Veterans and military families answer call to staff polls

Editor’s note: The sharing of non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products or services by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans should always verify information with the organization offering the program.

Elections don’t run themselves. As the U.S. November midterms approach, communities across the country need trusted, reliable people to staff the polls—and few fit that description better than Veterans and military families.

Vet the Vote

Vet the Vote is a nonpartisan initiative working to recruit 250,000 Veterans and military family members to serve as poll workers in the 2026 midterm elections and beyond. Since launching in 2022, more than 165,000 individuals have already stepped up.

The program is backed by a coalition of more than 50 organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Football League, Veterans of Foreign Wars and NASCAR.

Poll workers play a critical role in ensuring election integrity. They open and close polling sites, check in voters, safeguard ballots and reconcile vote counts. When there are not enough workers, polling locations may close or lines may grow longer. Most jurisdictions offer compensation ranging from $150 to $300 per day, along with paid training.

There’s a constant need to mobilize new poll workers. We would like to see the Veteran and military family community make volunteering as poll workers a new norm of public service within our community.

From service to the polls

For many, the transition from military service to civic service feels natural.

Navy Veteran Julie Hendricks, director of operations for We the Veterans and Military Families, began working as a poll worker after joining Vet the Vote in 2024.

“In Iraq and other countries, they don’t have the same freedoms we do,” she said. “It reinforced not just the right, but the responsibility to vote. Being a poll worker is exhausting but rewarding. No one knows what the end result will be, but people just want to know that their vote counts, and being part of making that happen feels awesome and very energizing.”

Other stories highlight the lasting bonds formed through service. Vietnam Veterans Craig Jones and Michael Mabes took different paths during the war—Jones as a Green Beret medic and Mabes in the Navy aboard the USS Procyon—but both eventually settled in San Francisco and became poll workers.

They met at the polls and have worked side by side in eight elections since. Jones serves as an inspector, Mabes as a clerk, and each election they request to be assigned together. Their continued service earned them recognition this year with Super Bowl tickets through an NFL partnership.

Preparing to serve

Getting involved is straightforward, but timing matters. When you register with Vet the Vote, you will be directed straight to your local jurisdiction’s application page to complete the registration process. Prospective poll workers should complete their applications as early as possible to improve their chances of being selected and completing required training.

Even so, it is never too late to volunteer. Election officials often need last-minute replacements or additional support for recounts and runoff elections.

Vet the Vote has heard directly from election officials in a few states that they are constantly recruiting poll workers to ensure they are on the bench since people’s schedules change, and they are unable to work. Officials around the country have said that Veterans often make some of the most reliable volunteers; when they are needed, they show up and get the job done for their local communities.

If you are not selected right away, don’t be discouraged. It often means your community is fully staffed, which is a good thing. Stay engaged by keeping your application current each election cycle.

Answer the call again!

Serving as a poll worker is another way to support your community and strengthen elections.

If you have already worked the polls, you can report your service at https://app.vetthe.vote/already-poll-worker/ and be recognized for continuing your commitment.

Ready to get involved? Sign up at https://app.vetthe.vote/become-poll-worker/ and help ensure elections run smoothly in your community.