Benjamin Salop: the 20-year-old former OUSD student running for School Board

Benjamin Salop is running for the District 1 Oakland school board position as a 20-year-old who graduated from Oakland Tech in 2022 because he believes that students and families deserve a seat at the decision-making table.


Youth Vote Now Official: Oakland and Berkeley 16- and 17-year-olds Can Now Head to the Polls in November for School Board Elections.

At long last, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters has finalized and established plans for the youth in Oakland and Berkeley to have their votes counted in school board elections this fall, becoming the first in the nation to do so. To simplify matters, the Registrar will be using California’s existing pre-registration system – the…


An Interview with OUSD Board President Sam Davis on Measure QQ, Who’s Running for the School Board, How Students Can Register to Vote, and More

On Monday of this week, Great School Voices had the opportunity to interview OUSD School Board President Sam Davis about the challenges behind implementing the directives behind Oakland’s Measure QQ and Berkeley’s Measure Y1, giving Youth aged 16 and 17 the right to vote in school board elections. According to ABC News and other official…


The Long Road to an Oakland Youth Vote takes Critical Steps toward this Year’s November Ballot 

Youth organizers and activists at Oakland’s July 16, 2024, City Council meeting, with OUSD Director Sam Davis and Councilmember Treva Reid. Council members cast preliminary votes to authorize youth aged 16 and older to vote in school board elections. (Photo credit: Families in Action for Education (FIA)). With November just around the corner, Oakland has…


ONE LAST WEEKEND Before Your Primary Ballot is Due! Refresh Yourself on ACOE School Board Candidates Here.

With the primary on March 5, you have one last weekend to research your candidates for office, before the general election in November.    Special elections and primaries often have the lowest turnouts.  Yet, in regions like Oakland and the Bay Area that are heavily represented by one political party, these elections are the most…