(Sacramento, California) –- Americans looking for ways to help serve their community and democracy can make a difference by signing up to be a poll worker this election.

August 1 is National Poll Worker Recruitment Day and the California Voter Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to improve the voting process, is encouraging people of all ages to step up and help out.

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) began this initiative in 2020 and provides a web site, www.helpamericavote.gov, connecting potential poll workers directly with their local election office where they can sign up and also learn more about the time commitment, requirements and pay.

“Poll workers play a vital role in maintaining accessible and accurate elections,” said Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation. “But hundreds of jurisdictions nationwide have a critical need for new poll workers each year,” she added, noting that more than one million people are needed to staff nearly 100,000 voting sites across the country serving tens of millions of voters.

Potential poll workers and organizations that want to help promote National Poll Worker Recruitment Day can also visit www.powerthepolls.org and sign up to become part of a nationwide, nonpartisan initiative co-chaired by actor and activist Kerry Washington and former U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger. “Power the Polls launched in 2020 and mobilizes hundreds of businesses, media partners and nonprofits to help recruit the next generation of poll workers to meet the demand,” said National Program Manager Marta Hanson. “Serving as a poll worker remains one of the most effective, nonpartisan actions any of us can take in support of our democracy.” To date, over 800,000 poll workers have been recruited through this effort.

Vet the Vote, a project of We the Veterans and Military Families online at www.vetthe.vote, is another initiative that has succeeded in making a significant dent in the poll worker shortage. Launched in 2022 to urge military veterans and family members to serve their country once more by volunteering to work in the polls, the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and its 37 veterans service/family organization partners, including the NFL, have recruited over 135,000 vets and their families to serve in the polls this year.

"Veterans are uniquely positioned to serve their communities again as poll workers. We know from the more than 135,000 veterans and military family members who have signed up to serve as poll workers that there is tremendous enthusiasm among our community to support their local elections teams,” said Ellen Gustafson, the organization’s director and a military spouse. “As one of the most trusted communities in the nation, veterans can help anchor the election experience in a deeply patriotic narrative that reminds us there is so much more that binds us together as Americans than divides us."

Poll worker responsibilities typically include activities such as setting up polling places, greeting voters, verifying voter registrations, and issuing ballots. Poll workers also assist voters in understanding the voting process by demonstrating the use of voting equipment and explaining voting procedures. Local election authorities oversee election staff and poll workers, including providing training before Election Day. In many states, people as young as 16 or 17 can serve as poll workers, and the role is almost always paid.

“Poll workers are critical to ensuring that Americans can cast a ballot on Election Day,” said EAC Chairman Ben Hovland. “They guide voters through the voting process and ensure our elections are accessible and secure. We encourage those who are able to sign up and help Americans vote.”

Contacts:

• Kristen Muthig, Election Assistance Commission, 202-897-9285, kmuthig - at - eac.gov
• Kim Alexander, California Voter Foundation, 916-441-2494, kimalex - at - calvoter.org
• Marta Hanson, Power the Polls, 615-200-8814, press - at - powerthepolls.org
• Ellen Gustafson, We the Veterans and Military Families/Vet the Vote, info - at - vetthevote.org

Poll Worker Recruitment Toolkits:

•  Election Assistance Commission: https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/NPWRD_Toolkit_2024.pdf
• Power The Polls: bit.ly/ptp-toolkit24
• We the Veterans/Vet the Vote toolkit

Promotional Videos:

• Election Assistance Commission video (27 seconds)
• Vet the Vote recruitment video  (1 min 12 seconds)