With the June 1 primary elections just more than a month away, election organizers are looking for workers to help make the event a true democratic experience.

Poll workers have an important job, according to Joel Kimbrough, president of the North Jefferson County Republican Club.

“Poll workers keep the elections free and fair,” Kimbrough said. “The more poll workers you’ve got, the quicker the process goes. The more eyes you have, the fairer the elections are.”

Even though poll workers receive about $150 a day for their work, Kimbrough said the job is not about getting paid

“It’s not about compensation,” he said. “It’s about helping getting the elections running.”

There are 183 precincts in Alabama, according to Kimbrough, and each precinct needs an average of six workers.

Election organizers try to place workers near their homes. They are also trying to get enough workers so that election staff can work in shifts rather than in one very long day.

Gilbert F. Douglas III, chair of the Jefferson County Republican Party, said he will receive all suggestions for Republican poll workers. Republican and Democratic officials submit those names to the Alabama Election Commission, which in turns appoints poll workers. Workers must attend a class in order to learn their job responsibilities.

Douglas said there will be a chief inspector, an assistant chief inspector and poll workers assigned to each voting box.

Ideally, there will be an even number of Democrats and Republicans at each voting site, he said.

“When you walk into that polling booth (as an election worker), you’re not a Democrat or a Republican,” Douglas said. “You’re nonpartisan.”

In order to keep election costs down, the Democratic primary is held on the same day.

Attempts to reach members of the Democratic party for information for this article were unsuccessful.

To get more information about working the polls on June 1, email Kimbrough at epsi05@aol.com and include name, address and telephone number.