The James City County Registrar’s Office needs 32 volunteers to serve as officers of election during the March 1 presidential primary.
Dianna Moorman, JCC general registrar and director of elections, called the officers of election the “front line for election day.”
Officers arrive at 5 a.m. to set up the poll, work at the site through the day and begin tabulating the votes when the polls close at 7 p.m.
Technology advancements with voting machines have reduced the amount of paperwork officers have to complete before they submit vote counts, which Moorman believes has encouraged more people to step up for leadership roles like assistant chief and chief for their precincts.
Officers must be registered to vote in Virginia but not necessarily James City County. Officers are paid $100 for working the entire election day.
Moorman said it is a misconception that only retired people serve as officers of election. She said JCC would like to see more young people volunteer and said the community of returning volunteers is like “family.”
“It’s really a great experience for anyone,” Moorman said.
Officers must sign an oath every three years and participate in mandatory training before each election. Training for the March 1 presidential primary will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the JCC Law Enforcement Center.
New officers can sign the oath and complete other paperwork during the training session. Officers are compensated $25 for each training.
“We firmly believe here officers of election should be given the tools they need to have a successful election, so we do make it a mandatory requirement they get training for each election,” Moorman said.
For more information, call the JCC Registrar’s Office at 757- 253-6868.
