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Young people are the future of America; in under 20 years, members of Generation Z will dominate the United States’ political sphere, serving as congresspeople, attorneys general, councilpeople, and other roles in governmental structures. Thus, a foundational level of political understanding is vital for ensuring that America’s young population is well-positioned to tackle the problems of the future. Recent studies have demonstrated that youth across America are poorly positioned to tackle the intricacies of our electoral process, especially since the pandemic. According to a CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) analysis, 32 percent of young people “did not know” if they could register to vote online in their state (1). This inexperience with voting procedures must be remedied in order to ensure the sanctity of our democratic process; if young people are not well-educated on civic affairs, they will be unable to express their voice in future campaigns, leading to electoral results that do not genuinely reflect the will of the people.
One of the best ways to improve youth civic understanding, particularly for those young people who are unable to vote, is to promote their service as poll workers (also called election judges in certain states). These election workers help to run their assigned polling places by checking voters in and assisting them through the various steps of voting. In order to serve as a poll worker, a citizen must be eligible to register (or pre-register) to vote and attend a training session where they familiarize themselves with the various worker stations and steps of the voting process.
The benefits of youth election judge service are numerous; firstly, by allowing young people into the polling place, and actually working the machines and directing voters, they are able to enhance their knowledge of the electoral process and will feel more confident when they vote (or become eligible to vote) on election day. Additionally, young people receive compensation in exchange for their service as poll workers, generating economic rewards for their service. Lastly, communities with youth poll workers receive the most benefits from their service. Often, younger people are physically more equipped to assist those with accessibility accommodations in polling places, particularly those sites where wheelchair access is limited. Outside of this important benefit, young people frequently have the capability to speak more than one language, and can therefore support citizens who either do not communicate or have less proficiency in English. In its analysis of a high school poll worker project in Minnesota, the CIRCLE authors described the effect of student poll workers as being a “Triple Win” for the community, in which youth service in polling places was good for the youth, good for the integrity of elections, and good for communities (2). Ultimately, this report suggested that when voters observe youth working in polling places, their confidence in the validity of the electoral results increases dramatically.
This past November, I had the opportunity to serve as an election judge in my hometown of Baltimore City. Admittedly, before last January, I had no clue what “election judge” even meant—and would not find out the phrase’s significance until I joined the Baltimore Votes Student Election Judge Program (3). This project was founded explicitly with the goal of recruiting student election judges, following the success of the aforementioned Minnesota project (as referenced in the CIRCLE Report) and the desperate need for poll workers in Baltimore City during the 2022 election season. In Maryland, any US citizen aged 16 or older can serve as an election judge, as long as they are registered (or, for those aged 16 and 17, preregistered) to vote. I arose at an early five in the morning, arriving at my polling place at roughly five-thirty to begin my work. The day began with simple physical labor: setting up tables, placing signs around the premises, and ensuring the machinery was in good order. Once the polling place opened at seven o’clock, I began to assist voters in various capacities, from serving as a general greeter to checking them in on the provided tablet. While the day was nearly 15 hours long, I can confidently affirm that every second was worth it. I felt a poignant sense of connection to my community and was touched by the outpouring of support I received from my neighbors, family, friends, and peers who came to vote at my polling place. Throughout the day, voters consistently reaffirmed the vital responsibility of poll workers and praised me and a fellow youth poll worker in our station for our commitment to the electoral process.
Overall, the benefits of youth poll worker service are clear. From increased civic understanding to that “Triple Win” effect, young Americans have so much to learn (and offer to) the electoral process. I implore anyone, particularly my young, perhaps nervous peers, to serve as a poll worker in 2026; from a veteran, you will not regret it.
Works Cited
(1): Editors of CIRCLE. “Poll: Young People Believe they Can Lead Change in Unprecedented Election Cycle.” The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. CIRCLE at Tufts University.
(2): Ismael, Asmaa. "Minneapolis Election Judge Project: Insights for Election Administrators from High School Poll Workers." The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. CIRCLE at Tufts University.
(3): See baltimorevotes.org/student for more information.
(Cover Image): Pittman, Chali. City of Madison "vote" sign. Photograph. April 6, 2021. Digital file.
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