GRANTS - STUDENT ELECTION JUDGES

HELENA—Secretary of State Brad Johnson today announced the availability of $750,000 in Election Assistance Commission (EAC) grants through the Help America Vote Act College Program (HAVA).  He explained the EAC grants are available to institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations so they can help local election administrators in the effort to train college-age individuals to be election poll workers.

Johnson said, “Montana’s elections are among the cleanest and fairest in the country, and it takes all of us to keep them that way. With grants like these, we can help young Montanans preserve our system of self-government into future generations.”

This year the EAC has tripled the total award amount available for programs that encourage college students to serve as poll workers from $250,000 in 2006 to $750,000.  The EAC will award up to 50 grants with no less than $10,000 each.  The EAC has also moved the application deadline from June to April with a shortened application period that ends April 21, 2008.

Any application questions may be directed to HAVA Specialist Justus Wendland at (406) 444-7911 and jwendland@mt.gov.

###