AUSTIN, Texas — Early voting for the 2022 primary election is already underway. Leaders from both political parties across Central Texas counties say they're still looking for election judges and clerks to help facilitate Election Day.
"We like to say they're the eyes and ears of the party, you know, especially in these primaries," Kim Gilby, the Williamson County Democratic party chair, said. "We still need three judges, we still need three alternate judges, and then I think we need about 10 clerks, so, you know, that's pretty good."
Gilby said while she still tries to recruit more workers, this year has been more difficult than years past.
"It's always a challenge to recruit workers, but especially with COVID, the new election law, it's really very frustrating some days," Gilby said.
In Blanco County, the Democratic Party chair already has all his workers lined up, but still says he's concerned for recruiting for future elections.
"The average age of our election workers, both judges and election clerks, trends older," Terry Casparis said. "A lot of them tire and no longer want to take that responsibility."
Casparis also cites the new election laws and COVID-19 as reasons recruiting has been more difficult.
"Things like the expanded authority of poll watchers give some people pause," Casparis said.
However, Fayette County Republican Party Chair Deborah Frank said she's had no issues recruiting election workers. Her list of judges and clerks has been submitted since January.
"One thing which helped is the fact that last year our Commissioners Court, with the agreement of both me and the Democrat Party chairman, approved a permanent reduction of polling locations from 26 to 12," Frank said in an email. "Those 26 were the original polling places established in Fayette County during the horse-and-buggy days. Many were only a few miles apart."
As primary election day draws closer, party leaders in counties across Central Texas say if they don't have enough workers, it will come down to county elections officials to recruit, hire and train people to work the election.
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