St. Joseph County election board lets primary-opposed delegates serve as vote-center workers

The St. Joseph County Election Board voted to approve a resolution to allow people who are opposed or are running as delegates in a primary to serve as vote-center workers.

An agency official told the board the measure (identified in the meeting as “resolution 20 26 0 7”) would “give them the ability to work the vote centers even though they may have somebody opposed or primarying them for their delegate seat.” Board members said the change is meant to clarify eligibility and expand the pool of available workers ahead of upcoming elections.

Board members and staff discussed the scale of the shortage: the county had requested about 700 workers to fully staff vote centers in a presidential-level cycle but staff estimated roughly 400–500 people were currently signed up, with localized shortfalls of about 40 workers at some sites. Staff and party officials said the redrawing of delegate districts has made some previous repeat workers ineligible or ‘opposed,’ reducing the pool of experienced workers and prompting the request for the resolution.

The chair moved to accept the resolution; an agency official seconded the motion and the board responded by voice vote. The board confirmed the measure passed and staff agreed to file the original document and coordinate with the parties to reach previously-turned-down individuals.

The change does not alter statutory language; board members framed it as a local clarification to enable parties and staff to re-offer work to people who had been turned down because they appear on a delegate ballot. Members emphasized the need to maintain bipartisan balance at vote centers while addressing the recruitment shortfall.