West LA Times

A recent "Democracy Workshop," part of a series organized by BruinsVote and UCLA Campus Life, aimed to help students become more informed and active participants in elections. The event was an interactive, in-person version of online voter guides developed in collaboration with nonprofit newsroom LAist.

As the November general election approaches, campus groups are working to educate students on their ballots and encourage civic engagement. Approximately 25 students attended the workshop titled “Your Ticket to Being a Savvy Voter: Understanding Your Ballot” on April 23 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center. This event featured news engagement producers from LAist, a National Public Radio affiliate based in Pasadena.

Participants used a mock ballot that included the Los Angeles City Council District 2 race between Jillian Burgos and Adrin Nazarian, as well as a referendum vote on California Proposition 31, which upheld a ban on most flavored tobacco products.

“I think a lot of college students can be discouraged from voting because they aren't fully educated on what is on the ballot and how to go about deciding who and what to vote for,” said Alvina Shea, a fourth-year public affairs major. “I think this workshop helped relieve some of those worries.”

Shea found it beneficial to hear from LAist producers Brianna Lee and Adrianna Pera about navigating complex issues while discussing reliable sources and research techniques.

Hannalee Isaacs, a fourth-year student double majoring in political science and sociology, stated, “As a voter generally, it is daunting to decide who to vote for, but the workshop helped me feel empowered.”

“The more we researched and discussed our findings, the more I found myself changing my stance on which candidate to favor,” she added. “Working through this simulation with the help of LAist allowed me to realize that one's choice on who to vote for is a more complex decision than I thought it was.”

Lee emphasized that there’s no right way to research or vote: “It’s really about making sure the information is accessible.”

Pera noted that hosting the workshop provided insights into the university community: “This workshop was for the students, but it’s also really helpful for us to figure out what our students’ baseline is."

Philip Goodrich from Campus Life reported positive feedback: “We heard people say that [the workshop] humanized the voting process.” He highlighted that democracy requires effort and active participation.

Future programs by BruinsVote will continue focusing on voter registration, education, and turnout. Previous sessions have covered topics such as critical media literacy for civic engagement and strategies for talking across political differences.

Students are encouraged to attend workshops, join ambassador programs, table for BruinsVote events on Bruinwalk, and participate in watch parties and other voter registration activities leading up to November's election.