Student poll workers benefit democracy

Call it young democracy in action.

Young people from St. Joseph Catholic Church working as trained poll workers today will use their pay to travel to Louisiana to repair homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. U.W. Students will use their stipend to travel to Athens on a study abroad mission and Franklin High School athletes will help buy new uniforms and athletic equipment.

These groups are part of the recently launched Partnership in Democracy program created by King County Elections to recruit quality poll workers and benefit local organizations. A video about the program featuring young people working the polls is available on a county elections web feature at http://your.kingcounty.gov/votes/

“We value our seasoned poll workers,” said Sherril Huff, King County Elections director. “We are also really glad to see young people learning about and participating in the democratic process.”

Poll workers earn roughly $150 for administering elections at polling places. To prepare to work the polls on Election Day they participate in a three-hour training during which they learn how to open a polling place, distribute ballots and ensure the process of voting is private and secure.

“When I heard about this program, the opportunity to be a part of history by working at the polls and raise money while doing it was too good to pass up,” said Randy Novak, youth adviser at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Seattle. “The money we raise allows our group, The VOICE and Shirts Across America, to move more people out of government issued trailers and into homes, one family at a time.”

Over 120 young people working the polls today were enlisted through the program, helping meet the need for 4,000 people working at 393 polling locations county-wide.

Groups participating in the Partnership for Democracy and the polling locations where they can be located for interviews include:

• St. Joseph Church will travel to Louisiana to rebuild homes damaged by hurricane Katrina. St. Joseph polls are at 732 – 18^th Ave E in Seattle.
• University of Washington Communications Department will travel to Athens to study abroad. UW students are at Ravenna Motors, 2700 NE 55th St, 98115.
• Franklin High School will contribute to uniforms and athletic equipment.

Member of the Franklin High School Football Team are at King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104.

• Holy Names School will contribute to school programs. Holy Names students are at Fire Station 34 in Madrona at 633 32^nd Ave. E 98112.
• Mercer Island High School Mock Trial Club will use their funding for club operations. They are at Mercer Island High School, 9100 SE 42nd St, Mercer Island, WA 98040.