TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney applauded a Senate committee for advancing a bill that supports his efforts to help towns secure enough poll workers for elections.
“Towns across the state like Wayne and Wyckoff are having a hard time staffing their polling places. Poll workers are working up to 16 hours a day, ensuring the integrity of the election process,” said Rooney (R-Bergen). “They do important work and we need to start to address the shortage by compensating them fairly.”
The bill (S598) voted on in the committee would increase poll workers’ wages to $300 per day from $200. The state would pay $225 and the county $75 toward the $300 per day wage. It appropriates $5 million to cover the increase.
Rooney, a prime sponsor of the Assembly version (A1527), said poll workers last received a raise 19 years ago in 2001. Their pay went from $75 a day to $200.
According to recent reports, Passaic County was short by about 225 poll workers approaching Election Day. Wayne stretched 108 poll workers across voting sites when it needed 164 for full staffing.