SB 316 - High School Pupils: Voter Registration

Winnie Liao

Civic engagement is the heart of our democracy. That participation starts young, and it begins in places where students already congregate and learn – schools. 

In the 2025-2026 CA legislative session, SB 316 was introduced to further engage young voters. The act, also known as the High School Voter Registration Act, aims to provide critical resources and knowledge for all students throughout the state. 

What It Does

SB 316 mandates that starting in the 2026-2027 school year, students must learn how to pre-register and register to vote by 11th grade. Students must also learn other election/voting related information, such as voter eligibility, how to vote, etc. To enact these duties, schools may partner with local civic engagement organizations. 

On the Path to Progress

SB 316 is just one of many efforts nationwide to increase youth voter turnout. As articulated in the CAYC blog "The Civic Advantage: How Youth Engagement Builds Healthier Communities", efforts such as these continually engage and benefit young people and future generations to come. 

Mandating civic and voter education statewide is also critical in ensuring that under-represented voices have the tools to speak up. The National Bureau of Economic Research finds that an individual's socioeconomic status is closely correlated with their likelihood of participating in politics. Wealthier constituents are often overrepresented in voting outcomes and decisions, leading to decisions that may not benefit others. By making civic education accessible to all at a young age, California takes a step towards a future where more and more can participate in our democracy. 

Sources: 

National Bureau of Economic Research Paper: https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w32777/w32777.pdf

SB 316 Bill Text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB316

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