From the desk of Assemblyman Kevin Rooney
TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Kevin Rooney’s bill addressing poll worker shortages by increasing their pay to $300 a day passed the State and Local Government Committee on Monday. Election worker pay has remained stagnant since 2001 when it was raised to $200 from $75.
“Poll workers are important to the integrity of our elections. We need to attract good people with competitive wages,” Rooney (R-Bergen) said. “Addressing their pay through legislation, rather than executive order, ensures a permanent higher pay rate is in place for future elections and allows counties to recruit workers with the promise of better compensation.”
The bill (A208) increases the state’s reimbursement to $225 for poll worker pay while counties remain responsible for $75. It appropriates $7 million to reimburse the counties for the costs of implementing the law. If adopted, the pay increase would take effect immediately and apply to general, primary and special elections.