HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania launched its 2026-27 Governor’s Civic Engagement Award program Tuesday, setting voter-registration benchmarks for high schools and recognizing students who work at the polls as part of a statewide effort to involve young people in the electoral process.
The Departments of State and Education have operated the program since the 2017-18 school year. High school students have helped about 33,000 eligible classmates register to vote since its inception, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt.
Pennsylvania high schools qualify for Gold Awards by registering at least 85% of their eligible students and Silver Awards by reaching at least 65%. Students can earn separate Student Poll Worker Awards by participating in a voter-registration drive at their school and serving as poll workers during the November general election.
“What better way to celebrate National Voter Registration Day than by highlighting a program that encourages young people to learn about and engage their peers in our electoral system,” Schmidt said.
The Department of State launched this school year’s program with a virtual presentation for county election officials, high school faculty and students. Lynda Hauman, a faculty adviser for the program, and 2025-26 Student Poll Worker Award recipient Liam Hynes discussed practices for organizing voter-registration events.
Both are from Delta High School in Centre County, a repeat Gold Award recipient. The school was one of two in the program’s history to register 100% of its eligible students during the previous school year.
“As a social studies teacher, participating in the program aligns with my ultimate goal as an educator — to prepare students for their future lives,” Hauman said. “By ensuring that eligible students are registered to vote, they face one less barrier to participation in our democracy as adults.”
Hynes graduated from Delta High School in June and now attends Penn State University, where he plans to pursue a double major in philosophy and secondary education social studies.
“An opportunity to be a student poll worker felt like the moment to start engaging in this big picture system, and the experience was incredibly formative,” Hynes said.
To register to vote, participating students must be U.S. citizens, have lived in their voting district for at least 30 days, and be at least 18 years old, or be 17 and turn 18 on or before the next election. Students must be at least 17 and obtain permission from their principal and parent or guardian to serve as poll workers.
Secretary of Education Carrie Rowe encouraged Pennsylvania schools to provide eligible students with opportunities to register.
“The best education prepares learners for success in civic life,” Rowe said. “The more we teach the next generation about the power they can exercise at the ballot box, the more we can expect a bright future for everyone in Pennsylvania.”
The Department of State indicated additional information about the Governor’s Civic Engagement Award program is available at vote.pa.gov/gcea.
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