STUDENTSVRECALL, a student-run organization that works towards garnering support for Governor Gavin Newsom as he runs in the upcoming recall election as well as maximizing voter turnout, will host their first weekly town hall meeting this Sunday, August 29. At the meeting, leaders within the organization, state officials and B-list celebrities will discuss the positive impacts that Newsom has had on the community and answer any questions about the recall election taking place on Tuesday, September 14. 

The organization, founded by Los Altos High School freshman Maulik Dhakal and intern team manager at the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee Jason Park, is a grassroots movement of California students that is affiliated with the California Democratic Party and stands united with Newsom in opposition to the recall.

Maulik met Park during his time at High Schoolers for Biden, a coalition that aimed to expand student interest and involvement in government while garnering national support for President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign. The two originally founded STUDENTSVRECALL to increase support for a Newsom 2022 campaign; however, with the upcoming recall election, they decided to shift focus.  

“Our goal is to clarify aspects of the recall election to potential voters because it is a confusing situation, and we want to make sure that as many people who can vote do come out to vote,” Maulik said. 

STUDENTSVRECALL will  be kicking off its first phone banking event today with Grassroots Democrat HQ — an organization that works to expand the Democratic majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate. Volunteers from both organizations will be reaching out to registered Democrats and urging them to vote for Newsom on election day and answering any questions they may have about the recall election. 

This phone banking event will be followed by another initiative on Thursday, September 2, during which STUDENTSVRECALL will collaborate with the California Democratic Party Organizing Committee to advertise Newsom’s campaign, including a speech from Newsom through social media. 

“This is about getting people within the Democratic Party to vote, to increase the voter turnout,” Maulik said. “Most of our volunteers are high school and college students, but we welcome any one who wants to help out.”