North Jersey high school students train to work polls on Election Day to ease shortage
TEANECK — High school students have trained to serve as poll workers as part of a new pilot program to help combat the national shortage.
About 30 students spent their morning training on voting equipment without ever leaving school. Richard Miller, Bergen County Board of Elections chairman, said they are the first group of students the county is training, with the help of their school district.
"We've been trying to find a way to get new poll workers, and this is already working," Miller said. "I've already gotten calls from other towns to see if we can do it there next."
Bergen County will need 2,500 poll workers for a general election, Miller said, and every year there is a struggle to fill the need.
"We are always fighting to get more people involved to be poll workers, but it's a long day," Miller said.
For a poll worker to make the $300 on Election Day, the shift begins at 5 a.m. and ends when the polls close at 8 p.m.
The high school students will be paid $160 for a half-day, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and receive $50 for their training.
The township is one of the largest in Bergen County, with 23 voting districts, just behind Hackensack with 25, said Township Clerk Doug Ruccione. It will need almost 100 poll workers, he said.
"It requires a lot of human organization to get it together," Ruccione said. "It's also a long day. We had to brainstorm to find a way to get younger people involved."
The pilot program took weeks of planning and the cooperation of Superintendent of Schools Andre D. Spencer, who thought it was best for the county to bring the training directly to the students.
Miller said the training facility is in Saddle Brook, but officials packed it up and set it up in the Teaneck High School gymnasium.
"When I talk to the students about the experience, I see the excitement in their faces," Spencer said. "They're going to recognize the impact they're having on their community. When the opportunity came about to have a group of young people to work the elections, it was a no-brainer for me."
The trainer who worked with the students is a consultant who travels around the country. Spencer said he asked him also to talk about his career and the benefits of that type of work, as an additional learning opportunity for the students.
The training and recruitment of high school students also is an important lesson in the civil process and the integrity of elections, Ruccione said. "The youth involvement is also going to build community engagement. People are going to walk in to vote and see faces they know," the clerk said.
The students learned using the county's new voting machines and role-played checking in voters. They searched for names, confirmed information, and then with a partner went to the voting machines and learned how to use them.
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"It's a total educational experience in civics, community building, and on our official election process on how we administer our society," Ruccione said. "Poll workers are the pillar of that process."
The trainer gave some advice on how to troubleshoot scenarios and how to react if a voter needs help. The trainer encouraged the students to talk to the voters through the curtain as much as possible, but they were told they could go inside the voting space if necessary to help fill out the voter assistance form.
Miller said the students picked up the training fast, especially because it uses updated technology including touch-screen pads.
The township clerk gave his business card to students in case they had questions and invited them and their parents to a poll worker meet-and-greet in the council chamber later that night.
"This is an important role on Tuesday, and you're the first school in the county to do this. You should be proud to be the pioneers, and I'm happy to work with you," Ruccione said.
Senior Rawda Elbatrawish and junior Karl Blake Ricketts said they were excited to participate in the process. Elbatrawish said she won't be eligible to vote until next year, but it was a great way to get started in the process.
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"Even if you aren't involved in politics, it's very important to know who is running in your town," she said.
Ricketts said he is on the high school student cabinet and wanted to get involved to learn about the real-world side of the electoral process and learn new skills.
Both said they plan to sign up to be a poll worker again, which Miller said he was excited to hear.
"We want to get other students involved and hope it will solve the poll worker shortage," Miller said. "It's a good thing for the long term."
Who can apply to work Election Day polls?
You can apply to serve as a poll worker in New Jersey if you:
Are a United States citizen and a resident of New Jersey.
Are a registered voter in the county in which you reside.
Are not running as a candidate in this election.
Are at least 16 years of age. College and high school students are encouraged to apply. Note: Those under 18 years of age will work limited hours per shift and do not have to be registered to vote.
Contact the County Board of Elections for further information.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ election 2023: North Jersey students trained to work polls
