MYVOTE California
MYVOTE California: Inspiring a New Generation of Young Voters
Sponsored by the California Department of Education and the California Secretary of State's Office

Register your high school today

Young people have the potential to be a force in elections, but only if they get involved and make voting a habit.

To encourage students to be active voters once they are old enough to cast a ballot, Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell are inviting high school students, teachers and principals to join MyVote California, their statewide youth civic engagement project.

MyVote California, working with the California Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, will tap into the excitement of the 2008 presidential primary election to offer high school students a chance to learn about the candidates and issues, and gain firsthand lessons on the power of voting and how government and politics affect every part of their lives. Students will vote for their choice in a mock election to be held on January 28-29, one week before California's Presidential Primary Election.

For Principals: REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL at http://mockelection.sos.ca.gov/. You will need to designate a campus election coordinator to serve as the school's main contact for the project and to report your school's presidential primary election results. We hope the MyVote California Fact Sheet at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/student_mock_election/myvote_flyer_final.pdf will help answer questions that teachers and others may have about the high school mock election.

For Teachers: Democracy Central - A Teacher's Guide for the 2008 Election at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sme_curriculum.htm features standards-based lesson plans and suggested activities selected by the California Campaign to the Civic Mission of Schools to help stir student interest in elections, candidates and political campaigns. It includes useful online resources that will help students participate in a cornerstone of our democracy.

For Students: Get your high school to join MyVote California and show you want to be a force in elections. Consider opportunities to learn and earn working as a student poll worker during California's February 5, June 3, and November 4, 2008, elections. As a student poll worker you may be eligible for stipends ranging from $60 to $150, depending where you live. To sign up and learn more, contact your county elections office at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_d.htm.

If you have questions, please contact the MyVote California Team at myvote@sos.ca.gov or (916) 651-3070.

List of Participating Schools (As of November 21, 2007) is at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/student_mock_election/report_participating_schools.pdf
Total participating California Counties 33 of 58

Calendar

October 2007: 10/24 School registration for mock election begins

November 2007: Curriculum available now: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sme_curriculum.htm

December 2007:
12/7 Schools registering by this date will receive materials by mail (see below for how to print materials from web site)

January 2008:
1/4 Mock election materials mailed to schools
1/27 Schools registering by this date will print materials from the Web site
1/28-29 Students vote
1/29 School election results due by 5:00 p.m. to Secretary of State
1/30 Secretary of State will release the results of the mock election

February 2008: 2/5 California Presidential Primary Election Day

2006 Student Mock Election Results are at: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/studentmockelection_06_results.htm

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