| High School Students Trained as Judges of Election 10/27/2006 - For Immediate Release For Information Call
October 19, 2006 Tom Leach 312-269-7857
E-Mail: tleach@chicagoelections.net
High School Students
Trained as Judges of Election
More than 700 high school seniors from throughout Chicago will begin training Saturday (October 21) to serve as judges of election for the November 7, 2006 General Election.
The seniors, many of whom are under 18 years of age and not registered voters, are allowed to serve as judges of election under a state law that is designed to involve young people in the electoral process.
Chicago Election Chairman Langdon D. Neal said that a total of 754 students will be trained during a total of 12 special judge of election classes to be held for the high schoolers. The classes will be conducted at 177 North State Street (2nd Floor), during the next three Saturdays and Sundays (October 21 and 22; October 28 and 29; and November 4 and 5). The classes are from 9 a.m. until noon and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
By law, the student judges have the same responsibilities and duties as regular judges, and receive the identical pay – $100 for election day plus $50 for attending the class of instruction, for a total of $150.
“This is not only a great opportunity for the high school seniors to experience democracy in action, but is of tremendous benefit to the Chicago Election Board since the students have technical and computer experience that can be vital to the success of our upcoming election,” said Chairman Neal. “These students have proven in the past to be some of our best judges of election.”
Chairman Neal thanked the Mikva Challenge Active Citizen Program, and its Executive Director Brian Brady, for recruiting almost all of the 754 student judges. Mikva Challenge has assisted the Board during the past several elections in recruiting student judges of election.
To serve as a student judge, an applicant must be a high school senior in good standing; have a good grade point average; and have the permission of their high school and parents.
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