News

Not if, but how: California prepares for an all vote-by-mail election in November

Excerpt:

This coming November, every one of California’s more than 20 million registered voters may receive a ballot in the mail — whether they ask for one or not. In fact, many election administrators and advocates say it’s inevitable.

“It’s not a question of ‘if,’ said Kim Alexander, the president of the California Voter Foundation. “But ‘how.’”

CVF-News Roundup: Planning for California's November Presidential Election

Hi Folks,

Big changes are being planned for elections in California and beyond due to the coronavirus pandemic and uncertaintly about whether voting in person can be safely conducted. This issue of CVF-News provides a roundup of news and developments. For a more in-depth perspective, listen to my interview with John Howard and Tim Foster featured in this week's Capitol Weekly podcast.

One upside of the coronavirus shutdown, maybe? Fewer voter initiatives

Excerpt:

Initiative proponents have until the end of April to collect the signatures they need to put their ideas on the ballot — and with millions of Californians staying home, some campaigns won't have time to collect enough signatures. 

California voters may experience a small silver lining amid the coronavirus pandemic: a shorter November ballot, featuring fewer of the statewide propositions that often put voters in the middle of confusing industry fights. 

A Look at Super Tuesday California Voting Problems

Hi Folks,

This edition of CVF-News provides an overview of the significant problems California voters experienced on Super Tuesday, when voters in Los Angeles County encountered wait times as much as four hours to cast a ballot and voters in other counties also experienced delays due to connectivity issues with the statewide voter registration database. The inability to access the California Secretary of State's web site and its online polling place lookup tools contributed to voter confusion. 

How did I end up with vote-by-mail status? Voting expert answers this question and more

Excerpts:

Chuck Yates arrived at his Palm Springs polling place on Super Tuesday, prepared to vote by paper ballot as he always has. But things didn’t go as he had planned.

“I showed up, I gave my name and they said, ‘you voted by mail,’’ he said. “I said, ‘no, I didn’t.’”

A poll worker handed him a provisional ballot, which he begrudgingly filled out.

So How Many Votes Have Been Cast In OC and LA So Far?

Excerpt:

Combined with more than half a million votes that the registrar has received through the mail, that would already represent a 13% turnout for L.A. County, if all the votes cast so far are counted.

The new system has its advantages, says Kim Alexander of the California Voter Foundation, a voter outreach and research nonprofit. She said there have been bumps as the new system has been rolled out, but called the vote centers “a good fail safe for a place like Los Angeles where we have millions of voters.”

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