Buen Vecino, a Ventura County community group and one of our partners in 805 EPIC, is recruiting Neighborhood Vote Protectors.
Volunteers observe polling places, document and report incidents, and help make sure voters can cast their ballots without fear or intimidation. You’ll take a brief online training first.
Already signed up with a national poll monitoring group? Thank you. This one keeps the help local.
IOV is part of 805 EPIC, the Election Protection and Integrity Coalition: more than 40 nonprofits in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties working to protect our elections from interference.
Know Your Rights
Having a problem voting? Ask for an election worker or site supervisor. Then call or text the 805 EPIC Rapid Response Network at 805-870-8855, or the national Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). En español: 888-VE-Y-VOTA.
Monday, Oct. 19, 6 pm, Franklin Neighborhood Center, 1136 E. Montecito St., Santa Barbara. Protecting Your Right to Vote, in Spanish with English interpretation.
How will you support your neighbors when ICE comes to your street? Learn how to spot, report, and verify ICE raids in our community, and find your best fit for getting involved.
When: Thursday, October 15, 6:30pm
Where: Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View
This is for new volunteers, already-trained volunteers, experienced volunteers, and want-to-be-more-involved volunteers. Hosted by Oak View Neighbors with VC Defensa.
See ICE activity? Call the VC Defensa hotline at 805-296-1119, answered 24 hours.
Join us for an important opportunity to meet District 24 Congressman Salud Carbajal, who will hold a town hall on election protection in the upcoming midterms.
When: Thursday, October 1, 5:30pm
Where: Kent Hall, City of Ojai, 111 West Santa Ana St.
Carbajal, whose district includes downtown Ojai and communities to the west, is a member of the Congressional AI Caucus and is working to regulate this technology. He also secured more than $66 million for Central Coast water projects in the House-passed Water Resources Development Act of 2026, including $25 million to replace Ojai’s aging stormwater pipes. The bill still has to pass the Senate.
Come hear about this vital work, and bring your questions about the topics you care about: election protection, cuts to health coverage, or the many others affecting our lives right now.
Vote Early Day is Saturday, October 24, a national day to make a plan and vote early. When you vote early, busy schedules, Election Day lines, and last-minute problems can’t stop you from being heard.
It’s also the day Ventura County opens its first 11 vote centers, roughly one per city, so you can vote in person that very morning. (That’s from Registrar Michelle Ascencion’s talk to our group.)
Poll watchers stand outside voting places to spot and report potential threats to voting. Our partner We Are California is offering online trainings on a statewide basis. Every session covers the same content, so you only need to attend one:
Wed, Sep 23 — 6:00pm–7:30pm PDT
Wed, Oct 14 — 6:00pm–7:30pm PDT
Wed, Oct 21 — 6:00pm–7:30pm PDT
Sat, Oct 24 — 10:00am–11:30am PDT
At the end of each training you can sign up for poll watching shifts at a local polling station.
