State, YMCA partnership will help recruit poll workers

Effort will target young people for workers, voter registration

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Secretary of State Michael Adams and the Kentucky YMCA Youth Association announced Wednesday a new partnership to promote poll worker recruitment and voter registration among young people.

“We can’t have an election without election workers,” Adams said. “Our base of volunteer poll workers is aging out, and this partnership will help us find new ones as we prepare for the 2022 elections.”

“Student Y already provides Kentucky middle and high school students with the tools to register voters and advocate for voting in every election,” said Beth Malcom, Kentucky YMCA Youth Association CEO/President. “This exciting partnership will only further their opportunity to engage with our state government and increase teen civic activity across the commonwealth.”

Under Adams’ recently enacted election reform law, now any registered voter is eligible to serve as a poll worker. Thus, for every new registered voter, the Commonwealth will have a new eligible poll worker as well.

In addition to recruiting poll workers, the Office of the Secretary of State and the Kentucky YMCA Youth Association will hold high school voter registration drives and conduct voter education training.