Nebraska is the only state that drafts election workers

By MARGERY A. BECK, Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Americans are encouraged to do their duty and continue voting Election Day. But in Nebraska, some residents need to go one step further: They need to help organize the elections.

According to the National Conference of State Legislators, Nebraska is the only state in the U.S. that uses mandatory election duties to recruit poll workers, election office helpers and poll workers, among others. Anyone who ignores a summons can be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $100.

Twenty years ago, Dawn O’Brien was busy teaching and taking children to school and practice when she received a letter telling her she had been selected for election duty. She had lived in Omaha for about 25 years at the time and had never heard of mandatory voting.

“I was surprised,” she remembers. “I remember thinking, ‘Boy, how am I going to juggle this?’”

But like many Nebraskans drafted into the job, O’Brien ultimately gained a new appreciation for community service. She now volunteers at most elections.

“I just learned so much about what it takes to run free, fair elections,” she said. “It’s a huge effort to do this and do it well.”

So far, only Douglas and Sarpy counties — among the state’s most populous counties in the Omaha metro area — are taking advantage of the design. That’s because, with nearly 500,000 of the state’s 1.25 million registered voters in those two counties, they need thousands of employees to help at hundreds of polling places.

Finding all that help — especially at a time when election workers are facing challenges threats And safety concerns — can be a challenge, said Douglas County Board of Elections Brian Kruse. For the upcoming elections, Douglas will employ approximately 3,000 election workers, 45% of whom are on call.

While other states rely on election officials to recruit workers, with some turning to churches or community organizations to recruit volunteers, Nebraska’s system works much like jury duty: Registered voters are randomly selected to serve on Election Day. State law allows exemptions for anyone 70 or older, those with documented health conditions or other reasons deemed acceptable. It also allows those with young children to postpone the service until the children are older.

The only other way to avoid election duty?

“You need to remove yourself from the voter registration rolls,” Kruse said. “Most people don’t want to go that route.”

Unlike jury duty, those selected for the Nebraska election draft are not only required to work in the next election. They are on the eve of four elections.