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Wayne County adopts flat pay for poll workers, approves $100-per-meeting board-of-elections stipend
Summary
The Wayne County Board of Commissioners approved a change to poll-worker pay — a flat fee for election-day workers — and authorized $100 per meeting for the county's newly created board of elections, with travel and training expenses covered and the board stipend applied retroactively to January.
The Wayne County Board of Commissioners voted to change how precinct workers and managers are paid and to compensate members of the county's new board of elections.
Election Supervisor Robbie Smart proposed paying managers a flat $185 and other poll workers $165 for election work that includes setup and voting-day duties; Smart said the amount covers roughly 13 hours at the polls plus two hours of setup the day before. The board also approved $100 per meeting for each board of elections member and agreed to pay travel and training expenses; commissioners agreed the stipend should apply retroactively to January when members took office.
Smart said the flat-fee plan simplifies payroll and reduces paperwork. "If we don't pay these people enough, they're gonna quit coming, and we're not gonna have the coverage to do a proper election," Smart said. He told the commission the flat rate is common in Georgia and reduces errors and time-sheet administration: "That hundred and $85 for the manager and a hundred $65 for everybody else includes that setup the day before and the day of election."
Smart presented comparisons with neighboring counties and said the change increases total precinct payroll modestly at larger precincts but raises the hourly-equivalent pay for many workers. He also proposed $10 per hour for advance-voting staff.
Commission discussion focused on administration and oversight. Several commissioners said they trusted Smart and the board to manage payments without abuse; one commissioner asked for retroactive application to the board-of-elections stipend, and the commission voted to make the $100-per-meeting stipend retroactive to the board's January start date.
Smart also described a student poll-worker participation program that would allow 16- and 17-year-old students in good standing to serve as poll workers and earn community-service hours. He said the program is not needed immediately because the office currently has enough adult workers, but he will return to the commission if volunteers decline and the program becomes necessary.
The motions passed on roll call; commissioners recorded their approval during the meeting.
What it means: The county is moving from hourly pay to flat-fee election-day compensation to reduce paperwork and encourage staffing stability. The board-of-elections stipend and training/travel coverage aim to support the three-member board created under state law.
Next steps: Election staff said they will implement the new pay schedule for upcoming elections and will return to the commission if they need to expand student-participation plans or adjust advance-voting compensation.
