Poll workers are essential and get Covid vaccine, Murphy says

New Jerseyans who work at the polls on Election Day are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations as essential workers, Gov. Phil Murphy said on Friday.

“Without question, poll workers are essential workers.  Period.  This is a no brainer, black and white,” Murphy said.  “There’s no question they would be deemed to be essential workers.”

Murphy announced this week that New Jersey would return to in-person voting in April, when some municipalities hold school board and fire commissioner elections, and for May non-partisan municipal elections.

Under an executive order issued by Murphy last year, those elections were held entirely through vote-by-mail ballots.

Murphy said that the June 8 primary election would likely return to in-person voting, although he stopped short of announcing it.

In 2020, the primary and general elections were conducted primarily through mail-in ballots, with limited in-person voting utilizing paper ballots.

“I would hope that by the time April and May comes around, we are in a dramatically different and a better place as it relates to a vaccine supply,” Murphy said.

Click here for information on becoming an Election Day poll worker.