The California Voter Foundation held an online briefing on Sept. 28, 2022 for local election officials, law enforcement officers and nonprofits to promote communication and awareness of ways to address potential conflict at voting sites. Peace at the Polls CA provides de-escalation tips to help election officials, their staff, poll workers, law enforcement officers, and election observers prepare to effectively handle potential confrontations and aggressive poll monitoring.

Click on the image below to Watch Peace at the Polls CA

WARNING: This recording includes a disturbing video dramatizing potential violence.

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Speakers include:

• California Attorney General Rob Bonta
• Neal Kelley, Chair, Committee for Safe and Secure Elections and former Orange County Registrar of Voters 
• Ethan Quinn, Special Agent, Election Crimes Coordinator, San Francisco FBI 
• Shannon Hiller, Executive Director, Princeton’s Bridging Divides Initiative
• Theo Sitther, De-escalation Project Lead, Princeton’s Bridging Divides Initiative
• Usmaan Alloo, Programs Coordinator, Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area Office
• Jana Lean and Steve Reyes, senior election staff, Office of California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber 
• Moderators: Cathy Darling Allen, Shasta County Clerk-Registrar of Voters and CVF board chair and Kim Alexander, CVF President & Founder.

Below is a list of resources shared with attendees of CVF's Peace at the Polls CA to mitigate risk and promote security in and around voting sites and election offices before, during, and after an election period.

• Documenting and Addressing Harassment of Election Officials - CVF.

• Protecting Election Officials in the News - CVF.

• Resources for Supporting Election Officials - CVF.

• SB 1131 News Release - CVF.

• Office of the Attorney General of California

• Protecting California Voters on Election Day and During Early Voting - Office of the Attorney General of California.

• FBI Los Angeles Field Office

• FBI Sacramento Field Office

• FBI San Diego Field Office

• FBI San Francisco Field Office

• Committee for Safe and Secure Elections

• What Election Violence Could Look Like: A Video Training Scenario - Committee for Safe and Secure Elections.

• Five Steps to Safer Elections - Committee for Safe and Secure Elections.

• Princeton's Bridging Divides Initiative

• De-escalation, bystander, and community safety training and resources - Princeton's Bridging Divides Initiative

• Trends and Risk Analysis - Princeton's Bridging Divides Initiative.

• Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area Office

• California Secretary of State's Office

• Notice Regarding Prohibition of Electioneering and Corruption of the Voting Process - California Secretary of State's Office.

• De-Escalation Posters - The Elections Group.