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More than 1.9 million poll workers were called for the 2024 elections in Brazil, and although the work is not paid with a salary, each poll worker receives a food allowance of R$ 65 per shift, is entitled to two days off for each day worked without salary deduction, can use the hours as complementary in university courses, and also has an advantage in public tender tie-breakers when provided for in the notice.
How much a poll worker earns is a question millions of Brazilians ask themselves every time they receive a summons from the Electoral Justice to work at polling stations. The direct answer is that the poll worker does not receive a salary for the work: the activity is voluntary and compensation comes in the form of an allowance of R$ 65 per shift worked, in addition to indirect benefits that include paid days off, credit for hours in universities, and an advantage in public tenders. In the 2024 elections, more than 1.9 million poll workers participated in the first round, a number higher than the 1.7 million in 2022, a growth that demonstrates both the increase in the electorate and the constant need for volunteers to ensure the functioning of the more than 470 thousand polling stations spread across the country.
Each polling station has four people at the table, and each poll worker performs a specific function ranging from organizing queues to closing the polls and issuing ballot reports. The four members are divided into president, first poll worker, second poll worker, and secretary, a hierarchy that distributes responsibilities and ensures that the electoral process functions with organization even in sections with a high volume of voters. For those who have never served, understanding what each poll worker does and what benefits they receive helps decide whether it’s worth volunteering or how to prepare when the summons arrives.
What the poll worker receives in money and benefits
The R$ 65 food allowance per shift is the only direct financial amount the poll worker receives. As Brazilian elections usually happen in a single round, with voting from 8 AM to 5 PM, the poll worker who works all day receives the equivalent of this amount for food during the shift, a sum that does not constitute labor remuneration and serves exclusively to cover meal costs on election day. The amount is not taxable and does not create an employment relationship with the Electoral Justice.
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The indirect benefits are where the poll worker’s work truly pays off. The volunteer is entitled to two days off for each day effectively worked in the elections and also for each day of training completed, days off that must be negotiated with the employer but cannot be deducted from the poll worker’s salary. Those who work both rounds of an election and participated in the preparatory training can accumulate six paid days off, a benefit that for many is worth more than any direct payment. University students can convert their days of work as a poll worker into complementary hours required by the curriculum, and candidates for public tenders have a tie-breaking criterion when the notice provides for this advantage.
What each poll worker does inside the polling station
The section president is the highest authority at the location and concentrates the most critical responsibilities. It is up to this poll worker to organize the work on election day, coordinate the distribution of activities among the other members of the table, maintain order in the precinct, issue the “zerésima” (a document that proves the ballot box is empty before voting begins), start and end voting, issue ballot reports, and arrange for the delivery of materials to the electoral office. Thayanne Soares, Secretary of People Management at the TSE (Superior Electoral Court), emphasizes that “the president of the polling station is the highest authority within the section,” a role that requires preparation and responsibility.
The first and second poll workers are responsible for document verification and controlling the flow of voters. These volunteers verify the identity of voters, collect signatures in the voting register, hand out receipts, and control movement within the room, ensuring that each voter follows the correct procedure between identification and the moment of voting. If the president needs to be absent for any reason, the first poll worker temporarily assumes their duties, which is why they need to know all the table procedures. The secretary organizes queues outside, distributes passwords, verifies documentation at the entrance, and controls the order of access to the section.
How the polling station worker’s workday operates during elections
The day begins before the polls open. The polling station worker must arrive at the polling station sufficiently in advance to organize the environment, verify that the electronic voting machine is working correctly, issue the ‘zerésima’ (zero report) that proves the absence of votes recorded in the equipment’s memory, and prepare the table materials that will be used throughout the day. From 8 AM, the voting machine is enabled to receive votes, and the queue of voters should already be organized according to priority criteria that include the elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and parents with young children.
Closing requires the polling station worker’s attention to procedures that guarantee the transparency of the result. At 5 PM, Brasília time, the secretary checks if there are still voters in line and distributes passwords from the last to the first, and when the last voter casts their vote, the president closes the voting and begins the process of issuing the ballot box reports, documents that record the section’s result. There are five copies of the report, all signed by those present: one is affixed to the section door for publicizing the result, another stays with the president for later verification, and a third is given to a political party representative if present, a measure that reinforces the transparency of the count.
What the polling station worker needs to know about documents and vote secrecy
The polling station worker’s responsibility for electoral secrecy is a fundamental part of the role. The voting machine must be positioned away from windows and cameras to prevent anyone from recording another person’s vote, and the polling station worker must ensure that voters do not bring cell phones or electronic equipment into the voting booth, a requirement that protects the constitutional right to a secret ballot. Upon hearing the sound that confirms the vote registration, the voter collects their documents and receipt, and the polling station worker releases the next person in line.
Accepted documents for voter identification include any official photo ID. The polling station worker must verify an identity card, driver’s license, passport, or e-Título with photo and collected biometrics, and only after identity confirmation is the voter authorized to cast their vote. The volunteer acting as a polling station worker does not need to be an expert in electoral legislation, but the training offered by the Electoral Justice before the elections covers all necessary procedures and is a condition for receiving the days off provided as a benefit.
Why being a polling station worker is worthwhile even without a salary
The combination of paid days off, complementary hours, and an advantage in public exams makes working as a polling station worker a time investment that yields concrete returns. For a CLT worker, accumulating up to six days off without salary deduction is equivalent to almost an additional week of vacation. For a university student, converting the service into complementary hours eliminates the need to seek extracurricular activities. For those taking public exams, having experience as a polling station worker can be the deciding criterion for approval in case of a tie in the final ranking. Each of these benefits caters to a different profile, but all reward the polling station worker in a way that the R$ 65 meal allowance alone does not capture.
Working as a polling station worker is also an exercise in citizenship that places the volunteer at the center of the democratic process. Those who work at the polling station see firsthand how elections function, understand the security mechanisms of the electronic voting machine, and participate directly in the organization that allows more than 150 million Brazilians to exercise their right to vote on a single day. For many, this experience is worth more than any financial value or cash assistance.
And you, have you ever been a polling station worker? Do you think the compensation is fair or should there be monetary payment? Leave your opinion in the comments.
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