Westmoreland County in dire need of poll workers for June primary

Westmoreland County elections officials said more than 100 staffers still are needed to work at the polls for the June 2 primary.

Elections Bureau Deputy Director Scott Sistek said the county in recent days lost dozens of poll workers and hasn’t been able to hire enough staff to fully staff the county’s 307 voting precincts.

Each precinct requires up to six staffers to oversee the voting process.

On Thursday, elections bureau staff learned an entire six-member team at a precinct in Hempfield quit, leaving the county struggling to find replacements.

Sistek said judges of elections, who earn $130 for the day’s work, are needed at precincts in Hempfield, New Kensington, Vandergrift, Allegheny Township and Irwin. Poll workers, who earn $95 for the day are needed in Greensburg, Ligonier, Mt. Pleasant, New Kensington, Arnold, Unity, Irwin, North Huntingdon and South Huntingdon.

Applicants can apply online through the elections bureau page on the county website or by calling 724-830-3150.

For the last two days, county election officials have been conducting training sessions for poll workers in small groups at various locations in the courthouse. More training sessions are planned leading up to the June 2 primary, Sistek said.

Those sessions involve training in the use of new voting equipment that will be used countywide for the first time next month, as well as the additional safety and cleaning measures put in place amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Officials routinely put out calls for additional poll workers in the days leading up to an election, but Sistek said safety concerns and fears because of the pandemic have amplified the need this year.

“A lot of people are afraid, I think. A lot of people don’t feel they want to be there to participate,” Sistek said. “These are jobs we have to fill.”