MANKATO — Blue Earth County is seeking eligible residents to serve as election judges Nov. 5, Election Day.
From 300-400 election judges are needed to staff more than 25 polling places countywide.
Election judges are responsible for a wide range of duties, including setting up and tearing down a polling location, greeting and registering voters, demonstrating how to vote and providing ballots, overseeing ballot-counting machines, assisting voters as needed and compiling precinct voter statistics at the end of the day.
Potential judges must be eligible to vote in Minnesota; be able to read, write and speak English, and complete required training.
Students at least 16 years old can also serve as an election judge trainee as long as they are in good academic standing and receive permission from their parent/guardian(s) and their school.
Election judges may opt to either volunteer or be paid at least minimum wage. Minnesota state law may allow time off work without loss of pay while serving as an election judge.
Blue Earth County officials are especially seeking additional judges who affiliate with the Republican Party or who do not affiliate with a party. To serve as election judges, residents are required to state what major political party they affiliate with or they must state that they do not affiliate with a particular party. No more than half of the election judges in a precinct may be members of the same major political party.
Election judges receive training. A training session is tentatively planned for later this month.
To learn more about becoming an election judge or to fill out an application, visit: blueearthcountymn.gov or call (507) 304-4341.