Students, staff at Sacramento State explain why they’re voting

Tuesday marked National Voter Registration Day.With November’s midterm election less than two months away, Sacramento County election staff spent the day on Sacramento State’s campus working to get more young people registered.”Eighteen to 24-year-olds are one of our lowest voters turnouts,” Andrea Bacy, an outreach assistant with the county said. “So we want to make sure this population specifically is getting this opportunity to vote and register.”Oct. 24 is the last day Californians can register to vote online. You can register in person until then, as well. If you register by mail, your registration must be postmarked by Oct. 24 at the latest.If you miss the Oct. 24 deadline, there is a safety net option called “conditional voter registration” that would allow you to vote in person at your county elections office, polling place, or vote center. Related | How to vote, track your ballot in California’s 2022 electionsAccording to the secretary of state, your ballot would be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.KCRA 3 spent the day speaking with students and staff on campus about the upcoming election.We asked each person to write down the main issue they are concerned about this election season.Kevin Robles, Sac State studentKevin Robles, a registered voter for nearly 10 years, said he is mainly concerned with climate change.”I just feel like right now we really need to focus on it,” he said. “As we can tell from the last couple weeks, we’ve been having some really hot days.”He said he is in favor of politicians who want to regulate oil companies and want to reduce carbon emissions.Thea Mertens, Sac State student” For me, and probably many other Sac State students, the biggest concern I have is affordable housing,” Thea Mertens said. “It’s impossible to find in Sacramento. I looked in May and I found a studio for $1,500. That was the lowest unit I could find that rented to dogs.” Mertens moved to California from Portland, OR, and said she misses the affordable housing options there. Arianna Lopez and Mackenzie Carreira, Sac State studentsLopez and Carreira, Sac State friends, abortion and women’s rights are the most important issues to them.”It’s definitely something I feel like we shouldn’t even be discussing again,” Carreira said. “It’s your body, your choice.”Lopez agreed.”It shouldn’t be somebody else’s decision to make a decision for your body,” she told KCRA 3.Amiaya Thompson, Sac State student”I wrote down ‘overpolicing urban communities, ‘” Thompson said. “I think funds can be allocated to other resources to help these communities to get out of poverty and get out of high crime rates.”Thompson wants to encourage other members of Gen Z to register to vote.”Your voice does matter,” she said. “Gen Z’s being slept on and we need to get out there.”Victoria Garcia, works at Sac StateTo Garcia, women’s rights are top of mind when she fills out her ballot.”Being a queer woman of color, it’s very important to me that us women have rights and the decision to do whatever we want for our bodies,” she said.

Tuesday marked National Voter Registration Day.

With November’s midterm election less than two months away, Sacramento County election staff spent the day on Sacramento State’s campus working to get more young people registered.

“Eighteen to 24-year-olds are one of our lowest voter turnouts,” Andrea Bacy, an outreach assistant with the county said. “So we want to make sure this population specifically is getting this opportunity to vote and register.”

october 24 is the last day Californians can register to vote online. You may register in person until then, as well.

If you register by mail, your registration must be postmarked by Oct. 24 at the latest.

If you miss the Oct. 24 deadline, there is a safety net option called “conditional voter registration” that would allow you to vote in person at your county elections office, polling place, or vote center.

Related | How to vote, track your ballot in California’s 2022 elections

According to the secretary of state, your ballot would be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.

KCRA 3 spent the day speaking with students and staff on campus about the upcoming election.

We asked each person to write down the main issue they are concerned about this election season.

Kevin Robles, Sac State student

Kevin Robles, a registered voter for nearly 10 years, said he is mainly concerned with climate change.

“I just feel like right now we really need to focus on it,” he said. “As we can tell from the last couple weeks, we’ve been having some really hot days.”

He said he is in favor of politicians who want to regulate oil companies and want to reduce carbon emissions.

Thea Mertens, Sac State student

housing

“For me, and probably many other Sac State students, the biggest concern I have is affordable housing,” Thea Mertens said. “It’s impossible to find in Sacramento. I looked in May and I found a studio for $1,500. That was the lowest unit I could find that rented to dogs.”

Mertens moved to California from Portland, OR, and said she misses the affordable housing options there.

Arianna Lopez and Mackenzie Carreira, Sac State students

abortion

Lopez and Carreira, Sac State friends, abortion and women’s rights are the most important issues to them.

“It’s definitely something I feel like we shouldn’t even be discussing again,” Carreira said. “It’s your body, your choice.”

Lopez agreed.

“It shouldn’t be somebody else’s decision to make a decision for your body,” she told KCRA 3.

Amiaya Thompson, Sac State student

overpolicing

“I wrote down ‘overpolicing urban communities,'” Thompson said. “I think funds can be allocated to other resources to help these communities to get out of poverty and get out of high crime rates.”

Thompson wants to encourage other members of Gen Z to register to vote.

“Your voice does matter,” she said. “Gen Z’s being slept on and we need to get out there.”

Victoria Garcia, works at Sac State

staff

To Garcia, women’s rights are top of mind when she fills out her ballot.

“Being a queer woman of color, it’s very important to me that us women have rights and the decision to do whatever we want for our bodies,” she said.

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