Michael Georg Link examines a voting booth, November 2020 (Photo: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly)
We the Veterans and Military Families, a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening democracy in the United States, has announced a nationwide campaign to recruit Veterans and military family members to be poll workers, known as “Vet the Vote 2023/2024.”
The goal of this campaign is to rebuild trust in the electoral system, increase civic engagement, and ensure the integrity of elections. The organization encourages Veterans to view poll working as a natural extension of their commitment to serving their country. Ultimately, they hope to establish a tradition of service within the Veteran and military family community.
As the nation prepares for upcoming elections in 2023 and 2024, the organization is expanding its efforts to attract Veterans to serve as poll workers. To achieve this, We the Veterans and Military Families will launch education programs in several states, including California, to familiarize Veterans with the voting process, instill confidence in the system, and encourage them to promote the integrity of elections.
The “Vet the Vote 2023/2024” campaign is apolitical and centers on civic duty and collaboration. It emphasizes that poll workers must remain impartial and refrain from discussing politics while serving at polling stations. This commitment to nonpartisanship ensures the integrity of the election process.
Ellen Gustafson, a Navy spouse and the executive director of We the Veterans and Military Families, stressed the importance of addressing potential threats to the democratic process.
Tina Barton, an elections expert with The Elections Group, praised the initiative and highlighted the urgent need for poll workers. She noted that Veterans’ skills, including vigilance and teamwork, make them well-suited for the role, providing an added layer of security at precincts.
In 2022, We the Veterans and Military Families successfully mobilized a coalition of military and Veteran organizations for the “Vet the Vote” campaign. This campaign recruited 63,500 Veterans and family members to serve as poll workers during the midterm elections. These volunteers played a vital role in filling the approximately 130,000 poll worker positions left vacant due to retirements and the COVID-19 pandemic.
We the Veterans and Military Families encourages interested Veterans and military family members to sign up as poll workers through their website and engage in this effort to support American democracy.
As the nation faces increasing challenges to its democratic foundations, the involvement of Veterans and military families as poll workers is seen as a step toward securing the integrity of elections and preserving American democracy.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
