Information & FAQs

Students Working at the Polls

Election law permits 17 year old high school students (notwithstanding their ineligibility to vote) to work as a compensated employee at the polls on Election Day as a Clerk or Machine Inspector.

18 year old students are also eligible to work at the Polls. All 18 year old students must be registered voters of Bucks County. To apply through the regular poll worker application process, access the Election Official page.

Pay, Time Commitment & Duties

• Machine Inspectors or Clerks are paid $195 for the day or $97.50 for half day
• Full day officials work 6:30 am to 9:30 pm
• Half day officials will be working either the Morning Shift 6:30 am to 2 pm or the Afternoon Shift 2 pm to 9:30 pm

Prerequisites

The following prerequisites are necessary in order for a student to work:

• 17 years of age
• United States citizen and resident of Bucks County
• Enrolled in a secondary school with an exemplary academic record
• Written approval by the School Representative
• Written consent of parent or guardian with contact information for the student
• Judge of Elections must have direct supervision of the student
• May serve as a Clerk or Machine Inspector

Apply online or download and complete a Youth at the Booth Permission Slip (PDF) prepared for the upcoming election which should be forwarded to the Bucks County Board of Elections office one month prior to any given election.

Our office will try to keep all students working as close to their home as possible.

Placement

Vacancies at the polls will determine where students may be placed. We will keep a list of interested students whom our office will contact when we are notified of a shortage of workers in a particular poll. Due to the short time frame before the election our office will contact only those students who will be working on Election Day.