This week (October 16-18, 2002) over 14,000 students from 22 different San Francisco high schools will participate in Youth VOTE 2002. Youth VOTE is sponsored by the Youth VOTE Coalition (which includes the San Francisco Youth Commission, the San Francisco Unified School District's Student Advisory Council, and Youth Making A Change). San Francisco's 11th annual Youth VOTE should be the largest ever. Through Youth VOTE, students vote on candidates and ballot measures on the November 5th ballot, elect their own student delegate to the School Board, and answer youth survey questions about issues like police in schools, youth homelessness, and the war in Iraq. The results of Youth VOTE will be first available at the Youth VOTE Coalition's Press Conference on Tuesday, October 29th at 12:00 pm in City Hall, Room 305, Mayor's Press Room.

Members of the Youth VOTE Coalition will use the results of Youth VOTE to influence the adult vote, gather youth opinion and determine their advocacy campaigns and projects for the year. Over the last ten years, Youth VOTE has helped establish Wellness Centers in seven SFUSD high schools, initiate Youth Space, a citywide recreation center set to open this year, and obtain more funding for youth jobs. Youth VOTE is a really important way for the Youth Commission to involve San Francisco students in setting citywide priorities for youth and ensure that youth voices are heard!