Your gift goes further during NewsMatch — donate today and double your impact! The Red & Black is a 501c3 nonprofit. From now until Dec. 31 your gift will be matched. Please consider a one-time gift or become a monthly supporter. Cancel anytime. For most young people, Election Day means finding a time to cast a ballot. But for Lucille Hayes, the day carries a different set of responsibilities. Hayes, a junior philosophy student at the University of Georgia, is one of the youngest Athens-Clarke County (ACC) poll workers in this election cycle. “There’s usually at least a 30-year age gap between me and the second youngest person,” Hayes said. Almost 60% of poll workers, across 37 states in the 2024 election were 61 or older, according to the Election Assistance Commission. Only 7.7% of poll workers in 2024 were between the ages of 16 and 25. Hayes is 20-years-old, and she joked that she’s the youngest person working at her polling location by “probably 80 years.” Brenda Crawford, a poll worker who works with Hayes, said she was excited when she found out Hayes’ age. “When you’re young, [being a poll worker is] something to experience,” Crawford said. “Me being a seasoned person, it’s something that the young people should get into.” Crawford said that Hayes has a mature attitude towards the work. “She approaches everything in a grown-up manner and does it respectfully. She’s a good worker,” Crawford said. “She’s a good person to work alongside.” Hayes became a poll…
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