For the third consecutive election cycle, the American Bar Association, the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors have issued a call aimed at mobilizing lawyers to assist as poll workers for the upcoming election.
September 02, 2024 Top Legal News of the Week
ABA recruiting lawyers to volunteer as poll workers
The Poll Worker, Esq. initiative encourages lawyers, law students and other legal professionals to assist in upcoming elections by serving as poll workers.
“Elections are the lifeblood of our democracy,” said ABA President William R. Bay. “But they don’t happen without the dedication and hard work of many people working with state and local election officials and staff to make it an easy experience for anyone to vote. Poll workers are an essential part of that team effort. The ABA encourages lawyers to step up and volunteer to be poll workers. Be a part of this important process. Your service to your community makes a difference.”
A video about how lawyers can earn Continuing Legal Education credit for election work can be found at ambar.org/vote, which also provides resources on the need for poll workers, the crucial work they do and the reasons why lawyers are perfectly suited for that work.
The initiative will be accompanied by a social media campaign on the ABA’s Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Threads accounts, which is designed to provide practical ways to get involved in the election process. The hashtag for the effort is #PollWorkerEsq.
Interested lawyers and law students can go to www.canivote.org and click on the Become a Poll Worker tab to find out how to serve in their jurisdictions. Depending on the state or territory, tasks may range from staffing polling places to processing returned ballot envelopes and more. Some jurisdictions offer Continuing Legal Education credit for training and service as a poll worker.
Related links:
- Standing Committee on Election Law
- ABA Election Center
- Young Lawyers Division: Poll Worker, Esq.: How Lawyers Can Serve on Democracy’s Frontline
- ABA Journal