Philadelphia poll workers getting IOU’s

    Won’t get paid until July for work in May Primary

    The agency that runs elections in Philadelphia is having a hard time paying poll workers.

    During testimony before City Council, the issue of paying poll workers came up. Bob Lee, Deputy City Commissioner, says checks for work in the May Primary can’t go out until the new budget year begins in July.

    “The poll workers wait anyway from four to five weeks to get paid, it’s a massive job. We all know they are underpaid. Making them wait an additional couple of weeks, and a lot of them look forward to getting it before the July Fourth holiday. They use it for things.”

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    Lee says the commissioners reviewed their budget to the penny, even starting from scratch and trying to find ways to run the elections for less, but couldn’t find anywhere else to cut.

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal