Election Administration Internship Program

Position Description

Position Title: Election Administration Fellowship
Department/Program: University of Michigan – Initiative for Democracy & Civic Empowerment (DCE)
Employment Type: Summer Internship (Paid)
Term: Summer 2026 (approximately June 1 through August 14)
Work Schedule: Average of 30 hours per week.
Work Location: In-person at a host Michigan city or county election office
Open To: Current U-M undergraduate and graduate students (Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint Campuses)
Compensation: Paid; $18 hourly wage. 

Position Summary

The Election Administration Internship Program is a statewide program designed to introduce students to the electoral process and public service, while helping build a pipeline of future election administration leaders.

In partnership with local election jurisdictions across Michigan, interns will be embedded in city and county election offices to support election operations during the summer 2026 cycle. Because Michigan’s statewide primary occurs in early August, interns will have the opportunity to experience the full operational cycle — pre-election preparation, Election Day operations, and post-election processes.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities vary by jurisdiction and may include:

• Supporting voter registration and election administration workflows 

• Assisting with election logistics, including preparing materials, checklists, supplies, and office workflows

• Supporting absentee ballot preparation and processing (e.g., organizing materials, preparing mailings, following established procedures)

• Assisting with poll worker recruitment, communication, scheduling support, and training preparation

• Providing Election Day support and assisting with time-sensitive office needs

• Supporting post-election closeout tasks (e.g., organization, documentation support, reconciliation-oriented tasks as assigned)

• Participating in program evaluation/reflection activities as requested by DCE (e.g., brief check-ins, summaries of work completed)

Interns will be expected to maintain nonpartisan professionalism and follow all office policies, procedures, and applicable election laws.

Cohort & Professional Development

In addition to site-based work, interns will participate in a cohort experience facilitated by DCE, which may include:

• An initial training day to learn about elections including election laws and administration;

• Regular cohort meetings for peer learning and shared problem-solving;

• Expert guest speakers on election administration and democracy;

• A cohort trip to Lansing to meet with state election leaders.

Supervision & Support

Interns are dually supported by:

• DCE Program Manager (U-M): primary program supervisor for regular check-ins, support, and administrative coordination (including compensation processes).

• Host Election Office Supervisor: day-to-day task guidance and on-site support.

Placement & Matching 

Interns will be matched with participating city/county election offices across Michigan. Applicants will indicate the regions of Michigan where they are willing to serve; placements will prioritize student regional preferences where possible and program site needs. Potential locations include Ann Arbor, Canton, Dearborn, Detroit, Farmington Hills, Flint , Grand Rapids, Lansing, Livonia, Marquette, Ottawa County, Pontiac, Sterling Heights, Traverse City, and Ypsilanti.

To ensure equitable access to the program, if students are moving to a third location for the program, – away from their campus or home community – we will offer up to $1,000 travel relocation stipend.

Deadline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

FAQ

If you have questions about the program, please visit the FAQ at https://democracy.umich.edu/ea-fellowship/.

Application Questions

Resume upload

Short cover letter / statement of interest

In your cover letter, please include responses to 1) why are you interested in the Election Administration Internship Program and election administration work, and 2) what interests you about nonpartisan public service?

As part of the program, we will match selected interns with election administration offices across Michigan. The matching process will prioritize student requests as much as possible. Please select all the regions in Michigan that you would be willing to work in for the summer internship program:

• Ann Arbor Area (Washtenaw County)

• Metro Detroit (Wayne, Macomb, and Oakland County)

• West Michigan (Grand Rapids, Southwest Michigan)

• Mid Michigan (Lansing area)

• Central Michigan (Flint, Saginaw, Bay City, Midland)

• Northern Michigan (the northern lower peninsula)

• Upper Peninsula 

Out of the following locations, please tell us the top 3 jurisdictions you would be interested in interning in-person at: and why. The list of potential jurisdictions are Ann Arbor, Canton, Dearborn, Detroit, Farmington Hills, Flint , Grand Rapids, Lansing, Livonia, Marquette, Ottawa County, Pontiac, Sterling Heights, Traverse City, and Ypsilanti.

Confirm you are a current U-M undergraduate or graduate student through Summer 2026.

Confirm you are an eligible registered voter in the United States.

Confirm you can work in-person at a Michigan city/county election office site.

Confirm you can handle sensitive information and will follow confidentiality requirements and office policies.

Required Qualifications

• Current U-M undergraduate or graduate student through Summer 2026;

• Interest in nonpartisan public service, civic engagement, elections, public administration, or related work;

• Strong attention to detail, reliability, and comfort working with deadlines;

• Professional communication skills and ability to work effectively as part of a team;

• Ability to work in-person at the assigned Michigan election office site;

• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and follow confidentiality requirements;

• Be an eligible registered voter within the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with government or civic organizations

• Willingness to be placed outside the Ann Arbor area, depending on program matching