When residents head to the polls for three elections this year, poll workers will be on hand to assist them through the voting process.

Currently, the Carter County Election Commission is seeking applications from individuals interested in working as election officials.

“We are always in need of poll workers,” said Carter County Administrator of Elections Tracy Harris.

Following the August 2016 election, Harris told members of the Carter County Election Commission she and her staff experienced issues with having a sufficient number of poll workers. She also said her staff encountered issues with some workers calling in and having to be replaced at the last minute and others who failed to show up and didn’t call in to let anyone know they weren’t coming.

There are several different positions available at each polling location, including registrars, machine operators, judges, and officers. After being selected as an election official, workers must attend a mandatory training session before they will be permitted to work an election.

Harris said election workers are paid for each day of the election they work, which includes early voting as well as election day itself.

To qualify applicants must live in Carter County. Workers must be at least 17 years of age to qualify, and if they are over the age of 18 they must be registered to vote in Carter County.

Because polls are open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day, workers must be available to work from 7:30 a.m. until at least 8:30 p.m. on the day of the election. Voters already in line at 8 p.m. are allowed to vote under state law, so polls may be open past 8 p.m. to accommodate those voters.

Those who would like to sign up to work the polls on election day can sign up at the Carter County Election Commission office, located at 116 Holston Avenue, or can download the form at http://www.cartercountytn.gov/government/departments-services/election-office/ under the forms link and either return it in person or mail it to the office.

For more information, contact the Carter County Election Commission Office at 423-542-1822.