It takes 45,000 people working the polls across the state to make an election run smoothly.

Turnout is always higher during a presidential election cycle.

And people are needed to work Warren County’s precincts in the upcoming Primary and General elections.

“There is always a need for poll workers,” Warren County Elections Director Krystle Ransom said.

That makes recruitment a core function of the county’s election effort.

“When I took over as director I worked really hard to ramp up our numbers, work with the schools to get students, and create a balanced team of election workers in the precincts,” Ransom explained. “The last election year, we were fully staffed, which is remarkable.”

Ransom said that was due to people “stepping up” and being willing to work in a precinct other than where they lived.

“However, unforeseen circumstances like workers still being south for the winter, illness, or sudden plans can sometimes lead to last-minute staffing shortages,” she said. “To be prepared for any such situations, we’re building a pool of standby poll workers who are ready to step in when/where (a poll worker) is needed.”

Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State Al Schmidt said that there are about 45,000 poll workers that serve more than 9,000 voting locations across the state.

He said that those individuals are “helping their friends and neighbors exercise their right to vote. I applaud these voters who take the time to work at the polls on Election Day and help make democracy possible.”

The main requirements needed to serve as a poll worker is being a registered voter. Government officials and employees can’t serve as poll workers with some exceptions. There’s also an opportunity for 17-year-old high school students to serve as poll workers.

Poll workers are paid for their service.

“Interested voters must contact the election office,” Ransom said, and complete a poll worker interest form.

That form can be completed online, over the phone or in person at the office.

Ransom said poll workers need to be “competent with administrative tasks, remain nonpartisan while working the poles” and want to “contribute to a vital civic process.”