ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — Ahead of the November general election, Adams County needs to hire up to 600 election workers. In the midst of the hiring, election officials are prioritizing diversifying their recruits, particularly with younger election workers.
The average age of an election worker is 70 years and older. Hiring younger election workers and retaining them to return with each new election year can be challenging.
"Traditionally, our election workers are senior citizens. They are a little bit more involved because they have the time to be more involved," said Clerk and Recorder Josh Zygielbaum. "They do it because they love the democratic process, and they participate. But, we do need folks of all ages, all colors, all backgrounds, all demographics, and so we look for everyone."
Zygielbaum and his team have been paying $16 per hour. This year, they plan to increase the pay by another $3 to recruit and retain a more diverse elections staff.
The county is also expanding its High School Deputy Registrar program, which requires, by law, each high school to designate a staff member to be trained in voter registration. The program will help students register to vote as well as pre-register, meaning students can register prior to the 18th birthday. When they turn 18, they'll be automatically in the system and mailed their ballots the first election they are eligible to vote.
To continue their recruitment process, Adams County also has some schools that have become polling stations and hopes to grow the number of school-based sites. Through the program, the Clerk and Recorder's office also works with the deputy registrars to help recruit students to become election workers.
"The program has really been great for us in this arena of trying to get more election workers, especially younger election workers," said Zygielbaum.
In Colorado, election workers can be as young as 16 years old, meaning they can work the polls before they can vote. They are paid the same as every other election worker. The only difference is that they need written permission from a parent.
Nathan Salazar began working elections when he was 16. His mom, who also works for the county's accounting department, encouraged him to try it.
"I didn’t want to do it. She kind of kicked me in the butt a little bit just to get me going but, at the end of the day, I really love it here and it’s just amazing," said Salazar.
Fast forward three years later, Salazar will work next Tuesday's primary in his sixth election so far. He also plans to work the November general election.
"I feel it’s important for people to know what’s going on behind the curtains," said Salazar.
Salazar says he has tried encouraging his friends to work elections alongside him but hasn't had any luck, so far.
As Adams County hopes to attract younger workers, it also hopes it will mean younger workers might turn up more at the polls, seeing their generation reflected on Election Day.
"If I see someone who looks like me, I’m going to naturally think, hey I can do this too. And so, if we can get more younger workers involved, we can get more of the younger voting population out to vote," said Zygielbaum.
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