As California prepares for the general election in November, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and the California Department of Education are encouraging schools to get students involved and excited about civic engagement through partnering to host a 2022 California Student Mock Election on Oct. 11, 2022. The last two weeks of September have been designated by the state as High School Voter Education Weeks.

This student mock election program is for middle and high schools and helps young people realize the importance of elections and the power of their vote in the democratic process. It allows students a glimpse into how government and politics affect their daily lives and provides firsthand experience with the electoral process by giving them a chance to make their voices heard on the candidates and issues important to them and their families. Once all the votes are counted, students will be able to compare their votes to those of their peers at schools from across the state.

Registration for the 2022 California Student Mock Election can be found on the Secretary of State California Student Mock Election web page at www.sos.ca.gov/elections/studentmockelection. The website provides the resources to register schools and obtain resources for holding a successful mock election. Participating schools must select a mock election coordinator for the program.

Supplies for conducting a well-run student mock election, including Student Voter Information Guides, ballots, posters, “I Voted” sticker templates and other materials are available on the Mock Election web page. The 2022 California Student Mock Election web page also contains a collection of standards-based lesson plans designed to engage students and share ideas that other schools have used as part of their mock election activities.

Another way to get students excited about civic engagement this year is to help them host a voter registration drive at their schools. Pre-registration is available in California to eligible 16- and 17-year-old students. California youth who pre-register to vote will have their registration become active once they turn eighteen. Students who are at least 16-years-old by Election Day can also get involved by becoming a poll worker — which comes with the opportunity to earn a stipend as well.