With Nebraska's primary coming up May 13, Douglas County needs nearly 2,000 poll workers but only half of them will be volunteers. The rest are called to duty and it's a call some don't appreciate.

Douglas county voters could receive one of the letters advising them of election service.

Election Commissioner Dave Phipps says, "It's a lot like jury service. Jury service is part of your civic duty. If you want to be part of this great country of ours, you have to do some things that may not be the most fun in the world."

The hours are 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. with a one hour break. The pay is minimum wage: $5.85 an hour.

One woman tells us, "I don't understand why they are targeting the people that are working and paying their taxes."

She's hoping she has a valid excuse that will get her out of service.

Phipps says, "There's all sorts of things we find as legitimate excuses and we'll do our best to work with you."

But he warns that postponing more than once will raise a red flag. Skipping out on election duty is a misdemeanor.

To get off the list you have serve four times. Crissa Snyder has served three times and says, "It's time away from my son and my family, and it's inconvenienced my husband."

The draftees we spoke with want to know why Douglas County doesn't work harder to recruit poll volunteers.

The election commissioner says they do mention election service when talking with groups in the community, "but we don't spend a lot of time doing that because we have that option of drafting poll workers," Phipps says. "And while I'm sure people that have been drafted are a little upset about that, it saves us money."

Sarpy County also drafts poll workers because Nebraska law allows it. Iowa election officials tell Channel 6 they only use workers who apply for the job.