Why It Matters
Pennsylvania’s pipeline of teenage poll workers is helping counties staff elections while giving students firsthand experience with how democratic processes function. As election administrators nationwide face persistent recruitment challenges, youth programs like those active across Pennsylvania offer a model for sustainable civic participation.
What Happened
High school students across Pennsylvania served as poll workers during the May 2026 primary election, taking on roles that included checking voters in, recording turnout, and assisting voters at ballot tabulation machines. On May 27, 2026, a group of student workers and their schools were recognized at the state capitol in Harrisburg with the Governor’s Civic Engagement Award, which honors students who register eligible voters and serve at polling sites.
Pennsylvania permits 17-year-olds to serve as poll workers, a provision that has allowed several counties to build formal programs connecting schools with local election offices. In Lebanon County, the program has grown beyond its origins at Lebanon High School to include other area high schools.
Two Lebanon High School students — senior Ella Whalen and junior Emely Liriano — worked their first election at the Lebanon County Senior Center in the 10th ward during the May primary. Whalen was responsible for recording voter attendance, while Liriano checked voters in using an electronic pollbook.
By the Numbers
Lebanon County averaged between 50 and 55 student poll workers per election, and during the May 2026 primary, students accounted for 13 percent of all poll workers in the county. Aiden Martinez, a student from Franklin Towne Charter High School in Philadelphia, was among those honored at the May 27 awards ceremony. A partial count referenced more than 633 students participating in civic engagement activities eligible for recognition.
School Programs Drive Participation
Keith Rolon, a cooperative education teacher at Lebanon High School who manages the school’s student poll worker program, said his aim is to station at least two students at each city polling location, with a preference for including at least one bilingual student to assist voters with limited English proficiency.
Rolon framed the program as more than a staffing solution. “For me as a civics teacher, it was important for me to show them voting is important and elections are safe and here’s what goes into them,” he said.
Diane Gordian, civic engagement and language access coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of State, described a ripple effect that extends beyond students themselves. She noted that young poll workers often return home and encourage their own parents to get involved — not only registering to vote but, in some cases, signing up as poll workers themselves.
Zoom Out
Election officials across the country have worked to diversify and expand their poll worker rosters, particularly following retirements and departures among older volunteers in recent election cycles. Youth-focused programs offer one approach, pairing civic education goals with practical staffing needs. Pennsylvania’s structure — which allows 17-year-olds to participate — places it among the states that have lowered the traditional age threshold to draw younger workers into election administration.
The combination of student participation and bilingual recruitment also speaks to demographic shifts in many Pennsylvania counties, where Spanish-speaking populations have grown and language access at polling sites has become a more pressing logistical consideration. With key Pennsylvania House and midterm races taking shape in the coming election cycle, well-staffed and accessible polling locations will be a priority for state administrators.
What’s Next
Lebanon County and other participating counties are expected to continue and potentially expand their student poll worker initiatives ahead of the November 2026 general election. The Governor’s Civic Engagement Award program provides an incentive structure that officials hope will encourage more schools statewide to develop similar partnerships with local election offices. The Pennsylvania Department of State has signaled continued investment in language access and youth civic participation as part of its broader election administration priorities.