Title
Resolution to Approve New Election Personnel Pay Scales
Memorandum
The attached resolution proposes to raise the various rates of election inspector and other election personnel pay to prepare for the 2024 election cycle. This increase represents an average increase of about $2.00 per hour. City Charter (Section 13.7) states that City Council must set election personnel pay rates and the last time it did so was 2022.
Due to the passage of Proposal 2022-2 last November and the implementation of early voting, the City is facing increased need for election inspectors and other election-related temporary assignments, including satellite office and early vote center personnel and supervisors for the new extended election season beyond the traditional Election Day worker. The Clerk’s Office is currently making plans to staff early voting locations for nine consecutive days ending on the Sunday before an election, and up to 40 days of satellite office availability at the University of Michigan, including on Election Day. Early Voting plans for the upcoming Presidential Primary include availability of days, evenings and weekends at the District Library branches.
On Election Day, election inspectors must report for work at 6:00 a.m. and the typical day is about 16 hours long. Due to the challenges with recruitment and the additional cost of training, we generally 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.
The proposed increases in the City of Ann Arbor election inspector pay rates take into consideration the additional knowledge and skills required to work both the early voting centers and the polls on Election Day and allows the City to remain 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, due to retention of existing trained workers.
PROPOSED NEW ELECTION PERSONNEL PAY RATES
Election Inspector - $18.00/hour (increase from $16.75)
Floater bonus - $15.00/election (remains same)
Chairperson/Receiving Board - $22.00/hour (increase from $20.00)
AVCB Chairperson - $20.00/hour (increase from $18.00)
Election Supervisor - $25.00/hour (increase from $23.00/hour) - name change to describe AVCB, Early Vote and Election Day Supervisors
Voter Participation Specialist - $22.00/hour (increase from $20.00/hour)
Lead Voter Participation Specialist - $25.00/hour (increase from $23.00/hour)
Precinct Coordinator - $24.00/hour (increase from $22.00/hour)
Lead Precinct Coordinator - $27.00/hour (increase from $25.00/hour)
The increase in election inspector pay will cost between $4,000 in a local election and $10,000 in a Presidential election. Funds are available in the Clerk’s Office election budget for fiscal year 2024, which includes the upcoming Presidential Primary. The FY2025 budget for the August 2024 Primary and November 2024 General Election will reflect the increase as well.
Staff in the City Clerk’s Office and City Administrator’s Office have reviewed this proposal and recommend approval.
Staff
Prepared by: Stephen Gerhart, Chief Deputy Clerk
Reviewed by: Jacqueline Beaudry, City Clerk
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, City Charter (Section 13.7) states that 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 personnel in 2022;
Whereas, Proposition 2022-2 approved in November 2022 allows for nine days of early voting in advance of each federal election in Michigan;
Whereas, It has become increasingly difficult to recruit and retain qualified election personnel in the City of Ann Arbor, increasing staff time and costs for recruitment and training each year;
Whereas, Additional election inspectors and election staff are needed to manage the implementation of early voting and campus satellite voter registration offices;
Whereas, Election personnel are free to work elections for any jurisdiction in Washtenaw County; and
Whereas, An increase in pay rates for election personnel in the City of Ann Arbor will allow the City to remain competitive in recruiting new workers and retaining existing qualified workers for the upcoming elections;
RESOLVED, That City Council set the following pay scale for the various election personnel in the City of Ann Arbor:
Election Inspector - $18.00/hour (increase from $16.75)
Floater bonus - $15.00/election (remains same)
Chairperson/Receiving Board - $22.00/hour (increase from $20.00)
AVCB Chairperson - $20.00/hour (increase from $18.00)
Election Supervisor - $25.00/hour (increase from $23.00/hour)
Voter Participation Specialist - $22.00/hour (increase from $20.00/hour)
Lead Voter Participation Specialist - $25.00/hour (increase from $23.00/hour)
Precinct Coordinator - $24.00/hour (increase from $22.00/hour)
Lead Precinct Coordinator - $27.00/hour (increase from $25.00/hour)
RESOLVED, That the new election personnel pay rates be made effective January 1, 2024.