Civic Engagement and Voter Empowerment

Register, Vote, and Volunteer

As part of our mission, we understand that voter empowerment and civic engagement is an essential part of the college experience and contributes to democratic participation in our society.

Through instruction, extracurricular activities, student clubs, internships, and peer-to-peer interactions, there are opportunities to become civically engaged and involved both on and off campus. Our aim is to help demystify voter empowerment and civic engagement, and connect students with resources, services, and partnerships that will help them in their journey to become active and empowered global citizens.

View our Civic Engagement and Voter Empowerment Action Plan.

Voter Engagement Recognition

Sierra College Makes List of Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting 2024

Sierra College was among a list of 471 campuses in being named a 2024 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting for the work our students and college did in 2024 to institutionalize nonpartisan democratic engagement to increase student voter engagement.

Recognized for Excellence in Student Voter Engagement 2020

Sierra College was presented with a silver seal from the All In Campus Democracy Challenge for having a 60-69% voting rate during the 2020 presidential election. To learn more, visit the Student Voting Rates for Sierra College: 2020 NSLVE Campus Report.

Voter Empowerment

Register to Vote

Inscribirse Para Votar

Upcoming Election Dates

Are You Eligible to Vote?
To vote in California, you must be:

A U.S. citizen and a resident of California,
18 years or older on Election Day,
Not currently in state or federal prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony. For more information, please see Voting Rights: Persons with a Criminal History.
And, not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court. For more information, please see Voting Rights: Persons Subject to Conservatorship.

Get Started
To vote in California, you’ll need to be registered in California. Not registered yet, or not sure if you’re registered?

Translated Voter Materials

Español (Spanish)
新選民 (Chinese)
नए मतदाता (Hindi)
初めて投票される方 (Japanese)
ចុះឈ្មោះបោះឆ្នោត (Khmer)
새 유권자 (Korean)
Magparehistro para Makaboto (Tagalog)
ผู้ลงคะแนนเสียงรายใหม่ (Thai)
Cử Tri Mới (Vietnamese)

Vote by Mail or in Person

All active registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot.

A vote-by-mail voter may vote by mail, in person at the Office of the County elections official, a satellite office established by the elections official, polling place, or vote center on or before the day of the election.

Learn How to Return Your Completed Vote-by-Mail Ballot (video)

Frequently Asked Questions About Vote-By-Mail

Will there be early voting?
How do I verify my voter registration status?
How do I submit my vote-by-mail ballot?
Once I’ve submitted my ballot, how can I track my vote-by-mail ballot?
How do I apply to become an elections poll worker?

More Resources

California Secretary of State Election Information
California Voter Information Guide
County Elections Offices in California (election information varies by county)
Early Voting and Vote-by-Mail Ballot Drop-Off Locations

Election Resources

Use these resources to find information on elections, polling locations, early voting and how to vote by mail.

State of California

Counties Near/Serving Sierra College students*

* Election information varies by county

Cities/Towns Serving Sierra College Students

Non-Partisan Resources

Use the non-partisan resources below to learn about your representatives, candidates, ballot measures, and more.

Find Your Representatives

Find your California Representatives

California Legislature

You are represented by one (1) Assembly Member and one (1) State Senator:

State Assembly
State Senate

U.S. Congress

You are represented by one (1) House Member and two (2) U.S. Senators:

House of Representatives
Senate

National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement (NSLVE)
Colleges and universities nationwide are working to increase political learning across disciplines, decrease political polarization and social divides, and bolster student engagement in democracy. The NSLVE provides Student Voting Rates Reports specific to Sierra College, which illustrate our institution’s and students’ voting data.

U.S. and California Constitutions

Webinar and FAQs: Increasing Voter Access and Ensuring Participation

Ensuring Participation: Increasing Voter Access

On a national scale, voter turnout has not surpassed 62.77% for a presidential election since 1960*. In this webinar, our campus student leaders explore the issue of voting access with elections experts – California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, State Senator Ben Allen. What is the state doing to encourage people to vote? How is California increasing voter access, including for vulnerable eligible voters who are homeless and/or disabled? Watch Ensuring Participation Increasing Voter Access.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Click on any of the FAQs below, which will guide you to the relevant California Secretary of State web pages. Use the website as the primary source for elections and voting information.

What is Same Day Voter Registration?
Who is eligible to Pre-Register to Vote before age 18? And, how do I pre-register?
Is there in-person early voting in my county? Where do I drop off my vote-by-mail ballot
What is the California Voter’s Choice Act (VCA)?
Does my county participate in VCA?
How does California ensure access to Voters with Disabilities? Check out the following two videos: Accessible Vote-by-Mail for Voters with Disabilities and Vote Centers and Accessibility.
If an individuals have a primary language preference other than English, are voter registration applications available to them?
Does California provide the restoration of voting rights for individuals who have been formerly incarcerated?

Webinar and FAQs: Cybersecurity and Election Interference

Cybersecurity and Election Interference
In 2016, national intelligence agencies confirmed that the Russian government interfered with the 2016 presidential election. This was done through propaganda created on social media platforms. No successful hacking of elections systems occurred. To prevent this from happening again and to prevent possible security breaches, Congress allocated $380 million in 2018 to help states strengthen their election cybersecurity. How has California used funding to strengthen the state’s voting system? What concerns were state elections officials addressing when they made their decisions?

In this webinar, campus student leaders explore election security issues with experts – California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, and Alliance for Securing Democracy’s David Levine.

Cybersecurity and Election Interference Webinar (video)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Click on any of the FAQs below which will guide you to the relevant California Secretary of State web pages. Use your state’s Secretary of State website as the primary source for elections and voting information.

What is a provisional ballot? What happens after you cast it?
What is a common misunderstanding about provisional ballots?
How can you check the status of your provisional ballot by phone or online?
What is the Office of Election Cybersecurity and Enterprise Risk Management?
How is California working with national intelligence agencies to improve election cybersecurity?

Watch on YouTube – Election Cybersecurity Briefing with DHS, Cal OES, and Law Enforcement

7. How are elections secured in California in all phases of the elections process?

Watch on YouTube – Election Security in California

8. What is California doing to curb election misinformation – Vote Sure Initiative?

9. In addition to voting, how can voters help combat elections misinformation?

Civic Engagement

Consider participating in civic engagement programs and activities to gain exposure to current issues, which may impact your life, while also learning self-agency and how to inspire positive change in our community.

Become a Paid Elections Poll Worker – Apply Now

County elections officials depend on reliable, dedicated teams of poll workers to make every Election Day run smoothly. Learn more by visiting the Secretary of State’s Vote Safe California site.

Who can be a poll worker?

A registered California voter
A legal resident of the United States who would be eligible to vote except for their citizenship status
An eligible high school student

What does a poll worker do?

Sets up and closes a polling place
Helps voters understand their rights
Protects ballots and voting equipment

Why be a poll worker?

Get involved and assist voters
Contribute to your community
Earn extra money (amount varies by county)

Ways to Get Involved on Campus

Big Time – Attend a traditional celebration of Spring by local tribes, which offers education about local indigenous tribes, dance performances, and speakers.
Black Heritage Celebration – Celebrate black culture in the United States of America during a multi-day event by listening to short talks, guest speakers, and poetry.
Campus Cleanup Day – Help keep our campus beautiful by picking up debris on and around our campus community on specific days during the spring and fall semesters.
Campus Safety Walk – Volunteer to walk with teams around campus to look for areas that may need to be repaired to increase safety, such as broken or dim lights, unsafe walking paths to inform Facilities and Campus Safety of any issues.
Cesar Chavez Higher Education Speaker Series – Attend our annual forum, which brings in nationally-recognized experts who address the most pressing issues facing our nation. These forums provide for ongoing dialogue about contemporary issues.
Constitution Day – Commemorate the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. To celebrate, Campus Life and student clubs host interactive activities and hand-out pocket-size constitutions to students during this celebration.
Earth Day – Promote a sustainable future by learning about conservation, preservation, and how to minimize your carbon footprint at our multi-day event.
Free Tax Preparation Day – Receive free tax preparation assistance during tax season.
Know Your Rights Presentation – Come learn about your constitutional rights and how to navigate the parameters of free speech on college campuses.
Mes de Latinx – Celebrate Latinx histories, cultures, and contributions in the United States of America during a multi-day celebration that includes short talks, guest speakers and poetry.
People and Cultures Day – Foster world peace and promote understanding of different cultures and global issues.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, please reach out to Juan Miguel Blanco, Civic and Voter Empowerment Coordinator (CVEC).

Campus Life — Rocklin

(916) 660-7380

jblanco2@sierracollege.edu

Rocklin

Building J, Room 7

Campus Life — Nevada County

(530) 274-5274

astanger@sierracollege.edu

Nevada County

Building N5, Room 104