The My Vote, Our Future Campaign at De Anza College seeks to reach out and encourage people to register to vote.
Started in the winter of 2012, the campaign’s goal is to engage the 18 to 25 year old age group, immigrants, parents, and low-income families in voting procedures. The campaign is coordinated by the De Anza College Institute of Community and Civic Engagement and the Silicon Valley-based network Parents for Greater Education.
Josephine Villanueva, a student at De Anza and organizer at the My Vote, Our Future Campaign, said she hopes to encourage and convince people that their vote can make a difference and get their voices heard.
“Just last year in the primaries, only 38 percent, here in Santa Clara County, voted,” she said. “So our goal is to break people from apathy and encourage them to get out there and get involved”.
A non-partisan organization, the campaign incorporates social media, marketing, and community outreach strategies in hopes of increasing voter registration, voter education, and voter turnout in Santa Clara County and further.
The campaign has also expanded to several other high schools in the Bay Area and hopes to expand to other community colleges.
Even though significant portions of De Anza students are from the international community and cannot vote, they are also affected by the propositions on the ballot that could result in increases in tuition, reduced funding, and severe budget cuts. “By increasing the voter turnout, the student population will be able to express themselves better and get their wants met,” Villanueva said.
The My Vote, Our Future Campaign will continue its advocacy efforts this fall to target people for the Nov. 6 presidential election.
For more information on how to get involved, visit the My Vote, Our Future Campaign website at www.deanza.edu/communityengagement/myvote.html