Poll worker training for the March 3 Presidential Primary Election starts Tuesday, Feb. 18 throughout Santa Barbara County, yet the Registrar of Voters office has announced it is in need of 26 volunteers to serve as clerks in South County, and more countywide as back-up in case of last-minute cancellations.

“Poll workers are on the frontline of democracy; without them voting does not happen,” said Joseph E. Holland, County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor & Registrar of Voters.

Community participation is key to staffing the nearly 170 precinct boards for the election. Large employers in the county can show support by allowing and encouraging their employees to participate.

Poll workers on duty at a polling place receive a stipend of $180-$240 for Election Day and to attend training. Each polling place has one or more precinct boards comprised of one inspector and two to four clerks. Each polling place has a coordinator and if needed, a traffic clerk.

To be a poll worker, you must meet the following criteria:

Be a registered voter in California or lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, as specified, and who is otherwise eligible to register to vote, except for his or her lack of United States citizenship.
Be able to follow written and verbal instruction.
Be available to serve Election Day (March 3) from about 6 a.m.-9 p.m. or until all of the closing procedures have been completed.
Must be available to attend a mandatory training class.

To learn more about the poll worker program and training process, visit http://sbcassessor.com/Elections/Pollworker.aspx. To sign up, call 1-844-259-0348, or email Santa Barbara/Goleta/Carpinteria area at sbpolls@co.santa-barbara.ca.us or Santa Maria/Lompoc/Santa Ynez area smpolls@co.santa-barbara.ca.us.

For eligible citizens, the deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, Feb. 18, to vote in the March 3 Presidential Primary Election.

If a voter has moved or changed their name, they must update their registration by completing a new voter registration form. Voters can verify their voter registration online at https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/.
 
Citizens can register online at http://registertovote.ca.gov prior to midnight on Feb. 18 or complete a mail-in voter registration form available at any Santa Barbara County Elections Office, local libraries, post offices or DMV offices. Voter Registration Cards that are postmarked on or before Feb. 18 will be accepted for the March 3 election.

All three election offices in the county will be open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, for voter registration and ballot issuance.

Note: the offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17 in observance of President’s Day.

Office locations and regular business hours:
Santa Barbara, 4440-A Calle Real
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, except holidays

Lompoc, 401 E. Cypress St, Rm. 102
9 a.m.-noon, 1-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, except holidays

Santa Maria, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Ste. 134
8 a.m.-noon, 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, except holidays

To vote for nominees for president for the Green Party, Peace and Freedom Party or Republican Party, voters must be registered with those parties. Voters who are registered as “No Party Preference” or are not registered with one of the six major parties have the option to cross over and vote for the American Independent, Democratic or Libertarian Party nominee for president. For more information on “how to vote for President,” visit https://countyofsb.org/care/president.sbc.

For more information on registering and voting, contact the County Elections Office, 1-800-722-8683.