SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla – With voters getting ready to decide which presidential candidate they would like to see on the November ballot, the Supervisor of Elections in Seminole County says his office needs poll workers, especially those who speak Spanish.
Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson spoke to News 6 about the urgent need at his office Wednesday. He says it’s essential to the democratic process and required by law.
“Elections are probably the most bipartisan project in the country,” Anderson said. “We need Democrats. We need Republicans, and we also need individuals that are bilingual.”
Anderson says his office is reaching out to voting groups that are represented by Hispanic groups to recruit workers.
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Yhoselyn Andrade with Mi Familia Vota knows the importance of that outreach.
“We focus on education, and communication,” Andrade said. “[We want] voters to feel understood and feel confident about expressing their choices.”
Mi Familia Vota is an organization that works to engage with Hispanic voters to encourage their participation. The national nonprofit operates in Florida, and other states.
“We are fully Spanish speakers, so if they don’t feel comfortable, they can always call us,” Andrade said.
According to the Supervisor of Elections in Seminole County, there are 339,154 active voters right now. More than 57,000 are Hispanic voters.
Anderson is encouraging people to contribute to the democratic process. His office provides training for all poll workers to make sure they are ready for election day.
“Twenty-three individuals are going to put an election packet together. We’re going to put it in the hands of thousands of elections workers, and we’re going to train them so they can go out and service 360,000 registered voters,” Anderson said. “That’s a big deal, and it’s a lot of work, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
To be eligible, you must live in Seminole County, agree to attend a training session, and start work at 6 a.m. on Election Day.
If you are interested in becoming an election worker you can click here.
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