(a)

(1) The county board of election commissioners may conduct a special election day program for high school students in one (1) or more polling places designated by the county board.

(2) The high school students shall be selected by the county board in cooperation with the local high school principal, the local 4-H club, the local Boy Scouts of America club, the local Girl Scouts club, or any other local organization for youth designated by the county board.

(3)

(A) A high school student selected for this program who has not reached his or her eighteenth birthday by the election day in which he or she is participating shall be called an election page.

(B) A high school student selected for this program who has reached his or her eighteenth birthday by the election day in which he or she is participating and meets the qualifications in § 7-4-109 may be an election official.

(b) The program shall:

(1) Be designed to stimulate the students' interest in elections and registering to vote;

(2) Provide assistance to the officers of election; and

(3) Assist in the safe entry and exit of elderly voters and voters with disabilities from the polling place.

(c) (1) Each student selected as an election page shall:

(A) Be granted an additional excused absence from school while working as an election page;

(B) Serve under the direct supervision of the election officials at his or her assigned polling place; and

(C) Observe strict impartiality at all times.

(2) An election page may observe the electoral process and seek information from the election officers but shall not handle or touch ballots, voting machines, or any other official election materials or enter any voting booth.

(3) An election page shall be in a volunteer position and shall not receive any compensation for performing his or her duties.

(4) Before beginning any duties, an election page shall take, before an election official, the following oath:

(d) (1) Each student selected to be an election official shall:

(A) Take the oath of the election officials in § 7-4-110;

(B) Serve under the supervision of the appropriate county board of election commissioners;

(C) Observe strict impartiality at all times; and

(D) Be granted an additional excused absence from school while working as an election official.

(2) A high school student selected to be an election official may be compensated according to § 7-4-112 if the county board of election commissioners determines that the high school students selected to be election officials should be compensated.