The Montgomery County Board of Elections is seeking school-age students, grades 6-12, to participate in its “Future Vote” Program. Future Vote students will serve as Election Day student aides during the 2022 Gubernatorial Elections on July 19, 2022 and November 8, 2022.
What is Future Vote?
Future Vote is a program that was approved by the Montgomery County Board of Elections in 2004. Its main goal is to increase the general public’s civic participation and knowledge of the political process. The program allows the Board to employ students as student election aides to help at the polls during elections.
What is a Student Election Day Aide?
A student election aide, also known as a “Future Vote Ambassador,” is a student tasked with assisting polling places on Election Days.
What are the responsibilities of a Student Aide?
The responsibilities of student aides will depend on need at your polling place (officially called a “precinct”), but the goal is for students to help make the process smoother and easier for voters and to help guarantee the security and accuracy of the election results.
All aides are expected to politely accommodate all voters regardless of demographic background or difficulties they may have while voting. Specific tasks may include:
- posting signage
- greeting voters as they enter the precinct
- sitting at the checkout table, which involves
- thanking voters for voting and encouraging them to vote in subsequent elections
- offering voters an “I voted” sticker
- offering voters a brief survey on their experience
- helping to keep the precinct clean and presentable
- politely asking voters to refrain from any of the following behaviors
- handing out partisan material inside the precinct (this practice is sometimes called “electioneering”)
- eating or drinking
- smoking
- using any electronic device, such as a cell phone
- bringing non-service animals into the precinct
- answering voter questions or directing them
What Training is Required?
The Board of Elections will be scheduling several training sessions across the county in the weeks leading up to the election. All student aides are expected to attend with their parents. In these sessions, a representative from the Board of Elections will be on site to explain procedures in more detail. There will be an option to schedule a training when you register your child to serve as a student election aide.
Are Student Election Aides paid?
Student election aides are not offered any monetary compensation, but they are given Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for every hour they work. Staff at the precinct will determine how many hours each student election aide works at set-up and on Election Day and record it. After the election, you’ll be sent an SSL form with the number of hours worked (plus one for the training session) granted to your child.
Students who do not attend a Montgomery County public school may send the Board of Elections a corresponding form to receive their school’s equivalent of SSL hours.
Interested parents/guardians may register their student(s) by visiting the Montgomery County Board of Elections’ website at www.777vote.org, then selecting FUTURE VOTE tab.
