Vet the Vote and Vermont Secretary of State Copeland Hanzas Hold Successful Poll Worker Recruitment Event

September 10 2024

MONTPELIER, VT – Today, Vet the Vote, a national campaign to recruit veterans and military family members to be the next generation of poll workers, held a poll worker recruitment and kick-off event in partnership with Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas. The unique event brought together veterans, active military members and their families, and town clerks in an effort to educate veterans and their families on how they can serve as poll workers in upcoming elections. The event took place in Montpelier alongside an all-day Elections Summit and training for Vermont town clerks hosted by the Vermont Secretary of State’s Elections Division and the Vermont Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Association. Featured speakers included Hartford Town Clerk Lisa O’Neil and Hartford veteran and poll worker Mike Morris.

“There are many people that help make Vermont’s elections a success. Certainly clerks play an essential role, but so do Boards of Civil Authority and community members who volunteer as poll workers,” said Secretary Copeland Hanzas. “I am so excited to be working with Vet the Vote to tap into the veteran community as a way to recruit poll workers and get more people engaged in the election process.”

“We are proud to work with local leaders like Secretary of State Copeland Hanzas and Hartford Town Clerk O’Neil in encouraging veterans to continue their service to the country and their local communities. Today’s event demonstrates how the veteran community can help close the gap of poll worker shortages across the country. In answering our nation’s call to serve, veterans have made a steadfast commitment to ensure we preserve our self-governance. We are thrilled to see the excitement in the Green Mountain State and look forward to our continued partnership,” said We the Veterans Director of Operations Julie Hendricks.

Lisa O’Neil, the Hartford Town Clerk, was on hand to provide remarks from a clerk’s perspective.

“Not only do poll workers provide much needed help to me and my staff on Election Day, voters like to see a familiar face working the polls,” said O’Neil. “Being a poll worker is a great way to get involved, and I look forward to hearing from vets and their families to join us at the polls.”

Mike Morris, a Hartford resident and veteran, is a poll worker for Lisa O’Neil and is happy to serve.

“I enjoy the interaction with voters and working with Lisa and her team,” said Morris. “Being a poll worker is a great way to engage with your community and get plugged in to what’s going on.”

About Vet the Vote

Vet the Vote is a national campaign to recruit veterans and military family members to be the next generation of poll workers. Our community is leading the way in supporting safe and secure elections and ensuring we know the nuts and bolts about how elections are run. We also want to make sure our fellow Americans know we’re on the job, to show that it’s still possible for Americans to work together in patriotic service. For the 2024 elections, Vet the Vote has so far recruited over 140,000 veterans and military family members nationally to serve again in their local jurisdictions.