Become an Election Worker

Election worker

Election workers serve during early voting and on Election Day.

What you would do

Set up the polling place before the polls open
Check in and process registered voters
Issue ballots and explain the voting equipment
Assist voters and answer their questions
Maintain order in the polling place
Close the polls and deliver results to the Central Count Station

Who is eligible

You may be eligible if you:

Are registered to vote in Caldwell County
Do not currently hold an elected office, and do not work for an elected official
Enjoy working with the public and being part of your community

Election workers are appointed and are compensated for training and for hours worked. Ask the Elections Office about current rates when you apply.

Certification levels

A minimum of Election Worker Class One certification is required to work elections.

If you are appointed to a term, a minimum of Election Worker Class Two certification is required.

Student election clerk

Texas students may serve as election clerks. It is an impressive addition to a resumé or college application, a first-hand look at the democratic process, and it earns community service hours for school.

What a student clerk does

Working under the supervision of the presiding judge, student election clerks may help with:

Organising the polling place before the polls open
Ensuring that qualified voters are permitted to vote
Checking in and processing voters
Distributing ballots to registered voters
Providing instructions and assistance to voters, and answering their questions
Explaining the use of the voting equipment
Maintaining order in the polling place on Election Day
Obtaining results after the polls close, and closing the polling place

How to apply

Complete the application Fill in the Student Election Clerk Application and Permission Slip.
Get a parent or guardian signature Have them sign the Parent / Legal Guardian Permission section.
Get your school principal’s authorisation Have the principal sign the School Principal Authorisation section, and make sure your absence to work during early voting or on Election Day will be excused.
Send it to the elections official For a county election, send it to the Caldwell County Elections Office. Aim for at least 60 days before Election Day — there is no statutory deadline, but places fill up.
Attend the required training Training gives you everything you need to serve successfully.
Work the polls During early voting or on Election Day, as assigned.

Election training and educational resources — Texas Secretary of State (opens in a new tab)

Volunteer Deputy Registrar

A Volunteer Deputy Registrar (VDR) is an official authorised to register voters in the State of Texas. VDRs are appointed by the county’s Voter Registrar, trusted to help increase voter registration in their community, and trained to follow Texas election law when accepting registration applications.

Qualifications

To be appointed a Volunteer Deputy Registrar you must:

Be at least 18 years old;
Be a United States citizen;
Be a resident of the State of Texas;
Not have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated, or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote;
Never have been convicted of failing to deliver a voter registration application to a voter registrar;
Not have been finally convicted of identity theft under Section 32.51 of the Penal Code; and
Not have been finally convicted of a felony — or, if convicted, have fully discharged the sentence including any term of incarceration, parole or supervision, completed a period of probation ordered by a court, or been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disability to vote.

How to become a VDR

Contact the Caldwell County Elections Department. You will be told how training is offered and how to complete it. An appointment runs through the end of the calendar year.

(512) 668-4347
caldwellec@co.caldwell.tx.us

Guides and training

Guides and training materials are published by the Secretary of State in English and Spanish.

Hours and the election calendar

What the days look like

Election Day. Polling places are open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Workers arrive as early as 6:00 a.m. and stay until all equipment is packed and results are delivered to the Central Count Station.

Early voting. Hours vary by election. For the November 2026 General Election, early voting runs Monday 19 October to Friday 30 October.

When elections happen

Regular Texas election dates
Election	When
General elections	First Tuesday after the first Monday in November, every year
Primary elections	First Tuesday in March, in even-numbered years
Uniform elections	First Saturday in May
Early voting	Begins up to 17 days before an election and ends 4 days before Election Day

See the full key-date calendar →

Training

Every election worker is trained before serving. Caldwell County runs in-person training sessions, and the Secretary of State provides online poll worker training you can work through at your own pace.

Ready to get involved?

Complete a Worker Information Sheet and return it to the Elections Office by email, post, fax, or in person.

Caldwell County Elections Office

Address: Scott Annex Building
1403 Blackjack St., Suite A
Lockhart, TX 78644
Phone: (512) 668-4347
Fax: (512) 668-1821
Email: caldwellec@co.caldwell.tx.us
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Local district contracting for election services: ElectionsAdmin@co.caldwell.tx.us

What to expect after you apply

We confirm your eligibility We check that you are registered in Caldwell County and eligible to serve.
You are assigned to training You will be told when and where your certification training takes place.
You are assigned to a location You will be told which polling place or early voting site you are serving, and your hours.

Prefer to help in another way? Become a Volunteer Deputy Registrar or serve as a poll watcher.