LOCAL HELP SOUGHT FOR ELECTION DAY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO WORK AT POLLS.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Local polling places might move a little more slowly unless more volunteers step up to serve for Super Tuesday's election. The InkaVote system is ready, but the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder's Office needs about 75 more poll workers to make the system work smoothly.

``We've been told it's difficult to recruit in the Santa Clarita area,'' said Grace Chavez, spokeswoman for the Registrar-Recorder's Office. ``We like to have an average of five workers at each polling place, but we might have only three or four.''

Chavez has experience working the polls herself, having been called to the field in previous elections.

``It's definitely a learning experience,'' she recalled. ``I would definitely recommend it.''

Volunteer poll workers must be registered voters, California residents, U.S. citizens and at least 18. They must be available between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday to set up the polls, assist voters, issue ballots and conduct poll-closing procedures.

Workers receive a $55 stipend for working the polls and get a $25 bonus for attending a 90-minute training session.

Chavez said anyone who calls to sign up will be sent to training sessions scheduled throughout the county over the weekend. Poll worker training videos also are available at the county libraries.

``More than likely, the new workers will be with someone who has done this before,'' she said. ``We have duty cards that detail what different positions entail and instructional pamphlets. There is a lot of information at their disposal.''

At the polling sites, some of the burden will be relieved by touch- screen voting, which is available from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. today at the Valencia Library, 23743 W. Valencia Blvd.

The touch-screen ballots list the same candidates and measures as election day ballots and mail-in ballots. All units are equipped with audio headsets or large-size text for visually or hearing-impaired voters.

The Registrar-Recorder's Office is also looking for poll workers who can speak one or more of the following languages: Cantonese, Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Armenian, Russian and Cambodian.

To volunteer or get more information on the upcoming election, call [phone] or online at www.lavote.net

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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Thursday's registrars-training class for inspectors at Valencia Town Center has empty seats, in a region still short by 75 poll workers for Tuesday's election. Volunteers must be U.S. citizens, state residents, at least 18 and be registered to vote.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer