Late July Issue: Engaged! What's happening at the UC Davis California Civic Engagement Project

The California Civic Engagement Project (CCEP)

at the UC Davis Center for Regional Change

Engage!

CCEP Newsletter

July 26, 2016

Its Another Engaging Issue of Engage!

This is an exciting time for politically engaged Americans, with one major party convention last week and another taking place this week, each offering more drama than past conventions in decades. This short video explains what takes place over the four day party conventions- it's not all confetti and balloons.

During the break between binge-watching the conventions, we wanted to keep you abreast of exciting developments in civic engagement across the Golden State.

In this edition of the CCEP newsletter, we share an opportunity to attend a legislative hearing on vote centers, several developing stories related to who can vote in California, good news for proponents of civic learning in California public schools, a new report on disparities in political participation in our state, and more.

Thank you for reading, and please note you can now share this newsletter on your favorite social media platform using the buttons above our logo at the top!

Mindy Romero, Ph.D.

CCEP Director

The CCEP is now on Twitter. Follow us!

California Civic Engagement News


Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and students celebrate the publication of the Civic Learning Task Force Special Report

California Approves More Civic Learning in Schools

After more than a dozen years of striving for a more robust civics curriculum in California's public schools, advocates for civic learning are about to get their wish. On July 14, the State Board of Education approved a new California History-Social Science Framework-last updated in 2001-that includes greater focus on civic learning in elementary through high school. The California Department of Education will ready the new History-Social Science Framework for publication before the end of this year, and will roll out the framework to school districts throughout the state.

Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye teamed with State Superintendent Tom Torlakson to establish the California Task Force on K-12 Civic Learning which issued its recommendations and blueprint for action in 2014.

"With the new History-Social Science Framework, our state has taken a major step forward in providing all students with the knowledge and skills they need to participate in civic life," said the Chief Justice.

The Chief Justice and her Power of Democracy Steering Committee have also partnered with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to co-sponsor Civic Learning Awards , which recognize California public schools for providing high quality civic learning opportunities to all their students.

California Legislators Consider Bill Allowing Felons to Vote While Incarcerated

A bill introduced by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber seeks to restore voting rights to convicted felons behind bars. "Civic participation can be a critical component of re-entry and has been linked to reduced recidivism," Weber told her colleagues during a recent heated floor debate on the bill.

The concept of taking away a criminal's right to vote - referred to as "civil death" - has existed since the times of ancient Greece and Rome and was imported to America by the English colonists, the report said.

Voters in California changed the state constitution in 1976 to prohibit voting in elections while "imprisoned or on parole" for conviction of a felony, but allowing participation in elections after time served.

Read more in the Los Angeles Times online.

Block the Vote: A Journalist Discusses Voting Rights and Restrictions

National Public Radio's Fresh Air recently re-aired a 2015 program worth revisiting this election season. It has been 52 years since the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which outlawed restrictions intended to prevent Black Americans from voting. However, many states have recently added restrictions that election experts argue are more subtle ways of discriminating against people of color, as well as poor people and youth. Host Terry Gross discusses these laws in their historical context with Ari Berman, author of "Give Us the Ballot."

Spotlight on the Civic Engagement Field

Each month, the CCEP highlights the work of a community organization that has made a meaningful impact on civic engagement.

Greenlining Institute Promotes #Voteat16 Initiative


	Greenlining Policy Fellows Sara Chandler and Kerry Sakimoto

This past summer, The Greenlining Institute partnered with several advocacy organizations across the state to promote civic engagement by working for legislation to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in their local school board elections. Lead by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-80), the #Voteat16 initiative drew support from advocates across the state, who recognized the importance of recruiting youth into the voting process at an earlier age.

Research has shown that earlier voting can improve voter turnout, and inspire lifelong civic engagement. Voting is also intrinsically linked to health, wellness, and the empowerment of local communities.

Follow the Greenlining Institute on Twitter @Greenlining.

Featured Events

Informational Briefing on Vote Centers
August 2, 2016, 10 AM and 1:30 PM

State Capitol Building, Room 444, Sacramento

The California State Assembly Elections & Redistricting Committee is hosting two informational hearings on vote centers next Tuesday at the State Capitol Building. Featured speakers include Committee Chair Assemblymember Shirley Weber, Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Amber McReynolds, the Director of Elections for the City and County of Denver, and CCEP Director Mindy Romero.

Each informational hearing will last about 2 hours, and will focus on the use of vote centers in lieu of neighborhood polling places. The state legislature is currently considering a bill that would allow California Counties to establish vote centers and mail every registered voter a vote-by-mail ballot.

Noteworthy Civic Engagement Publications

Unequal Voices: California's Racial Disparities in Political Participation

A new report titled "Unequal Voices," co-authored by CCEP advisory committee member Karthick Ramakrishnan and released by The Advancement Project and University of California, Riverside School of Public Policy shows that California's racial disparities in political participation persist and extend beyond the ballot box.

Using voter and civic engagement data collections from 2004 to 2014, the authors analyze data on voter turnout in presidential, midterm, and local elections, data on voting by mail, as well as data on participation beyond the ballot box - contacting public officials, supporting political campaigns, attending political meetings, protesting, engaging in consumer activism, and discussing politics.

Civic Engagement Success Stories

Million Votes Project Aims to Close California's Electoral Participation Gap

A grass-roots community group in Southern California is on a mission to register one million new voters by 2018. The goal is an electorate that more closely matches the states demographics.

The project, an alliance between six community organizations, is targeting immigrants, people of color, working class citizens, and college students. They plan to go into communities that don't typically see voter outreach, such as county jails and skid row, to get new voters to register. Read more about the effort HERE .

City of San Rafael Honored for Outstanding Civic Engagement Efforts

The Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at Pepperdine University School of Public Policy recently announced that the City of San Rafael has earned Platinum Public Engagement , the Institute's highest engagement award. The City is being honored with the award because of its dedication to involving residents in local decision-making through the employment of advanced public engagement policies and techniques.

"This award is a testament to the great work of our dedicated staff and to a City Council committed to working with the community to make San Rafael an even better place," said Mayor Gary Phillips, "This is an area where we must constantly improve, iterate, learn, and listen. The job is never done."

For nearly a decade, the Davenport Institute has been researching, training, and consulting with public officials to improve ways in which local governments involve their residents in making difficult policy decisions. In May of this year, the Davenport Institute launched the "How are WE Doing? Public Engagement Evaluation Platform" to help cities and local government agencies evaluate public engagement efforts. The platform includes the opportunity for recognition as part of an awards program.

CCEP Outreach: In the Media

California Primary Election Results Certified

More than five weeks after the votes were cast, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla certified the final results of the states June 7 primary election. About 8.5 million Californians, or 47.7% of registered voters, cast a ballot. An Associated Press article published in the Washington Post and other media outlets nationwide features analysis of factors that impacted voter turnout by CCEP Director Mindy Romero.

UC Davis California Civic Engagement Project

msromero@ucdavis.edu

CCEP Advisory Committee

Kim Alexander President and Founder California Voter Foundation	Matt A. Barreto Professor, Dept. of Political Science Professor, Dept. of Chicana/o Studies University of California, Los Angeles	Jonathan Fox Professor, School of International Service American University
Luis R. Fraga Arthur Foundation Endowed Professor of Transformative Latino Leadership Professor of Political Science University of Notre Dame	Lisa Garcia Bedolla Chancellor's Professor of Education and Political Science University of California, Berkeley	Bruce Haynes Associate Professor, Dept. of Sociology University of California, Davis
Jongho Lee Professor Dept. of Political Science Western Illinois University	Peter Levine Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs Director of CIRCLE: The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, Tufts University	Matt Mahan Cofounder and CEO Brigade
James Muldavin Executive Director California Center for Civic Participation and Youth Development	Karthick Ramakrishnan Professor of Public Policy University of California, Riverside	Ricardo Ramirez Associate Professor, Dept. of Political Science University of Notre Dame
J ason Reece Director of Research Kirwan Institute	Cruz Reynoso Professor of Law Emeritus University of California, Davis	Dan Schnur Director Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics University of Southern California

California Civic Engagement Project

The California Civic Engagement Project (CCEP) is housed at the UC Davis Center for Regional Change and was established to inform the public dialogue on representative governance in California. The CCEP is engaging in pioneering research to identify disparities in civic participation across place and population. It is well positioned to inform and empower a wide range of policy and organizing efforts in California to reduce disparities in state and regional patterns of well-being and opportunity. Key audiences include public officials, advocacy groups, political researchers and communities themselves.

UC Davis Center for Regional Change

The UC Davis Center for Regional Change (CRC). The CRC is a catalyst for innovative, collaborative, and action-oriented research. It brings together faculty and students from different disciplines, and builds bridges between university, policy, advocacy, business, philanthropy and other sectors. The CRC's goal is to support the building of healthy, equitable, prosperous, and sustainable regions in California and beyond.