Lincoln Students Staff Philadelphia Polls on Election Day
More than 100 Lincoln High School students worked a Mayfair polling place, a program that has grown from eight students in 2022.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Civic Engagement
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Election Day meant no school for the Philadelphia district, but more than 100 Lincoln High School students arrived at 6 a.m. to work the polls in Mayfair. The youth poll worker effort began in 2022 with eight students and has grown substantially since.
Why it matters
Local ward chairs had struggled to find enough poll workers as pandemic-era restrictions lifted, and the student program offers a recruitment pipeline for Philadelphia's polling places. The paid work also helps many students cover costs such as senior dues and prom outfits.
Student poll worker participation has grown from eight students in 2022 to 35 at the 2024 primary and more than 100 on Election Day, with each student paid $280. The extraction does not say how this compares with the total poll worker workforce for the city, and the overall share of staffing filled by students remains unclear.
The players
Sarah Caswell
Caswell is a science and special education teacher at Lincoln High School who leads the student poll worker program.
Lincoln High School
Lincoln High School is a Philadelphia public school whose students staff a Mayfair polling place as part of the youth poll worker program.
The details
Students hand out "I Voted" stickers and check voter registrations at the polls. The cohort is recruited from current students and returning alumni, covering every ability level, grade point average, language, culture, and political affiliation, and is led by science and special education teacher Sarah Caswell.
Timeline
In 2022, Caswell recruited eight students with learning disabilities at the request of local ward chairs.
By the 2024 primary election, the number of student poll workers had grown to 35.
On Election Day, November 3, 2026, more than 100 students arrived at 6 a.m. to work the polls.
Civic Pipeline
Philadelphia's ward system leaned on older volunteers as pandemic-era restrictions lifted, and Lincoln's program offers a concrete alternative by recruiting students into the polling workforce. The program's growth from eight students in 2022 to more than 100 on Election Day marks a shift toward building a new generation of poll workers.
Students hand out "I Voted" stickers and check registrations, so Philadelphia voters at the Mayfair polling place encounter student staff on Election Day. The paid poll worker roles also offer students at Lincoln a way to earn money for senior dues and prom outfits.
The takeaway
Youth participation in elections can fill real staffing gaps when schools, ward chairs, and teachers coordinate early. Students interested in poll work can ask their school or local ward about training and paid shifts.
Further reading
For more on how young residents take part in local elections, explore Civic Engagement coverage for Philadelphia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WHYY.
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