Candidates up and down the ballot are trying to convince voters who to vote for but election officials are busy ensuring voters come out at all and that they can vote when they reach the polls.
The Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters is embarking on a large scale get out the vote campaign in partnership with several regional media outlets including CBS Radio, Entravision, Facebook, iHeart Media, LA 18, Pandora, Power 106, Univision Radio, Super Estrella, Que Buena and ScreenVision Media.
The multi-lingual campaign will promote important election dates and information in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Filipino and Hindi.
“We hope to empower the LA County community with key information they will need to exercise their democratic right this November,” said Dean Logan. “These partnerships will allow us to do that with an unprecedented reach.”
County officials said the campaign is focused on voter registration, voter options, and encouraging voters to turn out and vote on Election Day.
Local organizations are also gearing up in anticipation of the November 8 general election with a focus on voter registration efforts.
Thea Brodkin with the League of Women Voters said her organization has been helping register voters throughout the season but said the online voter registration system is a good choice.
“More and more people are catching onto voter registration online,” she said. “I prefer people do it that way because the handwriting can be so bad,” she said.
Brodkin said she has worked at the county level and said it’s easy for a clerk to mistake a ‘3’ for an ‘8’ resulting in a failed registration.
“People call and say they are registered but something was wrong with the address or something. It can be a quick mistake and with the clerk just not able to read the handwriting it can be a problem so I’m thrilled people are registering online.”
Voters can use the county website at www.lavote.net/home/voting-elections/voter-registration/register-to-vote/register to register online.
Brodkin said those that want to register in person, have several opportunities to do so.
The League will be offering in person registration at the Main Library this Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. They will also be at Virginia Avenue Park on Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. and at Bob’s Market later in the month.
She said voters who need more information can also talk to League volunteers at candidate forums or when they speak to local groups.
“When I’m out doing a lot of speaking, I always take registration forms,” she said.
Brodkin said citizens who want to register should do so sooner rather than later because registration is not immediate.
“The closer to the election you get, people think they are automatically registered but there is a process and it takes time,” she said.
Volunteers from other organizations have also visited local high schools to promote voting among of-age students.
Leading up to the Oct. 24 voter registration deadline, the City Clerk’s Office we will be hosting voter registration booths at various Farmers’ Markets in the City. Once the locations/times are finalized, they will be posted on smvote.org, the Farmers’ Market site and the City’s social media pages.
The Clerk’s office at City Hall (1685 Main St.) also provides and accepts voter registration information.
County officials are also working on their longstanding appeal for pollworkers to help once voters are actually registered to vote.
Officials said county pollworkers are critical to Election Day serving as Inspectors and Clerks.
Clerks assist with the conventional tasks while Inspectors supervise polling places. Polling places require four to six workers.
To work in Los Angeles, volunteers must be 18 years of age or older (unless participating in the Student Pollworker Program), a resident of California, a United States citizen registered to vote or a legal permanent resident (green card holder) and available between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. to set up the polls, provide assistance to voters and conduct poll closing procedures.
To apply, visit LAvote.net or call (800) 815-2666 option 7.
