Hands-on Democracy: The Transformative Power of Student Poll Workers
Posted by Forbes on September 2, 2025
Since 2006, professor Rachel Cobb has partnered with the City of Boston to recruit college students as poll workers through a political science course she teaches at Suffolk University on voting rights and election law. The course is structured to ensure students gain a comprehensive understanding of the electoral process before Election Day. The first half focuses on building knowledge from scholarly texts and practical insights about election administration. The second half of the course is focused on helping the students get practical experience as a poll worker, including trainings and experience applying their knowledge to the role. Throughout the semester, students learn about the mechanics of elections and experience firsthand the critical role ordinary citizens play in upholding democracy.
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