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.

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!

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. 

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.

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.

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 of our polling places meet the party balance requirement.

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