Wake County leaders hike pay for election workers ahead of 2020 vote

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Wake County leaders voted Monday to increase the minimum hourly wage for election workers ahead of 2020 voting.

The Wake County Board of Commissioners unanimously agreed to give election workers a nearly $3 hourly raise.

The new minimum hourly wage will be $11 per hour for the workers at 206 polling places across the county, according to a news release from Wake County officials.

Election Day officials are paid a stipend, which pays for training, setting up the polling place and their work on Election Day.

Officials estimate the $2.78 hourly pay increase will cost the county $144,700, which will come out of the county’s General Fund Salary and Benefit Reserve, the news release said.

“These workers are the backbone of our electoral process, and without them, we wouldn’t have the infrastructure in place to cast our ballots,” Commissioner Jessica Holmes said in the release.

The pay increase is only for the 2020 election cycle and will be re-considered ahead of the 2022 elections.