2026 Midterm Election GOTV & Canvassing

November 3rd: Show Up, Speak Out — Because Our Generation Can’t Sit This Out

E sui faiga, ae tumau fa'avae – the ways of doing may change, but the foundations remain the same.

Meet Our Pasifika Vote Canvassers

Ailana Mendiola-Power

Buenas yan Håfa Adai! My name is Ailana Mendiola-Power and I am excited to be part of EPIC's Pasifika Vote Canvasser team! My family is from the island of Guåhan and I currently reside in the Bay Area on Ohlone land. I am a proud alum of EPIC's PILOT Cohort #17 and am so grateful for the opportunity to work with EPIC again. I recently completed a Spring internship in the California State Assembly with API Advocates. In this position, I gained firsthand experience working in legislation and representing our Pacific Islander community in the state capitol. I graduated from Portland State University with a degree in Sociology and have a background in education, local government, and with Pasifika nonprofits in Portland, OR. I am passionate about policy and education and am thrilled to be able to work with Pasifika communities here in the Bay and increase our communities’ civic engagement. Si Yu'os Ma'åse' and I look forward to working with you all!

Meet the folks who will be helping us highlight the importance of voting to our California NHPI community leading up to the midterm elections in November!

Lulani Tafilele-Moors

Talofa Lava! My name is Lulani Jolee Tafilele-Moors (she/her). Out here in the community, everyone calls me Nani. I am a first-generation Samoan-American born in San Francisco on the ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone. My mom was born in Tutuila and my grandma was born in Upolu so I proudly represent both the 684 and the 685! I am an alumn of EPIC’s PILOT program representing for Cohort #16! Since my PILOT experience, I have really been looking forward to being in community with EPIC again. With that being said, I am honored and grateful to be learning from my peers and our leaders in this wonderful Pasifika Voter Canvassing team.

  • I am currently taking a gap year from my undergrad studies but I am still outside in the community constantly learning, fueling my radical fire, and putting myself in community spaces that empower or inspire my leadership roles. I am a student at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA pursuing a degree in African American Studies. I am the founder and former president of Puget Sound’s Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA), an identity-based affinity group for Pasifika students at UPS to find and build community and support for/with one another. I am not as well-versed as my peers in this team when it comes to understanding policy or canvassing but I do feel this is a great opportunity for me to learn. Last year, I was invited to the AIPACS Women’s Collective Summit in Washington D.C. where I had the opportunity to learn from AANHPI elected officials all things policy and campaign building. I am passionate about our liberation as a collective across the Pacific especially in diaspora. I spend a lot of time in San Francisco and South San Francisco and have seen firsthand how the abrupt change in policies this past year has had a negative impact on marginalized communities including our Pasifika community. I have also seen a number of our community members not given resources or tools to vote and when election season comes around, our voices go unheard, our votes uncounted because of this gap. I hope to join my peers in this canvassing team to bridge this gap of knowledge regarding civic engagement. I believe that in order for us to make it to the polls, it will take a village and I am proud to be someone joining the village. "Theory's cool, but theory with no practice ain't shit." -Fred Hampton.

Roy Tongilava

Roy Tongilava (He/Him) hails from the Kingdom of Tonga and is a first-generation Pacific Islander American policy advocate and community leader. Roy is excited to serve as a Pasifika Vote Canvasser with EPIC to meaningfully engage Pasifika communities in civic participation and collectively mobilize our shared priorities across California.

  • Currently, he serves as a policy analyst at EdTrust-West, an advocacy organization committed to eliminating racial equity gaps for low-income students of color and multilingual learners across California’s education systems. In this role, he supports policy research, analysis, and position development on school funding, accountability, and data systems. Prior to joining EdTrust-West, he served in the California State Legislature as the first Tongan Pacific Islander legislative staffer in numerous roles where he led policy analysis and legislative proposals aimed at expanding resources for underserved communities.


    Additionally, he serves on the boards with Pacific Islanders for Progress and the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center. Formerly, he served on the boards of South Pacific Islander Organization (SPIO), Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Democratic Club (SVAPADC), and San Jose For All. Roy is a proud product of California public schools and universities, having earned a master’s degree in public affairs from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Riverside.

Talavou “Vou” Aumavae

Talavou "Vou" Aumavae is a community leader, public policy professional, and graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Administration at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. Born and raised on the island of Tutuila in American Samoa, Vou proudly claims Leone as his home village among the many villages to which he is connected. His upbringing and Samoan heritage continue to shape his commitment to service, leadership, and strengthening communities.

  • Vou earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from San Francisco State University, where he founded and served as the inaugural President of the Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA), helping expand opportunities for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students through advocacy, leadership, and community engagement.

    Driven by a passion for public service, Vou has dedicated his career to advancing equity, civic participation, and youth empowerment. His work has focused on developing culturally responsive programs, building partnerships between community organizations and public agencies, and increasing access to resources for historically underserved communities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. He has served in leadership roles with several nonprofit organizations, advisory boards, and civic commissions, including founding the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Democratic Club of San Mateo County and serving on the San Mateo County Charter Review Committee.

    Throughout his career, Vou has worked alongside youth, families, educators, community leaders, and public officials to create meaningful opportunities for leadership development, civic engagement, and community advocacy. His professional interests include public administration, nonprofit management, community organizing, policy implementation, and strengthening partnerships between government and local communities.

    Outside of his professional and academic pursuits, Vou enjoys traveling, lifelong learning, and spending time with family and friends. He believes meaningful public service begins with listening to communities, honoring cultural values, and empowering people to become active participants in shaping the future of their communities.

    • Redistricting determines who represents us in Congress—and whose voices are heard

      • Example: Congressional District 15, South San Francisco

        • The Citizen Voting Age Population for NHPI’s would increase from 2,852 to 14,331 with the new redistricting proposal. This would be a 402% increase in our NHPI voting power, according to PDI data.

    • Many of our PILOT alumni live in CD 15, and redistricting could shift representation there significantly

    • NHPIs are:

      • One of the fastest-growing groups in the U.S. (+18% between 2010 and 2020)

      • One of the youngest racial groups (median age 29)

      • Increasing voter turnout every year (41% in 2016 → 56% in 2020 presidential elections, AAPI Data)

    • Our votes should shape our futures—because we’ll be at the table the longest

  • You are eligible if you are:

    • A U.S. citizen and resident of California

    • 18 years old or older on Election Day

    • Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction

    • Voting as a student? You can register at your campus address or your family home address

    • Voting unhoused? You can register using a location you frequent (like a park or shelter) and the mailing address you use

Key Election Dates

Sound the Pū! Here’s What You Can Do

Vote early and join us on November 1 - EPIC’s Voter Day of Action where we will all take time to cast our ballots and mail or drop off at the nearest drop box!

  • Take a photo and tag us @empoweredpi on Instagram for a chance to win an EPIC T-Shirt! 

  • Make a vote plan. Set a date with your group chat and carpool with friends and family, fill out ballots together, and make it a community moment.

  • Talk about it. Conversations may be hard, but plant the seed:

    • Agree to disagree if needed

    • Share credible info, not rumors

    • Every conversation counts

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Prop 50 + November 4 Special Election

  • Yup! California has a special election on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Like the last couple of elections, every registered voter will get a mail ballot in early October. You can fill it out and mail it back, drop it at a ballot box, or vote in person. Easy.

  • The short version: redistricting. Some states (like Texas) switched up their voting maps to keep more power in the hands of one party. In response, California put Proposition 50 (Prop 50) on the ballot. If it passes, California would redraw temporary Congressional maps until 2030.

    This is about making sure our communities aren’t left behind while other states play political games.

  • Here’s the breakdown:

    • The temporary maps would kick in for the 2026 elections

    • After the 2030 Census, California goes back to the regular redistricting process

    • The California Citizens Redistricting Commission (the nonpartisan group that normally handles maps) stays in place

    • The measure also declares that California supports fair, independent redistricting nationwide

    Basically: It’s a short-term move so California doesn’t get played while other states tilt the balance of Congress

  • Voting is the first step, but there’s more:

    • Vote early. Don’t wait ‘til the last minute—no island time on this one

    • Make a vote plan. Coordinate with your friends or family, fill out ballots together, carpool to a drop box or polling place, and grab food after.

    • Talk story about it. Talking about voting with people you care about isn’t always easy, but it matters.

      • Share your perspective, even if others don’t agree right away

      • Stick to solid info, not rumors

      • Respect your boundaries—every convo doesn’t need to be an argument