Politics & Government

Last Chance: Train to be a Poll Worker

Class required every 2 years to stay certified

Time is running out for poll workers to take certification training if they want to continue to work at election sites.

The deadline, according to Tony Desimone, the county’s poll worker training coordinator, is June 2.

Title 19 of New Jersey election law requires that all poll workers take an election training class every two years to become or remain a certified board worker, Desimone said in a statement sent to media.

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Desimone said veteran poll workers who took the class the first time it was offered in 2010 must take a training class by June 2 to become recertified.

“It’s the law. This training is mandatory,” Desimone said. “All board workers who have not attended a class in the past two years and all first-time board workers must attend one of these classes.”

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Desimone noted that under the law, if poll workers go to work at the polls this year without having attended a class, they will only receive $50 for the day instead of $200.

The Morris County Board of Elections has been running two-hour, hands-on training classes at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy, 500 West Hanover Ave., in Parsippany, and Desimone said only a few classes remain.

They are May 19 at 1 p.m.; May 23 at 7 p.m.; May 26 and June 2 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.; May 29 and May 30 at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Registration for a class is required, and may be accomplished online at www.morriselections.org/poll-classes.asp . Desimone said poll workers may also contact him at adesimone@co.morris.nj.us or at 973-285-8350.

Desimone also urged poll workers who have not yet returned their assignment letters to do so as soon as possible.

Morris County has lost approximately 200 poll workers this year for various reasons including health and moving out of the area, Desimone said.


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