SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—The California State Assembly Wednesday passed the Student Voting Act on concurrence, sending the bill to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown. AB 2455, authored by Assemblymembers David Chiu (D-San Francisco) and Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), will increase voter registration and civic engagement among California students by creating an online link between class enrollment and voter registration for the almost three million students in California’s public college and university systems. The bill was the winner of Assemblymember Chiu’s first “There Ought to Be a Law” program and was proposed by two UC Berkeley Law Students, one of whom lives in San Francisco’s Mission District.
“Making it easier for students to register to vote when they enroll for classes is the first step in getting them to the polls,” said Assemblymember Chiu. “Students represent a significant segment of California’s eligible voting population, yet their voices are not being heard in our elections. Young adults face many challenges created by previous generations and need to get involved now to shape their futures.”
The Student Voting Act follows last year’s successful passage of California’s new Motor Voter law, which will automate voter registration for any eligible Californian who interacts with the Department of Motor Vehicles. The infrastructure created under AB 2455 will be the first step towards the establishment of an automated voter registration system for students enrolled at state public college and university campuses. These public educational institutions will serve as an important entry point to register thousands of additional Californians.
The bill builds on current efforts by California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and civic engagement advocates to expand online registration within California’s public education systems.
A policy brief issued last year by the UC Davis Center for Regional Change as part of the California Civic Engagement Project highlighted the participation gap for young Californians. In the 2014 general elections, the 18 to 24 year-old population in California had the lowest turnout for all age groups, making up a meager 3.9 percent of those who voted. The turnout problem begins with low registration: only about half of all young people are registered compared with 70 percent registration in other age groups.
“AB 2455 will help empower young voters to participate in the political process and give them a seat at the table in the critical decisions being made in California every day,” said Assemblymember Bonta, a joint author of the bill.
“This measure would mobilize thousands of next-generation voters into our political process,” said contest winner Paul Monge, a Mission District resident and UC Berkeley Law student.
“Today’s students will become tomorrow’s leaders and community members. It is so important to engage them today and ensure access to the polls so that we’ll have a more active and engaged citizenry,” said contest winner Cindy Dinh, who graduated from UC Berkeley Law this spring. . “I am excited to work with Assemblymember Chiu and his staff on this initiative through the ‘There Ought to Be a Law Program.’ I feel that constituents’ concerns and ideas can and do make a difference.
AB 2455 now heads to the desk of Governor Jerry Brown, who will have until September 30 act on it.
