Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2018: VOTE!
Getting Back to Our Roots: The Personal Is Political

Campaign July 19, 2018

Get Out the Vote | Educate Voters | Engage Candidates

This year, our Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign will be different than ever before. We’re launching a get out the vote and voter education campaign: a non-partisan effort to:

Inform Californians about the issues impacting survivors
Mobilize communities to ask questions of candidates, so they learn about how they plan to address domestic violence
Encourage Californians to vote—and specifically provide information for survivors to vote safely through California’s Safe at Home Program

✓ Voter Registration: The voter registration deadline has passed, but you can conditionally register and vote at your county’s election office.

>> Survivors who are enrolled in the Safe at Home Program and registered as confidential vote-by-mail voters can get ready to mail their completed ballots in!

>> If you are a survivor who is NOT enrolled in Safe at Home, and would like to register to vote confidentially, contact Safe at Home for information on how to apply for the program or visit an Enrolling Agency in your area to enroll. The last day to register to vote in California is October 22, 2018. With Safe at Home’s enrollment processing times, you may not be able to vote in this year’s election, but you will be ready for 2020!

>> Partnership Member Exclusive: Facilitate voter registration for survivors with our guide!

✓ Where to Vote

✓ Ask Candidates Questions | Candidates, reach out to your local domestic violence organization! Discuss your platform and issues that matter to survivors.

✓ Explore Your Ballot

Deep Dive into Prop 1, the Veterans and Affordable Housing Act: From the Secretary of State’s Office: “Authorizes $4 billion in general obligation bonds for existing affordable housing programs for low-income residents, veterans, farmworkers, manufactured and mobile homes, infill, and transit-oriented housing. Fiscal Impact: Increased state costs to repay bonds averaging about $170 million annually over the next 35 years.” Learn More

✓ Learn About the Issues

Where do the candidates stand on…

Immigration: Undocumented survivors of domestic violence are currently at risk for deportation, which makes many fearful of seeking support. This makes our communities less safe. The California Values Act, signed into law in 2018, provides some relief by limiting interaction between law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Economic Justice: Financial abuse is the primary reason survivors return to violent relationships—and for immigrant and low wage workers, the impact is more pronounced. The California’s Fair Pay Act and paid family leave laws increase economic justice, but gaps still remain in access to both. Additionally, access to safe, stable housing.

Alternatives to the Criminal Legal System: Some survivors experience negative impacts from interacting with the criminal legal system—high attorney fees, long and retraumatizing trials, and interaction with the person harming them. Survivors are telling us that they want other alternatives for justice beyond the traditional criminal legal system. Alternative forms of justice seek to center the needs of survivors in the accountability process.

Domestic Violence Prevention: Historically, California has funded intervention strategies, supporting survivors after a crisis happens. Sexual and domestic violence prevention, which recently received a funding increase, has the power to massively shift public attitudes on gender equity, creating a safer California. Approaches include youth engagement and leadership, community organizing to strengthen social bonds, and more.