On April 12, the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District unanimously approved a proposal that makes the voter registration process easier for high school seniors.
According to AB 30, a bill passed in 2009, 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote as long as they turn 18 before the next election.
Under the new proposal, teachers would be required to inform students and provide the necessary forms.
Hazel Davalos, a community organizer from the nonprofit Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy, helped lead the effort, along with several SMJUHSD students.
Among them was Kareny Valverde, an 18-year-old senior at Santa Maria High School. Although she hasn’t registered to vote, Valverde told the Sun she’s in the process.
Valverde and other students consulted with Davalos last January to draft the proposal. She appeared before the district board in March and was surprised at how receptive its members were.
“It’s becoming more and more acceptable to be able to register while you’re in high school,” Valverde said. “We weren’t able to register on campus before.”
Within a few days, SMUJHSD spokesman Kenny Klein told the Sun that the district distributed up to 500 blank voter registration forms to all of its schools, which includes Santa Maria, Pioneer Valley, Delta, and Righetti high schools.
Klein said that several hundred students are affected by the new proposal. He added that his district hasn’t been educating students yet, but it may be too early.
According to Santa Maria High senior Elizabeth Bautista, 18, teachers will have to find a process of drafting a policy to fit with their already busy workday.
“Teachers will have to find a way to get it in their schedule, since teachers have all of the schedules planned out,” Bautista said.
Davalos said this is part of a statewide effort to get more high school seniors registered.
According to a report by UC Davis in January 2015, turnout among voters aged 18 to 24 was considerably less in 2014 than in 2010.
Davalos said some teachers already help students with registration, but she is hoping to make it universal.
“This policy will have a very significant impact on youth participation in Santa Maria and Guadalupe with very little work,” Davalos said. “The setup is very practical.”
This article appears in Apr 21-28, 2016.