Vote for Your Health

Health on the ballot 

• Voting informs decisions about the conditions in which we live, work, grow, and play (also known as social determinants of health).  
• In elections, we typically vote for people who will represent us and policies that impact our communities and daily lives. For example: 
  • When we vote for a controller, we are choosing the person who manages our tax system. (Visit Healthy Economy to learn about the connections between the economy and health.) 
  • When we vote for school board members, we are choosing the people who approve school curriculum and policies. (Visit Healthy Schools to learn about the connections between schools and health.) 
  • In recent elections, people have voted on issues like rent control, and funding new parks in low-income neighborhoods (Visit Healthy Housing and Healthy Neighborhoods learn about the connections between the living environments and health.) 
• Voting is one way people can ensure the government makes laws or creates programs that promote healthy communities. 

Download and share the Vote for Your Health flyer:

• English One-Sided Vote for your Health
• Chinese Bilingual Vote for your Health
• Spanish Bilingual Vote for your Health
• Tagalog Bilingual Vote for your Health

Communities with lowest turnout also have poorer health 

Studies have found that civic participation (including voting, volunteering, and belonging to community groups) is linked to better health. Civic participation is a sign of a healthy community. 

We see evidence of this locally. Voter turnout is lower in our areas of our county that experience poorer conditions for health. For example, voter turnout in the June 2022 election was lowest in South San Francisco (31.86%), Daly City (29.73%) and East Palo Alto (17.86%), which also rank among the highest in food insecurity and mental health needs. Notably, these are also areas of our county with the highest concentrations of people of color. 

For comparison, voter turnout was highest in Portola Valley (51.44%) and Belmont (49.79%), where social and economic conditions for health are among the best in our county. 

Want to know more about health indicators where you live? Check out: 

• Get Healthy SMC Healthy City profiles 
• SMC All Together Better: Community Health Dashboards 

Voting is one part of the solution to improving conditions for good health and addressing unfair differences across areas of our county. Your health should not depend on your address! 

Your Vote is Your Voice 

Register To Vote 

• Register to vote online up to 15 days before Election Day. 
• If you miss the deadline to register, you may still be able to vote by visiting a Vote Center and completing the Conditional Voter Registration.  
• California youth who are 16 and 17 years old can pre-register to vote! Their registration become active once they turn 18 years old.  

Make a plan to vote 

• Check your voter registration status. 
• Every registered San Mateo County voter will receive a ballot in the mail. Ballots will be mailed out approximately one month prior to the election.  
• You can vote by: 
  • Mail: No postage necessary. Mail it before or on election day. 
  • Drop Box: Drop your completed ballot in a secured Ballot Drop Box  
  • In person: Vote at any San Mateo County Vote Center 
• For more information on how to vote in San Mateo County, visit smcvote.org or call/text 650-312-5222  

Talk to friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors 

• Let them know which issues matter to you and why 
• Inform them of the process to register and vote, and let them know where to find information 
• Fill out ballots together with friends and family; make it a party! 
• Talk to kids and youth in your life about why voting matters to you and to the community 

To request a presentation on voting for your workplace or community group, you may contact Mai Le, mle@smcgov.org.