January 28, 2004
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI OUTREACH AND EXTENSION
SOUTHWEST REGION NEWS SERVICE
Contact: David Burton, civic communication specialist
Headquartered in Greene County
Tel: (417) 862-9284
E-mail: burtond@missouri.edu
More Election Judges Needed to Keep Polls Operating
Smoothly
During the 2000 presidential election, over 650 election judges, along with 70 student volunteers,
worked the polls in Greene County.
Many of those election judges were senior citizens, many of whom are getting to the point they
can no longer work elections according to Greene County’s County Clerk, Richard Struckoff.
“The older generation has a strong sense of civic responsibility. But, it would be great to have
younger people showing an interest too because it seems to be getting more difficult to fill all of
the necessary slots for election judges,” said Greene County’s County Clerk, Richard Struckoff.
The Youth Election Participant Program is one method used during the last two general elections
in Greene County to help generate interest. This program lets local high school students work
with election judges for class credit.
“The response from the students, judges and voters has been positive. We are also planning
recruitment activities targeting groups, businesses, and frequent voters. These programs have had
success in other jurisdictions around the country,” said Struckoff.
State laws were recently changed to allow Independents and third party members to work the
polls. Another new statute allows persons appointed as election judges to be absent from their
regular jobs on Election Day without fear of reprisal (see RSMo. 115.102).
“In the past, many people were unable to take time away from the their full-time jobs to work the
polls which caused us to draw heavily from retired groups,” said Struckoff.
Election judges in Greene County receive $75 for working an election plus an additional $15 if
they attend a two-hour training session the before an election.
“Serving as an election judge is an excellent way to respond to the needs of your community.
Election judges are the real guardians of the democratic process. It does involve working a 13hour day. But most of our judges take satisfaction in doing this important work,” said Struckoff.
If you would like to serve as an election judge in Greene County – and you are a registered voter
of Greene County, can read, write and speak the English language, and are a person of good
repute and character – contact the county clerk’s office by telephone, (417) 868-4060, or write to
the County Clerk's Office, 940 Boonville, Room 113, Springfield, Mo. 65802.
“Working as an election judge is one small way American’s can take an active role in our
democracy and help make our most important civic duty – voting -- possible,” said David
Burton, civic communication specialist, University of Missouri Outreach and Extension.
University Outreach and Extension improves people’s lives with education and research from the
four campuses of the University of Missouri System and Lincoln University that focuses on
high-priority needs of people throughout the state. Each county extension center, with oversight
by locally elected and appointed citizens, is your local link to these unbiased resources.
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