*** Alex Padilla has been endorsed for Secretary of State by the CDP ***
The June 5th primary election is just four weeks away and vote by mail ballots begin to go out this week. As you make your final decisions on how to vote in so many important contests, I hope I’ve earned your support for my reelection.
When I first ran for Secretary of State in 2014, I ran on a platform of ideas to strengthen our democracy by making it easier for eligible Californians to register to vote and to make it more convenient for registered voters to cast their ballot (scroll down to see my original email pledge below). I believe I’ve lived up to these commitments.
I never expected, however, that the work we started back then would be so important in our fight to defend our democracy against attacks by the Trump Administration.
When I ran, I said I would:
Add 1 million more Californians to the polls
Since taking office, we’ve added 2 million voters to the rolls. I also sponsored legislation to adopt Automatic Voter Registration in California, which will begin this year!
Fight any and all efforts to restrict the right to vote
I stood up to Trump and his sham voter fraud commission and won. And we protected the personal information of all California voters in the process. I continue to fight Republican efforts to restrict the vote across the country and, in California, we are expanding voting rights through online pre-registration, California Motor Voter and the Voter’s Choice Act.
Use technology to improve access to election information
We launched VoteCal, California’s statewide centralized voter registration database which is the backbone of many of our reforms. We also launched PowerSearch, a state of the art campaign finance search engine to allow everyone to better track money in state politics while we’re working to replace the aging campaign finance website CAL-ACCESS.
Sponsor Legislation to increase civic education in schools
I have personally visited more than fifty high schools across California and spoken with thousands of high school students about the importance of registering to vote and voting in every election. And no longer are we just registering students as they turn 18. As Secretary, we launched online pre-registraton for 16- and 17-year olds, and more than 100,000 young future voters have done just that.
Expand early voting hours and opportunities across the state
In 2016, I sponsored the Voters’ Choice Act, which will provide voters with more options of when, where, and how to vote. This year, five counties are implementing these reforms which include every voter receiving their ballot in the mail automatically, 10 days of in-person early voting, the flexibility of voting at any vote center in your county (not just the polling place closest to your home) and Same Day Registration at vote centers. Many more counties will make the transition in 2020.
I have always worked hard to keep my word and fulfill my promises to Californians. We have accomplished a lot in the last four years, but there is more work to do to further protect and expand the right to vote, and I will need your support to make it happen.
Please help me continue this important work by making a donation to my campaign.
Sincerely,
Alex Padilla
California Secretary of State
