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BERKELEY'S NEWS • SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

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Midterm Elections 2022: Ready, Set, Vote!

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NOVEMBER 03, 2022

Midterm elections are an often overlooked part of our democracy, with lower voter turnout and less media fanfare. While presidential elections tend to steal the spotlight, engaging with the plethora of local, state and national issues and races on the 2022 ballot is crucial to affect change. This year, Berkeley voters will have a chance to weigh in on protecting access to abortion, California’s next governor, local officials and housing policies, Congressional representatives and more.

In this pivotal time with our democracy faltering, The Daily Californian wishes to reaffirm that voting is not only a right, but a privilege; we understand that not everyone has the ability to vote. Still, it is important to stay educated on the issues at stake and for those of us who can, use our voice for change. Our staffers discuss navigating misinformation, their experience engaging in activism and the power of young voters. Together, we hope these perspectives encourage you to take an active role in the political process, starting with casting your ballot this Tuesday.


Power in democratic engagement

 

mug of chrissa olson

The crowd was peppered (jalapeñoed?) with these green stickers, green bandanas, green posters, and suddenly our homegrown rally was marked as being a part of something bigger than ourselves, and that fact was not reassuring.

— Chrissa Olson


2022 midterm elections: Navigating what’s at stake

 

photo of someone dropping off their vote in the official ballot drop box

Midterm elections might not determine the next president of the United States, but the upcoming elections still have a lot at stake for voters everywhere.

— Adriana Temprano


‘Only as good as its sample’: Polls guide candidates, mislead voters

 

A photo of the polling location at Anna Head Alumnae Hall.

Election coverage has become almost synonymous with showcasing the latest poll. During an election, national media outlets are overrun with polls showing which candidate is ahead and what topics people are most concerned about.

— Maria Young


What’s more American than voting?

 

My parents don’t take voting lightly. It’s an American right that they have earned; a privilege that they have lost blood, sweat and tears to obtain.

— Aarthi Muthukumar


‘Pushed out of existence’: UC Berkeley professors, students discuss Equal Rights Amendment

 

Illustration of women protesting, by Aarthi Muthukumar

The 50th anniversary of the Equal Rights Amendment, or ERA, prompted reflection from the UC Berkeley community on both the impact of the proposed legislation and what the country has yet to accomplish.

— Sandhya Ganesan


Reasons you should vote in local elections

 

photo of election packet

Whether you’re legally able to vote for the first time this year or have been already doing so, local elections are a chance to have your voice heard. And you may wonder how an echo is supposed to carry all the way to Washington, but here are the reasons why you should vote in your local elections.

— Heidy Paniagua


How to vote during this year’s election

 

Places to vote and drop off your ballot around UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley students may find it hard to vote in the coming elections if they are registered out of state or in another county, follow this guide for absentee voting.

— Molly Cochran


Engaging in activism, politics in a nonperformative way

 

mug of amrita bhasin

Political activism isn’t a one time thing or a single event that you show up to; it’s an ongoing, long-term process of social reform that requires more involvement and effort than posting on your Instagram story.

— Amrita Bhasin


Regarding power of millennial, Gen Z voters

 

mug of sabrina miranda

More can be done to empower young people to vote, but it need not consist of crudely optimistic visions for the future.

— Sabrina Miranda


‘Uncharted territory’: Media’s impact on American politics, elections

 

photo of #elections2022 on instagram

For Rich Jaroslovsky, vice president of content for Smart News and adjunct faculty in the campus media studies department, there is one big question in terms of media presence in today’s elections:

— Maya Jimenez


Elections through a looking glass

 

Maria Kholodova mug

With all my “qualifications” to be an exemplary voter, I am still a less-than-proud owner of only one passport: Russian.

— Maria Kholodova


‘Fighting the same battle over and over again’: A history of women’s suffrage in California

 

photo of women's suffrage movement

After decades of trying and failing to secure enfranchisement, women in California won the right to vote in 1911. And in doing so, they created a model of campaigning and organization for other state campaigns and the federal movement itself to follow.

— Ananya Rupanagunta


Uniting your ballot with your voice

 

Photo of Michael Temprano

When you cast your ballot, make sure you share your voice. As you share your voice, make sure you are the one speaking.

— Michael Temprano


‘Fortify women’s right to privacy’: Vote yes on Prop 1

 

In November, California constituents will vote on Proposition 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the California constitution. Prop. 1 is necessary to protect freedom of choice and prevent further wrongful infringements on women’s rights.

— Eleanor Jonas


Political rom-com movies, book to distress for election day

 

photo of the princess diaries being projected onto the wall

To keep ourselves from dreadfully staring at the election polls, why not spend election night gleefully watching a romantic-comedy film or opening a book? Here are some political rom-coms to watch and read during election day.

— Harol Guerra


Banning vapes, by a nicotine addict

 

Photo of Luke Stiles

Essentially, if prohibition worked, it already would have. In my eyes, that logic is dangerously misguided, because, well, it never stopped me.

— Luke Stiles


‘Just sayin’: A glimpse into City Council members’ most iconic tweets

 

Illustrations of Iconic tweets by the Berkeley City Council, by Alison Than

Sometimes, however, the notification from the little blue bird can signal something uplifting or even funny, instead of the typical doom and gloom we have come to expect in politics. The Berkeley City Council members’ Twitter accounts are no exception.

— Aditya Katewa


Using your climate anxiety: Voting for environmental justice

 

photo of zoe campion

Take your right to vote and use it to emphatically show that we will not let global warming and environmental justice be sidelined by the government.

— Zoe Campion


Republicans may take Congress: What happens next?

 

Ethan Kim mug.

With the Democrats currently in control of both chambers of Congress and the White House, the finger of public opinion is pointed at their leadership and the fiscal policies they enacted within two years.

— Ethan Kim

Contact Vani Suresh at 

LAST UPDATED

NOVEMBER 03, 2022