Election judges
Election judges play an important role in administering elections by ensuring the constitutional rights of voters are protected. Serving as an election judge is an opportunity to learn more about election processes and to provide a great service to the community.
Election judges qualifications and application
Application download link
Election judge training links
Election judges: after your application has been accepted, you will receive a letter asking you to sign up for training using the links below. To sign up,click on FULLSLATE.
If you have questions, call 952-563-8729 or email voting@BloomingtonMN.gov.
State required qualifications
To be an election judge you must meet all of the following state and city qualifications:
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Eligible to vote in Minnesota.
- Able to read, write, and speak English.
- Cannot be a spouse, parent, child, or sibling of any election judge serving in the same precinct at the same time.
- Cannot be a candidate or the spouse, parent, child, stepchild, sibling, or stepsibling of a candidate on the ballot in that precinct.
- Must attend two-paid training sessions
City of Bloomington desired qualifications
- Communicate clearly with voters
- Enjoy assisting and serving diverse populations
- Experience using a tablet or iPad
- Demonstrate attention to detail
- Have excellent math skills
- Speak a second language
Election day duties
All judges will rotate duties when serving.
- Ballot Counter Judge
- Ballot Judge
- Closing Polls
- Demo Judge
- Greeter Judge
- Opening Polls
- Poll Book Judge
New election judges (18 years and older)
How to apply: If you are interested in becoming an election judge, please complete the following forms:
Fill in the forms, print out and sign by hand, and return to kengberg@BloomingtonMN.gov, or:
City of Bloomington
Attention: Elections
1800 W. Old Shakopee Road
Bloomington, MN 55431
Time off work to serve
If you are appointed to serve as an election judge, state law allows you to be absent from work without penalty if you have given your employer at least 20 days-notice.
Your employer may reduce your salary or wages by the amount you will receive for serving as an election judge. Additionally, your employer may restrict the number of employees who are serving as election judges to no more than 20 percent of the total work force at any single work site.
Training Required
Training is mandatory. The City of Bloomington will provide two paid training sessions (Regular Election Judge Training and Poll Book Training). The trainings will be held in July, for the Primary Election, and October, for the General Election. Head Judges and Assistant Head Judges receive additional training.
Assignment letters
The City Clerk will provide certification upon request that details your hourly pay as well as the hours you will serve.
| Pay Rate | |
|---|---|
| Head Judges | $13.00 per hour |
| Assistant Head Judges | $12.50 per hour |
| Regular Judges | $11.25 per hour |
| Student Judges | $10.00 per hour |
Work hours
You can work either the Primary or General Election or both.
Full day: 6 a.m. to closing
Half day: 6 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. or 2 p.m. to closing
Other duties
Election judges may be asked to perform with:
- Assisting with the absentee voting processes
- Assisting with recounts
Student judges information
The City of Bloomington (City) offers a Student Election Judge Trainee Program for students who live in or near the City and who will be 16 years old by Election Day. It is provided in accordance with MN Stat. §204B.19 subd. 6.
Election judge trainees work in the polling places with election judges. Trainees may work a shift between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., although parents/guardians may prefer that students begin their shift only after school. Two student trainee judges will be assigned to each of Bloomington's 32 precincts.
Requirements
- High school student, age 16 or older (be enrolled in a high school or home-school in Hennepin County, Minnesota).
- Acceptable academic performance (must provide a letter of recommendation from a teacher or principal).
- U.S. citizen.
- Attend a 2.5-hour training class by the City Clerk's Office.
- Have the approval of their parent(s) and school.
- Be willing to serve in a patient, honest, and impartial manner.
- Cannot be related to another judge in the same precinct.
- Cannot be a son, stepson, daughter, stepdaughter of a candidate of the election.
- Able to read, write, and speak English.
Duties
(Working under the supervision of the polling place election judges)
- Determine whether a voter is in the correct precinct.
- Distribute registration applications to voters .
- Instruct voters how to complete a voter registration application.
- Distribute ballots.
- Answer general questions about the voting process.
- Help the voting process as needed
- Operate the election equipment (ballot counter, ballot box, and AutoMARK).
Rewards
- Obtain understanding and practical knowledge of voting laws in Minnesota.
- Earn $10 per hour (training and Election Day).
- Receive Community Service and Leadership Credit.
- Learn workplace etiquette skills.
Eligibility for payment
Selected student judges must complete and turn in the following forms to the City Clerk's Office: