Serving as an Election Judge

• You must be eligible to vote in Minnesota
• You must be able to read, write and speak English
• Students 16 and 17 years-old can be election judge trainees
• You must be able to attend paid training sessions every two years (including student judges)
• Head judges, health care facility judges, and ballot board judges each require an additional hour of paid training

You cannot be:

• A candidate for the election in which you are serving
• A candidate’s spouse, parent, child, brother, or sister
• Related to another Election Judge in the same precinct, unless working separate shifts

• Your employer is required to give you time off from work to be an election judge without a reduction in pay
• To qualify, you must (1) notify your employer in writing as least 20 days in advance of Election Day and (2) attach a copy of your election schedule and pay rate form to your written notice (this is provided by the City Clerk)
• “Without a reduction in pay” means you will earn at least the same amount you would have had you gone to work on Election Day
• Your employer can ask you to turn over the amount you received as an election judge during hours you would have normally been scheduled to work OR they can deduct that amount from your normal pay
• You can also voluntarily take a vacation day to be fully paid by your employer and receive the judge’s salary as extra income
• An employer cannot force you to take vacation or any other form of paid leave to work as an election judge
• This memo explains your right to receive time off to serve as an election judge and can be given to your employer

• Administer election procedures in the voting place
• Certify the precinct election results
• Distribute ballots
• Ensure only qualified voters are permitted to vote only once
• Help protect the rights of the voters on Election Day
• Help voters requiring assistance
• Maintain order in the voting place throughout the day
• Obtain the results after the polls are closed
• Open and/or close the polls
• Process absentee ballots
• Register new voters at the polling site
• Responsible for all election materials
• Work at one or several elections during your term

• You can choose to volunteer or be paid. 2024 wages are $12 an hour for election judges and $13 an hour for head election judges.
• Student judges are paid $12 an hour
• Additional assignment(s) include:
  • Ballot Board

• There are three shifts available for election judges:  6 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. to close (typically 9:00 p.m. but could be longer) or all day (6:00 a.m. to close)!
• Head judges work the entire day from 6:00 a.m. to close.
• Student judges may not work past 10:00 p.m.
• Those who are able to work the full day will be given priority.

To qualify, you must (1) be 16 or 17 on or before Election Day, (2) be a U.S. citizen in good academic standing at a Minnesota high school (or home-schooled), (3) get permission from your parents, and (4) get permission and your school