Voting
What is voting?
Voting is the process by which individuals express their preference—such as choosing a candidate or deciding on an issue—by casting or submitting a ballot
What is a ballot?
A paper form where people can vote on their choices
What are the names of people who run for office?
Candidates
What Is civic engagement?
Getting involved in your community to make a change
In California, this is how many days before Election Day in‑person early voting is available.
29 days at the Elections Office.
True or False: Can you vote online?
False but you can pre-register and register to vote online
Where can you turn in your completed ballot?
Polling place / Elections Office / Drop Box / Mail
How many branches of government are there?
3
What are some examples of civic engagement?
-Volunteering
-Voting (once you are of age)
-Stay informed
-Write letters to government officials
-Go to council/board meetings
When voting by mail in California, what must a voter do on the outer envelope for their ballot to be counted?
The voter must sign the identification envelope, and this signature is compared to the one on their voter registration record
At what age can you pre-register to vote in California?
16 years old
How often do general / presidential elections happen?
Every 4 years
What are the names of the branches of government?
- Legislative
- Executive
- Judicial
Why is Civic Engagement important?
-It empowers individuals
-Strengthens communities
-Leads to positive change
What happens if a voter's signature on the return envelope is missing or doesn't match the signature on file?
The voter is sent a notification (by mail, phone, or email) and given a chance to “cure” the ballot by completing a signature cure form or affidavit by two days before certification of the election.
Why is it important to vote?
- Gives you a voice in your community
- Influences our future
How often do primary elections happen in California?
Every 2 years / Every even numbered years
What are the two parts of the Legislative branch?
Senate and House of Representatives
True or False: Students can serve as poll workers and earn community hours or a $135 stipend for the day of service.
True
A student who meets the requirements to be a poll worker can serve their community on Election Day.
What is the deadline for a vote-by-mail ballot to be postmarked and received to count in California?
It must be postmarked on or before Election Day, and received by the county elections office within 7 days after Election Day.
What year were women granted the right to vote?
1920
Who can register to vote in California? (5)
A United States citizen
A resident of California.
18 years old or older on Election Day.
Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction.
Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
The Judicial branch is headed by....?
The Supreme Court
This is one way students can stay civically engaged at school, even before they’re old enough to vote.
Participating in student government or a school civic‑engagement club
True or False.
A California college student may use their parents’ home address as their legal residence (domicile) for voting purposes while listing their college dorm’s mailing address to receive their ballot—allowing them to both keep their residential voting district and receive their ballot at school.
True. California law allows students to keep their permanent home (such as their parents’ address) as their voting residence, while using a separate mailing address—like a dorm—for ballot delivery