Milwaukee poll worker shortage; city seeks helping hands
MILWAUKEE - As voters gear up to cast their ballots ahead of Election Day, the City of Milwaukee still needs help at the polls.
Rosa Perez is among the voters who wait their turn to vote at the Mitchell Public Library.
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"I was nervous because I had never voted here before," she said. "It's my first time."
She was among the first people to vote at this location on Monday. In fact, it's her first time since becoming a U.S. citizen.
"I feel satisfied because I worked really hard to be here today," she said.
With Election Day nearing, the City of Milwaukee said it is in need of more people to work at the voting locations like the ones on the south side.
The Milwaukee Election Commission said they are in need of more people to fill shifts on Election Day, mainly focusing on south side communities where they need people with bilingual skills in Spanish or Hmong.
"There's many of us that don't speak English and for many, that's a reason why not to vote because we fear that we won't understand who and what we are voting for," Perez said. "They have been very helpful. Thankfully for me, my daughter came with me. She understands and walked me through the process."
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To be a poll worker you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Live in Milwaukee County
- Not have a criminal record
- Be able to read and write in English
The city is looking for poll workers who can work the afternoon until closing on Nov. 5.
Editor's note: FOX6 News translated parts of interviews used in this story from Spanish to English.