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Become a Poll Worker or a Volunteer Deputy Registrar in Ellis County!
Three ways to participate in the Process of Elections:
1) Apply to be an Poll Worker
There are three paid positions available as election officials working at the polls: Presiding Election Judge, Alternate Election Judge and Election Clerk. Click here for more information.
2) Apply to be a Student Clerk Poll Worker
High school students who are 16 years of age or older have the opportunity to be an Election Clerk at the polls. Click here for more information.
3) Become a Volunteer Deputy Registrar
If you are interested in serving the community by registering voters, we encourage you to join our team of volunteers. Volunteer Deputy Registrars are entrusted with the responsibility of officially registering voters. They are appointed by the county voter registrar and charged with helping to increase voter registration in the state. Acceptance of the duties of volunteer deputy registrar places you in a position of trust and responsibility to the citizens you will register to vote.
Qualifications:
To be appointed a volunteer deputy registrar, a person must:
- be at least 18 years old;
- be a United States citizen;
- not have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be
- totally mentally incapacitated, or
- partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote
- never have been convicted of failing to deliver a voter application to a voter registrar;
- not have been finally convicted of a felony, or, if convicted must have
- fully discharged the sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or
- been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote;
- not have been finally convicted of identity theft under Section 32.51 of the Penal Code; and
- be a Texas resident.
Duties:
A volunteer deputy registrar may distribute and accept a voter registration application form from any resident of Ellis County and distribute and accept applications from voters who wish to change or correct information on his/her voter registration certificate (such as name and/or address).
Length of Appointment:
You may be appointed at any time. However, your term expires on December 31st of the next even-numbered year. Your appointment may be terminated by the appointing authority if you fail to properly review a voter registration application, intentionally destroyed or physically altered a registration application or engaged in another activity that conflicts with your responsibilities as a volunteer deputy registrar. Your appointment as a volunteer deputy registrar will be terminated by the appointing authority if:
- You fail to deliver a completed voter registration application to the registrar by the deadline; or
- You are finally convicted of an offense under the law relating to performance-based compensation for voter registrations.
How to become a Volunteer Deputy Registrar or to Renew your Appointment:
Option 1 - In Person Limited space, please call 972-825-5195 to reserve your spot in the class. Classes are conducted on Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., excluding holidays and the election cycle (30 days before or 14 days after Election Day). Evening classes are also available and require pre-registration, see our calendar of events below to view the schedule. In class, we will go over the training class manual and then take a 20 question examination test. If you are eligible, you will receive a certificate of appointment and some Ellis County VDR applications.
Option 2 - Online Training starting in January 2021 To gain access to the online training material, click on the PDF link below. Once you review the training manual, you will be required to come in person to our office to complete the 20-question test to be graded and fill out an application. If you are eligible, you will receive a certificate of appointment and some Ellis County VDR applications. We will accept walk-ins to test, anytime during business hours and no appointment is needed.
Click for Class Powerpoint Training Manual for Ellis County