It was through this work that Rep. Payton realized his desire for public service and consequently, pursued and won a seat in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, making him the youngest elected official in the Commonwealth at the time.
In 2007, Rep. Payton was elected president of the Pennsylvania Young Democrats, a statewide organization with 47 chapters throughout the Commonwealth.
As president of PYD, Rep. Payton has led a campaign to engage young professionals throughout Pennsylvania to join in the democratic process.
He introduced legislation to create the Pennsylvania Youth Commission and authored the REACH Scholarship Initiative.
[4] Prior to elective office, Payton worked as a housing counselor for the United Communities in South Philadelphia.