Statewide campaign unveiled to recruit polling officials

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett has announced a statewide campaign to recruit polling officials for the Aug. 6 elections.

In a news release, Hargett says Tennesseans can join the campaign to be a poll official in time for the state and federal primaries, and the county general elections.

To join the campaign, called Be a Patriot. Become a Poll Official, click here.

Officials will perform various tasks to help sites run smoothly. Those tasks include greeting voters and answering questions, processing voters, explaining how to cast a ballot and counting votes, according to the release.

The release says any voter can apply to be a polling official.

To be an official you must be:

• a registered voter if 18 or older
• at least 16-years-old
• not a candidate or relative of a candidate.
• able to read and write in English

Government employees can serve as poll officials if they are:

• city, county or metro employees, except those working directly under the supervision of an elected official on the ballot
• State of Tennessee employees
• federal employees – consult your Human Resources department for eligibility.