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2024 ELECTION HANDBOOK
2024 MT SOS ELECTION JUDGE TRAINING
2024 FLATHEAD COUNTY ELECTION JUDGE TRAINING
ELECTION JUDGE TRAINING VIDEO LINKS
These videos were recorded and produced with the assistance of other counties in Montana. Although all counties follow polling place laws, each county differs slightly in their process/procedures.
Please contact the Election Office with any questions.
ExpressVote Set-up and Break-down
Playlist of All Training Videos
WHAT IS AN ELECTION JUDGE/ELECTION WORKER?
An Election Judge is a registered voter that works on Election Day to support a Flathead County polling locations. They perform a variety of tasks to ensure the integrity of the voting process and uphold election laws.
An Election Worker is a registered voter that works in one of many roles both on Election Day and the days or weeks leading up to the election. Our various boards work within the office or out at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.
These positions are registered voters from Flathead County that are paid for their training and hard work on Election Day. All Election Judges/Workers are educated in polling place and election procedures and regulations to ensure safe, secure, and free elections for Flathead County!
Click here to submit an online application.
Or Click here for the downloadable Election Judge Form or the Election Worker Application
wHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS?
For all positions:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must be registered to vote in Flathead County
For Election Judges only:
- Attend required one 3.5-hour training class
- Cannot be a candidate or relative of a candidate running in the precinct you work.
- This differs for State and Federal offices and does not apply to precinct committee people.
What does an election judge do?
There are a total of 11 polling places used during Federal Primary and General elections that service 56 precincts. On average, teams of four - one Chief Judge and three Election Judges - are trained, organized, and assigned to every precinct. Over 200 election judges are needed in order to adequately conduct polling place elections in Flathead County.
Election Judges are trained to execute the following tasks required for polling locations:
- Greeting & checking in voters
- Directing voters to their correct polling place, if they have moved
- Setting up & taking down polling place
- Issuing proper ballots to qualified voters and ensure that each qualified voter is permitted to only vote once
- Ensuring the secrecy of every voted ballot
- Balancing of poll boll issuance and maintaining accurate registers for each precinct
Chief Election Judges are trained and responsible for:
- Pickup & Return of polling place supplies
- Supervising of precinct team
- Ensures proper execution of polling place procedures and state and federal guidelines
- Providing assistance to voters that must vote provisionally
What does an election Worker do?
An Election Worker can work within a variety of roles that all support our elections!
Resolution Board - Teams of three work to resolve ballots that need to be reviewed and counted. The available shifts for this role start the Friday before the election, Monday before the election, and election day. This team works at the Expo Building at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.
Absentee Board - This team can include up to 30 people that both prepare absentee ballots for the mail out date prior to the election and work to prepare voted absentee ballots for counting closer to election day. The mail prep shifts can span two weeks at a variety of hours and start over a month before the election. The count prep shifts begin the Thursday before the election and continue through Election night.
Count Board - This team works with the tabulators for counting voted ballots the day before the election and on Election Day. The shifts available for this team vary.
Poll Runner/Polling Place Check In - Teams of two people travel to select polling places on election day to replenish the supplies for election judges and transport absentee ballots to the election office. They return to the Country Kitchen at the Flathead County Fairgrounds to then prepare to check in ballots and supplies from the Chief Election Judges. A Poll Runner shift is from 6am to 8pm on election day. Polling Place Check In shift is from 8pm to 11pm on election night.
Greeter - Teams work as the front lines for polling places on election day. They help assist voters in determining their precinct, correct polling location, and more! The shifts for greeters are typically 6am to 2pm or 1:30pm to 8pm.
Office Support - This can be either part of the Voter Registration Team, Absentee Ballot Team, or Phone Team. These roles require multiple days/weeks availability prior to and on Election Day. Shift times vary on the role. These roles require experience with both customer service and with computers/database management systems.
ARE THESE PAID POSITIONS?
While we do accept applications from generous Flathead County citizens that do not wish to be paid, Election Judges and Election Workers are paid for both their time in training and for their work on Election Day!
Absentee Board $11/hour
Resolution Board $12/hour
Office Support & Poll Runner pay varies on role
Greeter $11/hour
Chief Election Judges $12/hour
Election Judges $11/hour
Payment for mileage is reserved solely for Chief Judges and is only applicable for the transportation of election materials to and from the polling place.
Payment for election judge training is $42 and is paid only to the judges that work on Election Day.
Election Judges are required to work from 6 AM to approximately 9:30 PM (dependent on polling place location).
Election Judges are certified for a two-year term following completion of training and may be asked to assist with other elections during that time.