In summary

CalMatters’s visited high schools and colleges in Stockton, Sacramento, and Fresno, to dig into ballot propositions with students.

As CalMatters’s election coverage hits TikToks and Reels this year, we’re being more intentional than ever about reaching young voters. It’s no different with our in-person VotingMatters event series: Five of the eight events we’ve done so far were at schools and colleges, and that’s by design.

Last week, VotingMatters came to the Central Valley with events at schools in Stockton, Sacramento, and Fresno. Students dug into the nuances of each ballot proposition in lively group discussions, and talked about the implications of raising the state minimum wage, allowing local governments to raise rent controls, or reclassifying some misdemeanors as felonies. Nearly all the students at our events shared one major frustration after learning more about the propositions: when voters must choose “Yes” or “No” on ballot measures, they’re forced to reduce issues with gray areas into a decision that’s black and white.

People sit in tables as they eat burritos and watch a video about a ballot proposition in a conference room at a college.
Attendees during a voter education event co-hosted by Stocktonia and CalMatters at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton on Sept. 24, 2024. Photo by Dan Hu, CalMatters

At our Sacramento State event, organized with CapRadio, student government leaders came to participate in group discussions, while student journalists with the State Hornet interviewed attendees. Our Stockton event, organized in collaboration with Stocktonia, reached students at San Joaquin Delta College, where the Office of Student Life put together a voter registration table. And for some of the older students at our Central East High School event in Fresno, they will be voting for the first time this November.

The importance of these in-person VotingMatters events is exactly the conversations that the attendees have with each other. That’s especially the case with young voters, who historically have not turned out to vote at the rates that older generations do.

This week, VotingMatters is coming to the Los Angeles metro area and the Inland Empire:

  • 9/30 at 6 pm – San Fernando – This event will be co-hosted with the San Fernando Valley Sun, at Bodevi Wine & Espresso Bar. Join for fun vibes in San Fernando. (Please note: Last week, the time of the event has been updated since our post last week. It now starts at 6pm.)
  • 10/1 at 9 am – Los Angeles – Join us for a light, practical breakfast session at the Japanese American National Museum’s Democracy Lab.
  • 10/2 at 2 pm – San Bernardino – CalMatters is teaming up with KVCR and San Bernardino Valley College. KVCR’s Executive Director, Connie Leyva, will be a guest speaker at this event at KVCR’s offices at 701 S. Mt. Vernon Ave., San Bernardino.
  • Please follow our events page as new sessions can be added on short notice.

For questions about specific events or how to have an event in your area, please contact dhu@calmatters.org.

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Dan Hu is the Director of Partnerships at CalMatters, where he interfaces with local and national publications, nonprofits, government staff, libraries and schools to maximize the impact of our journalism...