California Ballot Tracking Tool
Now Available Statewide
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The Secretary of State’s “Where’s My Ballot?” tracking tool is now available to voters in all 58 California counties. All California 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.
You can join the over 750,000 Californians who have signed up to track their ballots with the "Where's My Ballot?" tool.
Voters who sign up for “Where’s My Ballot?” will receive automatic updates when the county elections office:
- Mailed the voter’s ballot.
- Received the voter’s ballot.
- Counted the voter’s ballot.
- Has 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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Serve as a Poll Worker this Fall |
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The California Secretary of State’s office has launched a central statewide poll worker sign-up portal ahead of the November 3, 2020, General Election. Eligible Californians can sign up to serve as a poll worker in their county at PollWorker.sos.ca.gov. Poll workers are paid, with amounts varying by county.
Poll workers are essential to the administration of California’s elections. Poll workers set up and close polling locations, assist voters at the polls, help voters understand their voting rights, and ensure a smooth and accessible election experience. To sign up to be a poll worker, visit PollWorker.sos.ca.gov. After you submit your application, it will be transmitted to your county elections office for review. Completing this application does not guarantee that you will be asked to serve as a poll worker, as volunteer staffing needs will vary by county.
Who can be a Poll Worker?
- Registered California voters.
- Legal residents of the United States who would be eligible to vote except for their citizenship status.
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Eligible high school students.
High school students who wish to volunteer as a poll worker must:
- Be a United States citizen or legal permanent resident
- Be at least 16 years old on Election Day
- Attend a public or private high school
- Have at least a 2.5 grade point average
- Get permission from your parents and school
- Attend a training session
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California Secretary of State Alex Padilla Testifies at Committee on House Administration Hearing about Voting During COVID-19 |
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California Secretary of State Alex Padilla testified on August 28 at the Committee on House Administration's hearing on "Voting Safely In A Pandemic." Secretary Padilla discussed measures California has taken to prepare the November 3, 2020 General Election for the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Other witnesses included Vanita Gupta, CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, Amber McReynolds, CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute, Commissioner Donald Palmer, from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, and Julie Wise, Director of Elections for King County, Washington.
Watch the full hearing and the Secretary's testimony here.
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Secretary of State Releases First Report of Registration Ahead of the November 3, 2020 General Election |
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October 19 is the traditional voter registration deadline for the November 3, 2020 General Election. If an eligible Californian misses the October 19 deadline, they can complete the same day voter registration process and cast their vote that day. However, this option is only available at county elections offices and in-person voting locations.
Registration Comparison July 3, 2020 Report vs. July 7, 2016 Report
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CA Secretary of State Alex Padilla Re-Launches California Students Vote Project, in Partnership with the California Lieutenant Governor and California Higher Education Institutions |
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California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis re-launched the California Students Vote Project (CSVP) during a presentation to the University of California Student Association. CSVP is a first of its kind national campaign to increase civic engagement and voter participation among California University and college students. Every major institution of higher education in California—including the California Community College (CCC), California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) systems —have partnered with the Secretary of State’s office, Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis and a coalition of nonprofit organizations on CSVP.
CSVP will focus on developing and deploying comprehensive digital outreach strategies, including an online portal with sample social media graphics, messaging, and virtual workshops on how to host a digital voter registration drive.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic every active, registered voter in California will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot ahead of November 3, 2020, General Election. With the shift to online instruction, many students’ living arrangements and addresses have changed. It is crucial for students to update their addresses to receive their vote-by-mail ballot. Students, and all Californians, can check their voter registration information at VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov and make any updates at RegisterToVote.ca.gov.
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California Secretary of State's Office and California State Archives Host Women's Suffrage Rock The Vote 2020 Virtual Panel |
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The California Secretary of State's Office and the California State Archives hosted a Facebook Live panel on Wednesday, August 26, the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment's certification to the United States Constitution by the Archivist of the United States. The panel honored women, especially women of color, who spent decades fighting for their most basic democratic right by encouraging all Californians to vote. Secretary of State Alex Padilla provided opening remarks and Speaker Nancy Pelosi closed the event. The panel was moderated by Katy Tur.
Watch the full panel here.
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla Announces First-in-the-Nation Partnership with Drag Out The Vote |
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla has announced a new partnership with Drag Out The Vote, the first partnership of its kind with a Secretary of State’s office. Through this partnership, the Secretary of State’s office will work with Drag Out The Vote’s Drag Ambassador Program to disseminate accurate and timely election information.
“Secretary Padilla is uniquely positioned to use his platform to rally communities in California to action,” says Jackie Huba, Founder and Executive Director of Drag Out The Vote. “We are proud that he is the first Secretary to partner with us, especially given that he represents the largest state in the country. Drag Out The Vote, through our own actions including our Drag Ambassador Program, will endeavor to use the art and activism of drag to increase awareness surrounding his efforts, especially in the LGBTQ+ and Queer People-Of-Color communities.”
Drag Out The Vote is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works with drag performers and activists to promote participation in our democracy through voter education, voter registration, voter activation locally and nationally. Led by fierce drag kings and queens across the nation, Drag Out The Vote advocates for increased voter access and engagement in 2020 and beyond.
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla Launches Census Challenge for Final Push of Statewide Count |
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Secretary of State Alex Padilla is launching the 2020 Census Challenge. As of August 17, 2020, California ranks 22nd in the nation with a 65.1% response rate. The California Census Challenge aims to target and fill the gaps in Census outreach, especially in hard-to-count communities, by having cities and counties with similar population sizes compete for the highest and most improved census response rates.
The Census Challenge encourages partners to enhance their current census plans and materials by utilizing social media platforms to share census information related to key deadlines and dates. In order to inspire friendly competition, the Secretary of State's office will be sharing the data on one page so that California knows where we stand on our response rates at a city, county, and national level.
The Secretary of State’s office is also providing an outreach toolkit to promote census participation during this final stretch.
For those who still need to be counted in the Census, you can do so now at My2020Census.gov
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California Secretary of State Alex Padilla Tours
USPS Plant in Los Angeles
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California Secretary of State Alex Padilla toured the United States Postal Service (USPS) main processing facility in Los Angeles on August 21 — the largest USPS processing facility in the nation — to learn more about recent operational changes and their impact on postal service. With California elections officials preparing to mail a ballot to every active registered voter for the General Election, the USPS will play a critical role in ensuring voters are able to cast their ballots safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Postal workers, mail handlers, and letter carriers are essential workers and they deserve our full support. Postal workers keep our economy and our democracy going and we are asking even more of them during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said. “The postal service is a constitutional promise and postal workers deserve the equipment and resources to do their job.”
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Dodger Stadium to Host a Vote Center for the
November 3, 2020 General Election
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The Dodgers, California Secretary of State’s office, and Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk announced that Dodger Stadium will serve as a Vote Center for the November 3, 2020 General Election. The Vote Center will be accessible to all registered voters in Los Angeles County over a 5 day period. The site will have free parking and will follow all CDC and Public Health guidelines regarding social distancing.
The Dodger Stadium voting site is a joint effort between the Dodgers and More Than A Vote, a non-profit coalition of Black athletes and artists working together to educate, energize and protect young communities of color by fighting the lies and systemic, racist voter suppression that stands in the way of Black voices being heard.
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