Election Judge Information
What Do Election Judges Do?
Election judges work as a team to ensure a fair and accessible election. Election judges are trained before election day.
Basic Qualifications
To serve as an election judge, you must be eligible to vote in Minnesota and be able to read, write, and speak English.
Restrictions:
• Candidates for office cannot be an election judge in a precinct where they appear on the ballot. This includes those who are actively campaigning as a write-in candidate.
• A person who is a relative of a candidate for office cannot serve in a precinct where that candidate is on the ballot. Relatives include a spouse, parent, child, stepchild, brother, sister, stepbrother, or stepsister.
• A person who temporarily or permanently lives in the same house as a candidate cannot serve in a precinct where that candidate is on the ballot.
• Election judges who are relatives to each other cannot serve together in the same precinct during the same shift. Relatives include a spouse, parent, child, stepchild, brother, sister, stepbrother, or stepsister. Relatives can work separate, non-overlapping shifts in the same precinct.
• A challenger appointed to contest voter eligibility cannot serve as an election judge. A challenger appointed to contest voter eligibility cannot serve as an election judge.
Training & Pay
New judges must attend a two (2) hour training course administered by Carlton County. Judges are paid to attend the class.
Perch Lake Township assigns election judges to one of two shifts – morning or afternoon. Judges assigned to the morning shift report at 6:00 a.m. - one hour before the polls open at 7:00 a.m. The morning shift lasts until 1:00 p.m. Judges assigned to the afternoon shift begin at 1:00 p.m. and serve until all duties are completed after the polls close. Polls close at 8:00 p.m., and judges on the afternoon shift could work as late as 10:00 p.m.
They are paid $16 per hour ($17 per hour as head judge).
Time Off from Your Job to Serve as an Election Judge
If you are appointed to serve as an election judge, state law allows you to be absent from work without penalty if you have given your employer at least 20 days’ notice.
Contact the Perch Lake Town Clerk if you have questions.
How to Apply for Election Judge
Contact the Perch Lake Town Clerk below:
Lora Eames, Perch Lake Town Clerk
2779 Big Lake Road
Cloquet, MN 55720
218-391-9178 (cell phone)