Embrace the Poll Workers

Those who work at polls during elections play an important role in ensuring a smooth election day. With the upcoming runoff election for the next president, here are some interesting facts about poll workers in Brazil.

There are Brazilian laws about who must do the job and what benefits they get from working on election day. Most polling locations have various voting rooms. For each room, there’s a group of workers consisting of a president, 2 electoral clerks, 2 secretaries, and an alternate.

Poll workers are selected by election judges 60 days before election day. On the day of voting, the workers must arrive by 7am. College graduates, teachers and court employees are often considered preferred poll workers.

Showing up to work the day of an election isn’t optional for most poll workers. It’s their civic duty. If they bail, they’ll have 30 days to justify their absence. Otherwise, they’ll get slapped with a fine. To fill their vacancy, the president of the voting room can select any voter who meets the requirements.

Volunteers can also apply to work the polls as long as they meet the requirements. For example, minors and police officers, as well as candidates for office and their relatives, can’t take the job.

Serving as a poll worker also comes with some benefits. They get a small food allowance as well as 2 days off from their real job for every day they worked the election. For many, a day at the polls is a job worth taking.