With the fall elections fast approaching, Harris County is looking for a few good men and women. The county clerk's office is seeking more than 1,000 election workers for the early voting period, which begins October 13, and more than 8,000 workers for Election Day on November 3. Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins says they are anticipating more than 65 percent of the county's 2.4 million registered voters will cast a ballot this fall.
This year's election includes a highly-charged presidential race and comes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which has prompted Democrats to push for expanded mail-in voting. But Texas courts have ruled that most voters must cast a ballot in person, unless they actually have COVID-19 or another physical ailment that prevents them from going to the polls. As a result, there will be some 100 locations for early voting in Harris County and more than 800 locations open on Election Day.
The workers who staff polling places are often determined by the party in charge and the makeup of that particular precinct. "The presiding judge is in charge of finding the clerks and election workers who work at the polling place, so typically they're going to find election workers who align with their political camp," says Vlad Davidiuk, Texas-based GOP strategist. "If it's a Democrat precinct, you're going to have a presiding judge who is a Democrat, an alternate judge who is probably a Republican, and election workers who are probably Democrat...and vice versa in a Republican precinct."
With Democrats holding all major offices in Harris County and dominating the last two election cycles, Davidiuk argues it is more important than ever for Republicans to get involved and sign up as election workers in order to help turn the tide. "The Republican and Democrat parties are both working overtime trying to fill these positions, because they know whoever gets across that finish line first is probably going to have a really good chance of affecting the outcome," he says. "If Republicans can actually get their volunteers activated, then Republicans stand a very good chance of being able to affect the outcome of the election."
All Harris County election worker positions are paid. Click here to apply or call 713-755-6965.