Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals:

High School Voter Education Weeks (September 19–30, 2022) and 2022 California Student Mock Election (October 11, 2022)

Civic engagement will always be an ongoing learning experience. As educators, it is important to ensure that students are continuously learning how to become active and engaged participants in our democracy. It is never too early to motivate our students to get involved. We encourage your school to participate in High School Voter Education Weeks from September 19–30, 2022, to aid our young and future voters on the pathway of civic engagement, awareness, and voting.

It is now easier than ever to get sixteen- and seventeen-year-old students civically engaged through pre-registration. Once students pre-register to vote, they will automatically become eligible to vote when they turn eighteen years old. Pre-registration has been successful in California, with more than 900,000 pre-registrations since the program launched in September 2016.

To further involve students in the democratic process, we also encourage high school and middle school campuses to participate in the California Student Mock Election. The Mock Election is a program where students can participate in a simulated election process. The Mock Election will take place on October 11, 2022. Students will be able to cast their mock ballots for state candidates and statewide ballot measures that will appear on the actual ballot this November.

The California Secretary of State’s office can provide resources, and county elections officials can serve as partners to make it easy for schools to participate.

Here are some ideas and online resources to help you:

• To learn more about the California Secretary of State’s youth programs, please visit the California Secretary of State High School and Youth Initiatives web page at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/high-school-programs/.
• Encourage eligible students to visit the California Secretary of State California Online Voter Registration website at https://registertovote.ca.gov/ to register or pre-register to vote. Include the link in communications with parents and on the school website.
• Urge administrators, students, and parents to visit the Secretary of State’s High School and Youth Initiatives web portal at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/high-school-programs/, which includes important information about voter registration and pre-registration, the California Student Mock Election, the Student Poll Worker program, and High School Voter Education Weeks.
• Review the High School Voter Education Weeks section of the web portal, which provides an opportunity for high schools and students to partner with county elections officials to promote civic education and foster an environment that cultivates lifelong voters and active citizens.
• Register for the 2022 California Student Mock Election by September 19 on the California Secretary of State Student Mock Election – Login web page at https://studentmockelection.sos.ca.gov/Account/Login to receive a supply kit by mail. If you have any questions about the 2022 California Student Mock Election, please contact the Student Mock Election Team at MyVote@sos.ca.gov or 916-651-3070.

By working together, we can educate and encourage our young citizens to register to vote and turn out at the polls to ensure their voices are heard when they are eligible to vote.

If you have any questions about High School Voter Education Weeks or other civic engagement opportunities, please feel free to contact Jannell Jackson, Deputy Secretary of State, Voter Education and Outreach, at SosOutreach@sos.ca.gov or 916-584-3538, or the CDE High School Innovations and Initiatives Office, at 916-319-0893 or HSIIO@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D.
California Secretary of State

TT/SW:df

2022-02496