Consider being a Student Election Judge on November 3, 2020

In June, Governor JB Pritzker signed Public Act 101-0642 into law, making Election Day, November 3, 2020, a state holiday. With all High School District 211 facilities closed on November 3, it provides an opportunity for students, at least 16 years old and meeting other requirements, to serve as an election judge.

Student Election Judge Qualifications

To qualify as a student election judge, you must:

• Be a high school senior or junior
• Maintain at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
• Be a United States Citizen by the next election
• Able to speak, read and write English fluently
• Successfully complete an election judge training course conducted by the County Clerk’s Office
• Have written consent from your principal and a parent or legal guardian
• Reside in Cook County

Student Election Judge Hours

Election judges must arrive at the polling place by 5:00 a.m. and stay until after the polls close at 7:00 p.m. and the precinct votes are counted and transmitted.

Student Election Judge Training

All new election judges must attend a hand-on training session conducted by the County Clerk’s Office. Election judges who complete the e-pollbook class with receive an additional $25. Training sessions are held at convenient locations throughout the county.

Student Election Judge Compensation

Election judges receive $200 for their work. This compensation is paid to students who attend training, pass the test, and work on Election Day. All three conditions must be met.

Bilingual Student Election Judges

The Cook County Clerk’s Office is looking for bilingual election judges – especially Spanish, Chinese, or Hindi speakers. In accordance with federal law, the Clerk’s Office assigns bilingual judges to precincts in suburban Cook County with high concentrations of Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi-speaking voters who are not proficient in English.

Apply Online

High school students who meet the qualifications can apply online here: https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/service/high-school-student-election-judges.

Additional Information

Additional information also is available on the Cook County Clerk’s Office website at https://www.cookcountyclerk.com/agency/work-election-day.

If you have questions about the Cook County Clerk’s Student Election Judge Program, please call 312-603-1185 or email HighSchool.Coordinator@cookcountyil.gov.