Dougherty Co. no longer needs poll workers for this election season

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The Dougherty County Elections Office said it now has plenty of poll workers and they will be safe on Election Day in August.

WALB News 10 previously reported that the elections office needed about 100 more workers but now the county expects smooth operations on election day.

With a workforce of over 300 poll workers, Dougherty County has filled positions for all 26 precincts.

Election offices across the country have spent weeks trying to make sure their precincts weren’t short-staffed and overwhelmed on election day. Just over a month before the general election, the Dougherty County Elections Office is now training a full staff.

“I came back and we had 100 applicants that had applied through Dougherty county human resources. We’ve also been receiving from various organizations, individuals that have stated they are also willing to work there,” Ginger Nickerson, Dougherty County Election Office Supervisor, said.

Right after Labor Day, they stopped taking applications. A total of 300 workers is the right amount to fill all of the positions within all 26 precincts, which will ensure that all aspects of the voting process are taken care of.

“It’s important because the process requires people. There are so many steps of course, by law, we need individuals to assist our voters as they come in, to ensure that the voter knows that their ballot is being counted,” Nickerson said.

Ongoing training includes poll worker safety. That’s also been a concern, given the current political climate.

“We don’t want anyone on the job with anxiety or fear of something happening. They’re the individuals that are out there making sure that the voters are able to cast their ballots,” Nickerson said.

With the number of poll workers, the county is prepared for a safe and accurate election season.

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