New poll workers increase in Walker County, officials hold training

New poll workers increase in Walker County, officials hold training

Many counities have added more workers.

There had been a push for recruiting them statewide news 12's dorothy sherman takes a look at how they're training for this huge election.

Dorothy sherman: "in walker county, the elections director says that around 35 percent to 45 percent of their poll workers are new.

And many were here at the ag center thursday night getting mandatory training."

Nats full for pat horton, it's her first time to be a poll worker.

New poll worker pat horton: "our particular precint was needing more workers because of our situation right now.

Some were afraid to come in and work so i called them and here i am."

Nats full she's one of multiple people getting the required training to do the job.

New poll worker pat horton: "learned about doing the ballots, getting the ballot box to work, having everything printed, putting it in the scanner and recording everybody's vote."

This is one of three training sessions in walker county.

In the session, walker county director of elections danielle montgomery explains how poll workers must remain nonpartisan and how they handle poll watchers, i-d cards and ballots.

They also were able to ask questions and were shown how to operate the equiptment.

New poll worker caitlin dillinger: "i didn't know anything about the ballot, what different ballots there were and how to go about that so it aliviated a lot of stress."

Montgomery says that for this election they have more new poll workers than they've ever had and more workers ever used before.

Walker county director of elections danielle montgomery: "a lot of new faces because some people aren't willing.

Some people, a lot of our poll workers are older and they are concerned about their health and don't want to work and the turnout that we're expecting we wanted to ramp up the amount of poll workers we had."

Dorothy sherman: "when it's all said and done, the elections director expects 80 percent of registered voters will have voted, many in person.

In walker county, dorothy sherman,