Groups Can Adopt-A-Poll this June and Raise Money

The "Adopt-A-Poll” program is a great fundraising opportunity for organizations to earn at least $560 with just five participants and one day of work.

With the “Adopt-A-Poll” program, an organization “adopts” one or more polling places and is responsible for staffing the facility on Election Day, Tuesday, June 3.

One person serves as the Inspector in charge of the polling place and responsible for picking up the election supplies the day before the election and returning them election night. A second person serves as the Electronic Voting Specialist in charge of the voting equipment. Three additional people serve as Clerks who check in voters, hand out ballots, and assist voters as needed.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The polling place staff need to arrive at the polling place at 6 a.m. to set up the facility and it can take up to two hours after the polls close to pack up supplies and return the facility to its original condition.

To serve in the polls, a person must be a registered voter, or a legal resident, or a high school student, age 16 or older, who is a U.S. citizen, with at least a 2.5 grade point average. 

Poll worker duties include attending a 2-hour training class held in advance of the election, setting up the polling place on Election Day, opening the polls, assisting voters, closing the polls, certifying the work completed, and delivering election materials to the election return center.

Poll workers are paid $75 for Electronic Voting Specialists and Clerks and $100 for Inspectors, plus an additional $20 for attending the training class if they complete their service at the polls. Each poll worker then donates his or her earnings to their organization.

Polling places are located at schools, churches, parks, libraries, fire stations, local businesses, and other public places throughout Santa Cruz County.

For more information about the Adopt-A-Poll Program, please contact Lynn Stipes at 831-454-2416 lynn.stipes@santacruzcounty.us Interested persons may also come to the office located at 701 Ocean St., Room 210, in Santa Cruz, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit our website at www.votescount.com