Election Judge Information

Just two hours and two days!

Election judges must complete a two-hour training – we offer online and in-person classes.

After training, election judges work the primary (August) and general election (November) or just the general election, depending on their availability, if there is a primary, and on staffing needs.

Time off to serve

To qualify you must provide your employer with written notice at least 20 days in advance of the date and hours you will be working and the pay rate you will receive.

Your employer may:

• Reduce your salary or wages by the amount you are paid as an election judge during the time you are away from work.
• Restrict the number of its employees serving as election judges to no more than 20 percent from a single work site.

Election judge

• U.S. citizen eligible to vote in Minnesota.
• At least 18 years of age (if you are 16 or 17 years old, see our section on student election judges!).
• Able to read, write and speak English.
• Completion of a two-hour training.

Student election judge

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Have approval from their parents and their school’s principal.
• Must submit a written request to their principal at least 10 days before Election Day.
• Must complete an application that is to be signed by their parents/guardians and their school’s principal.

Election judges are paid hourly for training and Election Day. If desired, election judges may choose to volunteer their time and not be paid for service.

Precinct judge ($10/hour)

Assists with general polling place duties such as setting up and taking down the polling place, greeting and directing incoming voters, processing registered voters, handing out ballots and assisting voters with forms and other needs.

Alternate judge ($10/hour)

Begins the day at the Ramsey County Elections office. They are sent to work at polling places that have absent election judges and are occasionally asked to deliver supplies.

Assistant head judge ($13/hour)

Must have previous experience serving in a polling place. The assistant head judge assists the head judge, manages the registration table and registers voters.

Head judge ($14/hour)

Must have previous experience serving in a polling place. The head judge manages the polling place.

Area logistics judge (ALJ) ($15/hour)

Must have previous experience serving in a polling place. The ALJ monitors 10-12 polling places, assists head judges with issues, delivers supplies and other various duties.

Student judge ($10/hour)

Student judges perform duties similar to a precinct judge, but work a shorter day and are limited to certain jobs within the polling place. Please contact our office if you or someone you know are interested in serving as a student judge.

Head judge survey