Cook County, IL

This page contains information for Cook County, except for the City of Chicago, IL, which recruits poll workers separately from Cook County. For information on being a poll worker in the City of Chicago, click here.

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  • Phone:
    (312) 603-0965
  • Email:
    Elect.Judge@cookcountyil.gov
  • Office Address:
    118 North Clark St, Room 230, Chicago, IL 60602
  • Start Time:
    5:00 AM End Time:
    After the polls close at 7:00 PM.     (You must work the full day)
  • Compensation:
    $250 to $365 for Election Day and training.
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Voter Registration Requirements

  • You must be registered to vote in Cook County to be a poll worker

  • Note: This voter registration requirement does not apply to poll workers under the age of 18.

Work Requirements

  • Minimum Age: High school juniors/seniors who are U.S. citizens and county residents.

  • You must complete training to be a poll worker.

  • Training Details: In-person training typically lasts 3.5 hours and includes an open book test that must be passed following the training class. Online training typically lasts 1.5 to 2 hours and can be completed on workers’ own schedules. Training is required every even-numbered year.

Certain poll workers must have access to a car and cell phone on Election Day.

Bilingual individuals who speak English and one of the following languages are encouraged to apply: Spanish, Hindi, Mandarin, Tagalog, Korean, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Gujarati, Mandarin, and Urdu.

Election officials may allow students who are U.S. citizens and are enrolled in public or private Illinois universities, colleges, or community colleges to serve as poll workers without being registered to vote in the jurisdiction. Contact your election officials (contact info above) for more information.