The American Bar Association is partnering with the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors to encourage lawyers, law students and other legal professionals to serve as nonpartisan poll workers for the upcoming 2020 election.

The new project entitled The Poll Worker, Esq. Initiative encourages lawyers, law students and other legal professionals to safely assist in the November election by serving as poll workers. Depending on the jurisdiction, tasks may range from staffing polling places to processing returned ballot envelopes and more. 

This is strictly a nonpartisan effort designed to help people vote and to help local officials ensure a safe and accurate election.

“Serving as a poll worker is integral to assuring a free and fair election this November, and lawyers are especially suited to help,” ABA President Patricia Lee Refo said. “With the added obstacle of a pandemic this year, finding people who are at lower risk to assist as poll workers is even more important. This is an opportunity for lawyers, and soon-to-be lawyers, to step up and serve.”

Details and a video that encourages lawyers and law students to become poll workers is posted at ambar.org/vote. The video details how to sign up as a poll worker. There also is a social media campaign on the ABA’s Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, which will run through September.

“During this unprecedented time, states are conducting massive poll worker recruitment efforts to reach Americans who are not part of the high-risk population,” said Maggie Toulouse Oliver, NASS president and New Mexico Secretary of State. “This is why the partnership with the American Bar Association is crucial. Their members’ service as poll workers will unequivocally help communities, election officials and our democracy.”

“States across the country are thinking creatively to recruit election workers who are in lower risk populations,” said Lori Augino, NASED president and Director of Elections for the Washington Secretary of State. “Even in states like Washington, where most voting takes place by mail, election workers are an integral part of our democracy. This partnership with the American Bar Association will help state and local election officials by filling a critical staffing need and will help voters cast their ballots.”

Interested workers can sign up on www.canivote.org and click on the “Become a Poll Worker” tab to find out how to serve in their jurisdictions