Three Cities, One Day: Youth Lead the Vote

“We are delighted that for the first time in recent history, we celebrated National Voter Registration Day across our three cities in Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville.…We hope to do more in the future that includes all the cities!” Co-Presidents Sharon Goldfarb and Kandea Gandhi said.

Held nationwide every September, National Voter Registration is a significant day with a single goal to make sure no eligible voter gets left behind–especially youth preparing to cast their first ballots. Getting registered early-on builds a lifelong habit of civic participation and gives high school and college students a voice in local issues that directly affect and shape their everyday lives. To contribute to this mission, the LWVBAE coordinated registration drives for National Voter Registration Day across Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville on the same day.

At Berkeley High School, student volunteers brought some fun to lunchtime by handing out voter pre-registration forms. They also explained to eligible peers that they are able to vote in local school board elections and encouraged them to pre-register so they can be ready to vote immediately after turning 18. League Youth Intern Charlie Glasser, a Senior at Berkeley High school, shared the positive energy: “Encouraging other students to sign up went pretty well! I think doing this every year is so important because it allows students to get involved and learn about voting. I also had fun getting out of my comfort zone and talking to a lot of new people.”

National Voter Registration Day marked a special milestone: the League’s first voter registration drive at Emery High! Youth LWVBAE board member Brayden Livingston, a senior at Emery High School, set up a table at the gate alongside Elise, welcoming students with pre-registration forms. Brayden reflected on the experience: “We got about a third of my grade to register or pre-register! Youth voters have a lot of power, and it’s important to get them civically engaged earlier rather than later.”

At Albany High School, student leaders spread the news of Voter Registration Day through the daily announcement, eye-catching posters with QR codes, and history class presentations on local ballot measures. Youth LWVBAE board member Sophia Lara, a senior at Albany High school, explained their approach: “It’s just all about making sure students know how easy it is to get involved.

At Berkeley City College, the team ran drives all day so both daytime and evening students could participate. The effort was filled with cheerful energy thanks to the Political Science Student Association (PSSA) and Co-Presidents Natalia and Juliu, along with Professor Matt Freeman, who inspires his students to take civic life seriously.

By the end of the day, over 75 new voters were registered and ready to contribute their voices in the upcoming election!

“Every one of those registrations is a young person, a working student, or a neighbor who now has a voice on November 3rd,” Goldfarb said. “Today showed us what’s possible when we meet people where they are. Next year, we want to be back at every one of these campuses, and expand to even more!”

The registration deadline for the November 3 election is October 19. Missed it? California offers same-day conditional registration at county elections offices and vote centers. Register or check your status at registertovote.ca.gov.

– Genevieve Yang