Student judges take active role at polling sites despite inability to vote on Election Day

CHICAGO (WLS) -- They are not old enough to vote in the 2020 election, but they insist on doing what they can.

Voters get guidance from election judges, and among the volunteers are student election judges.

Student judges have the same training as other election judges, except the difference is that they are teenagers between the ages of 16- and 18-years-old.

"I wish I could vote," said Student Election Judge Max Silverman.

Silverman is a week shy of his 18th birthday and his legal right to vote.

"I missed it by seven days," he said.

But the Lane Tech High School senior wanted to do something to help make sure other votes counted.

"Even if we can't vote, we have a responsibility to take an active role in our democracy because we can still make a difference," said fellow Student Election Judge Ben Sachs.

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Sachs was excused from classes at the University of Chicago Lab School to be a student election judge in Lincoln Park.

The high school junior also wishes he could vote, and said he hopes those who can vote do.

"Our system, and no matter how flawed it may be, can only be improved and work if we all participate and try to actively improve it," Sachs said.

The Chicago Board of Elections said this year there were more student election judges they said there were 1,600 in March, and at last count, there were more than 2,800 teens volunteering as an election judges working this Election Day.