Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on approving a temporary hazard pay increase of $3.00 per hour for election presiding judges, supervisors and clerks working during early voting and/or election day for the November 3, 2020 election using funds from the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) grant. Authorization is being requested pursuant to Texas Election Code Section 32.093 requiring compensation of election judges and clerks to be fixed by the commissioners court for an election ordered by the governor.

Election workers are an essential part of every election. The COVID-19 pandemic has now brought an unprecedented element to the requirements of working an election. As the Texas Election Code does not allow for the screening of voters for COVID-19 symptoms, prohibit any voter exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 from entering a polling location nor require voters to don face coverings while in the polling location, workers are being asked to potentially expose themselves to those with COVID-19. While precautions are in place to keep our polling locations safe, not all risk can be mitigated. Early voting supervisors and election day presiding judges are currently paid $12/per hour for their service. Election clerks are paid $10/per hour. These rates have been in place since 2013. Pursuant to Texas Administrative Code Rule §81.120 all election day workers were paid $12/per hour for the July 14th Democratic Runoff Election, which was the first election to be conducted while contending with the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the scale of the November 3, 2020 election and resulting risk of contracting COVID-19 and to alleviate some of the hesitation of workers to agree to work based on current compensation rates, the Williamson County Elections Department is seeking approval to use funds from the $263,644.00 CTCL grant to increase poll worker pay for the November 3, 2020 election only to $15/per hour for early voting supervisors and election judges and to $13/per hour for early voting and election day clerks. The total amount of this increase is estimated at $192,000.00 and falls within accepted parameter of the grant funds.