San Mateo leaders connect the power of the ballot box with families struggling to afford daily life
San Mateo County, California – In San Mateo County, the price of staying afloat is measured in more than rent checks. It can mean teachers leaving their schools, parents scrambling for child care and families stacking two or three jobs just to remain in the community.
Those everyday pressures took center stage Tuesday as local leaders marked Women’s Equality Day with a message that linked affordability to something more fundamental: having a voice in the decisions that shape daily life.
Hosted by the San Mateo County Commission on the Status of Women, “From Voice to Vote: Affordability at the Ballot Box” brought community leaders together at the Burlingame Community Center. The discussion connected the fight for women’s voting rights with current struggles involving housing, child care and the region’s high cost of living.
Earlier Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed August 26 Women’s Equality Day, recognizing the 19th Amendment and the continued struggle by many women of color for voting rights.
Supervisor Lisa Gauthier said the anniversary carries an obligation beyond remembering history.
“Women’s Equality Day isn’t just about history; it’s about responsibility,” Gauthier said, emphasizing voting as a way to influence communities, policies and the future.
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The scale of today’s economic pressure was clear in figures shared by Samaritan House CEO Laura Bent. The nonprofit now serves roughly 32,000 households, up from about 14,000 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re often underwriting the costs and the expenses of living here,” Bent said. “So while we have great wealth, there is great need in the community.”
Housing offered another example. Panelist Kalimah Salahuddin said Jefferson Union High School District once lost about 30% of its staff annually, with housing costs driving employees away. After voters helped finance 122 employee housing units, the district began the school year fully staffed for the first time during her tenure.
“Being heard is part of being valued,” Salahuddin said.
Child care providers face similar pressures, said Ravenswood Early Learning founding executive director Karen Pace, whose organization supports about 50 early childhood education providers.
The broader message went beyond elections. Panelists encouraged residents to stay informed, question elected officials and participate when decisions affect their communities.
Bent summed up that responsibility with advice from her grandmother, a Black woman who could not vote: “You have a voice. Do not waste it.”
