Tax Day proposal to exempt Election Day poll worker pay floated by House Democrats

House Democrats on Wednesday are introducing a proposal that would give tax relief to election poll workers.Under the legislation, led by Reps. Joe Morelle and George Latimer, both New York Democrats, the stipend poll workers receive for working elections would no longer count as gross income for federal income tax purposes. The measure was obtained first by CNBC."Cutting taxes for poll workers recognizes their vital role in safeguarding American elections," Morelle said in a statement. "The Poll Worker Tax Cut Act will ease financial burdens while encouraging participation, strengthening election integrity, and ensuring these civil servants are properly valued for their effort, dedication, and patriotism."Morelle, in his capacity as the top Democrat on the House committee with jurisdiction over federal elections, is leading efforts to counter President Donald Trump's election priorities, which include reining in mail voting, and requiring voter identification at the ballot box and proof of citizenship to register in federal elections.He's also spoken out about the need to protect election workers in the wake of the 2020 election, which Trump has falsely claimed he won.

The Bipartisan Policy Center found in 2025 that the rate of turnover among election workers has increased steadily since 2000 and picked up pace after 2020.Democratic Reps. Terri Sewell, of Alabama, Norma Torres of California, Julie Johnson of Texas, Nikema Williams of Georgia and Kevin Mullin of California are cosponsors.The legislation also comes amid an influx of bipartisan Tax Day rhetoric. Republicans all week have been touting aspects of their 2025 tax and spending bill, particularly proposals like no tax on tips and no tax on overtime.The House Republican conference, at a Tax Day press conference Wednesday morning, highlighted policies from the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" and took digs at their Democratic colleagues."Every single Democrat voted to raise your taxes," Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., and House GOP Conference chair, said at the event. "Why? Democrats think they are better stewards of your money."Though the 2025 package extended many tax cuts from Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a majority of Americans said they are overpaying for taxes, according to a Gallup poll released last week.Roughly 60% of Americans surveyed since 2023 have said they are overpaying for taxes, according to Gallup, including 59% of those polled this year. And shortly after the passage of the 2025 tax and spending package, just 32% of those polled by the Pew Research Center approved of the bill.Democrats, meanwhile, have cast the GOP's tax policies as a giveaway to the rich."The Republican One Big Ugly Bill ripped away healthcare from millions of Americans. To provide massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors and explode the debt. Disgraceful," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted to X on Tuesday.Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

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