Title
Resolution to Approve New Election Inspector Pay Scales
Memorandum
The attached resolution proposes to raise the various rates of election inspectors' pay by about $1.00 per hour. By City Charter (Section 13.7), City Council must set election personnel pay rates and the last time it did so was 1995, at which time Ann Arbor instituted the highest election worker pay rates in Washtenaw County.
Since that time, Ann Arbor's rates have remained fixed, while neighboring jurisdictions in Washtenaw County have continued to increase their pay rates. With one of the lowest pay rates in Washtenaw County, election inspector recruitment efforts have become increasingly difficult for the City Clerk's Office. By law, election inspectors can be appointed to work the polls in any precinct in the county where they are registered to vote, which has meant the loss of some Ann Arbor poll workers to other jurisdictions within Washtenaw County. For example, the City of Ypsilanti pays $9.00 per hour for election inspectors compared to $8.00 in Ann Arbor. The City of Saline pays $11.75 for inspectors and $13.00 for chairpersons, compared to $11.25 for chairs in Ann Arbor. Scio Township offers between $10.00 and $12.00. In addition, many of the smaller townships in the County provide meals on election days, which is not a practical option in Ann Arbor.
An election inspector must report for work at 6:00 a.m. and the typical election day is about 16 hours long. Due to the challenges with recruitment and the additional cost of training, we do not offer split shifts. The chairperson assigned to each precinct must contend with voter registration problems, poll challengers, and provisional ballots, in addition to the regular processing of voters. In busy even-year elections, the stream of voters can be almost non-stop from the opening of the polls at 7:00 a.m. until the closing at 8:00 p.m. As elections become more technologically complex, more and more is being expected of election inspectors. In the last few years, the State of Michigan has introduced new optical scan vote tabulators, as well as the AutoMARK voter assist machine for persons with disabilities. Ann Arbor is expected to receive electronic pollbooks from the State of Michigan in the next year.
The proposed increases in the City of Ann Arbor election inspector pay rates take into consideration the additional knowledge and skills required to work the polls on election day and also allow the City to be competitive in its recruitment efforts in Washtenaw County. It is expected that the increased compensation will save the City in recruitment and training costs in the even-year elections.
PROPOSED NEW ELECTION INSPECTOR PAY RATES
Election Inspector - $9.00/hour (increase from $8.00)
Floater - $9.50/hour (increase from $8.50)
Chairperson - $12.00/hour (increase from $11.25)
AV Count Board Supervisor - $14.50/hour (increase from $14.00/hour)
The increase in election inspector pay will cost between $2000 in a local election and $8000 in a Presidential election. The increase will cost approximately $5000 for the upcoming February Presidential Primary, which will be reimbursed by the State. Funds are available in the Clerk's Office election budget for fiscal year 2013, which includes the August Primary and November Presidential Election.
Staff in the City Clerk's Office and Human Resources Unit have reviewed this proposal and recommend approval.
Staff
Prepared by: Jacqueline Beaudry, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Robyn Wilkerson, Human Resources Manager
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, By City Charter (Section 13.7) the pay rate of all election personnel, including election inspectors is set by City Council;
Whereas, Ann Arbor last set its pay rates for election inspectors in 1995;
Whereas, It has become increasingly difficult to recruit and retain qualified election inspectors in the City of Ann Arbor, increasing staff time and costs for recruitment and training each year;
Whereas, Ann Arbor is currently offering one of the lowest election inspector pay rates in Washtenaw County;
Whereas, Election inspectors are free to work elections for any jurisdiction in Washtenaw County; and
Whereas, A modest increase in pay rates for election inspectors in the City of Ann Arbor will allow the City to remain competitive in recruiting new workers and retaining existing qualified workers;
RESOLVED, That Council set the following pay scale for the various election inspector positions in the City of Ann Arbor:
Election Inspector - $9.00/hour (increase from $8.00)
Floater - $9.50/hour (increase from $8.50)
Chairperson - $12.00/hour (increase from $11.25)
AV Count Board Supervisor - $14.50 (increase from $14.00); and
RESOLVED, That the new election inspector pay rates be made effective for the February 28, 2012 Presidential Primary.