Maryland Offering Additional Incentives To Employees Who Serve As Election Judges
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- State employees will get additional leave time if they work as election judges during the primary and general elections, Gov. Larry Hogan said.
Employees who staff polling places on the July 19 primary, which is not a state holiday, or any early voting location will receive 16 hours of administrative leave for each day of service, the governor said. For the first time, contractors are also eligible.
Election Day, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, is a state holiday. Employees will receive pay and an additional eight hours of administrative leave for working as a judge. Contractors are eligible for the leave but can't take Election Day as a paid holiday.
"Election judges play an important role in the democratic process, and state employees have always stepped up to serve," said Hogan. "For this election cycle, we are expanding our recruitment efforts to include the primary election, and extending these leave incentives to our contractual employees. It is important for local election boards to get people signed up and trained quickly once they express interest."
Faced with a shortage of judges, the Baltimore City Board of Elections earlier this month asked for more volunteers.
Armstead Jones, the city's election director, said the panel has trained fewer than 900 judges as of June 8 for the upcoming primary election.