The Missouri Youth Program is a program provided by state statute RsMO 115.104 that allows high school students to work at the polls as Missouri Youth Election Participants during elections.  The students work along side the election judges and are active participants, although, not reimbursed.  The program serves both the student and the county in many ways.  It provides a learning experience for students that will make them better, more informed voters.  It will also encourage involvement in the election process as adults, and provides a trained pool of voters to work at the polling places in the future.  The student can also list this involvement on their resume to show community commitment and service beyond self. In addition, there is an annual scholarship awarded under the Johnson County Election Authority Scholarship Program to a graduating Johnson County high school student in recognition of their participation in local government and elections.

The requirements for Missouri Youth Participants are:

             1.    Full time student at least fifteen years of age but less than eighteen

             2.    Appropriate academic ability and demeanor

             3.    Be a person of good repute who can speak, read and write the English language;  and

             4.    Not be related within the second degree of consanguinity to any person whose name appears on the

                    ballot, except that no participant shall be disqualified if related within such degree to an unopposed

                    candidate.

The Missouri Youth Participant must agree to the following:

             1.    To attend a course of instruction on the electoral process *

             2.    Abide by the state statute and the instructions of the County Election Authority and/or their designee

             3.    Be present at their designated polling place for the duration of the voting period, 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

                    unless otherwise excused

* Election judges and Missouri Youth Participants are required to attend training on the election process.
 The training is normally held the week before the election and lasts approximately 2 hours.

On election day the participants are required to sign and take an oath reading: I solemnly swear or affirm that I will impartially discharge the duties of a Missouri youth election participant by following to the best of my ability the instructions of any election judge, election authority, or teacher of my school.  I also swear or affirm that I will not disclose how any voter has voted unless I am told to do so by an election judge, election authority, or a court of law in a proper judicial proceeding.  I also swear or affirm that I will make no statement nor give any information of any kind tending in any way to show the state of the count of votes prior to the close of the polls on election day, nor will I make any statement during the conduct of my duties which tends to show my preferences for any issue or candidate involved in the election.

Johnson County first implemented this program in 1996.  Since 1996, there have been over 2000 students participating as Missouri Youth.

If you would like to be involved in the election process as a Missouri Youth Participant, contact your high school History/Government instructor to inform them of your interest in working as a MO Youth.  In order for the students to be used at the election, an instructor or administrator at the school they attend must complete a Missouri Youth Election Participant Agreement form. Please contact the County Clerk’s Office at 660-747-6161 if you are interested in obtaining an agreement form.

Recipients of the Johnson County Election Authority Scholarship Program (pictured below).