Enhanced Student Pollworker Program

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder and County Clerk continues to experience shortages in pollworker recruitment and retention. The Student Pollworker Program was implemented in the county in an effort to alleviate pollworker shortages while allowing students to provide a civic service in their community. Despite the success of the program, the level of participation had not reached its potential. In preparation for three statewide major elections scheduled in 2008, enhancements to the program were crucial. During the 2008 elections, new recruitment tools were utilized to maximize outreach efforts to high school students and teachers. The innovations included a mapping project to determine the number of students needed per school, a student DVD to provide information to students through teachers, email reminders sent to students prior to election day to reduce no-show rates, and a classroom poster highlighting election day to ensure student pollworkers show up. As a result, there was a significant increase in school and student participation. Most importantly, polling places were fully staffed to service voters on Election Day.