The Ohio Supreme Court has issued an order allowing Ohio attorneys to receive continuing legal education credit by serving as poll workers at general election sites on Nov. 2. The Supreme Court has issued such an order in two previous elections.

Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor first called on attorneys to volunteer during last November’s general election and then again for the May primary election. A total of 1,255 lawyers participated.

“I am confident that Ohio attorneys will perform this critical civic duty as we continue to see the pandemic numbers rise,” Chief Justice O’Connor said. “Safe elections are crucial, and I hope we can fill this urgent need.”

Lawyers in Ohio are required to earn 24 continuing legal education credits – known as CLE – every two years by attending live and online programs accredited by the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Continuing Legal Education. The order permits attorneys to earn four credit hours for serving as poll workers.

Attorneys can register as poll workers through the secretary of state’s website.

To earn their four credit hours, volunteer attorneys must complete training at their county board of elections, and they must work the entire voting day.

Ohio is believed to be the first state to ask attorneys to work the polls in return for mandatory education credits.

This program is a collaboration between the Court and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who recently won the 2021 “Innovators Award” for the program. Chief Justice O’Connor was featured on CBS This Morning, explaining the need for the program.

Poll volunteers in Ohio begin work at 5:30 a.m. The polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m., when administrative closing procedures begin.

As of today, there are 45,056 actively licensed attorneys in Ohio.

For those seeking more information about the attorney poll worker program, the CLE commission produced a section dedicated to frequently asked questions.