Election Judges

Election judges are responsible for the administration of election procedures in each of the city's precincts on election day. Election judges are trained and paid officials who staff polling places, carry out election procedures and help guarantee the rights of voters are protected. They are vital to efficient and honest elections. Serving as an election judge is an opportunity to give something back to the community. Come work with us!

What are some of the duties of Election Judges?

• Open and close the polls (polls open at 7:00 am and close at 8:00 pm)
• Ensure responsibility for election materials
• Ensure only qualified voters are permitted to vote
• Ensure election laws are followed
• Distribute ballots
• Ensure voter privacy is maintained
• Assist voters who request assistance
• Maintain order in the precinct
• Certify the election results

If you are interested in learning more, please call

State law requires party balance be maintained among judges within the precinct. For this reason, you will be required to disclose your party affiliation to the Election Administrator. This information will only be share with the head judge in the precinct you are working in. You do have the option of serving as a non-partisan judge.

• You must be eligible to vote in Minnesota
• Be able to read, write and speak English
• You must complete an election judge training course (at least two hours)
• Election judges can choose to volunteer or be paid.
• Employers are required to give employees time off to work as an election judge
• Election judges cannot be a candidate in the election
• Not a spouse, parent, child or sibling of another election judge in the same precinct or a candidate on the ballot

• Ages 16 or 17
• U.S. citizen in good academic standing at a Minnesota high school (or home schooled)
• Obtain school and parental permission
• Serve in the county where they reside or in an adjacent county
• Like other judges, they do not have to serve the entire day; they cannot work past 10 p.m.
• Trainees are assigned the same duties as other judges, with the exception of tasks requiring party affiliation.
• Trainees do not designate party affiliation.
• Trainees must attend and complete the same training as other judges.

State law allows you to receive time off from work to be an election judge. Your employer can reduce your salary or wages by the amount you are paid for being a judge during the hours you are away from work.

You can voluntarily take a vacation day to be fully paid by your employer and receive the judge salary you earn as extra income. An employer cannot force you to take vacation.

Election judges are paid an hourly wage or you can choose to volunteer. Election judge pay is $15 per hour for regular judges and $20 per hour for head judges. Health care judges are paid $20 per hour.