The next statewide election is the November 3, 2026 General Election
Maintaining a Nonpartisan Educational Approach
If participants ask for additional information or attempt to draw you into a discussion about the League's position during a Pros & Cons presentation, remind them that the purpose of the event is education, not advocacy. The goal is to provide voters with balanced, factual information so they can make informed decisions when they cast their ballots.
A simple way to explain this distinction is:
“The League has two sides to its work. Today, you are getting the education side—not the advocacy side.”
It can feel challenging to maintain this distinction, but it is extremely important. Keep the conversation light and focused on the educational purpose of the event. If participants want to learn more about the League's positions or advocacy work, direct them to the LWVC website (or your League's website) for additional information.
Most importantly, do not advocate for or against a League position during or after the event. Avoid offering to discuss the League's position privately with participants afterward or suggesting that you can provide advocacy information “off the record.” The educational role should remain consistent throughout the event and any related conversations.
2026 General Election Materials
Easy Voter Guide
Our Easy Voter Guide helps the election make sense. English language versions are available at easyvoterguide.org. The Spanish version will be available on August 28. The Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese versions will be available on September 8.
Pros & Cons
Pros & Cons will be available as a PDF on September 8. We will also provide a slide deck for use in presentations. You will find links for the resources here!
We will also publish InDepth materials, which are intended for Local League use and are not for public distribution. These papers provide background, history, and analysis of each ballot measure to help Local Leagues prepare and become familiar with the issues before conducting presentations.
These resources are strictly voter education, not advocacy. While LWVC has taken positions on and is actively supporting or opposing various measures on the ballot, those advocacy positions should remain separate from Pros & Cons educational presentations. If LWVC is listed as a supporter or opponent of a measure, that information may be included when presenting the official lists of supporters and opponents.
"Promote the Vote" - a program by the CA Secretary of State
Promote the Vote California is an initiative created by the Secretary of State to promote a business community that values civic engagement. It is aimed to foster partnerships, empower communities, and amplify voices to create a strong and inclusive California. The LWVCEF is an official partner of this program, and we will provide all resource material available here.
Promotional Materials
- Purchase VOTE411 bookmarks and lawn signs at the LWVCEF Store
- Visit CaVotes.org for voting and election info
"Evergreen" Voter Engagement Resources
Pollworker Information
Poll Worker Training Standards
Brief overview of election administration law
Pros & Cons
Candidate Forums
- LWVC Policy on Empty Chair Debates/Forums
- Watch our Virtual Candidate Forum Webinar (1/14/2021)
Virtual Candidate Forum: Summary of Things to Consider, Options, Suggestions and Resources
Virtual Candidate Forum: Sample Candidate Communications
Virtual Candidate Forum Webinar: PowerPoint
Virtual Candidate Forum Webinar: Follow-Up Questions, Answers, and Additional Handouts- Voter Service Handbook (2018)
- Candidate Participation Policy - How to use the LWVCEF Candidate Participation Policy for Statewide Debates or Forums
- Guidelines for co-sponsorship of candidate forums
- Guidelines to writing unbiased questions
- Recommendations in considering different format options for multi-candidate forums
- Civil Discourse in Candidate Forums
- Candidate Forum Guidelines (.doc)
- Checklist for Day of Forum (.doc)
- Checklist for Moderators (.doc)
- Candidate Forum Step-Grid 6 candidates
- Candidate Forum Blank Grid
- Sample Letters to Candidates (.docx)
- Sample Intro of Moderator (.docx)
- Tips on Moderating Candidate Forums (webinar 12/19)
- Sample Moderator Training from LWV Oakland, added 2020
Ballot Measure Presentations
- How to Evaluate Ballot Propositions (.doc)
- Sample Presentation Script (.doc)
- Speaker Tips (.doc)
- LWV Santa Clara Moderator Training (February 2014) (on YouTube)