POSITION SUMMARY

Harnett County is currently recruiting for an Elections Specialist position. An employee in this position provides clerical and administrative support to the Elections Director the Board of Elections of Harnett County and is responsible for answering the telephone, taking and receiving messages, and greeting the public. Duties include processing voter registration cards, assisting with the preparation for elections, and providing general support to the Director and the office, as needed.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION:

• Registers voters, reviews applications, notifies voters of incomplete applications, verifies voter applications from DMV; updates name and address changes; and reviews signature matches.
• Prepares reports, labels, and lists to citizens as requested.
• Gives out general and statistical information, as needed.
• Checks registrations cards for duplicates, processes cards; records changes; files cards; mails cancellations to other jurisdictions; and stamps and sorts as required.
• Assists in elections process by checking supply boxes for precincts; checking instructions; assisting with absentee applications and voting; serving as precinct for transfer voting; taking vote totals by phone, and assisting in inventory of supplies and materials after elections.
• Verifies totals at canvass and for abstracts.
• Participates in the elections process; opens and reviews ballots; sorts and counts ballots; scans ballots; verifies ballot signatures; assists in reconciliation of ballots; and assists with absentee applications and voting.
• Assists with filing of candidates, collecting fees, and notarizing documents.
• Checks rosters and poll books for accuracy.
• Proofs any printed materials.
• Maintains and/or processes a variety of Department records, forms, reports, logs, and files.
• Clips articles from newspapers to update files and to maintain history and information on elections in the County.
• Serves as receptionist; answers telephone, transfers call, takes messages, and directs visitors.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK:

• High school diploma or equivalent;
• Two (2) years of administrative or clerical experience;
• Or equivalent education and/or experience;
• Possession of a valid North Carolina driver's license;
• Possession of a North Carolina Public Notary certification (or willingness to obtain within first six (6) months of hire); and
• Possession of certification by the North Carolina Board of Elections.

• Knowledge of standard office practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of alphabet, spelling, and reading.
• Skill in communicating, both verbally and in writing.
• Skill in providing customer service.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Ability to deal with the public in a firm but tactful manner.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement in performing the public contact and office duties.
• Ability to handle challenging situations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with public officials, citizens, staff, and the general public.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Must be able to perform medium work frequently exerting up to 30 pounds of force to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects; and occasionally requiring to exert up to 50 pounds of force to move objects. This work also involves the physical abilities of balancing, crouching, feeling, grasping, handling, discriminating among sounds, kneeling, lifting, having manual dexterity, using mental acuity, pulling, pushing, reaching, performing repetitive motion, speaking, standing, stooping, expressing ideas by the spoken word, shouting to be heard above ambient noise and walking. An incumbent must also possess the visual acuity to operate computers and/or manual voting machines and equipment, to do extensive reading, and to determine the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of work assigned.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The employee works in an office type of environment.

Harnett County takes pride in offering an excellent benefit package including health, dental, vision and life insurance, membership in the North Carolina Local Government retirement, free health clinic for employees and anyone in their household and other benefits. To see more information about the benefits offered by Harnett County,