Montgomery County Election Board approves ~2,450 poll workers, will canvass undated absentee envelopes

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Nov. 3, 2025 — The Montgomery County Election Board approved appointments for poll workers and canvassers on Nov. 3 and said it intends to canvass absentee and mail ballots whose outer envelopes lack a date, unless barred by a legal challenge.

Elections staff presented a spreadsheet titled "poll worker appointments for the 2025 municipal election" and asked the board to designate the people listed as non-elected poll workers for the municipal election on Nov. 4. "Section 26 75 of the election code permits the board of elections to temporarily appoint qualified individuals to fill any vacancies occurring at any time in the 5 days preceding an election," Frank, elections staff, told the board. The board approved the appointments by voice vote.

The board also approved a document titled "canvasser appointments for the 2025 municipal election," which staff said lists people who will serve on the absentee/mail and provisional ballot canvas board. "Section 31 46 dot 8 of the election code states that the board of elections is to conduct the pre canvassing canvass of votes cast via mail in and absentee ballots," Frank said. "Section 30 50 of the election code states that in the days following the election, the board of elections shall examine provisional ballot envelopes to determine if the individual voting the provisional ballot is entitled to have that ballot counted." That motion passed on a voice vote.

Board members asked for counts and clarifications. Staff reported that the poll worker appointment list contains about 2,450 names and that the canvasser roster is about 100 people. On the handling of undated outer envelopes, Frank said, "I am not a legal expert, but, unless a legal challenge were to be filed, that would preclude us from doing so, it is our intention to canvass ballots that do not have any date on them." He added the office will segregate those ballots and scan them separately in case litigation arises afterward. Staff said there are about 500 undated envelopes recorded on the CureLog and that unsigned envelopes are another significant deficiency.

Staff provided election activity figures and logistics: "to date, we have a 106,335" (as stated in the meeting) for the total noted on the board’s report and "to date, we've received a little over 78,000 back," Frank said. The board noted there are 428 polling places across 313 physical locations and reiterated that election-day hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The meeting also opened with approval of June 9 and Sept. 25 minutes and concluded with a motion to adjourn. All procedural motions on the Nov. 3 agenda passed by voice vote.

For the appointments the board approved, staff said the documents attached to the agenda identify which listed individuals hold elected positions and which are to be designated as non-elected poll workers for the 2025 municipal election only.