March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election is 12 Days Away!
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The March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election is 12 days away! Need to register to vote? Want to check your voter registration status? We can help.
If you still need to register to vote or update your voter registration, you will need to complete the
Same Day Voter Registration
process at your county elections office, vote center, or polling place.
Secretary of State Alex Padilla has launched
vote.ca.gov,
a new webpage that serves as a one-stop site that houses all the tools you need to cast your ballot in 2020. It provides resources on registration, your voter status, how to vote, election cybersecurity, as well as the rights you have as a voter in California.
Other Resources:
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla Conditionally Certifies
Los Angeles County VSAP System
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla has conditionally certified Los Angeles County’s Voting Solutions for All People 2.0 (VSAP) for use in the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election.
VSAP is the first publicly owned and designed voting system certified for use in the nation.
“The certification of the first publicly owned voting system in the nation is a historic milestone for American democracy,” said Secretary of State Alex Padilla. “VSAP is a big step forward in modernizing elections in Los Angeles County, which has been home to some of the oldest voting equipment in the state. Upgrading to a modern system will improve the long-term reliability and security of elections in the largest county in America.”
“I appreciate Los Angeles County’s efforts to engage a broad range of stakeholders and to seek community input during their years long design and testing process. Elections officials have a duty to make voting both as secure and as accessible as possible. As part of my certification of VSAP, I am insisting on some essential modifications to the system and requiring on-going reports from Los Angeles County so that we can continue to improve the voting experience for Angelenos.”
California Voting System Standards and Certification Process
Before being authorized for use by any county in California, every voting system must go through the state testing and certification process. The California Voting System Standards (CVSS) exceed the Voluntary Voting Systems Guidelines (VVSG) recommended by the U. S. Elections Assistance Commission and are considered the most rigorous in the country.
As part of the CVSS, every system goes through:
- Functional testing,
- Source code review,
- Accessibility and volume testing, and
- Red team security testing that involves experts trying to “break into” the voting system.
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla Launches "Where's My Ballot?" Tool
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The California Secretary of State’s office has launched the new “Where’s My Ballot?” tool. Voters can now sign-up at
WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov
to receive automated notifications about their vote-by-mail ballots by email, text (SMS), or voice call.
Voters who sign up for “Where’s My Ballot?” will receive automatic updates when:
- The county elections office mails the voter’s ballot
- The county has received the voter’s ballot
- The county has counted the voter’s ballot
- If there are any issues with the voter’s ballot
Voters who sign up for “Where’s My Ballot?” will also receive communications from their county elections office about important election deadlines and critical updates such as polling place changes.
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Secretary Padilla Visits High Schools to Promote Civic Participation
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Secretary Padilla visited high schools across California to discuss the importance of voting and the role young people can play in shaping the future through civic participation.
In preparation for the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary, Secretary Padilla encouraged all eligible 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote. Once pre-registered, their registration will automatically activate when they turn 18. Secretary Padilla also highlighted the importance of ensuring a complete and accurate count of all Californians for the 2020 Census.
In 2018, Secretary Padilla launched a High School Civic Engagement Portal,
HighSchool.sos.ca.gov.
High school students can learn more about pre-registration, find out how to be a student poll worker, get resources to host a Student Mock Election on their campus, and learn how to organize voter registration drives on their campuses.
In January, the Secretary visited the following high schools:
- Fairfield High School
- San Pedro High School
- Garfield High School
- Lincoln High School
- Kennedy High School
Notable Coverage:
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Secretary Alex Padilla and Representative Gil Cisneros Host Town Hall to Discuss the U.S. Census and Vote Centers in Orange County
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Congressman Gil Cisneros (CA-39) hosted a town hall on January 17, 2020 at Fullerton College to discuss the U.S. Census and Vote Centers, which will replace traditional polling places in Orange County starting with the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary.
Orange County will be transitioning to the
Voter’s Choice Act
for the Presidential Primary on March 3, 2020. Under this modern election model, every registered voter will automatically receive their ballot by mail and have options for how to return their ballot: by mail, to any ballot drop box in the county, or at any vote center in the county convenient to them.
Achieving a complete count will require dedicated outreach to hard-to-count communities. In preparation for that effort, the Secretary of State’s office has created fact sheets for 25
Hard-to-Reach California Counties
. You can view the fact sheet for Orange County
here
.
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Secretary Padilla Participates in Roundtable on the U.S. Census and the 2020 Election at CSU Northridge
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla participated in a roundtable discussion with the CSU Northridge Associated Students Chair of Legislative Affairs, Leslie Aguirre on January 29.
They spoke about changes coming to Los Angeles County as it transitions to the
Voter's Choice Act
model for the Presidential Primary on March 3, 2020.
Their discussion touched on election cybersecurity and the safeguards California has implemented in the face of potential interference. Elections officials across California are continually updating cybersecurity procedures to ensure the integrity and security of our elections. You can learn more about election cybersecurity
here
.
They also reinforced the importance of attaining a complete count for the 2020 Census, which will determine federal funding for the next ten years and California's representation in Congress. You can view the fact sheet for Los Angeles County
here.
Notable Coverage:
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Safe at Home Team Recognized by
California Department of Social Services for
Work in Combating Human Trafficking
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Safe at Home Director Margie Hieter and her team were recognized at the California Department of Social Services' first awards ceremony recognizing Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The CDSS honored them for their continued dedication, commitment and service, to children, youth and families who have been impacted by exploitation.
The
Safe at Home Program
team has been increasing outreach efforts through partnerships with the Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program and through the creation of cross-collaboration platforms. This includes the Safe at Home 20th anniversary celebration, which informed human trafficking and other crime victims about programs and resources available to them through a series of presentations.
Congratulations to the Safe at Home Team for all their hard work and tireless commitment in service of Californians in n
eed!
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Secretary Padilla Announces New Democracy at Work Partnership with Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced a new Democracy at Work partnership with the hospital leadership, physicians, nurses, and staff at Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach. Miller leads Census outreach efforts and voter engagement initiatives in the Long Beach community.
The nonpartisan Democracy at Work initiative urges the business community, local governments, and nonprofit sector employers to promote voter registration and civic engagement to employees and customers ahead of the 2020 elections.
Interested organizations can sign up to partner with the Secretary of State’s office through the newly redesigned
DemocracyAtWork.sos.ca.gov
web portal and utilize the online toolkit with sample email messages to staff as well as draft social media posts for customers. The Secretary of State’s Outreach Division can also design customized plans for interested partners.
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Statewide Voter Information Guide
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The Official Voter Information Guide includes arguments for and against Proposition 13 and other important election information such as the Voter Bill of Rights and how to find your polling place. California's Official Voter Information Guide is available in 10 languages - English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese, as well as American Sign Language.
The Secretary of State’s office mailed the Official Voter Information Guide to all households that have at least one registered voter beginning January 23, 2020. Audio versions and large print versions are also available. Additional hard copies of guides in each of the 10 languages can be requested from the Secretary of State’s Elections Division by calling
(800) 345-VOTE (8683).
American Sign Language videos of the ‘quick reference guide’ contained within the Voter Information Guide are also available online. You can view the full Official Voter Information Guide, including presidential candidate statements, at
VoterGuide.sos.ca.gov
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California State Archives Celebrates Its 170th Birthday
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The State Archives was established by the
The Act Concerning the Public Archives, which was the first law signed by the first governor on January 5, 1850. The Archives was charged with receiving "…all public records, registered maps, books, papers, rolls, documents and other writings . . . which appertain to or are in any way connected with the political history and past administration of the government of California."
The State Archives
continues to serve in the spirit of those early instructions, providing a repository for many significant records relating to state laws and legislation. The State Archives is home to original bills signed into law by the Governor and chaptered by the Secretary of State, original bill proposals from the State Senate and State Assembly, opinions of the State Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal, and bill files from legislators and legislative committees. Taken together, these records represent the legal foundation of state government and are frequently used by the courts, the legal community, state and local governments, and the public.
Happy Birthday to the California State Archives and thank you to the Archives team for their dedication to preserving and maintaining California history!
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