‘My Vote, My Health’ campaign focuses on addressing health disparities through civic engagement

As we approach the presidential elections on November 5, local and national entities are aiming to empower potential voters to cast their votes by mail or in person. 

The campaign “My Vote, My Health” by AltaMed, a non-profit organization focused on patients' needs and community well-being, is up and running. It informs voters about how health disparities are addressed through civic engagement. 

People may not realize that chronic conditions like cancer, asthma and other health issues are affected by access to products, the environment they live in and transportation, among other situations, explained Lizette Escobedo, vice-president of government relations and civic engagement with AltaMed.

The campaign started in 2018, mobilizing Community Health Centers (CHCs) in California to address the social and political determinants of health. These CHCs link community healthcare providers and local civic engagement organizations to help increase civic participation and build power in some of the most underserved communities. The objective is to create transformational change that can improve the quality of life and close the gaps in health disparities. 

“In order for us to address all of those things in a systematic way, we must address the leadership that makes the decisions on those issues,” said Escobedo. 

“My Vote, My Health” emphasizes the importance of voters’ participation in balanced measures and propositions that can secure funding and resources, especially in areas such as southeast L.A. 

It is equally essential for all residents, regardless of immigration status, to be part of the decennial census count. This helps the government better understand how to divide the federal funding for programs such as Medicare and WIC.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      “So we want to make sure that our patients, who are often the most disenfranchised in the civic engagement process, are at the table,” said Escobedo. “If we don't do that, we will never fully address the whole person’s health.”     

The importance of local elections

While casting a vote to elect the president or a proposition is essential, Escobedo said local politics may interest the community more, especially when funding is allocated. For example, during the primary elections of 2024, California Proposition 1 on homelessness was passed. The state is giving each county funding to address behavioral health. Then, counties meet with city leaders that we elect to figure out the right programs. They will make those important decisions and distribute the funding.

“[Also] at the city council level decisions are made around parks, green spaces, investment in libraries, transportation, who's fixing the pothole, the lighting and more,”  said Escobedo. 

These elected officials decide what to prioritize. Unfortunately, many constituents don’t know them or when elections take place. Usually, the elections for these officials have a very low participation rate. That’s why many cities have no term limits, and the council members and mayor have been in office for a long time. 

“It's really important that if [city leaders] are making so many key decisions about our family, our kids and our community, that we're participating, not just in every presidential election, but every single election,” said Escobedo.

Legislators, municipal leaders, and congress members are usually elected in midterm elections. In California, for example, the top two candidates make it to the next round. But at the local level, when primaries are held, if the candidate gets 50% plus one, that candidate has already won, and there is no runoff in November. 

Therefore, this information and education in communities are vital so voters understand the election process, key dates and the investment in those voters who are not participating consistently and that nobody is reaching out to, said Escobedo. 

White coats for change

As part of the “My Vote, My Health” campaign, doctors have taken the initiative to walk their communities before every election to inform potential voters about how making their voices heard can impact their health. 

Dr. Ilan Shapiro, medical affairs with AltaMed, said doctors in the Southeast and East Los Angeles have planned their visits in the next few days.

The initiative allows both sides to learn from each other. Doctors can identify patients' needs outside of the exam room, and patients can learn about civic engagement, which can help them prioritize their concerns. 

A 2024 national tracking poll recently released by AltaMed Health Services and Entravision revealed that Latino voters’ top concerns are quality of life issues. They hope that their elected leaders can address cost of living (57%), jobs and the economy (35%), and housing costs/affordability (28%). 

In policy action, 87% of Latinos favor allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, 83% favor a law to ban price gouging and 70% want a law to guarantee abortion access. In health care concerns, 59% of Latinos want cheaper and more affordable services, 42% are concerned about access to primary care and 34% said they want more services in their communities. The last two concerns for Latino voters in this poll are immigration reform (19%), and border issues (18%). 

The poll was revealed seven weeks before the presidential elections, and while 87% of Latinos said they are voting, about 52% said they have not been contacted by any party, candidate or civic/non-profit organization to register or to vote. About 32% said they need more information to make an educated decision. 

Elections are November 5, 2024. Ballots will be mailed starting October 7, and drop-off by mail starts October 8. The last day to register to vote by mail is October 21. Early vote centers open on October 26. 

Resources available

If you need more help to understand your ballot,  you can check the California Secretary of State’s voter information guide at:https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/

To find your closest voting center, including early voting, visit: https://locator.lavote.gov/locations/vc?culture=en or https://www.lavote.gov/

To learn more about the My Vote, My Health campaign visit:

https://www.myvotemyhealth.org/