Poll workers are needed for the upcoming mayoral primary election in Allegheny County
You may want to text this to them if you're the parent of a student in Allegheny County.
The division of elections is now accepting applications for the student poll worker program ahead of next month's mayoral primary on May 20.
Jessica Garofalo said Allegheny County had a student poll worker program for decades. A lot of people didn't know about it until recently though.
"Our poll worker population was declining and people were really aging out." Garofolo, the Allegheny County Director of Administrative Services, said. "In 2021, we really started to promote it and we saw 100."
Last year's general election saw big gains, but Garofolo said the primaries will be difficult.
"I think in 2024, we had the most at 261 students from 30 different schools," Garofolo said. "We're competing with prom, and spring sports, and graduations, and things like that."
Garofolo said meeting last year's student number would be ideal.
That's out of about 6,000 workers they need to make everything go well on Primary Day.
"Right now we're sitting at about 5,000 poll workers spread across the county," Garofolo said.
High school students enrolled in Allegheny County are eligible, but they have to be at least 17 years old.
"We also ask for parental or guardian consent, and then consent from your school district," Garofolo said.
The max of $170 for the day includes $20 for training, and a full day of volunteering isn't required.
"They can also take a half day," Garofolo said. "They can work from 6 to 1 or 1 to 9 and earn $75."
Garofolo says the Elections Division sent letters to all of the county's schools.
"We typically target any civics instructors, [or] government instructors," she said. "We'll also send the informational packets out to guidance counselors."
Garofolo said getting involved is a great way to see the electoral process and learn about it.
"They can see what it takes to open up a poll," she said. "They can engage with their community that's coming in to cast their vote throughout the day."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Texas foster care agency chief to step down this summer
Stephanie Muth, who took the reins of the Texas foster care agency two years ago, announced late Monday she is stepping down at the end of July. 'Commissioner Muth has led with unwavering dedication and service to the children and families of Texas,' Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. 'Under her guidance, the Department of Family and Protective Services made meaningful progress to improve care for our state's most vulnerable children. Her commitment to expand innovative community-based solutions will leave a lasting impact on the state of Texas.' Muth, once the director of the state's Medicaid program, returned to government service from consulting work after Abbott tapped her to replace then DFPS commissioner Jaime Masters in 2023. Masters' three-year tenure as head of one of the largest state foster care agencies in the nation was rocked by caseworker turnover and a dramatic rise in the number of foster care children who were living in hotel rooms because there were no foster care placement beds available. In August 2020, there were 50 children classified as 'CWOP' or children without a placement. That number soared to 400 in August. 2021. Other problems included an investigation over allegations that an employee at a residential treatment center for children who were trafficking victims had solicited and sold nude photos of those children who lived there. Two years later, the number of children without a placement has dropped, according to the agency. At a presentation before the House Human Services Committee in March, Muth told lawmakers that the number of CWOP children was 20. Also under Muth's tenure, the judge in the ongoing federal lawsuit against the state's foster care system was removed. Plaintiffs lawyers, representing Texas foster care children, have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that overturned a contempt order against the state and removed the U.S. District Judge Janis Jack, who had overseen the case to this point. During Muth's tenure she continued the decade-long rollout of the 'community-based' care model, in which children in foster care receive services and are placed into care near their own home and relatives instead of being moved across the state to the first available placement. Eight of the state agency's 11 districts now have a private community-based contractor. 'I have the highest regard for the agency's leadership and staff and am enormously proud of the work we've done together,' Muth said in a statement. ' I've accomplished many of the goals the Governor set for my time at DFPS and I am confident that the agency will continue to make progress.' Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Texas foster care agency chief to step down this summer
Stephanie Muth, who took the reins of the Texas foster care agency two years ago, announced late Monday she is stepping down at the end of July. 'Commissioner Muth has led with unwavering dedication and service to the children and families of Texas,' Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. 'Under her guidance, the Department of Family and Protective Services made meaningful progress to improve care for our state's most vulnerable children. Her commitment to expand innovative community-based solutions will leave a lasting impact on the state of Texas.' Muth, once the director of the state's Medicaid program, returned to government service from consulting work after Abbott tapped her to replace then DFPS commissioner Jaime Masters in 2023. Masters' three-year tenure as head of one of the largest state foster care agencies in the nation was rocked by caseworker turnover and a dramatic rise in the number of foster care children who were living in hotel rooms because there were no foster care placement beds available. In August 2020, there were 50 children classified as 'CWOP' or children without a placement. That number soared to 400 in August. 2021. Other problems included an investigation over allegations that an employee at a residential treatment center for children who were trafficking victims had solicited and sold nude photos of those children who lived there. Two years later, the number of children without a placement has dropped, according to the agency. At a presentation before the House Human Services Committee in March, Muth told lawmakers that the number of CWOP children was 20. Also under Muth's tenure, the judge in the ongoing federal lawsuit against the state's foster care system was removed. Plaintiffs lawyers, representing Texas foster care children, have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that overturned a contempt order against the state and removed the U.S. District Judge Janis Jack, who had overseen the case to this point. During Muth's tenure she continued the decade-long rollout of the 'community-based' care model, in which children in foster care receive services and are placed into care near their own home and relatives instead of being moved across the state to the first available placement. Eight of the state agency's 11 districts now have a private community-based contractor. 'I have the highest regard for the agency's leadership and staff and am enormously proud of the work we've done together,' Muth said in a statement. ' I've accomplished many of the goals the Governor set for my time at DFPS and I am confident that the agency will continue to make progress.' Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Two Mercer County towns among Tuesday elections
bramwell — Voters will decide two town elections next week in Mercer County. The elections are set for Tuesday, June 10, in Bramwell and Athens. They are among 77 towns and cities across the Mountain State that hold an election Tuesday. In the town of Athens, the races are uncontested with two candidates vying for two seats on town council, according to Athens Town Clerk Debra Shorter. The candidates are incumbent council member Travis Pace and candidate James Blankenship. Incumbent Athens Mayor Timothy Peak also is running unopposed for re-election. The situation is different in Bramwell where the races for mayor, recorder and town council are all contested. Grant Bennett, the current mayor of Bramwell, is being challenged by former Mayor Louise Stoker and candidate Rodney Holcomb. Susan Lance Troutner, a current town council member, and Lathe Ellis are running for town recorder. Eight candidates are vying for four seats on the Bramwell Town Council, according to Bennett, who was answering the phone Friday at town hall. They include incumbents Jackie Shahan, Dennis Marcello, Charles Hawthorne and Kelley Murphy Eller and candidates Don Thompson, Perry Love, Elizabeth Brown Tillery and Sharon Workman, according to a legal advertisement copy of the ballot published in the Daily Telegraph. In all, 77 towns across West Virginia will hold an election Tuesday, according to West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner. Warner said some municipalities with contested races will receive a compliance visit on Election Day from an authorized representative of the Secretary of State's Office. 'My office will have more than a dozen individuals visiting municipal elections throughout the state on Election Day, June 10th,' Warner said in a statement Friday. 'These compliance visits are intended to ensure that polling locations are safe, secure and following the protocols in place to help every interested and eligible voter cast a ballot.' Warner said the visits are educational in nature to assist the clerks or recorders in charge of the elections, as well as the poll workers at each location. Trained members of the Elections Division, the WVSOS Field Team, or the Investigations Division will conduct the compliance visits, according to the Secretary of State's office. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@
