Link up the Vote, a free, family-friendly voter registration block party, will take place noon-3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Santa Barbara City College, Friendship Plaza.

The inaugural event is presented by the Central Coast-Riviera Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, in partnership with Umoja, The Basic Needs Center, The Well, and the Multimodal Lab.

Attendees are invited to:
• Learn through nonpartisan voter education about how to vote, key dates and deadlines, and what’s on the ballot.
• Register to vote, check registration status, or update information on the spot.
• Meet candidates and hear directly from local candidates seeking office.
• Join the conversation in discussions about issues that matter most in the community.

The event will also feature a DJ, small bites, and giveaways.

“Link up the Vote is a celebration of participation in our democracy, and everyone, whether a first-time voter, a longtime voter or simply curious, is invited to join in,” organizers said.

Link up the Vote is part of a national signature program of The Links, Incorporated, which mobilizes chapters across the country to promote civic engagement, voter education, registration and participation at the polls, the organization said.

“Democracy works best when every voice is informed, registered and engaged,” said Wendy Eley Jackson, president of the Central Coast-Riviera Chapter of The Links, Inc.

“Link up the Vote is about more than filling out a form, it is a chance to learn, to meet the people asking for our votes, and to talk honestly with one another about our community’s future,” she said. “We are grateful to our campus partners for helping us bring this inaugural event to life.”

The Central Coast–Riviera Chapter #302 of The Links, Incorporated. was chartered on Feb. 21, 2026, and serves communities across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

“The chapter is committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry through transformational programming, civic engagement and service,” organizers said.

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation founded in 1946, with a membership of more than 17,000 professional women of color in nearly 300 chapters across the U.S., the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom.

“It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations, committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry,” the group said.