Despite the cold and rain, a large crowd of Los Angeles County voters showed up to the polls at Long Beach City College for the 2022 midterm elections.
All across the Liberal Arts Campus were signs directing citizens to the voting center in the T building. The voting site consisted of poll workers, drop-off ballot areas, and an in-person voting registration for people who had not registered to vote yet.
“Today was the busiest I have seen since this voting site was open. No matter the weather, people are resilient and will vote,” said Nancy Sorto, the lead poll worker for the voting center.
This year was the first year many 18-year-old college students at LBCC could vote, and many of them were seen casting their ballots.
The midterm election would fill the positions for community governor, attorney general, L.A. County Sheriff, mayor, and also pass or deny seven propositions.
With reproductive rights being a hot topic on this year’s ballot, many women were seen coming in to vote.
“When I heard Roe V. Wade was overturned, I couldn’t believe it,” said Bailey Fagundes, a student at LBCC. “I knew that I had to use my power of voting to support myself and all women around me for abortion rights.”
Fagundes says her Political Science course at LBCC helped her become more educated on voting.
“[The course] has helped me understand that my vote does matter. it’s a false belief to think that your one vote will not make a difference,” said Fagundes.
Many people are aware of the importance of voting, but it can still be a confusing process, especially for new voters. Despite there being many volunteers at the polls, some voters don’t know who to turn to when they have questions.
Linda Walker, a graduate of LBCC, was one of the poll workers at the LBCC from Oct. 29 to Nov. 8.
“As someone who has been a poll worker for 15 years, I know it may be intimidating for young people to vote,” Walker said. “You can register in person on election day if you don’t know how to, there are many books offered here to provide education on voting, as well as many great Political Science teachers here at LBCC.”
Despite the information that is already accessible to voters, Walker does believe improvements need to be made when it comes to informing people on how to vote.
“We need easier access to information on each candidate instead of the ads and false information we are bombarded with every day,” Walker said. “I also hope to see more signs in the future and information on how to get to the voting center here on campus.”
Whether a voter was at the poll to vote for a certain proposition or political candidate, poll workers were there to help every step of the way.
After a week of being open for voting, the voting center officially closed its doors at 10 p.m. on Nov. 8.