**[Requirements for Serving as a Pollworker]{.underline}**

**[Washington]{.underline}**

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[State Registration Requirement]{.underline}**                      |
|                                                                       |
| **[(Exceptions may be found in Student Election Assistant             |
| category)]{.underline}**                                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| No statutory registration requirement.                                |
|                                                                       |
| Must either be a member of a major political party qualified to work  |
| on an election board in the precinct.                                 |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.430* *(Thomson/West 2006).*                 |
|                                                                       |
| Or must be a properly trained person.                                 |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.410 (3) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Age Requirement]{.underline}**                                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| There is no minimum age requirement to work at the polls.             |
|                                                                       |
| *Nick Handy, Director of Elections, Washington State, 2006.*          |
|                                                                       |
| 18 years old for registration.                                        |
|                                                                       |
| *WA Const. Art. VI, § 1, (Thomson/West 2006).*                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Residency Place and Term Required for Voter                        |
| Registration]{.underline}**                                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Lived in the state, county, and precinct thirty days.                 |
|                                                                       |
| *WA Const. Art. VI, § 1 (Thomson/West 2006).*                         |
|                                                                       |
| For the purpose of voting and eligibility to office no person shall   |
| be deemed to have gained a residence by reason of his presence or     |
| lost it by reason of his absence...while a student at any institution |
| of learning.                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| *WA Const. Art. VI, § 4 (Thomson/West 2006).*                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Residency Requirement for Service (State, County or                |
| Precinct)]{.underline}**                                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Precinct.                                                             |
|                                                                       |
| Whenever possible, should be residents of the precinct in which they  |
| serve.                                                                |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.410 (1) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Affiliation with Political Party Requirement]{.underline}**        |
|                                                                       |
| **[and Process for Nomination as Poll Worker]{.underline}**           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Affiliation Generally Required.                                       |
|                                                                       |
| The political party representation of a single set of precinct        |
| election officers shall, whenever possible, be equal but, in any      |
| event, no single political party shall be represented by more than a  |
| majority of one at each polling place.                                |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.420 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
|                                                                       |
| At least ten days prior to any primary or election, general or        |
| special, the county auditor appoints one inspector and two judges of  |
| election for each precinct (other than vote-by-mail precincts) from   |
| lists submitted by the chairpersons of the county central committees  |
| of the two political parties entitled to representation.              |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.410 (1) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
|                                                                       |
| By the first day of June each year, the county chair of each major    |
| political party shall certify and compile a list of qualified         |
| precinct residents from the precinct committee's nominations, add     |
| names if there are insufficient nominees, and substitute nominees for |
| those deemed unqualified.                                             |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.430 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
|                                                                       |
| If the list is insufficient, the auditor may appoint a properly       |
| trained person whose name does not appear on such a list as an        |
| inspector or judge of election for a precinct.                        |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.410 (3) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
|                                                                       |
| If there are sufficient numbers of nominees from the political        |
| parties, then the county auditor shall designate the inspector and    |
| one judge in each precinct from that political party which polled the |
| highest number of votes in the county for its candidate for president |
| at the last preceding presidential election and one judge from that   |
| political party polling the next highest number of votes.             |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.410 (4) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
|                                                                       |
| The auditor may also appoint one or more persons to act as clerks if  |
| in his or her judgment such additional persons are necessary. Each    |
| clerk appointed shall represent a major political party.              |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.420 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Term Requirements]{.underline}**                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Poll workers are appointed prior to each election.                    |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.410 (1) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Compensation and Hour Requirements]{.underline}**                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The precinct election officers for each precinct shall meet at the    |
| designated polling place at the time set by the county auditor.       |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.150 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
|                                                                       |
| The election officer having jurisdiction of the election may          |
| designate at what hour the clerks shall report for duty.              |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.420 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
|                                                                       |
| Judges and clerks of an election are compensated at not less than the |
| minimum hourly wage. Inspectors receive the rate paid to judges and   |
| clerks, plus compensation for an additional two hours.                |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.530 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Training, Certification and Oath Requirements]{.underline}**       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Before each state primary or general election at which voting systems |
| are to be used, the county auditor shall instruct all precinct        |
| election officers.                                                    |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.12.120 (1).* *(Thomson/West 2006).*            |
|                                                                       |
| The county auditor may waive instructional requirements for precinct  |
| election officers who have previously received instruction and who    |
| have served for a sufficient length of time to be fully qualified to  |
| perform their duties.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.12.120 (2) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
|                                                                       |
| No inspector or judge may serve at any primary or election at which   |
| voting systems are used unless he or she has received the required    |
| instruction and is qualified to perform his or her duties in          |
| connection with the voting devices.                                   |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.12.120 (4) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
|                                                                       |
| As compensation for the time spent in receiving instruction, each     |
| precinct election officer who qualifies and serves at the subsequent  |
| primary or election receives additional two hours compensation.       |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.12.120 (3) (Thomson/West 2006).*               |
|                                                                       |
| Oath required.                                                        |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.490 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Elected Public Officials Prohibited]{.underline}**                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| No prohibition, but interference with voter prohibited. No person may |
| interfere with a voter in any way within the polling place.           |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.010 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
|                                                                       |
| This does not prevent the voter from receiving assistance in          |
| preparing his or her ballot as provided in RCW 29A.44.240.            |
|                                                                       |
| *Nick Handy, Director of Elections, Washington State, 2006.*          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[Candidates Prohibited]{.underline}**                               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| No prohibition, but interference with voter prohibited. No person may |
| interfere with a voter in any way within the polling place.           |
|                                                                       |
| *Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.44.010 (Thomson/West 2006).*                   |
|                                                                       |
| This does not prevent the voter from receiving assistance in          |
| preparing his or her ballot as provided in RCW 29A.44.240.            |
|                                                                       |
| *Nick Handy, Director of Elections, Washington State, 2006.*          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[The Effect of Felon Status on Participation]{.underline}**         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Since registration is not a requirement to work at polls, there is no |
| statutory prohibition against those convicted of infamous crimes from |
| working at the polls.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| *Nick Handy, Director of Elections, Washington State, 2006.*          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[The Effect of Mental Incapacitation on                             |
| Participation]{.underline}**                                          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Since registration is not a requirement to work at polls, there is no |
| statutory prohibition against those declared mentally incompetent     |
| from working at the polls.                                            |
|                                                                       |
| *Nick Handy, Director of Elections, Washington State, 2006.*          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **[English Fluency and Literacy Requirement]{.underline}**            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| No Information Available.                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  **[Good Reputation Requirement]{.underline}**

  No Information Available.

  **[Alternative Positions with Different Requirements]{.underline}**

  No Information Available.

  **[Student Election Assistant Statute]{.underline}**

  No Information Available.
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------