San Jose block party aims to boost voter turnout as primary election nears
SAN JOSE – In less than one week, California voters will head to the polls for the mid-term primary elections. So far, only about 10% of vote-by-mail ballots have been returned across the state.
An afternoon block party on Hensley Street in San Jose on Wednesday night organized by Silicon Valley Rising Action is hoping to encourage people to vote.
"Democracy just fundamentally works better when more people can participate," says Neil McClintick, one of the organizers.
According to Political Data Intelligence, a company that tracks voter turnout, across the state, a little less than 10% of mail in ballots have been returned as of Wednesday, and numbers in San Jose were basically the same.
"It's just kind of the last thing on people's minds is to get out and vote sometimes," says Gabriela Chavez-Lopez, executive director of the Latino Coalition of Silicon Valley.
That's why one of the issues being talked about at the block party was Measure B, a proposal on the ballot in San Jose to move the mayor's race to the Presidential election cycle instead of on the mid-term ballot, which is where it is now.
"In the 10th largest city in America, the mayor has a lot of influence. So it's a place to start," says McClinktick.
Opponents say the ballot measure is simply a waste of money, and the mayor's race should be left where it is.
Those supporting it say it could raise voter participation in the mayor's race by up to 30% since more people tend to vote in Presidential races.
"I think that it's a way to really meet these communities where they're at, and really capture their engagement in a way that's meaningful and have their voices be heard at the ballot box," said Chavez-Lopez.
As far as term limits for the mayor, if measure B passes - the two-year term for the next mayor will not count toward the term limits, so that person could be elected to three terms for a total of 10 years in office.
Election Day is June 7. Information about turning in your ballot can be found on the California Secretary of State's website.
