Youth encourage peer voting in San Mateo County

“We’re trying to reach that age range in high schools … and getting future voters. They’re embracing voting and learning about it,” said Newell. “There were people telling me they weren’t old enough to vote but wanted to do this as a way of getting peers to vote or educate peers around voting.” 

The three-minute video walks the viewer through the election process, including how to check one’s registration status and how to cast a ballot through the mail, in a drop-box or at a vote center. Initially, Livesay, who provided voice-over for the project, said the voting process seemed daunting but now she feels prepared to cast a ballot when the time comes.

Livesay got involved with the SFPPP during the summer when she’d typically be busy with other activities canceled due to the pandemic. Because politics and social activism have always been a passion for Livesay and her mother, she said, she felt energized to reach out to peers about the importance of voting. 

“We really wanted to emphasize why it’s important to get your voice out there and how. Being a first-time voter can be stressful and we wanted to encourage people to vote and to help them understand the ballot, how to make sure it’s properly signed, and that they thought about a plan for Election Day,” said Livesay. 

Despite being too young to vote, Livesay said she and her friends have been regularly discussing politics, social change and voting. She said her generation is proof that the idea young people don’t care about politics is false. 

“Honestly, I very much disagree with that. Me and my peers are proof that’s not true. My generation is especially advocates of politics. We’re very opinionated,” said Livesay. 

Sharing Livesay’s perspective, Newell encouraged those who believe young people are politically apathetic to watch their video and pay attention to many social justice movements being led by teenagers. 

Here in San Mateo County, multiple Black Lives Matter demonstrations calling attention to police brutality against people of color were organized by groups of teens and Newell noted anti-gun violence movements in Florida and Texas have been led by similar age groups.  

Roth-Newell, who provided the music and rapped in the video, said youth political and social engagement is at an all-time high and said the violence that has accompanied national civil unrest has motivated young people to drive change. 

“To me it shows that the next generation, the generation that is in their youth and teenage years now, is super hungry to make a change and they’re aggressive in that too. They’re not sitting back biting their tongues hoping an outcome to their benefit will appear,” said Roth-Newell. 

Social movements have often involved young people, national political involvement among young voters has also increased this election cycle, seen in youth turnout in San Mateo County as well. 

Chief Elections Officer Mark Church said youth turnout for the 2020 General Presidential Election is likely to surpass that of 2016. Young voters 18 to 24 years old have an early turnout rate of 53% this year whereas total young voter turnout in 2016 was 65%. 

“I think this is being really participatory. This is a higher than normal turnout rate for that age group,” said Church, noting the figures are not “an apples to apples comparison” but indicative of an overall increase in participation. 

While those involved in the creation of the video have their own perspectives on social events occurring nationally, each noted the goal of the project was to get anyone who watched, regardless of political affiliation, to exercise their right to vote. Newel and Livesay noted many educators who watched and shared the video, including Livesay’s teachers at Carlmont High School, said their students loved the project and shared it themselves. 

“You have this opportunity so make sure you’re registered, get your hands on a plan, go to the polls, go to drop-boxes, be an absentee voter. Now is not a time to wait around. Now is a time to be active in it,” said Roth-Newell. 

Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOLMxZYO85M&feature=emb_title to view the voter guide video created by the San Francisco Peninsula People Power and Riekes Center. 

sierra@smdailyjournal.com 

(650) 344-5200 ext. 106