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In observance of National Poll Worker Recruitment Day on Thursday, Secretary of State Michael Adams announced the launch of a new poll worker recruitment portal on his website.

The portal’s direct link, https://web.sos.ky.gov/countyclerk49/pollworker.aspx, allows volunteers to sign up for their home county. Once submitted online, the portal will then send the applicant’s information directly to the county clerk.

“We can’t open the polls without volunteer poll workers,” said Adams. “Whether you are a Kentuckian who wants to ensure election integrity, or to prevent voter suppression, being a poll worker is the solution.”

A statewide election requires up to 15,000 volunteer poll workers. In 2021, Adams got the election law changed by the General Assembly to allow Independents, the fast-growing voter bloc, to serve as poll workers. Up until then, only registered Democrats and Republicans were eligible tp work at the polls.

Poll workers must be registered to vote in the county they serve in and be available to attend training and work all day on voting day. They will be paid for attending the training day as well as on a voting day. Since there are three days of no excuse early voting before the Nov. 5 General Election, poll workers can work two or more of the voting days, if they wish.

It’s still not too late to register for the November election, as the deadline is Oct. 7, at 4 p.m., local time. You can do that online at https://vrsws.sos.ky.gov/ovrweb/, or at your local county clerk’s office.