Michigan needs more election inspectors (i.e. poll workers ) for the early voting period and Election Day.
Democracy MVP is the state of Michigan’s award-winning, non-partisan poll worker recruitment program. Sign up with Democracy MVP today to get trained, get paid, and help your community run smooth and secure elections!
Complete the interest form to serve as an election inspector (i.e. poll worker) in Michigan!
Michigan needs more poll workers! Help us get the word out in your community.
Resources for hired election inspectors, including videos, quick reference guides, and manuals.
The following four steps outline your path to becoming an election inspector (i.e. poll worker) in Michigan!
Complete and submit the Democracy MVP Election Inspector Interest Form to provide your information to local clerks.
If a local clerk in your area is hiring, they may contact you with next steps including training and hiring as an election inspector.
To sign up with a friend or as a group, please complete the interest form and indicate your group name in the provided space.
More poll workers than ever before are needed for the 2024 elections.
Early voting will occur statewide in 2024 for the first time ever. For 9+ days before an election, voters can visit an early voting site to cast a ballot in person, just like at a polling place on Election Day. This means that Michigan has a critical need for more poll workers.
If everyone who signs up to serve recruits one more person, this need will be met! Use the following links to share a post on social media or view the Help spread the word section.
Share a pre-written Tweet (use the following links):
Share Tweet: “I signed up to be a Michigan poll worker in 2024! 🏆 Join me and sign up at Michigan.gov/DemocracyMVP”
Share Tweet: “Proud to be a poll worker in Michigan! 💪 Sign up for 2024 at Michigan.gov/DemocracyMVP”
Share Tweet: “Michigan needs poll workers for 2024! 🗳️ Join me and sign up to serve at Michigan.gov/DemocracyMVP”
To increase your chance of being hired, contact local clerks in your area to ask directly about serving as a poll worker, and to submit an official application. Michigan residents can apply at any clerk’s office in Michigan, not just their own.
If you signed up with a friend or a group, please contact a local clerk’s office to ask about placement together. Hiring and placement of election inspectors are determined by local clerks, not Democracy MVP.
Each community in Michigan hires their own election inspectors separately, so you may need to submit a new application for each office you contact.
Just like when applying for a job, it can take time to hear back. Be patient and monitor your email and phone.
All hiring decisions are left to the discretion of local clerks. If selected, a clerk will contact you to provide next steps, including training.
If you have not heard back from a clerk, it may be due to one of the following reasons:
For status updates and hiring information, please contact your local clerk’s office.
Election inspectors, i.e. poll workers, are hired, paid, and trained local government workers who assist with running local elections in compliance with Michigan Election Law.
Each county, city, and township in Michigan hires and pays election inspectors for the early voting period and on Election Day.
Election inspectors may be assigned different responsibilities.
At a polling place or early voting site, election inspectors greet and check-in voters, issue ballots, and assist with tabulation. Individuals may also be hired to assist with processing absentee ballots.
To ask what jobs are available, please contact a local election clerk’s office.
Eligibility requirements to serve as an election inspector in Michigan are as follows:
While not a requirement, Michigan election clerks are seeking individuals with the following skills to serve as election inspectors:
Election inspectors are locally paid workers, not volunteers. The rate of pay is set at each county, city, and township level, and can differ between jurisdictions. For information about how much your local clerk pays election inspectors, please contact their office.
Democracy MVP and the State of Michigan do not compensate or set the rate of pay for election workers.
If hired as an election inspector, you will receive official training from a local or county clerk on how to run elections and assist voters in accordance with Michigan election law.
Election inspector training provided by non-governmental entities, political parties, non-profit organizations, or special interest groups are not sanctioned by the State of Michigan and must be disregarded by election inspectors.
Official election inspector resources are available in the election inspector resource library.
An election challenger or poll watcher is very different than an election inspector (i.e. poll worker).
Election observers are volunteers who observe election activities, as permitted by election law. They are not government employees, are not hired or recruited by Democracy MVP or local clerks, and may not assist voters.
Learn more about the Appointment, Rights, and Duties of Election Challengers and Poll Watchers.
Michigan needs more poll workers to run elections during the early voting period and on Election Day!
The following resources can help Michigan residents, organizations, and institutions spread the word.
Democracy MVP Toolkit
Sample graphics, videos, emails, newsletter language, and social media posts.
Share on Social Media
Democracy MVP graphics
A zip file containing Democracy MVP poll worker recruitment promotional graphics for social media, emails, newsletters, or flyers.
The Election Inspectors Procedure Manual details the official responsibilities of Michigan election inspectors.
This section includes additional resources for hired election inspectors to review procedures, election law, and safety information.
Hired election inspectors with questions about assignments or responsibilities should contact their hiring clerk’s office or ask their precinct chairperson.
Lookup local clerk information
*Please note that these resources are not a replacement to official training provided by local or county clerks.
