Long before the first voter shows up on Election Day, someone has unlocked the building, set up the tables, tested the equipment and hung the signs. In most places, that someone is a neighbor working a very long day for modest pay. Today, whoever you vote for, poll workers are the people making it happen.
Who works the polls
According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's survey of the 2024 election, "more than 770,000 individuals served as poll workers" in the 2024 general election. The same survey found "the majority of which were over 61 years old." Finding enough of them is hard. The EAC reports that 47.9% of jurisdictions had "significant challenges in recruiting and retaining poll workers," though it also says recruiting has gotten easier since the last presidential election.
The work is mostly practical. The EAC's Help America Vote page says "most jurisdictions task election workers with setting up and preparing the polling location," along with greeting voters, checking registrations and handing out ballots. It also notes that "specific duties and compensation vary depending on location," because elections in the U.S. are run by states and local offices, not by one national agency. Rules about who can serve, such as age, residency and whether you must be a registered voter, vary by state as well.
A civic job anyone can share
In January 2026 the EAC used its Help America Vote Day to ask Americans to become poll workers ahead of the midterms. The agency also marks a National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, first held in 2020, each summer.
The job isn't only for retirees. The National Conference of State Legislatures reported in 2019 that 45 states plus the District of Columbia had programs that let young people take part on Election Day. It noted that "Hawaii was the first state to implement a youth poll worker program, having done so in 1990." For a high schooler, it's a rare look at how a community actually runs an election. For an election office, the NCSL said, youth "can expand their applicant pool."
Whatever you think about any race on today's ballot, the person checking you in is giving their time so the process works for everyone. That kind of kindness doesn't care who wins.
Today's act
The act: If you vote in person today, look the poll workers in the eye and thank them, by name if they're wearing a badge. If you've already voted or vote by mail, think about joining them next time.
- Say a specific thank-you on your way out, like "Thanks for being here so early." After a 14-hour shift, it lands.
- Be patient in line. If someone near you is confused, point them to a poll worker instead of guessing.
- Use the EAC's Poll Worker Recruitment Lookup Tool on HelpAmericaVote to find your state or local election office and sign up for a future election. The EAC says it doesn't keep your personal information.
- Know a civic-minded teenager? Check whether your state allows student poll workers and pass the link along.
If poll work isn't for you, our volunteering guide covers other ways to give a few hours. Our list of random acts of kindness has more ideas for small thank-yous.
Sources
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission — EAC releases 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey report (June 30, 2025)
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission — Help America Vote
- U.S. Election Assistance Commission — EAC calls on Americans to become poll workers ahead of 2026 midterms (Jan. 27, 2026)
- National Conference of State Legislatures — The Canvass, September 2019