Vocational students to work polling stations during 2021 elections

MBO level vocational students will be tapped to fill many of more than 70 thousand voluntary roles required for the 2021 General Election scheduled in March. The election will decide who sits in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch Parliament, and ultimately the formation of the next ruling coalition, the Prime Minister, and their Cabinet.

The expectation is that a higher than normal amount of staff will be needed because of extra restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. Among the changes is a longer period for people to cast their ballots, which would normally happen in a single day.

The decision was made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with the VNG, an association of the country's municipalities, and the NVVB representing citizen affairs.

President of the MBO Council, Adnan Tekin, sees this as a win-win situation. The 16- to 20-year-old students get the opportunity to put the skills they learned in school to use as facility staff, hosts and security guards. At the same time, the municipalities can better ensure that the elections are held safely.