Election inspectors, i.e. poll workers, are hired, paid, and trained local government workers who assist with running local elections in compliance with Michigan Election Law.

Each county, city, and township in Michigan hires and pays election inspectors for the early voting period and on Election Day.

Election inspectors may be assigned different responsibilities.

At a polling place or early voting site, election inspectors greet and check-in voters, issue ballots, and assist with tabulation. Individuals may also be hired to assist with processing absentee ballots.

To ask what jobs are available, please contact a local election clerk’s office.

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Eligibility requirements to serve as an election inspector in Michigan are as follows:

• You must be at least 16 years of age.
• You must be a registered voter in Michigan if 18+ years of age. Individuals aged 16 – 17 must be a Michigan resident.
• You must not have a felony or election crime conviction.
• You must not be an election challenger, a candidate, a member of a candidate's immediate family, or a member of the local board of canvassers.
• You must affiliate with a political party. Party registration is not a requirement. Michigan law requires that election inspectors disclose political affiliation to ensure balanced staffing. Affiliating as “independent” or “unaffiliated” is not a legal option for an election inspector.

While not a requirement, Michigan election clerks are seeking individuals with the following skills to serve as election inspectors:

• Organization
• Management and supervising
• Customer service
• Project management
• Familiarity with technology, such as operation of computers and software.

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Check your voter registration status

Election inspectors are locally paid workers, not volunteers. The rate of pay is set at each county, city, and township level, and can differ between jurisdictions. For information about how much your local clerk pays election inspectors, please contact their office.

Democracy MVP and the State of Michigan do not compensate or set the rate of pay for election workers.

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If hired as an election inspector, you will receive official training from a local or county clerk on how to run elections and assist voters in accordance with Michigan election law.

Election inspector training provided by non-governmental entities, political parties, non-profit organizations, or special interest groups are not sanctioned by the State of Michigan and must be disregarded by election inspectors.

Official election inspector resources are available in the election inspector resource library.

An election challenger or poll watcher is very different than an election inspector (i.e. poll worker).

• Election inspectors are hired, paid, and trained local government workers that assists with running local elections.

Election observers are volunteers who observe election activities, as permitted by election law. They are not government employees, are not hired or recruited by Democracy MVP or local clerks, and may not assist voters.

• Election challengers are non-governmental election observers that are appointed and issued a credential by a political party, special interest group, or qualified organization. Election law limits the number of challengers that may enter a voting location.
• Poll watchers are non-governmental volunteer election observers without credentials.

Learn more about the Appointment, Rights, and Duties of Election Challengers and Poll Watchers.