Step up for democracy.

For some reason, far fewer citizens have signed up to help run the city’s polling places.

Cranston is short on poll workers this election season. City election officials need to recruit, hire, and train more than 120 poll workers by Sept. 10.

Luckily, the city has Nick Lima, the Cranston Canvassing Authority’s registrar and director of elections, sounding the alarm just in time. His office has filled nearly 500 of the city’s vacant poll worker positions. But we’re in the homestretch and he needs to find the final 120.

The pay’s ok, and getting better, but working the polls on Election Day should be about public service.

Sadly, threats against election workers are at an all-time high nationally. Let’s all do our part to thank our election workers — the ones who’ve stepped up to help fulfill this vital role.

Pay rates for poll workers range from $200 to $250 per election.

To apply, Lima urges interested potential poll workers to call the Canvassing Authority at 401-780-3127 or email canvassing@cranstonri.gov.