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This upcoming election season, Raritan Valley Community College students will be serving democracy and making a valuable contribution to society by volunteering as poll workers as part of their academic coursework through the College’s Service Learning program. The program enables students to use community service as part of their academic coursework and to receive credit for the experience.  

The RVCC poll worker project is a timely response to supporting the November elections, as state and local officials have reported significant shortfalls in the number of available poll workers. RVCC students are stepping up and filling the need, especially with a shortage of older workers who may be hesitant to volunteer at the polls because of COVID-19 concerns.

Additionally, The Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Elections in the Department of State, has announced that an institution of higher education may award academic credit to an enrolled student who serves as a poll worker during an election held in the state. In response, the College’s nationally recognized Service Learning program was able to engage students in the poll worker project from many different disciplines, including history, macroeconomics, sociology, anthropology, science, and English. The project also has received strong support from RVCC faculty members, as well as Somerset and Hunterdon County Board of Election staff.  

Poll workers serve a vital part of every election, as they are trained to aid voters on Election Day, guide them through the voting process, and answer questions. For many RVCC students, this will be their first chance to vote in an election, and the project offers a nonpartisan way to keep more polling sites open in November. To date, more than 40 students have applied for the project.




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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 28, 2022

Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

PR #24