California Voter Foundation

If there’s one thing we have learned during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s the critical role government plays in times of crisis.

And who does the government answer to? Voters.

Now more than ever we must ensure voters can securely vote with confidence.

At the California Voter Foundation, we have been working for over 25 years to improve the voting process.

Now we are asking you to support CVF with your donation.

Our work to improve vote-by-mail balloting and ensure voting systems are secure is timely and crucial, given the likely increase in mail ballot use due to the pandemic as well as ongoing threats of interference in our voting process.

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. 

The California Voter Foundation, which has long advanced election security and working to ensure voter confidence, is taking a close look at what went wrong to determine what changes can be made before November and beyond so these problems are not repeated in the future. One hundred percent mail ballot delivery to voters in LA (and beyond, in light of health concerns) is being considered but comes with administrative challenges that must also be assessed. 

Sacramento, CA -- A growing percentage of California voters will cast vote-by-mail ballots in the state’s March 3 Presidential Primary, but not all of those ballots will get counted.

“While casting a vote-by-mail ballot is a popular option, it’s not without its challenges,” said California Voter Foundation (CVF) President Kim Alexander, whose organization works to improve the vote-by-mail process through research and legislative reforms. 

In 2018, one out of every 100 vote-by-mail ballots cast got rejected according to data published by the Secretary of State. Mail ballots are rejected primarily for three reasons - arriving too late, or the voter forgetting to sign their ballot envelope, or the signature not sufficiently matching the voter’s signature on file.

Dear Friends,

2019 is drawing to a close, and the 2020 election is rapidly approaching! The California Voter Foundation is already gearing up, helping voters prepare to vote with confidence. And we are helping to shape California's implementation of risk-limiting audits while working with local election officials to reduce vote-by-mail ballot rejection rates. See below for updates on our recent activities.

If you have not done so already, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our programs and help CVF keep working for the voters. To those who have already contributed, a big thank you for your support and an incredible 25 years of CVF!