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Caroline County raises election-day poll-worker pay to $250 amid recruitment concerns
Summary
The Board voted to raise election-day poll-worker pay from $150 to $250 and chiefs from $200 to $300, effective immediately; staff estimated the $100 increase would cost about $7,600 per election based on 76 workers and about $30,400 for four elections in 2026.
The Caroline County Board of Supervisors voted on Jan. 13 to raise election-day poll-worker pay from $150 to $250 per day and to increase pay for chiefs and assistant chiefs from $200 to $300.
County staff explained the registrar currently uses about 76 poll workers per election and estimated that a $100-per-person increase would cost roughly $7,600 per election. With four elections projected in calendar year 2026, staff estimated an additional $30,400 in aggregate cost for the year. Board members discussed operational hours, difficulty recruiting poll workers, and tax-reporting thresholds for higher pay.
Supervisors approved the motion by voice vote and directed staff to make the pay change effective immediately so workers will be paid at the new rate for the upcoming election. Staff noted the distinction between election-day poll workers and early-voting staff, who are typically part-time employees on payroll and handled differently for pay and tax reporting.
The board also discussed that if individual poll-worker compensation crosses IRS thresholds, the county may need to report payments on Form 1099-NEC; staff said they would check applicable reporting rules and the registrar’s payroll processes.
Implementation tasks include adjusting payroll, notifying current and prospective poll workers of the new rates and assessing any tax-reporting implications before payments are processed.
