LA County election workers are being offered just $100 a day for shifts that can stretch as long as 15 hours, raising questions about why a county that enforces its own minimum wage is paying election workers at a rate equivalent to less than half that amount.
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk began recruiting local residents for election worker positions on Aug. 25 ahead of the November midterm election.
Election workers receive a $100 stipend for each day worked. Those who complete three hours of in-person training receive an additional $80, while bilingual workers who speak Korean, Chinese, Japanese or other designated languages can receive another $100.
According to the county, a bilingual election worker who works a total of 10 days, including early voting, can receive up to $1,180.
$100 for Shifts Lasting Up to 15 Hours
When calculated against actual working hours, however, the stipend falls far below Los Angeles County’s minimum wage.
During early voting from Oct. 24 through Nov. 2, LA County election workers are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., an 11-hour day. On Election Day, Nov. 3, workers are expected to staff voting centers from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m., totaling 15 hours.
The county’s election website itself states that workers should expect an average workday of approximately 14 to 15 hours.
Los Angeles County’s minimum wage is currently $18.47 per hour.
At a $100 daily stipend, a 15-hour Election Day shift works out to approximately $6.67 per hour. An 11-hour early voting shift translates to roughly $9.09 per hour — less than half the county minimum wage.
LA County Says Election Workers Are Volunteers
The Los Angeles County election office maintains that election workers are considered volunteers rather than employees.
An election official told the Korea Daily on Aug. 26 that election workers are regarded as volunteers and that the county provides them with a stipend for their service.
But whether the workers legally qualify as volunteers could be subject to debate.
The county’s recruitment materials explicitly describe the position as an “Election Worker” and list specific qualifications and job duties.
Applicants must be physically capable of lifting items weighing up to 25 pounds and be able to sit or stand for extended periods. Their duties include setting up and operating voting centers, assisting voters with the voting process and completing closing procedures after polls shut.
Those requirements have raised questions about whether the arrangement could conflict with existing labor and minimum wage laws.
Employment attorney Jini Kang said volunteer status generally requires the work to have a stronger educational component than the provision of labor.
“If workers are required to perform the duties described in the posting for extended hours while receiving only $100 a day, there could be a significant risk of future legal disputes,” Kang said.
Orange County Pays Election Workers $22.48 an Hour
Neighboring Orange County takes a notably different approach.
Orange County’s election office classifies its election workers as “Extra Help” employees and explicitly offers an hourly wage of $22.48.
That rate is well above California’s statewide minimum wage of $16.90 per hour, highlighting the stark difference in how the two neighboring counties classify and compensate workers performing election-related duties.
