This year’s Election Day, on Nov. 5, offered a unique opportunity for voters and community members to take initiative.
For 2026’s Class Council, hosting a bake sale at local community centers as well as schools was the perfect opportunity to fundraise for their class events including prom. This idea, combined with the high turnout of voters with an appeal for baked goods, created a successful event that inspired the council to continue to make events like this one.
“Election Day is once every four years, and we know that people are coming in and out of the building and polling all the time,” Class of 2026 historian Alana Watkins said. “We thought that we [would] get a really large audience if we set up at a polling place.”
The students aimed to raise funds for their prom and graduation which sparked interest in this bake sale. Election Day presents a captive audience: voters who are already out and about, often waiting in line and looking for a quick snack. This large influx of potential customers provided the perfect setting for a bake sale.
“This election was so big so we knew that there was going to be significantly more people voting,” Watkins said.
However, executing this plan was not without challenges. Setting up at a polling place required navigating various regulations. The group initially contacted multiple community centers and schools, hoping to secure a location.
“We contacted all these polling places, but there are a lot of regulations regarding voting and elections. So it took us a while to find a venue,” Class of 2026 president Justin Kim said.
However, setting up the event wasn’t without its fair share of challenges. The group faced numerous setbacks including venue changes.
“One day before the bake sale, we got a call from our sponsor saying that our venue backed out,” class of 2026 vice president Esha Madamalla said.
However, through calling and emailing, they were successful in locating another venue for the event. Once they secured the location, the group was strategic in their offerings. Knowing they would be there from early morning when the polls opened, they decided to focus on breakfast/bakery items. They successfully planned to attract working voters who were commuting in the morning. By understanding the customer base they were able to make a large sale using attractive products like muffins and donuts.
“We tried to take advantage of the people who were coming from or going to work, so coffee sold a lot,” Kim said.
The bake sale not only served as a fundraiser but also as a community engagement and service event. It became a space where voters could grab a snack, warm up with drinks and enjoy the sense of community that Election Day brings. The students even found it to be a learning experience which inspired them to do more events like this.
“It’s a relatively easy way to make money,” Kim said.