2022 General Election
If you're a student in California between the ages of ten and nineteen, you have the responsibility to decide who will represent you as your political action committee President and Assistant President.
Dear Students,
My name is June Cutter, the Supervisor of Elections of the Young Leaders Political Action Committee. The 2022 cycle is in full swing, and you now have the opportunity to register to vote for your political action committee's general election.
You will be asked to pick a President of the Board of Governors and an Assistant President, both key roles with great influence over your representation in local and state government. I have assembled this voter guide to make the process easier for all of you.
Key Deadlines:
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If you intend on running for President of the Board of Governors or Assistant President, you will need to turn in ALL your paperwork before August 31, 2022 at 5:00p.m. (Please see information below).
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All candidates who fail to meet the application deadline will still be eligible to run for office as "Write-in" candidates. A final certificate with all qualified candidates will be produced when polls open.
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All student voters participating in this election will need to register to vote no later than September 14, 2022 at 11:59p.m.
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Voting will begin no later than the morning of September 17, and polls will close at 7:00p.m. Pacific Time on September 20.
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The elections for the remaining three Members of the Board of Governors will take place on November 8, 2022. More info to come soon.
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All elections material will be provided electronically only. This is to ensure our sustainable footprint.
If you haven't already, register to vote now. You may only register to vote once. If you are found to have registered twice, or have written factually incorrect information on your voter registration application, you forfeit your right to vote in this year's elections for President and Asst. President.
Happy Voting!
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June Cutter, Esq.
The Interim Supervisor of Elections
THE
OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
So, what exactly does being President of the Board of Governors entail?
(Partial Listing Only)​
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You must be able to effectively oversee an institution made up of close to 200 administration-level positions, and manage filling vacant positions by interviewing qualified candidates geographically spread out around California and persuading your Board of Governors colleagues to vote "Yes" on your nominations.
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You should be generally comfortable asking people for money or taking on a lead role in planning large-scale events to raise tens of thousands of dollars in support of youth civic engagement.
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You can expect to make a lot of decisions, with each Board of Governors meeting demanding you to weigh in on dozens of proposals, ultimately requiring you to put aside your own interests for the benefit of two million students with which you represent.
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You need to be prepared to de-escalate situations where student constituents are upset about decisions you make.
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You are always on call, especially in the case of public speaking and negotiation, where, as a representative of California's diverse student body, you will be asked to speak to elected officials in power and convince them why students generally support or oppose certain legislation, ordinances, or resolutions.
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You will need to continually update those who voted for you, and those who didn't vote for you with charisma and enthusiasm, on your progress as their elected representative.
Who has already announced they are running for
President of the Board of Governors?
So far, the applicants for this office in alphabetical order are:
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CELYNNA L. CUNNINGHAM
Volunteer/Researcher/Cheerleader
Merced Union High School District
Merced, California
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RAPHI REBUCAS
(Incumbent)
President, Board of Governors, Young Leaders Political Action Committee
Torrance Unified School District
South Bay Cities, California
So, what exactly does being Assistant President entail?
(Partial Listing Only)​
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You should read everything the President of the Board of Governors is responsible for and think to yourself, "Gosh, I could totally do all of that someday."
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You need a very flexible schedule. For all we know, you could step in as acting President of the Board of Governors at literally any given moment.
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You can prepare yourself to consistently top the charts with the President as the leading fundraisers within the institution.
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You will need to trust yourself with breaking ties not on party lines, but based on what you sincerely think is the right choice that will benefit the greatest number of students you represent.
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You cannot fall victim to decision fatigue. As a Member of the Board of Governors, and the only Governor with tie-breaking power, you may find yourself breaking some records as to "Most Votes Cast in one night."
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You have to get along with people, especially those you disagree with. Based on whatever the results of the election for President of the Board of Governors is, you might find yourself being the shadow to an individual you don't see eye-to-eye with at all.
Who has already announced they are running for
Assistant President?
So far, the applicants for this office in alphabetical order are:
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MAKENA BACTAT
Governor/Photographer/Cheerleader
San Juan Capistrano Unified School District
Aliso Viejo, California
Wait, so literally any young person can vote in this election?
Yes! The students' political action committee President and Assistant President has enormous influence over our politics. They are your representatives when it comes to selecting candidates for youth endorsement, and bringing you closer to your representatives when you need assistance. As long as you live in the State of California, and are between the ages of ten and eighteen, you can submit one ballot in this election.
Let's say I want to run. How much experience should I have?
If you're going to be the Chief Executive of this institution, or second-in-command, it's probably best you've served in an administration role first at the Young Leaders Political Action Committee if you want to both win and lead successfully. With that said, there is no law that mandates a particular number of years with us, or level of political experience, so if you are over the age of ten, under the age of nineteen, live in the state, and are willing to make an enthusiastic commitment to lead California's diverse student body, you can submit your paperwork to run!