The Support MI Clerks poll worker recruitment campaign kicked off its fall effort today under the leadership of the Michigan Chamber Foundation. The statewide initiative is dedicated to strengthening the operations of Michigan’s elections by educating residents on how they can be trained and paid to be poll workers in local city and township clerks’ offices this election season.
Temporary poll workers are a staple of every clerk’s Election Day operations. But as the General Election approaches on Nov. 3, Michigan’s local clerks face a rapidly growing need for more poll workers as they facilitate our elections.
With nine days of early voting now required statewide, in addition to typical absentee and Election Day voting, local election officials need more poll workers than ever – and for a longer period of time. Support MI Clerks is helping to recruit new poll workers by delivering educational presentations to organizations across Michigan, including chambers of commerce, Rotary clubs, associations, corporations, libraries, and other community groups.
These presentations provide fact-based information about Michigan’s election process, explain the responsibilities and benefits of serving as a poll worker, and help attendees learn how to sign up as a poll worker in their local community.
“Well-trained poll workers are essential to ensuring our elections run smoothly. We cannot run our elections without their assistance,” said Dan Papineau, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. “The Support MI Clerks program helps community members understand the important role they can play in supporting accessible elections by registering to become poll workers.”
In addition to the Support MI Clerks educational presentations, the initiative engages communities through webinars, tabling events, digital and print advertising, and a free digital toolkit featuring printable posters, informational flyers, frequently asked questions, and other informational materials.
By increasing awareness and encouraging civic participation, Support MI Clerks aims to help ensure every Michigan community has the trained workforce required to effectively administer elections in the safe and secure fashion they always have previously.
Prior to Primary Election Day, Support MI Clerks presented its educational recruitment initiative to organizations across the state, including groups like the Millington Chamber of Commerce, Bloomfield Hills League of Women Voters, Ada-Cascade Rotary Club, Plymouth District Library, Washtenaw GOP, Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, and many more.
In its next phase of operations, Support MI Clerks will greatly increase its paid advertising awareness campaign and expand its in-person events.
Organizations interested in hosting a presentation or receiving the Support MI Clerks Digital Toolkit are encouraged to contact Johanna Williams at jwilliams@harborstrategic.com.
For more information, visit SupportMIClerks.com.