Video: King County Elections Division in need of poll workers

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KENT, Wash. – The King County Elections Department is preparing for record high voter turnouts, starting with the August 19 primary.

To deal with the high numbers, the county is in need of 4,500 poll workers to staff close to 400 polling places. King County Elections Director Sherill Huff hopes to attract young workers.

"We have not in the past used high school students," she said. "There's a very heightened youth awareness and excitement about this election on the presidential levels especially."

For help, the county is reaching out to local businesses, non profits, high school students and college students. At the University of Washington, a class in American press and politics is generating volunteer poll workers, including Ann Litowitz and Ryan Mielcarek. Both are really into the democratic process

Like most King County poll workers, the two will make about $150 each - but will donate the money to a UW scholarship fund.

Their professor, Doctor Taso Lagos, says it's not about the money.

"I want to give my students to really learn about democracy and really see how democracy actually takes place in action - on the ground if you will," he said.

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University of Washington students Ann Litowitz and Ryan Mielcarek will help work the polls.

Recent years have seen voting and vote-counting evolve into a more high-tech operation, demanding new skills among King County poll workers

"We're really trying to find those people that they're comfortable with technology as well as having an interest in meeting people and spending the day at the polls and providing an important service," Huff said.

The elections division hopes to lure volunteer poll workers from schools, charities and non-profits by giving those organizations the money the workers would have been paid.