With the November 3rd General Election right around the corner, the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley has been hard at work on a variety of Get Out the Vote initiatives, with a focus on engaging young voters! Youth engagement remains one of LWVDV’s top priorities this year, and these efforts have continued to expand throughout the election season.
 
High School and College Involvement
Our Voter Services team has been busy tabling at local college and high school campuses, encouraging students to register or pre-register to vote, answering their questions, and providing reliable, nonpartisan election information. Over the past several months, we have regularly held booths at events hosted by Diablo Valley College and both Los Medanos College campuses. We have also visited classrooms at Liberty High School in Brentwood, Campolindo High School in Moraga, and California High School in San Ramon to talk about voting and civic participation.
 
During our candidate forums in San Ramon, Clayton, and Walnut Creek, we were joined by several high school volunteers, who helped out at our membership and information tables, with card management and distribution, and as timers. The San Ramon Valley USD Board of Education forum was also joined by four San Ramon Valley High School students interested in media, who supported the CCTV team with tech throughout the event.
 
The Youth Council has also been active at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek, registering voters outside of LUSH Cosmetics as part of our national partnership with the company. During tabling events in September and October, Youth Council members encouraged shoppers to participate in our “LUSH Rush to Vote” campaign, shared nonpartisan election information, and reminded community members of important voting deadlines. Along the way, we had fun connecting with shoppers, meeting pets, and taking photos with our LWV photo frame!

Meanwhile, our Young Professionals Group hosted coffee socials and other events designed to make civic engagement accessible to young adults balancing busy work and school schedules. These gatherings give attendees opportunities to connect with one another and engage in conversations with fellow coffee-shop patrons about the importance of voting and finding reliable, nonpartisan information when making decisions about their ballots. 

Partnering on Outreach
Our youth engagement efforts have also extended beyond the League through a continued collaboration with local organizations who are also dedicated to getting out the vote in their communities, including the SAFE Center, United Latino Voices, and the League of Women Voters West Contra Costa County. In partnership with the SAFE Center, our youth members have been working on a series of short “How-To” Videos for social media, designed to engage young audiences and make different aspects of the voting process easier to understand. Centered on our GOTV message, “Voting is Easy - Tell Your Friends!”, the videos provide practical information to help voters navigate the election process with confidence. The first episode, “Voter Registration,” was released on National Voter Registration Day on September 15th, followed by episodes two and three, “Finding Reliable Information” and “Mail-In Ballots,” in mid-October. The fourth episode, “Ballot Drop Boxes,” was released last week. You can find all four videos on our Instagram (@lwvdiablovalley) or check them out on our YouTube (@LWVDV)! We encourage everyone to like, comment on, and share these videos to help expand their reach and ensure more voters have access to the information they need to participate confidently in the upcoming election.

League of Women Voters Diablo Valley has also been working with our partner organizations to expand our GOTV outreach through the creation and distribution of November 3rd General Election postcards in both English and Spanish. We distributed more than 4,000 postcards at voter education and community events, helping bring nonpartisan election information to voters across Contra Costa County. These postcards direct voters to the League’s election webpage, where they can access a variety of reliable voting resources, election information, and tools to help them make informed decisions. Through our partnerships with the SAFE Center, United Latino Voices, the League of Women Voters West Contra Costa County, Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano, Hijas Del Campo, and Contra Costa County Libraries, LWVDV has been able to extend our reach into diverse communities.

As Election Day nears, the League of Women Voters Diablo Valley remains committed to providing our communities with reliable, nonpartisan resources that make voting easy and accessible for all. You can support our efforts to Get Out the Vote by following the League on social media, liking and sharing our posts, and encouraging your friends, family, and neighbors to register and vote early!

Kamryn Young, LWVDV Communications and Youth Engagement Fellow