Democratic Election Specialist

OVERVIEW: 

Employment at the Board of Elections operates under special rules and conditions. It is important to understand that this Board of Elections employment position is entirely at-will and may be terminated by the Commissioners at their discretion. This position has no Civil Service protection. 

What follows is a guide that outlines the duties that would generally be expected to be carried out by the person in this position. The bottom line, is that the duties of the position encompass any elections-related tasks that the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner directs you to carry out. There is no such thing as a task or job that is “not within the job description.” We are a small team and you can expect to be crossed trained on many diverse tasks. In addition, other staff may be directed to carry out, or assist in carrying out, duties set out below. 

These duties should be properly and timely performed in a bipartisan manner without the need for specific direction, and will make up the largest part of the workload of the Elections Specialists team. 

An additional factor that is particular to the Board of Elections is the requirement to be able and available to work long hours, including weekends, in the weeks leading up to election days. Based on experience, this includes working a 19-day continuous stretch of days, including weekends, without a day off, in the three weeks around each Primary and General Election, which encompasses Early Voting. It is not uncommon for BOE staff to work an average of over 80 hours per week in the two weeks leading to Election Day, including working a nearly 20-hour day from approximately 5 am to after midnight on Election Day. While this is demanding, it is generally confined to two periods during the year. Excess time worked during intense periods is accrued as flex or “comp” time (at time-and-a-half over 40 hours worked per week), allowing employees to take accrued time off during less intense periods. 

During non-election times of year our annual office schedule is very predictable. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm, with a one-hour lunch break provided as our seasonal schedule permits.

Typical tasks done in conjunction with the Elections Specialist counterpart (Democratic and Republican team):

Responsible for general office tasks (large volumes periodically) Essential skills and attributes for this position include the following: 

• Highly organized, detail oriented, and excellent time management skills 
• Must possess excellent customer service and communication skills
• Ability to process data accurately and efficiently 
• General technical and computer proficiency including: 
• Microsoft Word, Excel, and Abode Acrobat 
• Google applications (Docs, Sheets, Drives, and Calendars) 
• Ability to learn and use the proprietary BOE database software and a variety of voter management applications 
• Operation of office equipment (phone, copier, scanner, printer, etc.) 
• Ability to work well with coworkers; each position at the Board of Elections has two staff members, one Democrat and one Republican, and each person must work well with coworkers of both parties as well as all members of the public.
• Professional interpersonal skills in person, on the telephone, and in email. 
• Ability to respect and exercise discretion regarding sensitive information. 
• A temperament that enables one to continue to work productively and cooperatively under stress, is suited to a structured work environment, and repetitive tasks.

Requirements: 

• Must be a registered voter in Columbia County enrolled in the Democratic Party
• Must have (or train to acquire) computer skills, as above, and have (or acquire) knowledge of relevant NYS Election Law, Rules, and Regulations 
• Must have ability to communicate with persons who have physical, language, or other disabilities o All work must be performed in person / there is no work from home option 
• This position involves walking up flights of stairs, standing for prolonged periods of time, stooping, kneeling/crouching, and having the ability to lift/move items up to 50 lbs. 

There is also this information about the job:

An additional factor that is particular to the Board of Elections is the requirement to be able and available to work long hours, including weekends, in the weeks leading up to election days. Based on experience, this includes working a 19-day continuous stretch of days, including weekends, without a day off, in the three weeks around each Primary and General Election, which encompasses Early Voting. It is not uncommon for BOE staff to work an average of over 80 hours per week in the two weeks leading to Election Day, including working a nearly 20-hour day from approximately 5 am to after midnight on Election Day. While this is demanding, it is generally confined to two periods during the year. Excess time worked during intense periods is accrued as flex or “comp” time (at time-and-a-half over 40 hours worked per week), allowing employees to take accrued time off during less intense periods.  

Please submit letter of interest and resume to Mara Estribou, Commissioner, by mail (Board of Elections, 401 State Street, Hudson, NY 12534) or email: mara.estribou@columbiacountyny.gov.