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Hidalgo County approves $3/hour increase for poll workers ahead of November election
Summary
Hidalgo County Commissioners voted to raise poll worker pay by $3/hour to address staffing shortages and avoid polling‑place closures; county staff estimated the change will cost about $340,000 annually. Elections administrator Hilda Harinas presented recruitment data and two cost options.
Hidalgo County Commissioners voted to increase poll worker pay by $3 an hour to address chronic staffing shortages and reduce the risk of polling‑place closures in upcoming elections. Elections Administrator Hilda Harinas told the court the department prepared two proposals: a $2‑per‑hour option that would add roughly $250,000 annually and a $3‑per‑hour option with an estimated $340,000 budgetary impact.
"If it was at $2 per hour... which is 12.50% salary increase, which is 250,000 in average budgetary impact. If it was at $3 per hour... it would be 340,000 budgetary impact," Harinas said. Commissioners and the presiding election judge said higher pay would help avoid closing polling locations; Presiding Judge Laurel MacLeish emphasized that low pay had forced the county to close polling locations in the primary. The motion to adopt the $3 increase passed by voice vote.
The county recorded the decision as a personnel and budgetary change ahead of the November election cycle; staff said the increase is intended to improve recruitment and retention so that all expected polling locations can be staffed. The court directed elections staff to implement the pay change and to reflect the cost in upcoming budget revisions.
