News

Protecting election officials, legislative round-up & FOCE 2022

Hi Folks,

With the Legislature's last day of session happening today (and the wee hours of tomorrow morning as well) this edition of CVF-News highlights CVF's legislative activities and last month's Future of California Elections conference, where CVF hosted a panel on addressing voting challenges for housing-insecure Californians.

We have also been keeping busy working on addressing threats to election officials and their staff. To help those working to promote peace and security in U.S. elections, CVF has begun tracking stories via our Protecting Election Officials in the News page and have added a Resources for Supporting Election Officials section to our web site highlighting initiatives and tools being provided by caring folks across all sectors.

A few of my favorites are Pam Fessler's Telling our Story via the Elections Group, the Carter Center's Taking Care of Yourself to Serve Others wellness guide, the new Committee for Safe and Secure Elections chaired by former Orange County Registrar Neal Kelley, the Election Infrastructure Initiative to provide federal funding support to local and state election offices, De-Escalation Tools from Princeton's Bridging Divides Initiative, and Building a Resiliency Network from Over Zero.

We are also very close to getting SB 1131/Newman out of the legislature and on to Gov. Newsom's desk. This bill if enacted into law will immediately allow election workers and other California public employees to enroll in Safe at Home to keep their personal information private. More about that below, as well as some reflections and photos from last month's Future of California Elections conference, 

I had a wonderful time introducing our new staffer Samantha Abelove to all of CVF's colleagues and friends and spending time with folks in person again. It was a great reminder of the strong community of democracy advocates we have in this state and nation and gives me hope in these challenging times.

-- Kim Alexander, President & Founder, California Voter Foundation

CVF at FOCE
CVF at Future of California Elections Conference in Burbank, July 25, 2022 - L-R: Program Manager Samantha Abelove, Board Chair Cathy Darling Allen, President Kim Alexander, Board Member Mindy Romero, and Vice Chair Susan Roth.

Join CVF on 7/25 for Future of CA Elections Conference in LA!

Hi Folks,

Please join CVF Board Chair Cathy Darling Allen, our new Program Manager Samantha Abelove, CVF Board Member Mindy Romero and me on Monday, July 25th for the 2022 Future of California Elections conference, taking place both online and in person in Burbank, California. More details are below, I hope to see you there!

-- Kim Alexander, President & Founder
California Voter Foundation

California primary’s lesson for pundits: Don’t speak too soon in the age of mail-in voting

Excerpts:

In the hours after polls closed in the closely watched California primary on June 7, reviews from pundits were quick to come in.

Turnout: abysmal. Progressive reforms: rejected. Ex-RepublicanRick Caruso: the surprise star of the night in liberal Los Angeles.

But with the proliferation of mail-in voting, messages from California voters now arrive with a lag — one that hasn’t proven friendly to the quick takes of social media and cable news.

Election 2022: With turnout so low, why does LA County even have a primary election?

Excepts:

The June 7 primary in Los Angeles County cost $82.2 million, requiring 12,000 election workers to administer an election in which 597 total candidates were seeking 155 offices with voting taking place by mail at more than 600 vote centers. All this in a county of 5.6 million registered voters.

But there was one missing ingredient — or at least not enough of it, based on the early numbers —  in this simmering recipe of democracy: Voters.

News Analysis: Ten years later, California’s ‘top two’ primary isn’t always what it seems

Excerpts:

California’s primary election won’t be remembered for what happened in a sprawling state Senate district that stretches from Lake Tahoe to Death Valley. But maybe it should.

After all, the one sure thing in the election that ended Tuesday was supposed to be that Republicans win elections in California’s 4th Senate District. The region backed former President Trump twice along with an array of Republicans in national and statewide races stretching back to at least 2010.

Here’s when and how California primary election results will roll in

Excerpt:

Once the final ballots are mailed-in, placed in a drop box or cast-in person for California’s June 7 primary, the attention will turn to the election results. 

But how quickly will those be made public? And will they tell us the outcome of the races right away? 

Election officials and experts say the results will arrive in three separate waves, with the first being released shortly after the polls close at 8 p.m. on June 7. 

Election Day | Last Minute Voting FAQs | How the Unhoused Community Votes | Sacramento Pride Festival and March

Midterm Primary election coverage. California Voter Foundation provides last-minute tips. Outreach for the unhoused community to vote. Sacramento Pride Festival and March this weekend.  

Today's Guests

CapRadio Reporter Sarah Mizes-Tan joins us live from a polling place on Election Day.

CapRadio Reporter Chris Nichols shares his reporting on the outreach to ensure Sacramento’s unhoused community understands and has access to voting for the Primary. 

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