In Spring 2019, the YMCA Center for Youth Voice, in partnership with Minneapolis Department of Elections and Voter Services and the League of Minnesota Cities, surveyed Minnesota elections officials about their work with student election judges*. Read the complete survey report or highlights from five successful programs. In addition to gathering data on the scope and scale of student election judge programs across the state, the survey asked election officials what resources would be helpful in creating or enhancing their program. The result is the Student Election Judge Toolkit below. The Student Election Judge Toolkit is an online library of resources designed to help election administrators effectively recruit, train, and deploy high schools students as election judges. This free collection gathers tested resources from across Minnesota. They are organized chronologically by calendar-year activity; election offices are welcome to use a resource "as is" or adapt it to better fit their needs. If you have trouble accessing any of the documents or are willing to add resources to the Toolkit, please contact Amy Anderson at Amy.Anderson@ymcanorth.org. Amy can also help you connect with the high school(s) in your area.  

*2023 legislation legalized the name “election judge trainee” for all election judges who are 16-17 years old. Previously produced resources and materials may contact the term “Student Election Judges,” but the program is the same.

Working with Schools

• Tips for connecting with schools and teachers
• Outreach communication to schools

Setting Timelines

• Sample timeline of 2024 activities

Recruiting Students

• Sample recruitment poster available to adapt
• Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services student flyer
• Minnetonka sample recruitment flyer
• St. Louis Park sample recruitment flyer
• St. Louis Park Election Judge Trainee Page
• Ramsey County Interpreter Judges Text
• Tik Tok for recruiting students
• State of Wyoming Student Election Judge Application (for comparison/ideas)
• Minneapolis Elections Student Election Judge Program: Ensuring Language Accessibility
• From “50 Ideas for Recruiting AND Retaining Election Workers”

Required Student Forms Samples

• Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services parent/guardian permission form

Working with Young People

• Tips for working with high school students
• Suggestions for head election judges
• Video tips for working with high school students
• St. Louis Park Training Guide (includes training for EJ Trainees)

Why the Program is Good for the Future

• Understanding the Benefits of Young People Serving as Poll Workers (includes:
  • Insights for Communities and the Media from High School Poll Workers 
  • Insights for Teachers from High School Poll Workers 
  • Insights for Election Administrators from High School Poll Workers
• High School Students as Election Judges and Campaign Workers: Does the Experience Stick? (Chapter 19 of “Teaching Civic Engagement, from Student to Active Citizen” by American Political Science Association) 

Evaluating Your Program for Improvement

• Sample student survey from Ramsey County
• Sample student survey report from Minneapolis
• Sample school/teacher survey

Case Studies from 5 Unique Student Election Judge Programs

• Read about five unique student election judge programs in Hibbing, Ely and Morse, Saint Louis Park, Minneapolis, and Blue Earth County.

This page is maintained by the YMCA Center for Youth Voice. Links to other internet sites are provided for informational purposes only. The YMCA Center for Youth Voice is in no way responsible for the content of these sites and their presence on this page should not be construed as an endorsement.