?
Use the link above to fill out an application. Applications can be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office in person, by mail, or by emailing rshipp@duluthmn.gov.
