How to become a poll worker in Berks County

To work the polls in Berks County, you must be a U.S. citizen, a county resident, and a registered voter, and then apply through the county's Election Services office. You can apply online through the county poll worker portal or by calling 610-478-6490, and the office trains you before the election.

Every polling place in the county is run by a small team of local residents who set up the machines, check in voters, and count the results at the end of the night. The county needs hundreds of them for each election, and it recruits and pays new workers year round. The next election is the general election on November 3, 2026.

What poll workers do

A polling place is staffed by an election board. Each role has its own job:

• Judge of elections. Runs the polling place. The judge contacts the team before election day, picks up the supplies from Election Services the Saturday before the election, oversees the room on election day, checks the credentials of any poll watchers, and returns the materials after the polls close.
• Majority inspector and minority inspector. Help open, run, and close the polls, including the electronic poll books used to check voters in. The minority inspector keeps Envelope B, a set of the election returns, for one year.
• Machine inspector. Has the voting machines open and working by 7 a.m., keeps them running through the day, and helps voters who are unsure how to use them.
• Election clerk. Keeps the Numbered List of Voters accurate and complete all day and assists the judge as needed.
• Interpreter. Assists Spanish-speaking voters through the voting process.

Three of these positions are elected to four-year terms at the municipal election: judge of elections, majority inspector, and minority inspector. The county fills the seats that sit vacant, along with clerk and machine inspector roles, by appointment. Appointment is how most people start.

What it pays

Berks pays poll workers for election day and for training, by role:

Role	Election day	Training	Extra
Judge of elections	$200	$55	$20 supply pickup, $20 supply return, plus mileage
Majority / minority inspector	$200	$30	—
Machine inspector	$200	$30	—
Election clerk	$200	$30	—
Interpreter	$200	$55	—
Student poll worker	$200	$30	—

Every role earns $200 for working election day. The judge and the interpreter earn more for training, and the judge earns extra for handling supplies.

Who can serve

To be a poll worker in Berks County you must be:

• A U.S. citizen,
• A Berks County resident, and
• A registered voter.

State law adds a few limits. Government officials and government employees cannot serve, though there are exceptions for district judges, notaries public, and members of the Pennsylvania National Guard. You also cannot work the polls if your own name is on the ballot. If you are not registered to vote yet, our Berks County election guide explains how to register.

High school students who are at least 17 can serve too, with extra steps. See the student section below.

What election day looks like

Polls in Pennsylvania are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Poll workers arrive earlier and stay later:

• Arrive at your assigned polling place no later than 6:15 a.m. to set up before the doors open.
• Work through the day as voters come in.
• After 8 p.m., help close the polls, print and pack the results, and return the supplies.

It is a long day, and the pay is a flat rate rather than an hourly wage. You are assigned to one polling place, and the county may ask about your willingness to travel within the county when it places you.

Training

New and returning workers take a two-hour training before every election, and the training is paid. Because voting equipment and procedures change, the county runs its own class rather than relying on a statewide one. The county schedules sessions in the weeks before each election and tells you when and where after you apply.

How to apply, step by step

1. Confirm you qualify: U.S. citizen, Berks County resident, and registered voter.
2. Open the county's poll worker portal and complete the online application. If you would rather not apply online, call Election Services at 610-478-6490 or contact the office to request a paper form.
3. Wait for Election Services to contact you about placement and your role. Applications are taken year round, so applying early for a specific election helps.
4. Attend the two-hour training session the county assigns you.
5. Report to your polling place by 6:15 a.m. on election day.

Students under 18

Berks runs a student poll worker program for high school juniors and seniors who are 17 or older and in good academic standing. Students may serve as machine inspectors or clerks, but not as judge of elections or as majority or minority inspector.

A student applies through a school coordinator and needs three signed approvals: a teacher recommendation, principal approval, and a parent or guardian's consent. The student then takes the same two-hour training. Pay is the same $200 for election day, delivered on a debit card, plus $30 for training if the student works the election. Students report at 6:15 a.m. like everyone else, but Pennsylvania law caps workers under 18 at eight hours, so a student's schedule is shorter than the full day.

FAQ

How much do poll workers make in Berks County?

Every role is paid $200 for working election day, plus training pay: $30 for most roles and $55 for the judge of elections and interpreters. The judge also earns $20 for picking up supplies, $20 for returning them, and mileage.

Do I have to belong to a political party to be a poll worker?

You do not need to be in a party to apply and serve. Some board positions are set up to represent the majority and minority parties in a precinct, and the county balances placements, but anyone who qualifies can volunteer and be appointed.

How old do you have to be to work the polls in Pennsylvania?

You must be at least 18, with one exception: high school students who are 17 or older, in good academic standing, and have parental and principal approval can serve as student poll workers in limited roles.

When should I apply to work the November election?

Apply as early as you can. Berks takes applications year round on a rolling basis, and training happens in the weeks before each election, so signing up well ahead of November 3 gives the county time to place and train you.

Can county or township employees be poll workers?

Generally no. State law bars government officials and employees from serving, with narrow exceptions for district judges, notaries public, and members of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

For how the county runs elections and what else it controls, see how Berks County government works. To take part in county government another way, our guide to speaking at a Berks County commissioners meeting walks through public comment. Election Services is at 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601; 610-478-6490; open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.