By Brian McBride
Associate Editor

From sports booster clubs to church groups, the face of the Osceola County poll worker is changing through the Supervisor of Elections’ new adopt-a-precinct program.

Having reduced the number of polling stations from 75 to 50 this year to cut election costs, Elections Supervisor Mary Jane Arrington said she is hoping to maintain a high level of customer service by allowing different groups to work at some of the 50 locations as election workers, who, in turn, will get free publicity for their organizations.

She said she got the idea from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office when she visited two polling stations that were being run by the volunteer groups in the community partnership program during an election year. She said “the atmosphere was just different,” that “the customer service was really high” and that the volunteers were “enthusiastic.”

“It’s a win-win situation,” she said.

Election poll training is just beginning for the 14 different groups and organizations ranging from nine to 15 volunteers per group, who will work the poll places for the Aug. 24 primary and then the general election on Nov. 2.

“My goal was to get 10 (groups) and we got 14,” Arrington said. “I was very pleased.”

Depending on the size of the polling location, each group can earn between $3,600 and $5,500.

The groups Arrington recruited include the The Vine Church in Kissimmee, Osceola High School’s wrestling booster club, the Osceola County Historical Society, the Osceola County Council on Aging, Help Now of Osceola and the St. Cloud Greater Osceola Chamber of Commerce.

“We have a gamut of organizations,” Arrington said.

While group members can’t do any personal soliciting for their respective groups at the polls, they are welcome to wear shirts bearing the name of the group.

“I think they are getting out their message,” Arrington said. “They are going to get more exposure.”

The first group to sign up was The Vine Church.

“We thought it was another way to give back to the community,” said church member Katie Gentile, who helped organize the 11 volunteers who will be working the polling station at the church location.

St. Cloud Chamber President David Lane said participating is all part of the organization’s approach in the community, which is to both promote economic growth and improve quality of life in the St. Cloud area.

“It’s good to show the community one of the more visual ways the chamber is stepping up,” Lane said.

The window to participate in the program this year has closed, but Arrington said she hopes to have even more participation the next time around.

“I hope it’s going to be a long-lasting relationship,” she said.