The EAC Calls on Americans to Become Poll Workers Ahead of 2026 Midterms on Help America Vote Day

WASHINGTON, DC - With the 2026 midterm elections beginning in early March, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is urging Americans to sign up as poll workers as a part of today's Help America Vote Day initiative. Held every two years, the EAC established this day to address ongoing poll worker shortages and encourage people to learn how to register to vote and cast a ballot.

According to the 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) , over 772,000 poll workers served during the 2024 general election, yet 48% of jurisdictions reported having a very or somewhat difficult time recruiting poll workers in their communities.

In 2024, state election offices in 36 states participated in Help America Vote Day, including Guam and DC. They were joined by nonprofits, elected officials, organizations, and more from across the country.

"The best way to understand how elections are run in your community is to sign up to be a poll worker. This bipartisan representation of poll workers makes our elections more secure, and we need Americans from across the political spectrum to sign up nationwide," said EAC Chairman Donald Palmer, Vice Chair Thomas Hicks, Commissioner Christy McCormick, and Commissioner Ben Hovland in a joint statement. "Not only are you helping your friends and neighbors have a positive experience when they cast their ballot, but it is also an opportunity to ensure elections are safe, secure, accurate, and accessible. Help America Vote Day is also an opportunity for voters to prepare for the midterms and check their voter registration to make sure it is accurate and updated if needed."

Specific duties and compensation for poll workers vary depending on location, but most jurisdictions task election workers with setting up and preparing voting locations, welcoming voters, verifying voter registrations, and issuing ballots. Poll workers also help ensure voters understand the voting process by demonstrating how to use voting equipment and explaining voting procedures.

Help America Vote Day is one way the EAC is assisting election offices across the country as they recruit election workers and communicate with voters. The EAC also supports civic engagement year-round with resources such as the " Be Election Ready" six-part video series that guides voters through every step of the voting process, starting with registration and making a plan to vote. Each video is about two minutes long and designed to allow election officials, civic organizations, and others to share them with their communities. In addition to full-length videos, the EAC created 30-second versions.

For more information on Help America Vote Day and how to become an election worker, please visit HelpAmericaVote.gov or your local election office.

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The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate, and accessible elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. The EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds. For more information, visit www.eac.gov.