Title
Elections Department recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 001-2020 establishing the daily stipend for Inspector and Clerk pay at Vote Centers to begin with the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election; and
2) Rescind Resolution 269-99 dated November 23, 1999 which set election day stipend pay for precinct workers.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The new Voters Choice Act requires Inspectors and Clerks to be technically proficient using computers and printing ballots efficiently, and to work up to 10 days before Election Day. Workers will be required to successfully complete a 3.5 hour training session and to be certified to work in a vote center. Vote Center Inpectors and Clerks are responsible for opening and closing the polling location, locating voters and issuing ballots using a remote connection to our Voter Registration System, assisting voters in any phase of the voting process, printing the proper ballot for a voter, issuing voter activation cards to use the Ballot Marking Device, and performing all duties assigned by the Registrar of Voter.
California Election Code Section 12310 states that each member of a precinct board shall receive compensation from the governing board of the jurisdiction. Precinct Inpector and Clerk pay has not been updated in El Dorado County since 1999. Therefore, the Election Department requests the Board adopt a new Resolution 001-2020 setting the daily pay for these workers.
Under the current resolution from 1999 Clerks receive $95 per day and Inspectors receive $120 for election day and are not compensated for training. Due to the increased technical requirements of vote centers, the Elections department recommends increasing the daily compensation of workers as noted below.
Under the new vote center model each Inspector and Clerk will be eligible for one time compensation of $25.00 for attending the training class, dependant upon completion of their assigned duties at a Vote Center. Compensation for Inspectors and Clerks was established from surveys of other vote center counties and is recommended as follows:
Full Day Prior to Election Day Election Day
Inspector $130.00 A Day $210.00
Clerk $110.00 A Day $185.00
ALTERNATIVES
Do not approve the new Resolution and keep the current pay for Inspector and Clerks.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Auditor will continue to process Vote Center pay in the same format currently used.
County Counsel worked with the Elections department to establish proper pay.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Vote Center pay varies from election to election depending on the type of election. It is estimated that the increase in Inspector and Clerk pay with the vote center model will have minimal financial impact, when compared to the current precinct model. Election staffing is changing from up to 540 Precinct workers for one day elections to 80 Vote Center workers for up to 11 days.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Forward a signed minute order to the Elections Department.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Linda Webster
Assistant Registrar of Voters