WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the League of Women Voters (LWV) and the National Education Association (NEA) announced a new partnership aimed at strengthening American democracy by recruiting a diverse new generation of poll workers for upcoming federal, state, and local elections. 

By leveraging their expansive national networks, LWV and NEA will collaborate through a joint initiative by Power the Polls, a leading nonpartisan hub for poll worker recruitment. This partnership seeks to ensure that every community has the staffing necessary to keep polling places open, lines short, and the voting process accessible for all. 

"A healthy democracy relies on neighbors helping neighbors at the ballot box, yet poll worker shortages remain a silent threat that leads to long lines and shuttered polling places," said Jeanette Senecal, chief of civic learning and impact for the League of Women Voters. "Our partnership with the NEA helps meet this challenge by empowering a new generation of civic leaders. By mobilizing educators and community advocates together, we are using the trusted voices in communities to ensure that every voter has the tech-savvy, multilingual, and reliable support they need to cast their ballot safely and fairly."

"Educators teach students that democracy is something we practice, protect, and pass on," said Becky Pringle, National Education Association President. "Voting is both a right and a responsibility, and every eligible voter should have equal access to the ballot. NEA is proud to partner with League of Women Voters to help fill the need for more poll workers and ensure voters can cast their ballots and make their voices heard in this election."

Since 2020, the US has faced fluctuating poll worker shortages that can lead to closed polling locations and long wait times. This partnership addresses that challenge head-on by engaging educators, students, and civic-minded community members to serve as the "power" behind the polls. 

Power the Polls is a first-of-its-kind, nonpartisan initiative launched in 2020 to recruit the next generation of poll workers to ensure safe and fair elections for all voters. The initiative has recruited over one million potential poll workers to date. People can learn how to be pollworkers at https://www.powerthepolls.org/nea-lwv.

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