Don’t think every vote counts? Then you probably aren’t a poll worker.
In three of the Central Susquehanna Valley’s four counties, poll workers are paid on a sliding scale — if enough voters show up, the judges of elections, inspectors and constables get paid a bit more.
Montour, Northumberland and Snyder counties each pay their precinct employees, in part, on voter turnout.
Union County pays a flat fee. Montour County will adopt a flat fee system next year.
The pay difference for a heavy turnout is modest. For instance, in Montour County, workers get an extra $10 if more than 500 people show up at a polling location.
In Snyder County on Monday, phones were ringing constantly at the election office, where director Patricia Nace said each election costs the county between $40,000 and $50,000.
The annual election budget for 2009 is $155,000, which includes Nace’s salary. Also included are the training of election officials, rental of polling places, constables and postage.
Nace said turnout has little effect on costs.
“It doesn’t matter if 25 percent or 85 percent show up,” she said. “It’s the same cost. ... We’re required by law to provide for 22,000 voters in the county regardless of the percentage” who are expected to turn out.
The poll workers are each paid according to the number of voters who turn out. In Snyder County, poll worker pay ranges from $75 to $125 for the day, she said.
Holly Brandon, Montour County’s director of elections, said the election budget is $96,620 and covers the costs of the primary and general elections.
Currently, the workers are paid according to voter turnout. When there are 150 or fewer voters, the judges of elections receive $70 and the inspectors, clerks and constables receive $65. For 151 to 500 voters, the payment rises to $75 and $70. For 500 voters and up, pay increases to $80 and $75.
The county will alter those payments to a flat fee beginning in 2010. The judges of elections will be paid $130 and the inspectors, clerks and constables will receive $115.
Greg Katherman, director of elections from Union County, said polls workers are paid $100 for the day, while the judges of elections receive $105.
Employees work from 6 a.m. until the polls close at 8 p.m. and then venture to the courthouse, where votes are tallied.
Alisha Herb, deputy director of the Northumberland County Election Office, said there are always six workers at each polling location. Those individuals are paid according to how many votes come in.
The judge of election receives $80, if there are 150 voters or less, she said, $84 if there are between 151 and 300 voters, $88 for between 301 and 500 voters, and so on.
The minority inspector starts at $74 and the pay continues to rise according to the number of votes, Herb said.
Pay for other inspectors, clerks and constables begins at $75 and rises with the turnout.
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Matthew Harris / The Daily Item
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Turnout plays role in pay of poll workers
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