MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. — Maricopa County is trying to recruit at least 2,600 poll workers to help process the estimated 750,000 ballots that will be filed in the upcoming primary election.
After enduring a significant amount of scrutiny for its handling of the 2020 presidential election, Arizona's largest county has unveiled a plan for how it plans to manage the 2022 primary and general elections that will determine the state's next governor.
One of the first elements of that plan is finding enough people to work the polls on Election Day.
The county is hoping to hire 2,600 poll workers, 750 truck drivers, central board workers, and other temporary employees to support each election.
Poll workers must be at least 18 and registered to vote in Arizona.
The county expects to face some challenges in hiring enough workers this year due to low unemployment rates and rising inflation levels.
"The polarization of elections may also pose as a hiring challenge as the county works to ensure bipartisan representation in every aspect of the election," the county wrote in a statement.
Maricopa County's results from the 2020 presidential election caused an uproar among some Republicans after President Joe Biden narrowly won Arizona by less than 11,000 votes.
Republicans in the Arizona Senate conducted a months-long review into the county's election numbers, which still counted Biden as the winner. The senate submitted its findings to Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
For the 2022 elections, the county's projecting to process at least 748,000 ballots for the primary and 1.4 million in the general election.
More information about the upcoming elections can be found here.