The City of Kalamazoo already has all the workers they need for the upcoming November election. Where the city needs help is for next year.
In 2026 the city will have several elections. Nathan Ekola, the city’s civic engagement talent coordinator, says that the clerk's office has already begun recruiting for next year’s election season.
“Needing anywhere from, you know, 200 to 300 election workers and trying to get new people in,” Ekola said.
Interested applicants must meet legal requirements, such as being a registered Michigan voter and having no convictions for felonies or election-related crimes.
Ekola said becoming an election worker is a great way to get more involved in local government.
Election workers can expect a variety of different roles such as staffing the precincts, counting absentee ballots and verifying information from the precincts.
Election workers are compensated, starting at $16 an hour.
Ekola added that election workers are a fundamental aspect of the process.
“This is part of how we protect local democracy and an individual's right to vote,” Ekola said. “It's important that we as a clerk's office, that we as election workers help to make sure that voters have a safe and neutral zone in place to go and vote.”
For more information on requirements and applications, visit the city’s website.
