Updated Williamson County poll worker training requirements were approved at the Sept. 3 commissioners court meeting.

County Elections Administrator Jason Barnett, County Judge Dan Gattis and chairs and representatives from both political parties met several times to discuss and draft the document.

"There were some issues in [the] past," Barnett said, regarding the old training requirements. "Poll workers were late-appointed or weren't properly trained, or they went through training and didn't understand everything. [These requirements give] more leverage to all parties so everyone understands what they're responsible for."

For example, the approved requirements mandate that, beginning with the November 2013 election, all election judges, alternate judges, clerks and early voting workers attend a "comprehensive training course as a condition of eligibility to serve."

Poll workers will also be required to complete all training, including online and classroom sessions, before receiving county compensation for their time. The amount of money the county will provide for the training time will be determined at a later commissioners court meeting, Barnett said.

Training attendance is required for every election, and the county elections office is required to provide training in a timely manner for all workers.

"It gives the county, the parties and the poll workers a bit more leverage. The code was vague in some aspects," Barnett said. "There's accountability for my office and accountability for poll workers so they understand exactly what they're getting into and what's required of them to be poll workers in Williamson County."

The current list of training requirements is not being considered permanent by Barnett or Gattis.

"I feel this is a living document," Gattis said. "In a few years, we'll see things that need to be changed and we'll bring it back [for discussion]."