Dubuque County Election Official Raises Concerns about Proposed Election Worker Rules

County auditors are raising concerns about proposed rules from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office that would require the same training for every part-timer and volunteer who works on Election Day. 

Jenny Hillary is deputy commissioner of elections in the Dubuque County Auditor’s Office.

Election workers who open absentee ballots are trained on the rules for early voting and election workers at each precinct who screen voters and hand out ballots are trained about Election Day voting rules.

Eric Gookin, legal counsel for the Secretary of State’s office, says he and others on staff are reviewing those concerns.

The proposed guidelines for training of what Gookin calls “precinct election workers” or PEOs were discussed this week during a meeting of the legislative panel that reviews all the rules state agencies develop.

Gookin says the secretary of state’s office is developing new training materials, too.

story courtesy of Radio Iowa; photo courtesy of Janelle Tucker/KMCH