Creating a 2004 School Plan – A Manual

Provide students as official poll workers on Election Day

Over half the states have now passed laws (mostly in the last five years) that permit high school students under 18 to be trained and serve as non-partisan poll-workers inside the polling places on Election Day. It is a Freedom’s Answer goal to place as many of its Freedom’s Answer students as Election day poll workers as possible.

You need to determine if your state allows student poll workers (this information will be posted on this site in the near future) and the particular conditions that your state law applies. (For example, some states limit it to students 16 and over, some 17 and over; all specify necessary training; some require a certain grade average; most require both principal and parent permission; etc.)

If student poll workers are permitted under your state law, and your school desires to provide students for that purpose, it is important that a Freedom’s Answer student leader and an adult from the school contact the Director of Elections in your local community. The law may be a state law, but it will be implemented by local officials. Some (but not all) will be enthusiastic. There may be vacancies in some polling places but in many there may be no vacancies or needs.

It will be necessary to work out early (in September) an arrangement between the school and the local election officials on how many students are needed, what duties they will be expected to perform, how-by whom-and when they will be trained for their responsibilities, etc.

Even if student participation is allowed by state law, this program will not happen unless school leaders (including both students and adults) take the initiative to reach out to local election officials almost immediately after the beginning of the school year – and then follow precisely the system the local election officials establish.

Freedom’s Answer students undertaking this vital duty represent both their school and the entire program. Their courtesy, non-partisanship and attention to detail is essential. (If possible, and consistent with the law and permission from the elections officials, it would be outstanding if the student poll workers were allowed to wear something – a button or hat, etc – that identified them as a Freedom’s Answer volunteer.)

Among the duties the student poll workers might be asked to perform include helping to set up the technical election equipment, explaining the operation of the voting machines to voters new to the machine, helping elderly or disabled voters with curbside voting, and serving as interpreters for foreign language voters.

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