LUCAS COUNTY, OH (WTOL) - The Lucas County Board of Elections is dealing with a shortage of workers at the polls only a day away from the November 3 election.
On Monday, the BOE was in need of 60 workers. Throughout the day, the department was able to gather additional workers.
According to the BOE, they are lacking poll workers in areas where there are more than one precinct. They need the staff there so they can be flexible in moving their locations and cover all the places that need to be covered.
The BOE says they prepare for this by making sure everyone has the proper training so they can multi-task if necessary.
"I would love to say that every polling location is always going to be staffed throughout the state, but as an election official, I know that that's not true, not just in Lucas County, but in most counties. Poll workers are always an issue in reference to making sure we have enough qualified people. And recruitment efforts across the state, that's always going to happen," says LaVera Scott, Deputy Director of the Lucas County Board of Elections.
But why, on the day before the election day, are they saying they have a shortage?
The county says because people do not want to make the commitment for the amount of money they would be paid and because people always see workers, so they don't believe there is a need.
The BOE says since the weather is supposed to be nice on Tuesday, they're expecting larger crowds. so voters should be sure to pack their patience and give themselves plenty of time.
Those who did step up to the plate, spent time the night before the election getting ready.
"Most of them have already received their three-hour training, this is just a reinforcement of that training," said Scott. "They come in, they go through the manual, they go through the specific duties assigned to each of the poll workers, they put the actual machines up, they do the test cards on the machines themselves, to make sure the machines are functioning. So, it's the best on-the-job-training you can get."
Does a poll worker shortage mean a longer wait time for you? Scott says she doesn't see that being a huge factor.
"It's not as much as you being processed, as it is being machines for you to vote on," said Scott. "And we have added more machines to there, and we will also add more in March for the presidential election."
The BOE says they'll be test piloting electronic books at Regina Coeli and UT Scott Park Tuesday. The idea is that doing the check-in process electronically will be faster than using paper. Paper books will still be used along with the electronic piloting in case there are issues.
