Newsletters & E-Blasts - LWVCS - League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale

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Date: 9/1/2026
Subject: LWVCS VOTER September 2026
From: LWVCS - Cupertino-Sunnyvale League of Women Voters

September 2026 Volume 53 No.10

Empowering Voters.

Defending Democracy.

Co-presidents' Letter
Member Outreach Update
Get Involved
Stay Informed
Take Action

Co-Presidents' Letter

Last June, we had the privilege of meeting with several of the Parent Teacher Student Associations in the Fremont Union High School District to discuss voting and ways to increase turnout among our teenage population. We were working to address a serious national issue: the number of registered young voters who actually vote is very small. In California, for the 2024 general election, only 43% of eligible 18-24 year-olds voted, compared to 68% of the eligible voters 45 and older.

Although high schools routinely register seniors, many 18-year-olds move away after graduation and may not receive their ballot when it is mailed to their home address. There are other factors that contribute to this low turnout. Many young people believe their vote doesn’t matter, or they view voting as socially unimportant. They struggle to relate to candidates and are often consumed with college or starting a career.

The League has prioritized engaging young people to register and vote, but we know we can do much more with your help. Every one of you has a young person in your life—a son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew, neighbor, or someone you see regularly at the store or dog park. We have both the opportunity and the responsibility to help them develop the habit of voting.

You can start by asking if they are registered and helping them do so on our website by clicking here. Share with them that one vote truly can make a difference—a number of local elections in our county have been decided by a single vote! Once your ballot arrives, invite them to review it with you and share how you determine your choices. Consider sharing the list of nonpartisan resources below that we often feature in presentations. Encourage them to watch our candidate forums and use our website. Below is a list of non-partisan resources you can use to make your voting decisions.

And never underestimate the power of an incentive! We have a member who bakes homemade chocolate chip cookies and sends them to her son and his friends whenever they show proof that they’ve voted. Our ballots are increasingly long and complex. Helping young voters navigate theirs shows them that the process isn't as daunting as it appears—and that their voice genuinely matters.

In the coming weeks, there will be many opportunities to volunteer and support the League's efforts to inform voters, but nothing is as impactful as helping a young person start the lifelong habit of voting.

"Our democracy only works when we all take part in it — when we all vote, when we listen to each other." - Barack Obama

Sincerely,
Polly Bove and Tracey Edwards

Co-Presidents

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Member Outreach Update

Coffee and Connections with Membership Director, Nina Wong-Dobkin

This time around the July 21, coffee meet, broke the record of attendance, with 12 people attending and 3 of whom who are not members yet! The group met at Panera Bread in Cupertino and enjoyed drinks and pastries. They chatted about upcoming midterm elections in the midst of meeting new people and getting to know them a little.

Betsy M shared that “hearing about the SAVE act was informative, and I look forward to learning from, or maybe even helping with, the pro/con presentations for the election.”

Another attendee, Ilanit E, appreciated the coffee get-together and the delicious surprise (come to a future coffee to find out what that is). She also reflected “it was nice to meet the group while enjoying breakfast and hearing from you all the important information. I felt empowered being surrounded by a wonderful group of people who share the same ideas!”

Next Coffee and Connections will likely be in late September or early October, depending on how busy Nina gets with election work. Be on the lookout for emails from her!

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LWVCS@National Night Out Event in the neighborhood

On the evening of August 4th, the Sunnyvale Neighbors of Arbor, Including La Linda (SNAIL) neighborhood association held its annual Neighborhood Night Out event. This year was a special celebration of 250 years since the signing of the declaration of independence. The event was very well attended. Attendees were treated to various food choices and many booths providing information on different organizations.

The LWVCS booth, staffed by Polly Bove, Beth Claywell, Nina Wong-Dobkin, Bill Wilson, and Aaroushi Sheth was particularly well attended. Visitors to the booth enjoyed spinning the wheel to find a question for them to answer. For this event, many questions were tailored to ask about local government and officials to go along with questions about the nation.

There were also several giveaways including bags with a copy of the constitution and declaration of independence, a small American flag, and wristbands promoting the importance of voting. Visitors to the booth ranged from lifelong residents of the neighborhood to a new immigrant who has been in the country for three months. All expressed their appreciation for the pocket size book with the declaration of independence and the constitution. Young and old alike also enjoyed putting on their new colorful wristbands.

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LWVCS Virtual Coffee Hour

LWVCS Virtual Coffee Hour took place on August 20 with our fantastic guest, Claudio Bono, who will shared his hospitality life experiences and work on homelessness with GiveARoof.

This session was recorded and is available for viewing on our website here.

Next Virtual Coffee Hour: September 17, 11a.m. with presentation on SAFE Act; Location: on Zoom here.

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Get Involved

Your Vote, Your Voice: Get Ready for the November 3rd Election!

Election Day is around the corner! Ballots will be mailed the week of October 5th, and your vote will shape national, state and local leadership—from US Congress, the Governor's office and other state officials down to City Council and local school boards.

What’s on Your Ballot?

All California voters will vote for Governor and other state offices. Depending on where you live, you may also vote for state legislative seats (Assembly District 26, Senate District 10), Cupertino City Council, and local school boards (including Fremont Union High School District, Sunnyvale Elementary School District and Foothill-DeAnza Community College District Trustees).

Note: The Sunnyvale City Council, Cupertino Union School Board elections and some seats in FUHSD, SESD and FHDA are uncontested this year.

In addition, there are many ballot measures: 14 state measures, 1 regional transit measure, 3 Sunnyvale City Charter Amendments, 1 Cupertino General Plan amendment and 1 for the El Camino Healthcare District.

Get Informed Before you Vote: Mark your calendar for Candidate Forums and Pros/Cons below. Additional forums are still being scheduled. Go to www.lwvcs.org/Election-Forums to register or watch recordings for all LWVCS candidate forums and pro/con presentations.

 Mon, Sept 14 (7:00 PM via Zoom): Cupertino City Council Forum
 Tue, Sept 15 (7:00 PM via Zoom): Assembly District 26 Forum
 Thu, Oct 8 (7:00 PM at Cupertino Library): Ballot Measure Pro/Con Presentation

Easy Voter Guide is Available: The Easy Voter Guide is an easy-to-read 16-page booklet that describes in plain, unbiased language the 14 statewide propositions that will be on the November ballot and answers common questions about the upcoming General Election. It is available now for download in English and Spanish and will soon also be available in Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean. Click here to access. It is published by LWV California Education Fund.

Volunteer Opportunity: Tuesday, September 15th is National Voter Registration Day! We’re staffing a voter registration table at the Cupertino Library, on September 15, from 10am-6pm and we need your help to cover a 2-3 hour shift. Sign up on the calendar at www.lwvcs.org or email us at voterservice@lwvcs.org

Volunteer Opportunity: LWVCS will again be volunteering with the Registrar Of Voters (ROV) for ~ shifts from Oct 24 (start of early voting) through election day (Nov 3). Volunteers must attend a training session and sign up for specific shifts. It is a great way to be directly involved in the election, and to help raise money for LWVCS. Email membership@lwvcs.org to learn more.

Get election-ready! Go to sccvote.org to check or update your voter registration and sign up for Track My Ballot at sccvote.org. Even if you’re already registered, pass the word along to friends and family. Every vote counts!

For more help and information on voting, go to lwvcs.org/about_voting

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Join our free public information session!

Are you curious about how our local elections are run or concerned about local election security? Have you heard about the California version of the SAVE Act on our ballot this November?

Join us on September 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Cupertino Library to learn more about these topics.

Election Security - Hear from Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Executive Matt Moreles

SAVE Act - Watch a video presentation by Deputy Director of the League of Women Voters of California Dora Rose

Event sponsored by LWV of Santa Clara County, Civic Engagement Committee

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Join our free public information session!

Protecting Our Elections:
How to Prepare for Attacks on the Right to Vote? As we head into the November elections, many are concerned about potential threats to voting rights.

Join us to hear from voting rights experts Justin Lam from the Brennan Center for Justice and Brittany Stonesifer from Common Cause California on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. via zoom. The speakers will discuss current threats to voting rights nationally and in California, efforts to safeguard our rights, and steps you can take.

Event sponsored by LWV of Santa Clara County

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Stay Informed

Update from LWV Bay Area

LWV Bay Area has new Co-presidents: Kathleen Cha and Louise Rothman-Riemer.

They published revised issues of emphasis for the league with focus on regional government:

Promote the implementation of sustainable, integrated regional governing policies and practices that recognize the interdependence of environmental, social, health, and economic impacts.
Support measures to make regional decision-making bodies representative of the population distribution and region-wide governmental, environmental, social and health equity, and economic interests.

Additional Regional League Events:

LWV Bay Area Board Meeting: September 21, 4:00p.m. - 6:00p.m.; Location on Zoom here.

LWV Civic Engagement Committee Meeting: September 21, 1:00p.m.; Location on Zoom here.

LWV Civic Engagement Committee Event: Next event planned for January 2027

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Questions/Contact? Email: communications@lwvcs.org

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Take Action

Join the League of Women Voters

Membership is open to everyone age 16 and older, regardless of gender.

Join Us

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About this Newsletter

The Cupertino-Sunnyvale VOTER

Published 10 times a year by the

League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale.

This newsletter is posted on our website:

www.lwvcs.org.

Editor: Sejal Vijayakar

communications@lwvcs.org

The LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Permission is granted to reprint any part of this newsletter with credit to the League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale.

League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale, PO Box 2923, Sunnyvale, CA 94087

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