Freestone County raises certified poll-worker pay to $15 an hour, leaves uncertified pay at $10

Freestone County Commissioners voted to raise pay for certified poll workers to $15 an hour while keeping uncertified election-day workers at $10, effective immediately. Committee member (S2) moved the change and the court approved the motion after discussion of certification, payroll logistics and staffing needs.

Elections staff (Agency official, S8) told the court certified workers are those who complete online and in-house equipment training; “If you get certified, you make more money,” the elections official said, explaining the distinction between the two pay tiers. County staff (S10) said certified workers’ training and certification requirements justify higher pay and that the county processes many of the payrolls through a mix of county and party chair systems.

The discussion noted difficulties recruiting workers for long early-voting schedules and weekend shifts. Committee member (S2) emphasized retention and fairness, saying many longtime workers had seen little or no pay increases: “We ought to at least be paying what we pay our part-time help,” the member said. Elections staff warned the change will modestly increase election payroll costs but argued it could help secure trained personnel and speed operations on long election days.

The motion to set certified poll-worker pay at $15 and uncertified at $10 was moved by Committee member (S2), seconded by Chair (S1), and approved by the court. The court did not provide a detailed vote tally in the record; county staff said they can calculate aggregate cost impacts for future budgets.

Next steps: County staff will implement the payroll adjustment and provide a cost estimate to the court for future budgeting. The county’s elections office will continue to post training information and coordinate certification steps for prospective poll workers.