by Jesse Todd,
former St. Louis Alderman and Member of Trinity CWE
If you went to the polls this week to vote in the statewide primary election, I hope you appreciated the work of the innumerable citizens who step up as poll workers. These neighbors put in very long days on election days to make sure the intricate machinery of our democracy runs smoothly, fairly and accurately. These critical roles are normally low-profile, but recent elections and the controversy around them have brought more attention to the people in these positions and elevated awareness of our neighbors who make our elections possible.
If you are considering ways you can be more involved in our democracy and are in a position to be available all day Tuesday, Nov. 5, I would recommend you consider volunteering to work as a poll worker and help support our fair and open elections. Poll workers are paid $50 for training and $175 to work election day from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If this sounds like something you would like to do, the Missouri Secretary of State website has a link with more information. Or you can contact your local election authority directly. (Get the list of all county election officials.) This is a big ask and a big commitment, but the stakes this year are high, and our democracy deserves the best from all of us.
Visit our Vote Faithfully page for more information and resources.