Election Judges are officials that staff local polling places, administer election procedures, and ensure that the rights of voters are protected on Election Day. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Setting up the polling place
• Operating voting equipment
• Directing voters to the correct line
• Registering individuals to vote
• Ensuring all qualified voters are permitted to vote
• Demonstrating how to vote
• Assisting voters
• Closing the polling place
• Determining the results after the polls close
• Certifying the polling place results

You cannot be the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of another election judge serving in the same precinct at the same time. However, you may serve in different precincts or in different shifts.

You cannot be a candidate or the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of any candidate on the ballot at that precinct. However, you may serve in a precinct where your relative is not on the ballot.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that you will be assigned to a specific polling location even if you have worked at that location in the past.

When staffing polling places on Election Day, we consider political party affiliation to ensure that no more than half of the election judges at a given location are affiliated with the same political party. We strive to match new Election Judges with experienced Election Judges. We also try to match the personal skills and experiences of individual election judges in such a way that election staff at each polling place compliment each other.

While no specific polling location placement is guaranteed, we recognize transportation can be a barrier to participation. If you wish to serve as an Election Judge but transportation issues limit your location availability, please indicate this in the comment section of your application.

COVID-19: Polling Place Changes

Some of the City's long-time polling places are unable to host elections due to COVID-19. As such, polling places for the remaining 2020 Elections will be as follows:

• Precinct 1: New Brighton Community Center, 400 10th Street NW

• Precinct 2: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 835 2nd Ave NW (Change)

• Precinct 3: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 835 2nd Ave NW

• Precinct 4: The United Church of Christ, 1000 Long Lake Rd (Change)

• Precinct 5: New Brighton Community Center, 400 10th St NW (Change)

• Precinct 6: The United Church of Christ, 1000 Long Lake Rd (Change)

• Precinct 7: GracePoint Church, 2351 Rice Creek Rd NW

• Precinct 8: GracePoint Church, 2351 Rice Creek Rd NW (Change)

While the City will be operating four combined polling places instead of eight individual polling places, it should not affect the number of election judges needed as this is based on expected voter turnout. 

COVID-19: Health and Safety in the Polls

In order to keep voters, election judges and election staff as safe as possible in the polls on Election Day, we will be following recommended social distancing and other precautionary measures such as:

• 6’ spacing (or more) in the polls 

• Face Masks

• Hand sanitizer

• Frequent Cleaning of high touch surfaces

• Single-use pens for voters.

• Non-latex gloves for election judges who share materials with voters

• Plexiglas dividers

• Increased availability of Curbside Voting

Click here to read our complete Election Day COVID-19 Response Guide.

Required Qualifications

• Must be able to read, write, and speak in English
• Must have resided in MN for at least 20 days
• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be eligible to vote in the State of Minnesota**
• Cannot be the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of another election judge serving in the same precinct at the same time
• Cannot be a candidate or the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of any candidate on the ballot at that precinct

** 16 and 17 year olds may serve as election judge trainees.

Desired Qualifications

• Ability to communicate clearly with voters
• Ability to document election activities clearly in writing
• Willingness to assist and serve a diverse population
• Ability to remain impartial and not exert influence over voters
• Ability to pay attention to detail
• Ability to perform general math skills

If you meet these requirements, you may be eligible to serve as an Election Judge.  You do not have to be a resident of New Brighton, an active member of a political party, a member of a Board or Commission, have previous volunteer experience etc.  In fact, serving as an Election Judge is a great way to get more involved in the community and boost your resume!

Begin the application process by clicking here to complete our Election Judge Interest Form. Positions will be filled by qualified candidates on a first come, first serve basis. 

MN High School students who are 16 or 17 years old on Election Day can also serve! Complete the Election Judge Interest Form as soon as possible. Open student positions fill quickly.

Your employer may not reduce your wages / salary if you are selected to serve as an Election Judge as long as your provide your employer with at least 20 days written notice and proof of your election schedule and wages. Contact the City Clerk at 651/638-2045 for more information.

At this time, unless you hear otherwise from us, you may assume you will be working on Election Day for the shift you signed up to work. Polling place location assignments will be communicated through your polling place supervisory team (Head / Assistant Head Election Judges) a week or two before Election Day. In addition to letting you know which location you will be working at, they will also let you know how meals will be handled, where you should park, what you can expect when you first arrive and any last minute directions.

If you are a brand new election judge, you will receive an email with training information by late September. 

If you are a returning election judge who worked at the August 11, 2020 Primary Election, you have already met the training requirements. However, you may visit our election judge training resources page if you wish to review any of the materials.

Please visit the Secretary of State website to find out where you are assigned to vote on Election Day. It may be a different location than where you are assigned to work.

If you are assigned to work at the polling location where you would normally vote, you can cast a ballot during a slow time or on a break like any other voter. 

If you are assigned to work at a different location than where you are assigned to vote, you may wish to cast your ballot early with an absentee ballot or early voting, Find out more about your options on our Absentee and Early Voting page. 

COVID-19: This year, all Election Judge training will be done remotely for social distancing purposes.

Minnesota State Statutes and Rules require Election Judges to attend a basic Election Judge certification course every two years to obtain and retain their certification. Election Judges will receive this basic election judge certification training course on-line and will be paid for two hours of training time at the same time they receive their election judge pay (30 days after election day.) Additional training is required for specific tasks. 

Visit our Election Judge Training Resources Page for more information.

If you have been appointed to serve as an Election Judge, please complete the following paperwork and return it to City Hall BEFORE Election Day:

• Payroll Enrollment Form
• Direct Deposit Form

If you do not return all of this paperwork in its entirety and provide an individual email address, the City of New Brighton will be unable to pay you for your service. Thank you for understanding.

Payment for your service will be directly deposited into your bank account approximately 30 days after Election Day. 

No. You can serve as “not affiliated.” Note that the city is required to first appoint those who have declared a political party affiliation. Additionally, serving without a party affiliation means that you cannot complete certain tasks on Election Day that are required by law to be performed by election workers of different major political parties. This includes assisting a voter in marking their ballot, emptying the ballot box and conducting curbside voting. 

This does not apply for health care facility voting. Each pair assisting voters must declare a party so there can be two members of differing parties.

No. Minnesota does not have a party registration system.

No. Your party affiliation selection applies only to your service on Election Day. Who you choose to vote for in each election is private and will remain a secret.

To update or change your party affiliation, contact the City Clerk by email or by phone at 651-638-2045. 

No. State law requires that 16 and 17 year old student election workers serve without party affiliation. If you are a student and 18 years old or older, you may serve as a regular election judge and declare a party.

Many people who apply to serve as election workers in the City of New Brighton declare affiliation with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party. State law requires party balance in every single precinct. No more than half the election workers in a precinct can be from any one party - even if we are short staffed. 

For the November 3, 2020 election, our greatest need is for election workers affiliated with one of the following political parties:

• Grassroots Legalize Cannabis
• Legal Marijuana Now
• Republican Party of Minnesota

There are currently four (4) major political parties in Minnesota. These are the only parties that are recognized by state law related to party balance requirements at polling places and service as election judges. These political parties are:

• Democratic-Farmer-Labor
• Grassroots Legalize Cannabis
• Legal Marijuana Now
• Republican Party of Minnesota

Learn more about the major and minor parties in Minnesota by clicking here. 

By law, your declared party affiliation is only able to be used by election officials (such as the city clerk) for the purposes of election administration. It is not subject to data requests and will only be known by elections staff and the lead election official (Head Judge) assigned to work at your polling place on Election Day.

In order to comply with state law, no more than half of the workers in a polling place can be affiliated with one major political party. We use the information you provide to appoint election workers and ensure all St. Louis Park polling places meet the party balance requirement.

To learn more, view the Minnesota state law on election judges.