Election season is now upon us. The 2022 Minnesota Primary is Tuesday, August 9, and the midterm elections will be held on Tuesday, November 8. For 2022, the Ramsey County Elections Office has created the new position of Interpreter Election Judge to help fellow voters through the entire election process in their shared language.
Election Judges are temporary, paid employees that are trained to staff local polling places during primary and general elections, as well as the early voting period. In any given year as many as 30,000 Minnesotans perform this role that is not only a valuable service to our state, but increases civic engagement, enhances our collective understanding of the election process, and ensures elections are administered in a fair and impartial manner.
For the new role of Interpreter Election Judge, Ramsey County is primarily seeking Hmong, Karen, and Somali speakers. Interpreter Election Judges will earn up to $20 per hour for their services in 2022. For more information, including qualifications, estimated time commitment, right to time off from your current job, types of election judges, and how to apply, please visit Ramsey County’s Elections & Voting dedicated webpage. For those outside of Ramsey County interested in serving as an Election Judge in 2022, you can either visit your county’s election website or the Elections & Voting webpage of the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Although election judges generally must be 18 years of age or older, many counties (including Ramsey County) also offer the position of Student Election Judge. To qualify, as student must be: 16 or 17 years old (on or before Election Day); a citizen of he United States; in good academic standing at a Minnesota high school (or home schooled); and receive signed permission from a parent or legal guardian and the principal of their school.
