On May 20th, a group of juniors (the majority of whom take AP Government & Politics) gathered together in the Media Center to train for election poll work. Mr. Hutchinson offered this opportunity to students, and Mrs. Moran began encouraging students to participate in the training last year. The program has been a success so far, and has been said to be very beneficial for the community.
In the training, students learned how to use tablets, a copy machine, and a ballot-send-in machine for in-person voters. Students learned that the first thing in-person voters would have to do is go to the tablet. At the tablet, one of the students would ask the voter for their name, have them sign the tablet, and then also have them sign a slip and receive their number on a receipt. Then, the student would direct them to a copy machine, where another student would help them be able to vote and print out their ballot. The last step was to direct the voter to the ballot-send-in machine. Students also learned how to direct mail-in-ballot voters.
Students were directed to choose a time slot for which they would like to work on June 10 and in November, and surprisingly, all students chose from 5:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., over the 1:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. time slot! While it was said that not all students will be able to work the 5:30 a.m. slot, students still appeared to be eager. The juniors who helped received an excused absence from school, and were given $50 for participating in training, as well as more money for when they work at the polls ~ totaling more than $200.
While polling may not seem to be interesting to students, Elena Moran, history teacher, has found that students really enjoy the process. She states, “Most students say the training is surprisingly eye-opening. They don’t realize how much goes into running an election until they see it up close. Some mention feeling a bit nervous at first, but end up feeling proud and empowered afterward. Many say it made politics feel more real and less abstract—like democracy isn’t just something you read about but something you actively help protect.”
While the training was offered to mainly AP Government and Politics students, there are many ways other students can get involved in government, such as through volunteering at election offices and voting once you turn 18.
Poll working is more than just work, however. Mrs. Moran states, “My biggest hope is that students walk away with a deeper sense of civic duty and confidence in their role as citizens. I want them to understand that democracy is a team sport—everyone has a role, whether you’re voting, volunteering, or running for office. I also hope they develop critical thinking skills by witnessing firsthand how election integrity is maintained and why transparency matters.”
