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Young people can pre-register to vote or get paid- $65-160 to be a poll-worker Nov. 5th
National Election Day Tuesday was part of a broader effort by California election officials, who launched a campaign lasting the next two weeks to boost participation among young voters and students on Election Day. Young people can pre-register to vote. Others can also get paid as much as $160 and have a day off from school to be a poll-worker on November 5th.
OAKLAND, Calif. - California election officials are putting in a two-week effort to boost voter participation among the state's youngest voters. Through the end of September, election officials will visit high schools and hold information sessions to make it easier for high school and college kids to register to vote.
On National Voter Registration Day Tuesday, the Oakland NAACP set up a voter registration table in the plaza at McClymond's High School in Oakland.
"I got a couple friends that are registering right now," Jeremy Ortiz, a McClymonds High School student said. "It's nice, because a lot of people like me don't have a lot of time because we have sports going on. So it's nice that we can just do it during lunch."
Election officials also are getting out the message that students under the age of 18 can pre-register to vote.
"To be a registered voter at 18 automatically was kind of good because I don't have to go out and find a place," said Da'mya Belford, a McClymonds High School student who stopped by the table.
Organizers say one important message is that young people's voices and votes matter.
"A lot of challenges, particularly in West Oakland, is that just the stigma that their votes don't matter. That there's no reason to vote," Anthony McNeal, an Alameda County Community Outreach Coordinator said.
"They have a voice. We always talk about student voices, having them be active and have leadership roles. And this is a good opportunity for them to show, display themselves," said Brian McGhee, a McClymonds High School Community Schools Manager, who had the idea for the event
"I'm 21. I missed the first presidential election when I was 18," McKenna Ingram said. Ingram is a student at Saint Mary's College in Moraga and is partnering with the Contra Costa County Elections Office and the League of Women Voters to hold a town hall for young people on Instagram, September 19 at 6 p.m It's part of the effort to reach young people and give them information.
"I know there are few people, my friends, who are deciding to not register and not vote," Ingram said. She says others, however, are feeling excited by the prospect of their first ballot in a presidential election.
Some students are inspired by the efforts of celebrities such as Taylor Swift, who encouraged her 284-million Instagram followers to visit the Vote.Gov site and register to vote.
The site reportedly saw more than 400,000 clicks right after Swift's post.
Ingram says she tries to talk with other young people about issues important to them to show them that engaging in politics has a purpose.
How to register to vote in California
With less than two months until Election Day, Tuesday marked National Voter Registration Day, as part of a big push to get voters ready to cast their ballots on Nov. 5.
"I know the most involved people have been is the TIkTok ban. Everyone is so scared that TikTok is going to go away. Frame more stuff that way," Ingram said.
"In the 2022 general election we had like a 31% turnout for Gen Z," said Dawn Kruger, a Contra Costa County Elections Spokesperson. "There's a lot of them and if they showed up in force, it could really make a difference."
Kruger says they plan to continue the school outreach through the end of September.
"We'll be at about 20 high schools all around the county from Brentwood to San Ramon," Kruger said.
Election officials say in addition to students registering to vote, they can also apply to become poll workers on Election Day. If approved, students 16-years-old and older can be excused from school and earn as much as $160 to be a poll worker.