Getting Involved in Elections

How to Become an Election Worker

You can only be an election worker in Texas if you are

• A U.S. citizen
• A qualified voter in the jurisdiction in which the election is being conducted

As a way to train poll workers about polling place procedures, you can take the Texas Election Poll Worker Training program. This will provide you information provided in the Handbook for Election Judges and Clerks (PDF) and real-life case studies/exercises that you might face as an election worker.

Contact PollWorkerTraining@sos.texas.gov or 1(800) 252-8683 if you have any questions about the Online Poll Worker Training.

If you are interested in becoming an Election Poll Worker, you can click on this link to fill out the application: Poll Worker Application - printout

• You can email this form to vote@johnsoncountytx.org
• You can mail this form to PO Box 895, Cleburne TX, 76033
• You can hand-deliver this form to the voter registrars at 103 S. Walnut Street, Cleburne TX, 76033

How to Become a Volunteer Deputy Registrar

To be appointed as a volunteer deputy registrar:

• be at least 18 years old
• be a U.S. citizen
• not have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be
  • never have been convicted of failing to deliver a voter application to a voter registrar
  • not have been finally convicted of a felony, or, if convicted, must have
    • fully discharged the sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or completed a period of probation ordered by any court
    • been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote
  • not have been finally convicted of identity theft under Section 32.51 of the Penal Code
  • be a resident of the State of Texas.

Contact us at vote@johnsoncountytx.org or (817) 556-6197 (option #7) to get started with this process. We will do a brief in-person training to explain the process of VDRs. At the end of your training, you will receive a certificate as proof of appointment as a volunteer deputy registrar.

Learn more about VDRs here.

How to Become a Poll Watcher

In Texas, poll watchers are appointed to observe the conduct of an election on behalf of a candidate, a political party, or the proponents/opponents of a measure (specific-purpose political action committees).

Poll watchers MUST receive a certificate of appointment and present that certificate to the presiding judge at the polling location. There are 4 different certificates you can receive:

• Certificate of Appointment of Poll Watcher by Candidate (PDF)
• Certificate of Appointment of Poll Watchers by Political Party (PDF)
• Certificate of Appointment of Poll Watcher for Propositions or Measures (PDF)
• Certificate of Appointment of Poll Watcher by Registered Voters on Behalf of Write-in Candidate (PDF)

Poll watchers MUST complete the Texas Election Poll Worker Training program and present a certificate of completion to the presiding judge at the polling location.

You will be accepted as a poll watcher at the polling location when you have these two certificates and present them both to the presiding judge at the polling location.

How to Become a Student Clerk

High school students who are 16 years old or older may serve as election clerks at the polling location during Early Voting or on Election Day. The student must have consent of the principal (or parent/legal guardian in charge of education in the case of home school). The election officials of Johnson County must receive written authorization from the student's parent or guardian for the student to serve in the election.

• Complete the Student Election Clerk Application and Permission Slip (PDF)
• Have your parent or guardian fill-out and sign the Parent/Legal Guardian Permission section
• Have your principal fill-out and sign the School Principal Permission section (take proper steps to ensure that your absence from school will be excused when you work Early Voting or Election Day)
• Send this permission slip to the election officials in which you are serving (county clerk/elections administrator, city secretary, school superintendent, etc.). Though there are no deadlines, we recommend sending this slip 60 days prior to Election Day
• You will work at the polls you are assigned during Early Voting or on Election Day

Please note:

• School districts may excuse students who are working during Early Voting or on Election Day for a maximum of 2 days in a single school year
• Up to 4 student election clerks may work at a single Early Voting location at a time, and up to 2 may work at an Election Day location at a time

How to Get Kids Involved

Introduce and educate your kids to our Texas Government with the following kid-friendly sources:

Election Engagement Questionnaire

You can fill out our Questionnaire and email it to vote@johnsoncountytx.org, or you can mail it to PO Box 895, Cleburne TX, 76033, or you can hand-deliver this form to our voter registrars at 103 S. Walnut St., Cleburne TX, 76033.