Dallas County is calling on students to step into civic roles by serving as volunteer deputy registrars and election workers ahead of the November election.
Volunteer deputy registrars, or VDRs, are appointed by the Elections Department to register eligible citizens to vote.
“A volunteer deputy registrar is responsible for assisting the Elections Department who appointed them, to register people to vote. Ensuring all necessary information is filled out legibly and thoroughly and delivered to our office in a timely manner,” said Esmeralda Garcia, voter registration outreach coordinator with Dallas County Elections.
To qualify, a VDR must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on or before Election Day, not determined by a court to be mentally incapacitated, and not a convicted felon who has not completed their sentence, probation or parole. The same criteria are required to register to vote.
The process begins with reviewing training materials at DallasCountyVotes.org, followed by a short test at the Elections office. Once appointed, a registrar serves a term that ends Dec. 31 of even-numbered years, unless terminated earlier.
Garcia said students have the chance to influence their communities while learning about the democratic process.
“When a student becomes a VDR they become part of a movement. They not only encourage people to vote but also help us educate our community about our democratic process and educate about upcoming elections,” she said.
VDRs can work at their own pace, registering friends, classmates or neighbors before moving on to larger events.
“I encourage them to introduce their immediate environment to register, introducing them to our democratic process. Once they become more comfortable, they can coordinate their own events in the community where they live,” Garcia said.
The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 6 to vote in the Nov. 4 election.
Election workers are also needed to assist voters at polling locations during early voting and on Election Day.
“Poll workers assist the election judges to process voters and qualify voters when they come in to vote,” said Garcia. “All poll workers are there to make sure voters have a positive experience at the polling place. Election judges are in charge of the vote centers and make sure every clerk is fulfilling their duties and the vote center running smoothly.”
Election Day is Nov. 4, with polling sites open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting runs Oct. 20–31 with varying hours:
- Oct. 20–24, Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Oct. 25, Saturday: 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Oct. 26, Sunday: 12 p.m.–6 p.m.
- Oct. 27–31, Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
Voting locations can be found at DallasCountyVotes.org under the Vote Center Finder.
Garcia said early involvement has long-term impact.
“Early involvement tends to correlate with lifelong civic participation. Students often face issues like tuition, housing, public transport, environmental policy, that are directly affected by elected officials. Being involved gives them more influence over decisions that impact their lives,” Garcia said.
She reminded students to not to underestimate their role.
“Some of you might be thinking, ‘I’m just one student. What difference can I really make?’ Let me remind you: movements have always started with young people. From civil rights to environmental change, students have stood up, spoken out, and shaped history. Why not us? Why not now?,” she said.
Garcia said serving as a VDR or poll worker offers more than volunteer hours.
“By stepping into these roles, you gain more than service hours or resume experience—you gain leadership, community and the knowledge that you played a part in strengthening our democracy. So, I challenge you: be the difference. Whether it’s helping your peers get registered, guiding a voter at the polls, or simply saying ‘yes’ when opportunity calls—be the reason someone else gets to raise their voice. Democracy isn’t something we watch from the sidelines. It’s something we build together. And it starts with us—today, right here, right now,” Garcia said.
