Marty Kinslow, the magistrate representing Barren County fifth district, speaks during a meeting of the Barren Fiscal Court on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
By BRENNAN D. CRAIN, WCLU News
GLASGOW — Magistrates gave a nod of approval Tuesday to provide a raise for people who help work polling locations across Barren County on Election Day.
Workers are paid a daily rate for their more than 12-hour posting at polling locations. The rate increased from $100 to $200 following the vote.
Pat and Benny Scott began helping the Barren County Clerk’s Office with polling responsibilities in 1999. Pat is now the Democratic election commissioner for the county’s board of elections.
“And they said since they have been working, there has not been a raise,” said Ashton Harrison, the elections clerk. “We know at least since 1999, they have been paid $100 a day for working the election.”
Many of the duties are more complex since electronic check-in systems are used and ballot faces for all voters are at each “voting center.” The county shifted from its former precinct set-up to regionalized voting centers during the pandemic.
Harrison said the county board of elections employs people as needed on Election Day. Those interested should contact the Barren County Clerk’s Office and ask for Helena Birdwell or Ashton Harrison.
In other news, the county board of elections agreed to add a voting center at Glasgow Middle School — where inside the school is still undetermined. The site was previously used when the county had over 25 precincts.
“I think everybody likes that they can go wherever,” Harrison said.
There were kinks when the county transitioned from precincts to voting centers. Many of the county’s voters were used to voting at certain places near their homes and could no longer do that. Those kinks were ironed out over time, Harrison said.
The Barren County Board of Elections has since worked to place voting centers in key geographic locations across the county to better serve voters. The latest local election held in November 2022 featured eight centers spaced from Cave City to Austin Tracy.
The next election in Kentucky is scheduled for Tuesday, May 16. The largest race in this year’s primary election will be for the Kentucky governor. Polls will open at 6 a.m.