Student Voter Engagement

California Students Vote Project and Mock Election

The California Students Vote Project was created in 2016 by then Secretary of State Alex Padilla in partnership with then California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, now Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, and three nonprofit organizations: California Public Interest Research Group, California Common Cause, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. The California Students Vote Project is a first-of-its-kind partnership in the nation, where all major institutions of higher education in California have solidified commitments to partner with the Secretary of State’s office and encourage student civic engagement efforts, with the shared goal of promoting a democracy that is more inclusive of student voices. This project can occur in tandem with Constitution Day , a federal requirement enacted in 2005, which designates each September 17 as Constitution Day.

Additionally, to encourage students to become active voters once they are old enough to cast a ballot, the Secretary of State and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) invite high school and middle school students, teachers, and principals to participate in the California Student Mock Election. For more information, please visit the California Student Mock Election page on the California Secretary of State's website.

High School Voter Education Weeks

California Education Code sections 49040–49041 designate the last two weeks of April and September as High School Voter Education Weeks and authorize schools to designate students as voter outreach coordinators. With county elections officials as partners, available resources make it easy for schools to participate. Teachers can help eligible students who will be eighteen years old by the next election learn how to register to vote, either on a paper form or online. Voter outreach coordinators can lead registration drives and other related school activities.

The SSPI and the Secretary of State encourage students, educators, and school leaders to celebrate High School Voter Education Weeks by incorporating civic engagement activities. Here are some ideas and resources to help get started:

• Learn more about the High School Voter Education Weeks .
• Visit the Secretary of State’s High School and Youth Programs portal .
• Find and connect with your local County Elections Offices .
• Register to vote online .
• Read the California Voter Bill of Rights .
• View the CDE Resources to Support Civic Engagement web page.
• Read the California Task Force on K–12 Civic Learning Report, Revitalizing K-12 Civic Learning in California: A Blueprint for Action (PDF).