Pay Increases For Putnam Election Workers Being Studied

Putnam County Election Administrator Michele Honeycutt said election workers in the county are underpaid.

Honeycutt said she is currently working on a pay scale chart for the Election Commission to consider. The goal is to have it prepared by the February 18th meeting.

“It’s very hard to get people to work as election workers, and we feel like possibly if the pay is a little better we will get more people,” Honeycutt said. “They don’t make a lot, and it is a very long day.”

Honeycutt said workers currently make about $90 to $100 per day worked.

“It’s a long day if it’s a slow election. It is a long day if it is a very busy election,” Honeycutt said. “They get there some of them 7:00 o’clock in the morning, and we open at 9:00. Especially these next two elections because the ballot is so long, they are going to have to get there by seven. Anyone at 7:00 still gets to vote, so they may not leave until 8:00 o’clock at night.”

Honeycutt said the matter first came up last month when the election commission began discussions on extending voting hours. Honeycutt said workers are already under paid and more hours would mean the workers make less per hour.

“If you do extend the hours, they are going to have to be paid more,” Honeycutt said. “Even if they don’t extend it, they need more. It is very low pay. It has been about 10 years since they’ve gotten a raise.”

If the election commission approves a pay increase, the full county commission must approve before adoption.