With the midterm election less than three months out, the Hamilton County Elections Office is asking residents to consider spending a day behind the check-in table instead of in line at it.

The office marked National Poll Worker Recruitment Day on Tuesday, an annual push organized by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to fill the ranks of the temporary workers who make in-person voting possible.

“This National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, we encourage residents to sign up to be a poll worker,” said Beth Sheller, Hamilton County elections administrator. “Becoming a poll worker not only provides a behind-the-scenes look at how elections are conducted, but also offers an opportunity to serve alongside friends, neighbors, and coworkers.”

It takes a small workforce to run an election in a county this size. Hamilton County deployed 730 election workers across its voting locations during the 2026 primary, and the general election typically draws heavier turnout than the spring contest.

Poll workers set up polling locations, greet voters, verify registrations and issue ballots on the county’s voting equipment. Teams are bipartisan by design, with Republicans and Democrats working side by side at each site — a structure Indiana law builds in as a check on the process.

To serve, a person generally must be a registered voter in the county, at least 18 years old, and able to read, write and speak English. Candidates on the ballot in that precinct are not eligible. Students who are 16 or 17 can take part through the state’s Election Day Live program.

The county also added a new position for 2026. The Hamilton County Election Board voted earlier this year to place a sheriff — a poll worker role, not a law enforcement officer — at every polling location.

The jobs are paid. Election Day clerks receive $130 for the day, plus $15 for completing the county’s online training and a $20 food allowance for workers who bring their own meals. Early voting and absentee workers are paid hourly. Prospective workers should confirm current rates for the position they want when they apply.

Residents can apply through the county’s Election Worker Portal, a system Hamilton County rolled out to handle applications, scheduling and communication in one place. The portal is available through the Elections Office page at hamiltoncounty.in.gov.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early voting is scheduled to begin Oct. 6, with 12 early voting sites planned across the county.

Election officials across Indiana have leaned harder on recruitment in recent cycles as longtime poll workers age out of the role. Counties that come up short have to consolidate sites or stretch crews thin — both of which show up as longer lines on Election Day.