The Daily Delegate

By Daniella Jaramillo, Mayu Altekar-Okazaki and Emily Rebello

The acronym V.O.T.E.R.S stands for Values, Objectives, Track Record, Evidence, Representation, and Substance. Throughout the Youth Government Program, candidates have delivered speeches outlining their goals and how their leadership would improve Youth Government if elected. When entrusting the program’s future to a candidate, it is important to focus on their policies and plans instead of their general appeal or popularity.

V—Values
A candidate’s values reveal what they prioritize and stand for. By listening to the issues they emphasize and the principles they consistently support, delegates can determine whether those beliefs align with their own and with the needs of the Youth Government community.

“Honesty is the best policy,” said Luna Montoya of Greater Long Beach-Los Cerritos. “If you’re going to come up on the podium, no matter how controversial, or how many people have a different opinion than you, you should just own it.”

O—Objectives
Objectives focus on what the candidate plans to accomplish if elected. Strong candidates present clear, specific goals rather than vague promises, which allows delegates to understand what changes or improvements they are proposing.

“I want a hard-working candidate who has set policies that they’ve thought about,” said Alex Hickey from Collins & Katz-Westside, explaining that she wants someone who is detail-oriented.

T—Track Record
A candidate’s track record shows what they have already achieved in Youth Government, school, or other leadership roles. Past actions provide insight into their reliability and whether they can realistically fulfill their promises.

“We should know that we can trust them,” said Ruby Villa from Culver-Palms. “They should have a bit of background so we are not just going in blind.”

E—Evidence
Evidence refers to how well a candidate explains their plans. Instead of simply stating they care about an issue, effective candidates provide realistic steps and support for how they will achieve their goals.

“A really good way for a candidate to stay in touch with delegates and prove that they’re doing the stuff they said they would,” said Valentina Brakohiapa from Albany. “For example, consistently posting on Instagram.”

R—Representation
Representation considers who the candidate is advocating for and whether they listen to diverse perspectives. A strong leader works to include and support all members of the community rather than focusing on a single group.

“For the delegates that live very far from the conferences, I feel that we could raise more money for them to have more accommodations,” said Marlow Slattery from South Pasadena-San Marino.

S—Substance
Substance emphasizes the importance of ideas and qualifications over popularity or appearance. By focusing on what the candidate offers in terms of policy and leadership, delegates can make more thoughtful and informed decisions.

“They should have something impactful that will actually affect me, somewhere I could get my ideas heard,” said Amadeus Castillo from Antioch.

Applying the V.O.T.E.R.S framework when voting helps delegates choose candidates based on their values, plans, and qualifications rather than popularity or appearance. By focusing on objectives, evidence, and track record, delegates can better judge who is prepared to represent and improve Youth Government, ensuring the focus stays on policy over popularity.