Poll Workers Sought for March Special Election

Poll workers are needed to help with a pair of special elections next month, the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office announced Friday.

People who speak Chinese, Filipino, Spanish and Vietnamese are in high demand for the March 12 election to choose a new state senator, and a March 26 primary vote for the San Diego City Council's District 4, according to the registrar's office.

Poll workers receive a stipend ranging from $75 to $175 depending on their assignment, and those who are bilingual receive an additional $15 if assigned to provide language assistance to voters, according to the county.

Those who sign up must be U.S. citizens, registered to vote in California and have transportation to their assigned polling location. Depending on the job assignment, they may also need access to the Internet to complete an online training and attend a two-hour class.

Both special elections will take place in the southern section of the county, which includes Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City and the San Diego neighborhoods of City Heights, Encanto, Nestor, Paradise Hills and South Park.

The first balloting will be to determine a successor to former Sen. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, who was elected to Congress. Hoping to replace him are Assemblyman Ben Hueso, D-San Diego; businessman Hector Raul Gastelum; professor, author and businesswoman Xanthi Gionis; and nurse Anna Nevenic.

Nine candidates are lined up to run in the City Council race to replace Tony Young, who resigned to become CEO of the San Diego and Imperial counties chapter of the American Red Cross.

– City News Service