Serve your community
Become a poll worker
The people who run your polling place — checking voters in, setting up equipment, keeping the day moving — are ordinary community members who signed up. Most places are short-staffed, and it's one of the most concrete ways to strengthen an election.
It's paid
Most states pay poll workers a stipend for training and Election Day — anywhere from around $75 to over $300 for the day, depending on your jurisdiction and role.
You don't need experience
Every jurisdiction trains its workers (usually paid). You'll learn to check in voters, run equipment, and answer questions before you ever work a shift.
Students can serve too
Most states let 16- and 17-year-olds work the polls, often for class credit or community-service hours. Look for a “student election worker” program in your state below.
It's genuinely nonpartisan
Poll workers help every voter regardless of party. Many places deliberately staff each site with workers from more than one party to keep it balanced.
Sign up in your state
Every link below goes to your state or county's official elections authority — the real application, not a middleman. Exact pay, hours, and age rules are set locally, so check your jurisdiction's page for specifics.
Alabama
Sign upState-run (Secretary of State); 'poll workers' are paid, must be registered to vote in the county where they serve, and must attend mandatory training.
Alaska
Sign upState-run (Division of Elections); paid 'election worker'/poll worker roles with paid training, including a 'Youth at the Booth' program for high-school students 16 and older.
Arizona
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State routes to county elections departments to sign up as a 'poll worker' (election board), and students 16+ may serve as election clerks with parental permission.
Arkansas
Sign upCounty-run; the State Board of Election Commissioners provides 'poll worker' training guides while county election boards do the hiring.
California
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State routes to county elections offices for 'poll worker' sign-up, and eligible high-school students may serve (up to five per precinct).
Colorado
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State page for becoming an 'election judge,' including a Student Election Judge program for those under 18.
Connecticut
Sign upMunicipality-run; Secretary of the State paid 'poll worker' program where 16- and 17-year-olds may serve with permission.
Delaware
Sign upCounty-run; Department of Elections 'election officer' program, and applicants under 18 may serve with a parent/guardian signature.
District of Columbia
Sign upBoard of Elections 'election worker' program with a separate student election worker application (16+) requiring parent/guardian and school signatures.
Florida
Sign upCounty-run; Division of Elections routes to county Supervisors of Elections to become a paid 'poll worker,' and students are encouraged and receive a stipend.
Georgia
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State 'poll official'/poll worker sign-up form; must be 16 or older, and pay varies by county.
Hawaii
Sign upState-run (Office of Elections); volunteer 'Election Day Official' positions requiring volunteers to be 16 by June 30 of the election year.
Idaho
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State's VoteIdaho 'election worker'/poll worker page; students 17+ may serve and daily pay varies by county.
Illinois
Sign upCounty-run; State Board of Elections 'election judge' fact sheet; judges are selected by the county board or board of election commissioners and appointed by the circuit court.
Indiana
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State 'Work the Polls'/poll worker page, including the Hoosier Hall Pass student program for 16-17-year-olds; pay varies by county.
Iowa
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State 'precinct election official' page where the County Auditor hires and pays workers (rates vary by county).
Kansas
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State 'poll worker' page; workers must be 16+ and are compensated, with a Youth Election Service (YES) program for students.
Kentucky
Sign upCounty-run; State Board of Elections 'precinct election officer' page; must be 18, paid at least $60 per Election Day plus $10 for training.
Louisiana
Sign upState-run (Secretary of State) 'election worker'/commissioner program; 17+ high-school seniors eligible; Election Day commissioner pay ranges $35-$200 (commissioner-in-charge $250-$350).
Maine
Sign upMunicipality-run; Secretary of State municipal clerk directory used to sign up as an election worker; registered voters or pre-registered 16-17-year-olds may serve.
Maryland
Sign upLocal-run; State Board of Elections 'election judge' page; must be 16+ and a registered Maryland voter, with local boards of elections doing the hiring.
Massachusetts
Sign upLocal-run; Secretary of the Commonwealth 'be a poll worker' page routing to local election offices, where up to two 16-17-year-olds per precinct may serve.
Michigan
Sign upLocal-run; Secretary of State Democracy MVP 'election inspector' program; local clerks hire, 16-17-year-olds may serve, and workers are paid at a locally set rate.
Minnesota
Sign upLocal-run; Secretary of State 'election judge' page; cities/townships (and some counties) hire, and 16-17-year-olds can serve as paid Election Judge Trainees.
Mississippi
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State Poll Worker Portal where county election commissioners hire 'poll workers'/poll managers.
Missouri
Sign upCounty-run; Secretary of State 'poll worker' page; the local election authority hires, a student program exists, and daily pay ranges $64-$100.
Montana
Sign upCounty election administrators recruit Montana's poll workers, called election judges, who must be 18 or older and registered to vote in the county.
Nebraska
Sign upCounties recruit Nebraska's election workers; the Secretary of State's Election Day FAQ answers how to become an election worker and links the state sign-up brochure.
Nevada
Sign upCounty election offices hire Nevada's poll workers, open to registered voters and to 16- and 17-year-olds enrolled in high school.
New Hampshire
Sign upNew Hampshire elections are town-run, and local election officials such as moderators, ballot clerks, and inspectors of election are appointed locally through your town or city.
New Jersey
Sign upCounty boards of elections hire New Jersey's poll workers, open to ages 16 and up including students, paying $21.43 per hour for early voting and $300 on Election Day.
New Mexico
Sign upCounty clerks hire New Mexico's poll workers, 16- and 17-year-olds may serve, and state law sets Election Day pay between the federal minimum wage and $400 per day.
New York
Sign upCounty boards of elections appoint New York's poll workers (election inspectors), who are paid for training and each day worked; 17-year-olds may serve through participating school districts.
North Carolina
Sign upCounty boards of elections appoint North Carolina's paid election officials (precinct officials), and 17-year-old high school students in good standing may work Election Day as student election assistants.
North Dakota
Sign upCounty election officials, typically the county auditor, recruit North Dakota's poll workers, open to state residents 16 and older.
Ohio
Sign upCounty boards of elections hire Ohio's poll workers (precinct election officials), who typically earn $100-$150 and up to $200 including paid training.
Oklahoma
Sign upOklahoma's county election boards appoint the state's precinct officials (poll workers), who earn $225 per day as inspectors and $200 per day as judges and clerks.
Oregon
Sign upOregon votes by mail so there are no traditional polling-place poll workers; county clerks hire election workers, and this Secretary of State directory connects you to county elections offices.
Pennsylvania
Sign upPennsylvania county election offices place volunteer poll workers, who are paid for training and Election Day, with a separate interest form for 17-year-old high school student poll workers.
Rhode Island
Sign upRhode Island's Board of Elections takes poll worker applications for the 39 city and town boards of canvassers, which pay locally set rates; high school juniors and seniors 16 and up with a 2.5 GPA may serve.
South Carolina
Sign upCounty voter registration and elections offices hire South Carolina's poll managers, who earn at least $135 for training and election day, and 16- and 17-year-olds may apply as poll manager assistants.
South Dakota
Sign upSouth Dakota has no statewide poll worker sign-up page; county auditors recruit election workers, and the Secretary of State provides this county auditor contact directory.
Tennessee
Sign upCounty election commissions appoint Tennessee's poll workers (poll officials), who are paid for early voting, Election Day, and training, and may be as young as 16.
Texas
Sign upTexas counties and other local jurisdictions appoint election workers, called election judges and clerks, and high school students may serve through the student election clerk program.
Utah
Sign upUtah votes primarily by mail and county clerks hire the election workers who staff early voting and vote centers, so contact your county election official through this state directory.
Vermont
Sign upVermont elections are administered locally by town clerks and boards of civil authority, which appoint local election officials, so contact your town clerk to serve.
Virginia
Sign upLocal electoral boards and registrars appoint Virginia's poll workers, known as officers of election, and pay varies by locality with some positions unpaid.
Washington
Sign upWashington votes by mail and county elections offices hire election workers and observers, so use the Secretary of State's directory to contact your county elections office.
West Virginia
Sign upWest Virginia's county executive committees nominate poll workers and county clerks appoint alternates, with sign-up through this Secretary of State registration form.
Wisconsin
Sign upMunicipal clerks appoint Wisconsin's poll workers (election inspectors) through the Elections Commission's MyVote portal, which calls service a great opportunity for high school and college students.
Wyoming
Sign upCounty clerks appoint Wyoming's poll workers, called election judges, so contact your county clerk or a party county chairman to serve.
Not sure where to start?
Program links compiled from official state and county election offices and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Requirements and pay are set by each jurisdiction and can change — the official page is always the last word.