Civic & Voter Empowerment
Voter Registration Information
National Voter Registration Day - September 20th
Registration deadlines
By mail (postmarked by) - October 24th
In-person at voting location on Election Day - November 8th
Online - October 24th
Voting deadlines:
Return ballot by mail (postmarked by) - November 8th
Return ballot in person - November 8th
Cabrillo College's Civic & Voter Empowerment Storyboard
Cabrillo student, staff, faculty and administration get and give inspiration. Civic engagement is for every age, every citizenship status, and every ethnicity. The more input the better informed and compassionate we are for each other, ourselves, and our world!
Join us! -Add your voice to our storyboard!
We have two new prompts for Fall2022.
How to Register to Vote
In Person
You may complete a Voter Registration Card at the Santa Cruz County Elections Office located at 701 Ocean St., Room 310 in Santa Cruz, CA.
Voter Registration Cards are also available at many public locations in Santa Cruz County including U.S. Post Offices, public libraries, Department of Motor Vehicles offices, as well as many government offices.By Phone
You may request that a Voter Registration Card be mailed to you by calling the Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections office at 831-454-2060 or 866-282-5900.Online
This online voter registration form will allow you to fill out and submit a California registration application electronically. In order to submit the application electronically you must provide your California Drivers license or identification number, date of birth and last four digits of your social security number. If an exact match is found with your DMV record and an electronic signature image is available your application will be complete.
If there is no DMV signature match or if you do not provide your California Drivers License/State Identification number or last four digits of your Social Security Number, the online system will generate a printable, pre-filled voter registration application and instruct you to print, sign and mail it to your county elections office.
The deadline to register for any election is 15 days before the Election Date. Online applications will be considered timely for the election if submitted by midnight on the deadline. If you are required to print, sign and return your form by mail, please do so immediately. Your printed application will include a date and time stamp for our office to verify the timeliness of the application.
How to Vote
You May Vote:
Any voter may go to any voting location. Services will include:
· obtaining a replacement ballot - you do not need to bring in the ballot we mailed you. Previously issued ballot voided when you come in to vote.
· voting and turning in the ballot mailed to you,
· using the Tablet to vote on an accessible ballot or a ballot in Spanish, and
· registering and voting on the same day.
Cabrillo Colleg's Civic & Voter Empowerment Storyboard: Inspirational Experiences & Stories
Registering As Adam
In 2012 I completed a legal name and gender change through the Santa Cruz County Superior Court as part of my gender transition. At the time, I worked on the 3rd floor of the County government building and would walk by the County Clerk's office where folks would come to register to vote. I quickly realized that, with my updated name and information on my Drivers License I'd need to re-register to vote with my new name and information. I asked our then County Clerk and Registrar of Voters, Gail Pellerin, if I needed an appointment to come in and re-register. She told me to come by any time and when I did - with my husband and best friend who also needed to re-register to vote with their updated name and gender information - Gail all but threw us a celebratory party for registering to vote as our true and authentic selves, and helped us fill everything out so that there would be no issues down the road when it came time to vote. I share this story to make sure folks know how incredibly important our County Clerk's office holds everyone's right to vote, and to make sure this right is honored and valued.
-Adam Spickler
Mail-in Ballots Helped Relieve Stress
After learning about American history in the 8th grade, participating in a constitution competition debate team, and taking a trip to Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washing ton D.C. I registered to vote when I was eighteen. When I first voted it was stressful.
Where do I go?
What do I do?
And who and what am I voting for?
It was overwhelming and I was deterred even though I really wanted to do it. After that I switched to mail in ballots and always schedule time to research and vote.
-Holland Parker
My first voting experience was for George McGovern for POTUS in 1972. I was inspired by listening to the gunshot death of my hero, Robert F Kennedy, the evening of the June primary election in CA in 1968. Just months before, MLK was assassinated in Memphis. I thought, certainly that would NEVER happen in Los Angeles. I had my transistor radio tuned into KNX news radio in LA. I was falling asleep , in bed, when the sound of gunfire from the radio and screams of people woke me. I was yelling and crying. I woke up my sister and mom who ran into my room. We then went to the TV to watch the gruesome details. I vowed, at that moment, I would NEVER miss an election. And my three attempts at elected office, 2 being successful, are in memory of RFK and that terrible night. I consider my vote to be sacrosanct. My vote encouraged me to become a social science teacher in CA public schools for 36 years (now retired).
-Steve Trujillo
Generational Voting
Just Waiting to Vote
My son really got into elections and the voting process this fall for the first time. He is 13 years old and is ready to express his opinion! Go future voter!
- Sara Decelle
3rd Generation Voter
I am a third generation voter. I know my vote counts. As a proud gay Latino senior, I know that my vote is as important as anyone else's vote.
-Steve Trujillo
Voter Suppression and Solutions
Engagement is Key
When I volunteered to canvas for Obama's 2008 Presidential Campaign in San Francisco, I asked people if they were registered to vote. Most people said they were not registered and the reason was that voting wouldn't make a difference. Most of the people who decided to register to vote after speaking with me did so because of our conversation, learning the history of suffrage, and the form and pen in my hand. Engagement, education, and accessibility are key.
- Holland Parker
Why are they making it illegal to hand out water and/or food to people in line to vote?
Solution: Have a company (the larger the better, Coke/Pepsi) set up a table(s) with free food and drinks at voting places for voters to take before they get in line to vote.
- Troy
Voter suppression is REAL. Sadly, dictatorship is making a comeback in many nations around the world, including Myanmar, Turkey, Hungary, Brazil, Russia and others.
Voter suppression is happening now in Georgia, Florida Texas and a variety of states in the US!
-Steve
Voter suppression is REAL.
It is happening now in Georgia, Florida Texas and a variety of states in the US!