Future Vote was approved by the Montgomery County Board of Elections in 2004. Its main goal is to increase 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.

Future Vote Program Summary

A student election aide, also known as a “Future Vote Ambassador,” is a student tasked with assisting polling places on Election Days or during Early Voting. This role is separate from the role of an election judge (a full election poll worker), because there are restrictions on the equipment ineligible voters may use. 

The responsibilities of student aides will depend on the needs at your polling place, but the goal is for students to help make the process smoother and easier for voters. 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
       • assisting election judges with packing or unpacking equipment 
       • assembling and dismantling voting booths
       • replenish/bring privacy folders to check-in table
       • greeting voters as they enter the polling place
       • sitting at the checkout table, which involves
              o thanking voters for voting and encouraging them to vote in subsequent elections
              o offering voters an “I voted” sticker
              o asking voters to fill out a brief survey on their experience
       • helping to keep the polling place clean and presentable
       • politely asking voters to refrain from any of the following behaviors
              o handing out partisan material inside the polling place (this practice is sometimes called “electioneering”)
              o eating or drinking
              o smoking or vaping
              o using any electronic device, such as a cell phone
              o bringing non-service animals into the polling place
       • answering voter questions or directing voters to an election poll worker when needed

Montgomery County is divided into polling place, and when you register online review “How to Sign Up?”), there will be an option to select your preferred location. While we will try to accommodate preferences, students will be assigned where they are needed. 

Your child must be in sixth grade to twelfth grade. 

Yes, students must reside in Montgomery County and be enrolled in any public, private, independent or religious school. Students home-schooled may also participate. Keep in mind that parents are responsible for providing students with transportation to and from training, the set-up meeting and the Election Day or Early Voting service. Chief Judges will not dismiss student election aides at the end of their shifts if no parent is present to pick them up.

While not a requirement, the Board of Elections is always looking for people fluent in second languages or American Sign Language. To be considered fluent, you must be able to have an everyday conversation with someone. Consider whether you would be willing and able to help a voter who speaks a different language with problems they may have. If you fit this description, be sure to indicate this when you register.

Although you must be a U.S. citizen and a registered voter to serve as an election judge, these requirements do not apply to Future Vote ambassadors. 

The Board of Elections will be scheduling several training sessions across the county in the weeks leading up to the election. All student aides shall attend with their parents/guardians. 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.

To start, students are needed during Early Voting and on Election Day. These two Election Days take place in every even numbered year. A primary is conducted in the spring, while general elections are always the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. Keep in mind that all Montgomery County Public Schools are closed on Election Days, so there is no need to worry about schedule conflicts with school. Special arrangements for Election Day must be made if a student is homeschooled or attends private school. Students who participate in the program will work between 6 and 11 hours per election. They get an hour of credit for attending a training session a few weeks in advance and another hour or two for helping to set up the polling place on the Monday before Election Day (this depends on how long the set-up meeting takes).

Students and parents are required to attend both sessions to receive credit and to serve on Election Day or during Early Voting. These sessions will account for the first two or three hours of credit.

Early Voting and Election Day volunteer shifts vary and are provided during online registration.

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 polling place or early voting center will determine how many hours each student election aide works at set-up and on Election Day or at early voting and record it. After the election, you will 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.

For initial questions, email [email protected], and we will get back to you. In the weeks leading up to the election, you will receive an email from the chief judge at your polling place. Chief Judges are responsible for organizing the set-up and operation of the polling place they work in. Most notably, they will send an email in the days leading up to the election to confirm that your child can still serve on Election Day or during Early Voting. They are also responsible for sending everyone the time for your polling place set-up meeting.

Serving as a student election aide gives students their first exposure to the actual logistics of the democratic process in the United States. Students leave the program with experience in how elections are set up and a greater understanding of and trust in American democracy.

Future Vote also provides experience that will be helpful if students are eligible and wish to go on to serve as election judges. Unlike student aides, judges earn money for their work. 

Student election aides are employed for one Election cycle at a time. Suppose you register your child to serve as a student election aide during a primary election. This signs you up for the General Election Day service as well.

If your child wishes to serve again in subsequent years, you will have to go through the application and training process again. Students can serve as election aides for as many elections as they like until they are old enough to serve as an election poll worker. To be an election poll worker individuals must be U.S. citizens, registered to vote, live in Maryland, and be at least 16 years of age or older.

FUTURE VOTE REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS