Cook County Clerk to Honor Student Election Judges at Orland Park Event (Cook County, IL) – The Cook County Clerk’s Office will recognize student election judges who participated in its “Defenders of DA’mocracy” program during a special event on April 26 at Dave & Buster’s in Orland Park.
The celebration will honor dozens of high school students from Orland Park and surrounding communities who took part in the early voting initiative during the March gubernatorial primary election. The program, launched in partnership with the Chicago Bears, engaged students in the election process by having them serve as election judges.
The event begins at 2 p.m. at the Dave & Buster’s location at 49 Orland Square and will include food, T-shirts and game cards for participants.
In addition to the recognition, students will participate in a brief session focused on the importance of civic engagement and how they can continue encouraging voter awareness, registration and participation among their peers.
A total of 24 suburban high schools participated in the program’s inaugural rollout. Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon said the office plans to expand the initiative ahead of the November gubernatorial election.
“These students stepped up in a real way and helped make this program a success,” Gordon said. “They didn’t just learn about the process—they helped carry it out and brought their peers into it.”
The “Defenders of DA’mocracy” program is part of broader efforts to increase youth engagement in elections and build a pipeline of future civic leaders.
Cook County Clerk to Honor Student Election Judges at Orland Park Event
