sources of E-Day volunteers

Has anyone heard stories about people who have been sentenced to community service being assigned to a government office and then the supervisors have the people do election work as part of their "community service"?

Also, is it possible probation officers are soliciting their parolees to do political work? I knew a woman who was a juvenile probation officer and she was connected. Her dad was a judge who got his son a job with the Forest Preserve District too. So, if parole officers are political appointees I could see them encouraging their parolees to work elections. Is this being done, or am I overly suspicious?