Madera County has a great resource for voters - it's a link to not just their State and Federal elected officials, but to all of their local as well. I've worked with a lot of jurisdictions, and this is the first time I've seen such a comprehensive local listing. I really believe that local politics is where people can make the biggest impact on their daily lives. Check out all the different offices you could run for. If Madera County has them, it's likely that most other counties in California have very similar elected positions. Other states probably do, too. They might call them by different names. What would you like to run for???
If memory serves, I think you might teach about political science to college students. Are there any good resources for the various local offices that people can run for?