New Hiring Rules for Election Workers: Veterans, Disabled Americans, and Military Families Get Preference Option

The newly proposed Hiring Preference for Veterans and Americans With Disabilities Act is short, but it makes a significant change to how state and local governments can staff election day. Essentially, it gives election offices the green light to prioritize certain applicants when hiring temporary workers to run the polls.

The New Priority List for Poll Workers

This bill, laid out in Section 2, doesn't mandate hiring preferences, but it allows them. When local election offices are staffing up, they now have the option to give preference to two groups: veterans and individuals with disabilities. For the latter, the bill defines an "individual with a disability" as someone whose impairment significantly limits their major life activities. This is a common standard, but local election offices will need clear guidance to apply this consistently, especially since the preference is optional.

Cutting the Red Tape for Military Spouses

One of the most practical changes in this bill addresses military families. If you’ve ever had a spouse in the armed services, you know the constant challenge of moving and finding work. Under this Act, local election offices can now hire spouses or dependents of service members who are stationed away from home (the bill calls them "absent uniformed services voters"). Crucially, the office cannot refuse to hire these military family members just because they don't live in that specific state or county. This is a big deal for military families, offering a flexible employment option that ignores the usual residency hurdles.

Who Benefits, and Who Might Get Squeezed?

On the one hand, this is a clear win for veterans, disabled individuals, and military families, offering them a leg up in securing temporary, important work. It expands the pool of available, dedicated workers for election offices. If you’re a veteran looking for seasonal work, this preference could make the difference. If you’re a military spouse who just moved to a new state and needs a job, this provision removes a major barrier.

However, whenever preferences are introduced, other groups feel the impact. If a local office decides to use these preferences, general applicants—the local residents who don’t fall into these categories—might find themselves passed over for a job they are equally or better qualified for. While supporting veterans and military families is a popular goal, the bill essentially introduces a new layer of competition for those crucial election worker slots. The devil will be in the details of how individual states and counties choose to implement this option.