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Editorial: Students can shape California by voting. We must make our voices heard.

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Editorial Board

By Editorial Board

June 1, 2026 10:55 a.m.

This post was updated June 1 at 11:10 a.m.

Twenty-six local Los Angeles County measures. Eighty state assembly members. The next governor of California.

Californians have the opportunity to decide the outcome of these races, among others, tomorrow.

As our city and state endure United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement incursions, federal government lawsuits and a financially unstable UC system, young people continue to vote at low rates. But tomorrow is an opportunity to make our voices heard.

Many voters assume primaries are not as important as general elections. But this election will have major consequences, including determining what candidates are on the ballot in November.

Who students vote for will directly affect their college experiences. The representatives they elect in June may go on to decide UC policies and where taxpayer funding goes. The primary elections for the governor, lieutenant governor and superintendent of public instruction races are on the ballot, and the winners will be automatically named UC Regents.

Gavin Newsom, the current California governor and president of the Board of Regents, proposed a $350.6 million increase in UC funding in May. The next governor will appoint regents when there is a vacancy and have the opportunity to propose expanding or reducing University funding.

Eligible students should also vote since many UCLA students cannot.

Of the more than 300,000 students within the UC, approximately 37,000 are non-California residents. Students who are eligible to vote should remember that our decisions at the polls affect our out-of-state, international and undocumented peers.

Educating yourself on a lengthy ballot can be time-consuming during Week 10, but learning about tomorrow’s races is worthwhile and achievable. Here are some places to start.

If you don’t know how or where to vote:

  • Go to the California Secretary of State’s website to read their official voter guide and view information about polling locations and hours.
  • LA residents can vote in person June 2 at Pauley Pavilion, De Neve Plaza, the Hammer Museum and Ackerman Union, among other locations across the county, according to BruinsVote.
  • Confirm your voter registration status, and learn about same-day voter registration.
  • If you are voting by mail, drop off your completed ballot at a secure drop box, polling place, vote center, county elections office or post office with a hand-stamped postmark by 8 p.m. tomorrow. Avoid casting your ballot in a regular mail box, as you must have sent it five days before Election Day to ensure it is postmarked by Election Day.

If you want to learn about candidates and ballot measures:

  • Visit non-partisan voter information websites like Ballotpedia for overviews of every candidate and proposition.
  • Use CalMatters‘ voter guide for more detailed candidate information. To learn more about the governor’s race, consider watching their candidate interviews.
  • Check websites like CAGovTracker for information on candidates’ funding sources and polling averages.
  • Consider looking at endorsements by people and organizations you trust.

We have the opportunity to shape the state we live in. Let’s not waste it.

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