A New York City poll worker pay increase has cleared the State Senate but not the Assembly, so the statutory minimums remain $130 per day for election inspectors and $200 per day for election coordinators. Senate Bill S559, which would raise those floors to $300 and $350 respectively, passed the Senate 48–14 on May 6, 2026, and now sits in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.1New York State Senate. Senate Bill S559
What Poll Workers Earn Right Now
Section 3-420 of the New York Election Law sets the floor. The mayor must pay election inspectors at least $130 per day, election coordinators at least $200 per day, and at least $25 for each required training session.2FindLaw. New York Election Law Section 3-420 Actual pay has run higher. A 2018 executive order from Mayor Bill de Blasio added $50 per worker, lifting inspectors to $250 and coordinators to $350 per day.3New York City Council. Board of Elections Fiscal Analysis
The NYC Board of Elections advertises earnings of up to $2,750 for serving up to 10 days across early voting and Election Day. The shifts are long. On Election Day, workers report at 5:00 a.m. and stay until after polls close and results are reported, usually past 9:00 p.m. That’s 16 hours or more. Workers must also be willing to travel to any poll site within their borough.4NYC Board of Elections. Poll Worker Positions
At the $130 statutory minimum, a 16-hour Election Day works out to roughly $8 an hour before training pay, well under the city’s minimum wage for other jobs.
What Senate Bill S559 Would Change
S559 amends Section 3-420 with new floors:
- Election inspectors: at least $300 per day (up from $130)
- Election coordinators: at least $350 per day (up from $200)
- Training sessions: at least $50 per meeting (up from $25)
The bill was introduced by Senator Liz Krueger and co-sponsored by Senators Andrew Gounardes, John C. Liu, and Rachel May. Krueger’s justification points to the need to attract “the most competent and well qualified inspectors and coordinators,” citing recent election scandals and the demands of new voting equipment.1New York State Senate. Senate Bill S559 An identical Assembly companion, A1993, was introduced by Assemblymember Colton.5New York State Senate. Assembly Bill A1993
Where the Bill Stands
The Senate first passed S559 on April 30, 2025. That version died when the session ended without Assembly action. The Senate passed it again on May 6, 2026, by a vote of 48 to 14 with one member excused. Support was bipartisan, though most no votes came from Republican members. After the 2026 passage the bill was delivered to the Assembly and referred to the Ways and Means Committee, where both S559 and A1993 remain as of mid-2026. It has not been signed into law.1New York State Senate. Senate Bill S559
Similar bills have failed before. Senator Zellnor Myrie’s S3041 in 2023–2024 would have set inspector pay at $300 and coordinator pay at $400, but never left the Senate Elections Committee. Predecessors S7981 (2019–2020) and S319 (2021–2022) also died in committee.6New York State Senate. Senate Bill S3041
Why Advocates Say the Raise Is Needed
The Board of Elections staffs sites across the five boroughs with more than 30,000 poll workers on Election Day and has long identified low salaries as a barrier to recruiting and retaining qualified people.3New York City Council. Board of Elections Fiscal Analysis
Low pay has also been tied to integrity concerns. In 2025, Nicole Torres, a former Republican district leader for the 81st Assembly District and a BOE employee from 2016 to 2024, pleaded guilty to extortion and mail fraud after charging applicants roughly $150 each to secure poll worker positions and falsifying timesheets for absent workers. She was sentenced to two years in federal prison in September 2025 and ordered to pay approximately $190,000 in restitution and reimbursements.7Riverdale Press. Ex-GOP Leader Nicole Torres Sentenced for Poll Worker Fraud
Who Pays for the Increase
Although poll worker pay is set by state law, the Board of Elections is funded entirely by New York City. The proposed fiscal year 2026 BOE budget is $146.7 million, up $1.1 million from the prior adopted figure of $145.6 million.8New York City Council. Board of Elections Fiscal 2026 Budget Any pay increase mandated by S559 would flow through that city-funded budget rather than through Albany.
Whether the Assembly takes up S559 before the session ends will determine if the raise finally becomes law after years of failed attempts.