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Be An Election Judge

Election Judges are the guardians of election integrity.
Only when we are assured of proper voter registration, protection of returned ballots and accurate processing of ballots, can we have faith in our election results.

Election Judges are hired, paid, and trained by the Denver County Clerks Election Division and are responsible for oversight of:

  • voter registration

  • issuing in-person ballots

  • monitoring and guarding ballot boxes

  • transporting ballots

  • assisting voters

  • processing ballots

  • signature verification

  • adjudicating ballots
     

The Denver Election Division runs a very open and transparent operation (not true of all counties!).  
The parties, candidates, and ballot proposal committees are all allowed to have poll watchers (hyperlink) throughout the election process; however, a balance of Republican and Democrat Judges is the best way to ensure election integrity.

 

Therefore, the Denver Election Division encourages the parties to recruit and nominate judges.  
While the Election Division makes the final decision on who the judges will be and what their assignments will be, the Denver Republican Party can influence this process by its nomination of capable judges.

Who Can Be An Election Judge?
In order to be an election judge, you must be a registered voter. 

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Where would you be working? Judges serve at the 30 Voter Service and Polling Centers (VSPC) distributed throughout Denver (mostly schools and recreation centers) and at the Denver Election Division Headquarters in downtown Denver (200 W. 14th Ave, Denver CO 80204).

What would you be doing as an election judge? There are many times in the election process where decisions must be made. For example: Is this person eligible to be registered to vote? Does this person have the proper documentation to register or to obtain a ballot? Is this the signature of the registered voter? What was the voter’s intention on a questionably marked ballot? Having Republican Judges participating in these decisions is essential!

When would I be working as an election judge? Election Judges will be hired for the November 2023 Denver County School Board election and the 2024 Primary and General Elections. Training usually begins the second week of October and Judges are needed to work for up to 2 weeks leading up to the election.

How much do I get paid as an election judge? Election Judges are approximately paid between $16 and $21.50 depending on responsibilities. The amount can change year to year and there is no compensation for travel, mileage, or parking.

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Election Judge Positions

How to Apply

Support Judge - (Inside/Outside) (friendly and customer service-oriented) Support judges closely follow all procedures as directed by their supervisor. Support judges may be stationed inside and/or outside of their VSPC. Support judges perform a variety of duties including: •Monitoring and guarding the ballot boxes. •Greeting voters and directing them to the ballot box, registration table or supervisor. •Ensuring that voters who have used a mail ballot packet have signed and sealed their return envelopes. •Handing out “I Voted” stickers as voters deposit their ballots. •Alerting the supervisor to issues of concern as witnessed by voters or election judges. •Assisting in the opening and closing of the VSPC as well as other duties specifically assigned by the supervisor.

Voting Techs - Basic computer skills and tablets sills. Voting techs closely follow all procedures as directed by their supervisor and the Voting Tech Manual. Voting techs are stationed in the VSPC. Voting techs perform a variety of duties including: •Program tablets if a voter would like to vote on a tablet and not a paper ballot. •Helps assist voter on tablet devices if requested
. •Troubleshoot equipment if required
. •Administer tablet functionality
. •Assisting in opening and closing procedures. •Performing other duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Registration Judge (basic computer skills, detail-oriented) Registration judges closely follow all procedures as directed by their supervisor and the Registration Judge Manual. Registration judges are stationed at the check-in table and perform a variety of duties including: •Processing voter records on laptop computers using webSCORE. •Ensuring that all processes and procedures pertaining to the use of webSCORE are accurately and
effectively carried out. •Completing all ballot and registration requests as outlined in the Registration Judge Manual. •Assisting in opening and closing procedures. •Performing other duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Supervisor/Assistant Supervisor (excellent computer skills, attention to detail) Having received supervisor, registration judge, voting tech, and overview training, the supervisor oversees the VSPC and ensures all procedures are properly followed, including: •Directing activities and procedures related to opening and closing the VSPC. •Ensuring that proper procedures related to voters, election judges, poll watchers, electioneering, and public safety are followed as outlined in the Supervisor Manual. •Assisting voters with the following: •Provisional ballots •Voters who need assistance due to a disability •Non-English speaking voters •Voter challenges •Emergency procedures •Overseeing the work of service center election judges and general VSPC operations. •Acting as the contact between the VSPC, poll watchers, ballot security teams, field representatives, and Denver Elections Division officials.

Contingency Election Judge Contingency election judges are trained to fill in for any of the above assignments and are assigned if an election judge fails to show up for their assignment, or is relieved of their assignment. Contingency judges can be placed in almost any position where the need arises.

Box Closers This job is for several hours, only on Election Day. You will work in a bi-partisan pair, leave from the Denver Elections Division office (14th Ave & Bannock St.), travel in a vehicle (together), arrive at the assigned 24 hour box location, and at precisely 7pm lock the drop slot on the box. Then remove all the ballots from the rear door of the box and put them into a ballot box secured with seals, and transport the ballot box back to the Denver Elections Division where you began. You will be paid a stipend of $110 for this assignment. This will include: training(hands on/driver training), parking/mileage, time worked.

The following jobs are accomplished at the the downtown Denver Elections building at 14th and Bannock.  Start days and hours are different from those at the Vote Centers.  There is no free parking at this location.

Ballot Receiving (repetitive lifting and repetitive movements) •Sort ballots with special requirements. •Maintain a high level of accuracy. •Stand for long periods of time. •Lift 10-30 lbs.

Ballot Processing Judge Election judges assigned to work in the ballot processing rooms receive, verify, prepare, and count ballots at the Denver Elections Division. Listed below are the job responsibilities of election judges working in the following ballot processing rooms: ballot receiving, signature verification, ballot preparation, and ballot counting.

Ballot Transport (lifting 10-30 pounds, drivers license required. Bipartisan teams remove ballots from ballot drop boxes around the city and pick up ballot boxes at Vote Centers, secures ballots and delivers them to the Denver Election Division.

Signature Verification (excellent computer skills needed) •Review signatures on all mail ballots. •Adhere to established guidelines and procedures. •Use a mouse, keyboard, computer, and SCORE system to accurately process ballots. •Maintain a high level of accuracy. •Keep work space organized at all times.

Ballot Preparation (repetitive lifting and repetitive movements) •Remove ballots from secrecy sleeves. •Flatten ballots and make ready to scan. •Tear tabs from ballots.

Ballot Counting (excellent computer skills needed, attention to detail •Flatten and feed ballots into the ballot scanners. •Operate the computer attached to the ballot scanners. •Box counted ballots. •Fill out a counting label accurately, using addition and subtraction to ensure there are no discrepancies. •Use the Secretary of State Voter Intent Guide to resolve ballots that need to be adjudicated. •Lift 10-30 lbs.

To have Denver County Republicans nominate you as an Election Judge please send an email to:

dwol99@gmail.com or contact our Election Judge/Poll Watcher Coordinator, Diane Wolta at 303-548-0523.

Direct further questions to the same email or phone number.

Denver Vote Centers Information

For the November 7, 2023 election there are 12 Vote Centers throughout the city.  The locations and hours are listed below.

 Open dates and Hours  

These are the dates the Vote Centers are open.  The hours when you work as a judge may vary from what is listed. 

Wellington Webb Building

Expanded Hours of Operation

Monday, October 23 – Friday, October 27

8 am – 5 pm

Monday, October 30 – Friday, November 3

8 am – 6 pm

Saturday, November 4 

10 am – 2 pm

Monday, November 6

8 am – 6 pm

**Tuesday, November 7

7 am – 7 pm  

Voter Service & Polling Centers

Hours of Operation

Monday, October 30 – Friday, November 3

10 am – 6 pm

Saturday, November 4

10 am – 2 pm

Monday, November 6

10 am – 6 pm

**Tuesday, November 7 7 am – 7 pm

Martin Luther King Jr Library

Hours of Operation

Monday, October 30 – Friday, November 3

8 am – 5 pm

Saturday, November

4 10 am – 2 pm

Monday, November 6

8 am – 5 pm

**Tuesday, November 7 7 am – 7 pm

There can be some flexibility with the schedules.  Contact Diane on what is possible.  

Also workers at Vote Centers can bring their laptops or Ipads to use during down times.

Ballot Adjudication (basic computer skills and attention to detail. Bipartisan teams decide voter intent if the machine cannot decipher and properly identify ballot for counting.

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