College Students Powering the Polls
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Applications for the 2025 cohort will be accepted until midnight on March 28, 2025 - apply today!
About our 2024 Cohort
We are proud of the work of our 2024 Cohort, particularly their service as poll workers to the state of Connecticut and its municipalities and for modeling what civic engagement looks like for their peers and for all generations. Students in our 2024 Cohort:
- Attended 12 colleges and universities across the state
- Represented 21 towns and 5 counties in Connecticut
- Spoke 7 languages other than English
- Worked over 800 hours during the 2024 general election!
What is the Next Gen Elections program?
Are you a college student in Connecticut looking to get involved in our democracy, make a difference in your community, and get paid in the process? Become a part of the next generation of election workers!
The Next Gen Elections program trains college students to be poll workers at the Moderator level throughout the state of Connecticut. It takes thousands of poll workers to make elections run smoothly and securely, with Moderators leading the charge at each voting location! With the implementation of Early Voting in 2024, the need for engaged, dedicated, and tech-savvy election workers is greater than ever.
Why should I join the Next Gen program?
- Participate in unique résumé-building experiences
- Develop leadership skills and a deep understanding of the democratic process
- Access amazing networking opportunities with election officials, town leaders, the office of the Secretary of the State, and civically engaged peers
- Learn how to engage other young people in this critical work by serving as a program ambassador on your campus
- And get paid $18 per hour while helping your community!
We welcome applicants who meet the following criteria:
- Enrolled in a college or university in Connecticut in the 2025-2026 school year
- Age 18 or above and registered to vote in Connecticut
- Eligible to work in the United States
- Able to remain nonpartisan while representing the Next Gen Elections program and committed to treating everyone, including peers, mentors, and the general public, with dignity and respect at all times
What are the expectations for Next Gen participants?
- Complete pre-election training (approximately 8 hours, primarily virtual)
- Work at least 20 hours per year during the 2025 general election. Weekends are included in the 14-day Early Voting period, so there is plenty of flexibility to get your hours!
- Attend a virtual kickoff meeting at the beginning of the 2025 school year and a post-election convening in January 2026
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This program is presented by the Office of the Secretary of the State and supported by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s Help America Vote College Program.