Students from Bergen County Academies (BCA) recently completed training under a special pilot program to work the polls for the Presidential Primary and General Elections.
Students from Teaneck High School were the first in the county to participate in the pilot program, which was launched by the Bergen County Board of Elections. This year, the program expanded to include eight high schools.
Bergen County Executive James Tedesco stopped by the class at BCA, where over 30 students were trained as poll workers.
“The County of Bergen commends the Bergen County Board of Elections under the leadership of Commissioner Chairman Richard Miller for expanding this program and thanks the board for this unique opportunity which engages our high school students in the democratic process even before they’re able to vote,” the county said.
During the training, students learned how to use the county’s new voting machines, which were purchased last year. They also role-played how to search for names, confirm information, and check in voters.
Who Can Apply to Work the Polls
Voter turnout is expected to be at an all-time high in November and the Board of Elections has to ensure all 553 polling districts in Bergen County are properly staffed. The pilot program is intended to help the Board of Elections meet its staffing goal while also engaging students in the democratic process.
Any high school student who is at least 16 years old can apply to become a poll worker; enrollment in the pilot training program is not a prerequisite. Visit the Bergen County Board of Elections website to submit an online application.
You can apply to serve as a poll worker if you:
- Are a United States citizen and a resident of New Jersey
- Registered to vote in Bergen County, 18 and over
- Are not running as a candidate in this election
- At least 16 years of age. Minors can only work 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will be compensated accordingly
Poll workers earn $300 on Election Day, working a shift that starts at 5 a.m. and ends when the polls close at 8 p.m. High school students are paid $160 for a half-day, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Click here for more information and possible work dates for the in-person early voting period and Election Day.
About The Board of Elections
The Board of Elections has jurisdiction over the following aspects of elections:
- Recruiting, training, supervising, and appointing a sufficient number of poll works to staff all 553 polling districts in Bergen County.
- Receiving, canvassing, and counting paper ballots such as absentee ballots and provisional ballots.
- Certifying and inspecting polling places for accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Issuing of challenger permits and badges to eligible voters.
- Redistricting of towns, election districts and subdivisions, when appropriate, and filing maps and the legal boundary descriptions of the election districts with the Attorney General’s Office.
- Recounting election results (done by court order only).
