Frequently Asked Questions

Qualifictions vary by state or jurisdiction. Most poll workers must be registered to vote in the state or their local jurisdiction. In some states, young people, not yet voter eligible, can serve as poll workers. Please check with your local jurisdication.

For the most part, individuals are only allowed to serve in the state where they reside. Some jurisdictions may allow individuals to travel and work the polls even if they are not registered to vote in that location.

NCSL has information about Poll Worker residency requirements: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/election-poll-workers637018267.aspx

It is always best to check with the local elections office for this determination. Voters can use this online tool to find contact information for their local elections office: https://www.usa.gov/election-office

It's important to know that where you "reside" is a legal determination and is not necessarily where you live at any given time. For most Americans, the answer will depend on a number of factors such as your intent to establish permanent residency. However, the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act allows military spouses to maintain legal residence in line with their spouse's election under the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act. If you're a military spouse, your residency for purposes of voting and serving as a poll worker may actually be the state where you lived before a permanent change of station. This is often a challenge for military spouses who want to serve as poll workers. But changing your residency can have implications on other important matters like your taxes. So, before changing your voter registration or taking other steps to change your legal residency so you can serve as a poll worker, you should consider consulting with a qualified advisor. Please visit the Federal Voting Assistance website (https://www.fvap.gov/military-voter/voting-residence) for military voters for more related information.

NCSL has information about Poll Worker residency requirements: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/election-poll-workers637018267.aspx

In 22 states and two territories poll workers are expected to reside in the precinct, but if there are not enough qualified candidates, then poll workers may come from a wider pool, such as the county, legislative district or even the state:

* Alabama, Alaska*, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire**, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virgin Islands, Virginia

In 21 states and two territories poll workers must reside in the county or election jurisdiction in the states that run elections at the township/municipal level.

* American Samoa, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Maryland*, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina*, Tennessee*, Vermont, West Virginia*, Wisconsin, Wyoming,

In five states and Washington, D.C., poll workers must reside in the state:

* California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota

Oregon and Washington are vote-by-mail states that do not use traditional poll workers and therefore do not have codified residency requirements.

*States that permit poll workers to be residents of other parts of the state if necessary.

**New Hampshire requires poll workers to be registered to vote at the polling place where they serve.

Each state has their own requirements, but many do allow individuals under 18 to be poll workers. Some may require permission slips, a certain GPA, etc. Your local election administrator will have more information.

NCSL has information about Student Poll Worker requirements: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/election-poll-workers637018267.aspx

Youth poll worker programs are established in 45 states and the District of Columbia as a way for people younger than 18 to participate in Election Day procedures. These programs are often intended to encourage young citizens to engage in voting, registration and democracy.

Five states and five territories have no codified youth poll worker program:

* Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington.
* American Samoa, Guam, Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

States often codify the age that youth can begin working at the polls:

* 15 years old: Missouri
* 16 years old: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland*, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
* 17 years old: Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,
* Age not specified: Arkansas, Illinois (junior or senior in high school), Virginia

*In 2019, Maryland created a special Election Day page program that permits youth who are at least 14 years old to serve at the polls. A page may not engage in partisan activity, touch a marked ballot, or work more than two four-hour shifts. They serve under direct supervision of election judges (2019 MD S 364).

Some states that permit youth to work at the polls limit the number of poll workers younger than 18. For example:

* In California, not more than five pupils per precinct may serve under the direct supervision of precinct board members designated by the elections official (Cal. Elec. Code §12302(b)(1)).
* In Kansas, no more than one-third of those appointed to each election board may be younger than 18 (Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25-2804(b)).
* In Kentucky no precinct shall have more than one minor serving as an election officer (Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 117.045(9)).

Most states require poll workers to be a registered voter and citizen. Check with your local jurisdiction for more guidance.