0. What Happened and Where Do We Go next?
2016 election:
What Happened and Where Do We Go next?
Mindy Romero, Ph.D.
Director

1. What Happened?

2. A Majority of America? Trump = 62 million Clinton = 64 million +
Another 100 million eligible Americans didn’t vote
Trump – only about a fourth of eligible voters

3. U.S. Turnout 58.6% (U.S. Elections Project) – same as 2012
Higher than 2000

4. California Turnout 14.6 million votes = 58.7% eligible voter turnout
= 75.2% registered voter turnout
= between 2012 and 2008 rates
Sub-groups?
= Turnout disparities are entrenched

5. Blue California?
Clinton – 62%
Trump - 32%

6. California Vote: Exit Polls
Clinton
Trump
male
57%
36%
female
66%
30%

7. California Vote: Exit Polls
Clinton
Trump
Johnson
Stein
white
50%
45% 3% 1%
black
88% 9%
latino
71%
24% 2%
asian
70%
17% 6%

8. California Vote: Exit Polls
Clinton
Trump
Johnson
Stein
18-24
67%
18% 8% 6%
25-29
64%
29% 3% 4%
30-39
70%
23%
40-49
60%
36% 2%
50-64
57%
40% 1%
65 and older
61% 0%

9. California Vote: Exit Polls
Clinton
Trump
Johnson
Stein
high school or less
61%
31% 5% 2%
some college
56%
39% 3%
college graduate
63%
32%
postgraduate
67%
27%

10. Where do we go from here?

11. Impact of Electoral Reforms

12. Electoral Reforms Vote-by-Mail Online Voter Registration
Same Day Voter Registration (conditional)
16 Yr Old Pre-Registration
Automatic Voter Registration
Vote Centers

13. What’s Next?

14. Future Reforms? Voter Turnout and Representation
Civic Engagement Connection
Civics/Democratic Norms

15. Voter Turnout and Representation
Make It Easier to Vote
Registration Reforms: Same-Day, Automatic
Vote Centers
Top-Two/Redistricting
Design/Information/Corrective Methods
California’s role in the national discussion
Outreach
Make Them Want to Vote
Disconnection and Trust
Impact
Culture of Voting

16. Civic Engagement Long-game connection Move beyond the election cycle
Start now!

17. Civics/Democratic Norms
K-12 civics
What/How/Why of Voting
Civil dialogue

18. Thank you!
Mindy Romero, Ph.D. Director, California Civic Engagement Project UC View my Tedx Talk on the Power of the Youth Vote!

19. Vote Center Model Research
Voters expressed concerns about the new voter center model
Most voters were unwilling to travel more than 5-15 min to use a VC
There are disparities in California’s mail ballot rejection rates
Targeted and sustained education efforts will be critical to successfully utilize the new election model
System should have accountability/outcomes should be tracked
Vote Center Model Research

20. Vote Center Model VBM ballots being sent to all registered voters
A minimum of one ballot drop-box location for every 15,000 registered
At least 1 VC per 10,000 registered voters, with at least two per jurisdiction
3 days prior, at least one VC (per 50,000 voters) of which must be open 10 days before the election
Voting can occur at any open VC in a participating county
LA County would not be required to mail every registered voter a Vote-by-Mail ballot and would have lower VC ratio
Vote Center Model

21. Non-Traditional Forms of C.E.
Underrepresented communities often have few traditional pathways to engagement
How we measure C.E. doesn’t match accessible resources
Or the culturally relevant expressions of C.E.
We aren’t measuring the full level of C.E.
Power pathways are less accessible

22. Types of Civic Engagement
Definition: Any effort by people to improve the quality of life in their communities
Typology:
Formal political participation
Participation in civic/community organizations, clubs, boards
Everyday civic engagement