Election judges, also called poll workers, are essential to ensuring voting runs smoothly at the polls on Election Day, and according to McDonough County Circuit Clerk Jeremy Benson, there's always a need for judges throughout the county's 27 precincts.
For individuals interested in becoming an election judge, they should first reach out to their precinct committee chair; however, if they do not know who that is, they can contact Benson's office at (309) 833-2474, or either chair of the McDonough County Republican Committee or McDonough County Democratic Central Committee to have their name added to the poll worker list.
'Precinct committee chairs will provide us a list of interested individuals, and then we'll reach out with our training dates,' Benson explained. 'While we have a good number of returning judges each year, we're always in need of more precinct workers.'
Before every election, Benson's office provides training to new – and returning – judges so they are aware of the laws, guidelines and any changes to the procedures. Election judges are paid a 'nominal amount' for their service, he added, and as part of their duties, they are required to be present all day at their assigned precinct, often from 5:30 a.m. until polls close at 7 p.m. Currently the county has around 100 for the 27 precincts. Those who complete the training and agree to be at the polls on Election Day are usually assigned to their precinct; however, there may be times a precinct has a shortage of workers, so there is a possibility of being assigned to a different polling place.
'The statute does call for five at each location, but that's often hard to do, so we are allowed to operate with three at a precinct, but we would really love to have five for all of our precincts,' he pointed out 'We're always looking for new judges, and would love to have a surplus.'
Each precinct should ideally have poll workers from all parties, Benson added. Poll watchers are also at each precinct; however, those are unpaid volunteers who are appointed by the county's Democratic and Republican committees and are not part of Benson's cohort of election workers.
During the Spring 2026 elections, Benson had to remove an election judge at Precinct 2, which was a first in a 'very long time,' he noted, for making a threatening remark to a voter. The incident was reported to Benson, who took prompt action in relieving the judge from her duties and removing her from the list.
'We want to ensure we have the best people for the job, and if something occurs, I'll take care of it so the voting process isn't hindered in McDonough County and people feel comfortable at their polling place,' Benson stressed. 'We appreciate anyone who signs up to an election judge. It's a full day commitment, so that is really our biggest hurdle when getting people to sign up. But we have a great group of people who show up year after year, and we'd love to add more.'
