At a VotingMatters event, students realized they can run for their county school board

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Last week across VotingMatters voter education events, neighbors debated local measures, community members changed their minds on certain propositions, and students were inspired to one day run for their county’s school board.

On Monday, CalMatters and Noozhawk brought together around 30 people at Third Window Brewing Co.’s barrel room, where the audience debated Propositions 32, 33, and 36. Noozhawk’s executive editor Giana Magnoli presented on local issues, especially the controversial Measure P , which asks voters to approve a $198 million bond for Santa Barbara City College.

On Tuesday, the staff of Santa Cruz Local posed this trivia question to the audience: Out of 32 school board seats in Santa Cruz County, how many will not be decided by voters this November, due to a lack of candidates?

Crowded into the horticulture center at Cabrillo College, a wave of murmurs washed over the audience of more than 120 students and staff as the answer was revealed: 24 out of 32 seats. That means three-quarters of the county’s school board elections are either uncontested or have zero candidates. Immediately, one student asked about the eligibility requirements to run in the next election. Another asked if current students at Cabrillo could run: Yes they can, as long as they’re at least 18 years old and a resident of the county. By the end of the hour, at least one student expressed interest in running during a future campaign.

One of the most intimate VotingMatters events last week was at Bookshop Santa Cruz, an independently owned bookstore, and co-hosted with Lookout Santa Cruz . At the event, community organizers made new connections, and some attendees said they changed their minds on certain propositions after hearing opposing arguments.

Last week, VotingMatters also came to San Luis Obispo, working with the Latino Outreach Council , and Monterey County, at Cal State Monterey Bay . Matthew Reagan , assistant editor of the CalMatters College Journalism Network, also hosted a mini VotingMatters session at Boyle Heights Beat ’s VoterChat event in Los Angeles.

This week, VotingMatters is coming to the Bay Area:

• 10/20 at 11 am – Peninsula – Foster City Library.
• 10/21 at 6 pm – San Francisco – San Francisco Public Press @ Dogpatch Hub, register here .
• 10/22 at 7 pm – East Bay – Lafayette Library (reception included), register here .
• 10/23 at 11:30 am – Peninsula – Atherton Library.
• 10/23 at 6 pm – Peninsula – North Fair Oaks Library.
• 10/24 at 6 pm – Peninsula – Millbrae Library.
• 10/25 at 5 pm – South Bay – India Currents @ Shosha, register here .
• 10/26 at 11 am – Peninsula – Brisbane Library.

CalMatters is also co-presenting a virtual and in-person event this week:

• 10/22 at 7pm – Virtual and in-person in Los Angeles — “Will the Real Young Voters Please Stand Up?” co-presented with Zócalo Public Square, LAist 89.3, Los Angeles Local News Initiative, and Boyle Heights Beat. Register here .

Please monitor our events page as details can change on short notice.

Interested in hosting your own VotingMatters event? We’ve created an event kit to help anyone host similar events for their own communities. For questions about the event kit, or specific events we’re hosting, please contact dhu@calmatters.org .