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June 08, 2010   Peg Reese, Director of Operations
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections
813-276-2818
preese@hcsoe.org
   

Elections Chief Earl Lennard Launches New Approach to Poll Worker Training
 
June 8, 2010 - Tampa, FL - Earl Lennard, Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, has launched a new approach to training for poll workers. “Poll workers are the backbone of the Election Day voting experience and my office is committed to providing them every tool possible to provide excellent service to the voters of Hillsborough County,” said Lennard.

More than 2,700 poll workers are hired for each county-wide election, staffing 384 precincts in more than 300 polling sites. Every voter who votes on Election Day relies on poll workers to check-in at the polling place, receive their ballot, and make sure any special needs are met. “Our poll workers provide a tremendous service to our community,” said Lennard, “and I am making sure that they receive state-of-the- art training.”

There are three components to Supervisor Lennard’s new training approach:

1. Face to face training with “hands-on” scenarios focused on common situations encountered on Election Day. Special emphasis is placed on becoming familiar with the technology in use at polling places (such as the OSX scanner, modem, cell phone, and the new statewide voter lookup on a laptop computer).
2. Online training which provides “nuts and bolts” information that is accessed via the internet. Basic information is provided through this web-based program so that there is more time for complex information at the face to face training.
3. Special training through the Busansky Academy which prepares Clerks and Assistant Clerks to provide exceptional service to voters at their polling place and better equip them to provide leadership to poll workers under their direction on Election Day. This component is offered through the Busansky Academy, which was created to honor the memory and vision of former Supervisor of Elections Phyllis Busansky. Through a partnership with the Aparicio-Levy Technical Center, Busansky Academy graduates will be provided professional and specialized training focusing on customer service, problem solving, and communication skills.

A total of 10 hours is required to complete the comprehensive training (4.5 hours face to face, 1.5 hours online, and 4 hours for the Busansky Academy). Poll Workers are paid from $140 to $270 per election depending on their position and training commitment.