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Poll worker recruitment and decreased party involvement
4:08:29
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Council Member Restler and BOE representatives discuss the progress in poll worker recruitment and the decreasing involvement of political parties in the process. They also touch on potential increases in poll worker compensation.
- BOE has significantly increased its direct recruitment of poll workers, reducing reliance on political parties
- There's a pool of about 85,000 available poll workers, with 65% being non-party affiliated
- Potential legislation in Albany may increase poll worker pay by another $100
Lincoln Restler
4:08:29
Staffing and recruitment.
4:08:30
So there was a disturbing article in the Times today.
4:08:40
I know the BOE has done I think an impressive job of increasing recruitment of poll workers.
4:08:45
And you've taken on more and more of the responsibility away from the political parties, which I have complimented you on at multiple hearings in a row and I will compliment you on today.
4:08:58
The my recollection is that you testified that that in the general, the presidential, that 37 of the 46,000 poll workers were recruited by the BOE.
4:09:12
Do I have that number right?
Michael Ryan
4:09:13
Yeah.
4:09:14
I mean, it's an average of well, I'm sorry.
4:09:18
I pulled if I testified to that number, it's the right number.
4:09:22
Where I pull where I'm confusing myself is I pulled the numbers today from the entire pool of, of poll workers that we have, which is right now about active, about 85,000.
4:09:35
So of the 85,000, guess the number that's fresh in my head, 35% of the 85,000 are are non party are are party.
4:09:45
65% are nonparty.
4:09:48
Right.
Lincoln Restler
4:09:48
But if if the numbers you testified to are accurate from the general Right.
4:09:53
You did 80% Yes.
4:09:55
Not 65.
4:09:55
Well, that'll fluctuate.
4:09:56
Right?
Michael Ryan
4:09:57
From because we have we're only using 37 to 40,000 poll workers for an election, and we have a pool of available poll workers of 85,000.
4:10:06
So depending on an election event, it may be a little bit higher or a little bit lower,
Vincent Ignizio
4:10:13
you know, it depends on who's gonna work.
4:10:15
We had an enormous recruitment drive, though.
4:10:17
We did publicly last year where we got tons of people from across the city who said, yes.
4:10:22
I'd like to be a poll worker and plugged them in accordingly.
4:10:25
So it's do wanna serve and people are serving in record numbers who are affiliated or unaffiliated.
Michael Ryan
4:10:33
And it's kind of strange because we have kinda two categories of of poll workers more or less.
4:10:39
One is the long time poll workers that love doing it, that wouldn't miss an election and get really, you know, upset when they have to miss an election.
4:10:47
And then the others are the first timers.
4:10:49
The retention of first timers is always a challenge.
4:10:53
I think the increase in pay has helped with that.
4:10:55
There's some conversation in Albany about increasing pay further, and mandating that in the, in the state statute.
4:11:04
I don't know what I know there's a bill proposed.
4:11:07
I don't know what legs it has or whether there's a same as or not.
4:11:10
But they're talking about another hundred dollar increase for poll workers.
4:11:15
So that
Lincoln Restler
4:11:15
Look, I I welcome increased compensation for poll workers.
4:11:19
If Albany is going to act, they need to take the political parties out of the process.
Michael Ryan
4:11:23
Right.
Lincoln Restler
4:11:23
That's where the problem is.