AFTERNOON. AND WELCOME TO THIS
INFORMATIONAL HEARING OF THE
ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ON
THE TOPIC OF VOTER PARTICIPATION
AND ENGAGEMENT. STRATEGIES FOR
BRIDGING GAPS AND ENSURING
ACCURATE REGISTRATION. BEFORE WE
GET INTO THE SUBSTANCE OF THIS
HEARING. I HAVE A FEW
HOUSEKEEPING ANNOUNCEMENTS TO
MAKE IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE
GOAL OF HEARING AS MUCH FROM THE
PUBLIC WITHIN OUR TIME LIMITS.
WE WILL NOT TOLERATE CONDUCT
THAT DISRUPTS DISTURBS OR
OTHERWISE IMPEDE THE ORDERLY
CONDUCT OF THE COMMITTEE'S
PROCEEDINGS. PLEASE BE AWARE
THAT VIOLATION OF THESE RULES
MAY SUBJECT YOU TO REMOVAL OR
OTHER ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS. WE
HAVE A NUMBER OF EXCELLENT
WITNESSES ON TODAY'S AGENDA. AND
AFTER THE COMMITTEE HARRIS FROM
THESE WITNESSES, THERE WILL BE
TIME FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. IN
ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE
COMMITTEE IS ABLE TO COMPLETE
OUR BUSINESS IN THE ALLOCATED
TIME AND TO HEAR FROM AS MANY
PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY WILL BE LIMITED AS
FOLLOWS. WE HAVE SET ASIDE 30
MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS,
STARTING WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO ARE HERE IN THE ROOM.
EACH PERSON WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE
TO MAKE YOUR REMARKS AND IF YOUR
POINT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE BY
ANOTHER SPEAKER, PLEASE JUST
STATE, YOUR NAME ORGANIZATION
AND A ME TOO. MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO
SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE
COMMITTEE AND THIS WRITTEN
TESTIMONY WILL BECOME PART OF
THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THIS
HEARING. FOR THOSE WHO ARE
WATCHING THIS HEARING REMOTELY
AND WHO WISH TO CALL IN TO SPEAK
DURING THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY
PORTION OF THE HEARING. THE CALL
IN NUMBER IS 877692. AND THE
ACCESS CODE IS 13154. YOU CAN
ALSO FIND THIS NUMBER ON THE
COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE AS WELL AS
ON YOUR TV OR COMPUTER SCREEN. I
WILL REPEAT THIS CALLING
INFORMATION ONCE WE GET TO THE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY PORTION OF THE
HEARING. AND IF YOU'RE HAVING
PROBLEMS WITH THE MODERATED
PHONE SERVICE, YOU CAN ALWAYS
CALL THE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
COMMITTEE AT 9163192. AND MY CO
WORKERS WILL BE THERE TO TRY TO
HELP. THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH
US AS WE IMPLEMENT METHODS TO
CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA. WITH ALL THESE
ANNOUNCEMENTS OTHER WAY, LET'S
MOVE ON TO THE TOPIC OF TODAY'S
HEARING. OVER THE LAST DECADE,
CALIFORNIA HAS TAKEN NUMEROUS
STEPS TO TRY TO IMPROVE VOTER
REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION
RATES AND TO BUILD AN ELECTORATE
THAT BETTER REFLECTS THE
DIVERSITY OF THE STATES ELIGIBLE
VOTERS. AND WHILE OFFICIALS AND
OTHER STATES HAVE GONE OUT OF
THEIR WAY TO MAKE IT MORE
DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE.
THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE HAS
BEEN LEADING THE WAY IN ADOPTING
PROPOSALS DESIGNED TO REMOVE
BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION. THERE
IS EVIDENCE THAT SOME OF THE
STATE'S RECENT ELECTORAL REFORMS
HAVE IMPROVED VOTER TURNOUT AND
REDUCE PARTICIPATION
DISPARITIES. BUT ELECTIONS IN
CALIFORNIA NONETHELESS CONTINUE
TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT VOTER
PARTICIPATION GAPS. IN
PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
IMMIGRANTS, PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, YOUNG INDIVIDUALS
AND LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES
TEND TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY
UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE
ELECTORATE. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO
HAVE DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE DOING AMAZING WORK IN
CALIFORNIA TO EDUCATE AND
MOBILIZE VOTERS AND TO TRY TO
CLOSE THESE PARTICIPATION GAPS.
AND WHILE WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO
HEAR FROM ALL OF THEM TODAY, I'M
EXCITED THAT THE AGENDA FOR
TODAY'S HEARING INCLUDES
REPRESENTATIVES FROM MANY OF
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ALONG WITH
THE ELECTIONS OFFICIALS WHO ARE
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING OUR
ELECTIONS AND EXPANDING VOTER
PARTICIPATION. TODAY'S HEARING
IS NOT THE START OF THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW
CALIFORNIA CAN SURE ROBUST AND
REPRESENTATIVE VOTER
PARTICIPATION, NOR WILL IT BE
THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION.
INSTEAD IT IS PART OF A BROADER,
ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW
THE STATE CAN CONTINUE ITS WORK
TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE
DEMOCRACY. SO I ENCOURAGE
EVERYONE WHO IS DEDICATED TO
THAT WORK, INCLUDING THOSE WHO
ARE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
TODAY'S HEARING TO SHARE YOUR
IDEAS ABOUT HOW CALIFORNIA CAN
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND REFINE
ITS ELECTORAL PROCESS. I WANT TO
THANK THE WITNESSES THAT ARE
PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S HEARING
ALSO, THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE WHO ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TODAY. WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE A COUPLE I THINK,
AND I KNOW THOSE WHO CANNOT
ATTEND TODAY'S HEARING. JOIN US
IN OUR DESIRE TO DEVELOP
STRATEGIES FOR BRIDGING THESE
GAPS AND ENSURING ACCURATE VOTER
REGISTRATION ROLLS. FINALLY A
HUGE THANK YOU TO THE INCREDIBLE
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE STAFF ETHAN
JONES. NICOLE BECKER, WHO'S WITH
US TODAY, AND LORI BARBER FOR
CONTINUING FOR COORDINATING THIS
AMAZING HEARING TODAY. UM AND
THANK YOU TO MY COWORKER.
RHIANNA MULLIGAN, MY LEGISLATIVE
AIDE WHO MONITORS ELECTIONS
ISSUES FOR MY OFFICE. THEY WERE
RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING THAT
AMAZING BRIEFING OF THIS HEARING
THAT CAPTURES ALL THE ELECTION
LAWS WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 11
YEARS. AND UM, SO SINCE NO OTHER
MEMBERS ARE PRESENT RIGHT NOW,
SHOULD THEY COME IN? WE MIGHT
INTERRUPT THE HEARING TO SEE IF
THEY HAVE SOME REMARKS. SO, UM
WE WILL MOVE ON TO UM, ARE ARE
HEARING SO LET'S GET STARTED
WITH OUR FIRST PANEL, AND OUR
FIRST PANEL IS PERSPECTIVES OF
CURRENT AND FORMER CALIFORNIA
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS AND WITH US
TODAY AS WE HAVE, LIKE KENYA,
JORDAN'S WHO'S DEPUTY SECRETARY
OF STATE GO AHEAD AND COME ON
BOARD OFFICER POLICY AND
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE VOTER'S CHOICE ACT FOR OUR
CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE
DOCTOR, SHIRLEY WEBER. WE HAVE
JAMES SCHWAB, WHO'S A STATE
DIRECTOR FOR UNITED STATES
STATES. SENATOR I'M SORRY.
UNITED STATES SENATORS ALEX
PADILLA AND FORMER CALIFORNIA
SECRETARY OF STATE WE HAVE DEAN
LOGAN, WHO IS OUR LOS ANGELES
COUNTY REGISTRAR RECORDER AND
COUNTY CLERK, AND CATHY DARLING
ALAN SHASTA COUNTY CLERK AND
REGISTRAR OF VOTERS. YOU EACH
HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SHARE YOUR
COMMENTS. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. WONDERFUL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
LOOKING TO JORDAN'S AND I SERVED
AS DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
POLICY PLANNING AND
IMPLEMENTATION AND THE VOTER'S
CHOICE ACT. I AM HERE TO DELIVER
REMARKS ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA
CITIES OFFICE AND OUR SECRETARY
OF STATE IS SHELBY AND WEBBER,
PH. D, WHO WAS CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN. LIKE THE
SECRETARY OF STATE AND ITS 170
YEAR HISTORY. AS THE FOURTH
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD,
THE MOST DIVERSE STATE IN THE
NATION AND THE LARGEST VOTING
SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY AND UNDER
THE LEADERSHIP OF DR SHIRLEY AND
WEBBER, PH. D WHO HAS ALWAYS
STOOD FOR EVERYONE FOR EQUALITY
AND EVERYONE HAVING A VOICE.
CALIFORNIA IS UNIQUELY
POSITIONED TO STRENGTHEN ITS
VOTING ENVIRONMENT. AS YOU BUILD
UPON THE HARD ONE PAST EFFORTS
OF SECRETARY PADILLA. OUR
COUNTIES. THE V C, A TASK FORCE
MEMBERS AND OTHER ADVOCATES. THE
SECRETARY OF STATE HAS DEVELOPED
A STRATEGIC VISION ON FOCUSING
ON HOW TO STRENGTHEN
CALIFORNIA'S VOTING ENVIRONMENT.
OUR GOALS ARE TO INCREASE VOTER
PARTICIPATION. TO ENSURE A SAFE
ELECTIONS. ACCESS TO ALL
ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN THE STATE,
INCLUDING OUR MOST HARD TO REACH
POPULATIONS. AS DEFINED BY THE
U. S CENSUS. AND ARE
HISTORICALLY DISENFRANCHISED
POPULATIONS. AS OF NOW,
CALIFORNIA HAS 82.91% OF ITS
ELIGIBLE VOTERS REGISTERED TO
VOTE. SO WE ARE FOCUSED ON
ENSURING ACCESS TO THE PROCESS.
THE VOTER EDUCATION, OUTREACH
AND SUPPORTING OUR DIVERSE
COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE.
THE CALIFORNIA VOTERS CHOICE ACT
ENABLES COUNTIES TO DELIVER
ELECTIONS IN A MANNER THAT
ALLOWS VOTERS TO HAVE MORE DAYS
AND MORE WAYS TO VOTE. IT ALSO
REQUIRES EXTENSIVE VOTER
EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT OF THE
COMMUNITY. IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
VOTER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
PLANS AND LEADING UP TO AN
ELECTION. UNFORTUNATELY DESPITE
THE REQUIREMENT, NBC A COUNTY
TOO, JUST TO CONDUCT EDUCATION
OUTREACH, THERE IS NO SUSTAINED
STATE LEVEL FUNDING IN THE
UPCOMING ELECTION. WHEN IT WAS
FIRST ENACTED IN CALIFORNIA V C,
A ONLY ENCOMPASSED FIVE
COUNTIES. AGREE TO 15 COUNTIES
IN 2020. AND WHEN SECRETARY
WHATEVER TOOK OFFICE IN 2021. WE
HAD 12 ADDITIONAL COUNTIES
JOINED THAT EFFORT. DR WEBBER
HAS NOW SEEN THAT PROGRAM TO
GROW TO 29 COUNTIES, WHICH
ENCOMPASSES HALF THE STATE AND
76% OF ALL REGISTERED VOTERS. SO
IT UNDERSCORES HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS THAT WE HAVE THIS EDUCATION
AND OUTREACH GOALS, BUT YET NO
FUNDING TO SUPPORT IT. BUT UPON
TAKING OFFICE IN 2021 SECRETARY
WEBER IMMEDIATELY BEGAN WORKING
WITH THE LEGISLATURE AUTHORIZED
FUNDING FOR BCA COUNTIES AND
SUPPORTIVE EDUCATION, NOT REACH
REQUIREMENTS FOR V C. A. IN
ADDITION, SECRETARY WEBER'S
SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATED FUNDING
FOR BCA EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
FOR THE 2021 RECALL ELECTION.
AND IN BOTH THE PRIMARY 2022
ELECTIONS IN GENERAL 2022
ELECTION. SHE ALSO SUCCESSFULLY
SECURE ADDITIONAL STAFFING, UM,
TO ASSIST WITH THE COMPONENTS OF
RESEARCH, POLICY OVERSIGHT,
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. SO THE
CIA COUNTIES, IT SHOULD BE
UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY HAVE A HIGH
LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
REQUIREMENTS. AMONG THOSE ARE TO
DELIVER TO DIRECT MAILERS TO ALL
17 MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS AT
THE COST TO THE COUNTY TO
DELIVER TO PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND TO SECURE 11
DAY BOAT CENTERS AND ON TOP AND
PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO
ENGAGE THE PUBLIC IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTY
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PLANS. SO
WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF THE C A.
WHILE B. C IS NOT A PANACEA, THE
DATA DOES SHOW THAT VOTER
TURNOUT AND REGISTRATION IS
SLIGHTLY HIGHER NBC COUNTIES
ACROSS ALL DEMOGRAPHICS AND
VOTERS ARE USING BBM BUT BY MAIL
AS THE MOST PREFERRED METHOD,
WHETHER USING AN NBC, A COUNTY
OR IN A TRADITIONAL POLLING
PLACE, COUNTY AND VOTERS ARE
TRADITIONALLY SORRY.
INCREASINGLY USING MORE AND MORE
THE BALLOT DROP BOXES. BUT STILL
AMIDST OF ALL RECENT CHANGES TO
VOTER PARTICIPATION LAWS, WE CAN
ALL AGREE THAT CLOTHING
PARTICIPATION GAPS FOR HARD TO
REACH COMMUNITIES AND
HISTORICALLY DISENFRANCHISED
VOTERS REMAINS ONE OF OUR MOST
IMPORTANT AND GREATEST
CHALLENGES. THESE CHALLENGES
EXISTED PRIOR TO THE C A, AND
THE FUTURE OF WHETHER VOTER
PARTICIPATION IMPROVES FOR I
JUST HISTORICALLY
DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES. AND
HARD TO REACH COMMUNITIES AROUND
THE STATE. LARGELY DEPENDS ON
PROVIDING VOTER ENGAGEMENT
STRATEGIES AND FUNDING FOR
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. THE SUS
HAS SUCCESSFULLY WORKED TO
CREATE PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH ONE
OF OUR NEW PROGRAMS, CALLED THE
AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, AND WE ARE
WORKING WITH NONPARTISAN
ORGANIZATIONS ARE JUST NALEO Y M
C. A UNITED WAY ULTIMATE
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. UM DURING
THE 2022 ELECTION CYCLES,
SECRETARIES, UM, A STATE'S
OFFICE ALSO MADE EXTENSIVE
EFFORTS TO INCLUDE ARE HARD TO
REACH COMMUNITIES IN THE
ELECTORAL PROCESS. OUR OFFICE
ENGAGED IN OVER 91 VOTER
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EVENT
STATEWIDE. SEXUAL WEAPON HERSELF
DIRECTLY PARTICIPATED IN 37
EVENTS AND FORMS WITHIN
COMMUNITIES AND REGIONS AROUND
THE STATE AND OVER 9 MILLION
VOTERS RECEIVE EDUCATIONAL
EMAILS FROM OUR COMMUNICATIONS
TEAM. WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO
REGISTER 18,000 COLLEGE STUDENTS
THROUGH OUR BALLOT BOWL AND 2000
NEW CITIZENS AND WHO ARE
OFFICIALS ISN'T CEREMONY. AS
PREVIOUSLY STATED, MUCH FUNDING
IS STILL NEEDED FOR EDUCATION
AND OUTREACH. UM IN TERMS OF
STRENGTHENING YOUR CALIFORNIA'S
VOTING ENVIRONMENT, WE WILL NEED
TO ALSO INCLUDE OTHER EDUCATION
THAT INCLUDES OTHER ASPECTS OF
S. O S, INCLUDING OUR BUSINESS
FILINGS ARE ARCHIVES. AND WHILE
WE HAVE SOME SMALL STAFFING,
ADDITIONAL STAFFING IS NEEDED TO
CONTINUE TO PARTNER THROUGHOUT
THE STATE. SO UM, THAT BEING
SAID, UM, WE ALSO WANT TO TALK
ABOUT RBC REPORTS AND SOME OF
THE ADVANCES WE'VE MADE THAT WE
THINK WILL ALSO BE INCLUSIVE IN
ADVANCING HOW WE INCLUDE A HARD
TO REACH COMMUNITIES. THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA'S
VOTING RIGHTS PROJECT HAS
PROVIDED ANALYSIS THROUGH RECENT
STUDIES THAT NOW BRINGS THE
VISIBILITY TO JUST HISTORICALLY
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR, INCLUDING AFRICAN
AMERICAN POPULATIONS. NATIVE
AMERICAN POPULATIONS, UM, AND
THEN ALSO WHITE VOTERS. BUT IN
ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE JUST
AGGREGATED ÁP. AYE. POPULATIONS
NOW VISIT PRETTY MORE SECONDS.
SORRY. THANK YOU. WELL, LET ME
CLOSE WITH THE TASK FORCE THAT
CLOSE WITH THAT. SO THE
SECRETARY OFFICE IS CURRENTLY
WORKING ON ADMINISTRATIVELY
ESTABLISHING THE TASK FORCE
AGAIN, WHICH WILL INCLUDE COUNTY
ELECTION OFFICIALS, LANGUAGE
ADVOCATES, ADVOCATES FROM
DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND OTHERS.
WE BELIEVE THE TASK FORCE CAN
ASSIST WITH KEY AREAS SUCH AS
MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO FILE
TO OUR VOTER FILE AND HELPING US
OVERCOME CHALLENGES, SUCH AS
THOSE ENGAGING THE HARD TO REACH
POPULATIONS AROUND THE STATE.
AND I THINK IN THERE, BUT THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE. WE DO HAVE
OUR VICE CHAIRS AND REMEMBER
LACKEY WHO CAME IN. I WANT TO
GIVE HIM A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO
SAY A FEW WORDS AS WELL. SO FOR
SURE, I DON'T EVEN THINK IT'LL
TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES. I JUST
WANT TO SAY YOU KNOW WHEN WE'RE
NOT IN SESSION THERE, THERE'S A
LOT OF DEMAND ON LEGISLATORS
TIME. AND, UH SO I KNOW WE DON'T
HAVE A FULL COMMITTEE HERE
BECAUSE THERE'S JUST A LOT OF,
UH DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE
MADE AND PRIORITIZING. AS PART
OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY, BUT I
WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE
VERY FEW THINGS IN OUR PROCESS
AND OUR GOVERNANCE PROCESS THAT
ARE MORE CRITICAL THAN ELECTIONS
, AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S THE
REFLECTION OF THE VOICE OF THE
PEOPLE. THAT'S THE DESIGN OF OUR
SYSTEM. AND SO I CONSIDER THIS
THAT NOT ONLY A PRIVILEGE BUT A
RESPONSIBILITY TO DO EVERYTHING
IN MY POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT
THESE ELECTIONS REFLECT THE WILL
OF THE PEOPLE. THAT'S THE
INTENTION AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES
OUR GOVERNANCE SYSTEM MORE
SUCCESSFUL THAN MANY OF THE
OTHER GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS AROUND
THE WORLD. SO VERY, VERY
THANKFUL FOR THIS PRIVILEGE. I
CONSIDERED A RESPONSIBILITY THAT
I DO TAKE VERY SERIOUS AND I'M
VERY THANKFUL TO BE HERE AND
SORRY I WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY. UM WE'LL GO TO OUR NEXT
SPEAKER, IS IT DID YOU PICK OUT
ORDER, JAMES? OKAY, ALRIGHT.
HERE WE GO. THANK YOU, CHAIR
PELLERIN AND VICE CHAIR LACKEY
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK
WITH YOU TODAY. I'M JAMES SCHWAB
, STATE DIRECTOR FOR A U. S.
SENATOR ALEX PADILLA. AND HAVE
BEEN WITH THE SENATOR SINCE HIS
STATE SENATE DAYS AND HAVE LED
HIS VOTING RIGHTS AGENDA SINCE
2012 DURING OUR TIME WE'VE HAD A
SIMPLE PREMISE. OUR DEMOCRACY IS
STRONGEST WHEN THE MOST PEOPLE
PARTICIPATE. PARTICIPATION IS
MORE THAN JUST VOTING. IT'S
RIGHT IN YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IT'S ATTENDING SCHOOL BOARD
MEETINGS VOLUNTEERING IN YOUR
COMMUNITY. IT'S RUNNING FOR
OFFICE OR APPLYING FOR BOARDS
AND COMMISSIONS. BUT UNDERLYING
ALL THAT IS OUR FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHT TO VOTE. THE FOUNDATION OF
OUR DEMOCRACY. WHICH IS WHY IT'S
SO IMPORTANT. THAT WE AS
STEWARDS OF OUR DEMOCRACY, DO
ALL WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE
PARTICIPATION IN VOTING. IN 2014
THE YEAR. SENATOR PATTY WAS
ELECTED SECRETARY OF STATE VOTER
TURNOUT WAS AT ITS LOWEST SINCE
WORLD WAR TWO AT THAT TIME,
CALIFORNIA WAS FAR BEHIND IN
ADOPTING NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
VOTING REFORMS. EVEN THE PEW
CENTER'S ELECTION PERFORMANCE
INDEX INDICATED THAT CALIFORNIA
RANKED NEAR THE BOTTOM FOR A
VARIETY OF MEASURES, INCLUDING
VOTER REGISTRATION AND TURNOUT.
THE SILVER LINING THE 2014 IS
THAT SHONE A LIGHT. ON THE NEED
FOR REFORM. IN CALIFORNIA ROSE
TO THE OCCASION AND ADOPTED
NEARLY EVERY NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED VOTING REFORM AND
MANY OF THE SMALLER ONES EVEN
BALLOT SELFIES WERE LEGALIZED.
BUT FROM AUTOMATIC VOTER
REGISTRATION VOTE CENTERS
UNIVERSAL VOTE BY MAIL. WE HAVE
ADOPTED MANY, MANY OF THE FORMS.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO UNDERSCORE
AND POINT OUT. THAT ALL THIS WAS
POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF A
COLLABORATIVE APPROACH MADE
POSSIBLE BY AN ORGANIZATION
CALLED THE FUTURE OF CALIFORNIA
ELECTIONS FORCE. WHICH WAS IS
COMPRISED OF ELECTION OFFICIALS,
CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND
COMMUNITY GROUPS. FOLKS WAS ABLE
TO BRING DOWN LONGSTANDING
BARRIERS NOT JUST BETWEEN
ELECTION OFFICIALS AND ADVOCATES
. BUT BETWEEN ELECTION OFFICIALS
AND BETWEEN ADVOCATES. NOT
EVERYONE AGREED ON WHAT WAS THE
RIGHT APPROACH AND HOW TO DO IT
RIGHT, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE 58
COUNTIES, AND ESPECIALLY AMONG
CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS AND
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. BUT
FOLKS WAS ABLE TO BRING THOSE
DOWN, FIND COMMON GROUND FIND
COMMON UNDERSTANDING ABOUT
VOTERS AND ELECTION OFFICIALS
NEEDED AND ADDRESS THAT SO AGAIN
. COLLABORATION IS KEY SUCCESS
IN ADDRESSING THE VOTING GAP.
IT'S ONE THING TO PASS A LAW
REQUIRING SAME DAY REGISTRATION.
IT'S ANOTHER ONE TO FIGURE OUT
HOW EACH OF CALIFORNIA'S UNIQUE
COUNTIES WILL IMPLEMENT IT AND
HOW 25 MILLION ELIGIBLE VOTERS
WILL INTERACT WITH IT.
COLLABORATIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF
OUR ELECTION LAWS WAS TOUGH.
OFTENTIMES FRUSTRATING, BUT IN
THE END WAS WORTH IT TO ENSURE
THE BEST POSSIBLE VOTING
EXPERIENCE FOR CALIFORNIANS.
THIS APPROACH OF VOTING REFORMS,
HAD TWO THEMES RUNNING THROUGH
THEM. ONE WAS TO MODERNIZE
ELECTION LAWS TO FIT TODAY'S
SOCIETY. AND TO MEET VOTERS
WHERE THEY'RE AT. I'LL GIVE YOU
ONE EXAMPLE. ONE OF OUR EARLY
CONVERSATIONS WAS WITH ORANGE
COUNTY REGISTRAR NEIL KELLY. HE
HAD BEEN. AND IF YOU KNOW, NEIL,
HE WAS A BIG DATA GEEK. AND HE
HAD BEEN TRACKING CHANGES TO
VOTER BEHAVIOR TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND HOW TO BEST UTILIZED
THE LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST
SERVE AS VOTERS. COUNTY ELECTION
OFFICIALS ARE OFTEN THE LAST TO
BE FUNDED WITH LOCAL, STATE AND
FEDERAL FUNDING. NIELSEN AW THAT
MORE AND MORE VOTERS WERE
CHOOSING TO VOTE BY MAIL AND
CHOOSING TO DROP OFF THEIR VOTE
BY MAIL BALLOTS AT POLLING
PLACES CLOSE TO THEIR WORK CLOSE
TO THEIR KIDS SCHOOL OR ARE THEY
SHOPPED? AND VOTERS WHO WERE
CASTING BALLOTS IN PERSON, WHERE
MORE AND MORE LIKELY TO CHOOSE
ANY POINT PLACE THAT WAS CLOSE
TO WHERE THEY HAPPEN TO BE
LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN
PROVISIONAL BALLOTS. THE VOTERS
WERE TELLING YOU THAT THROUGH
THEIR BEHAVIOR THAT THAT VOTING
SYSTEM WASN'T WORKING FOR THEM,
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG
REASONS. ONE BIG DATA POINTS WE
USED TO PUSH FOR REFORMS LIKE
THE VOTER'S CHOICE ACT. SO THESE
ARE FORMS WERE ADOPTED NOT ONLY
TO EMPOWER VOTERS BUT TO ENSURE
ELECTION OFFICIALS COULD
EFFECTIVELY USE THEIR LIMITED
RESOURCES TO SERVE VOTERS. I
BELIEVE CALIFORNIA SUCCEEDED IN
BRINGING DOWN MANY OF THE LEGAL
BARRIERS TO VOTING. I THINK A
FEW OF THE BIG ONES I'LL
HIGHLIGHT VERY QUICKLY THAT
COULD CONTINUE TO BE WORKED ON.
IS EXPANDING AUTOMATIC VOTER
REGISTRATION TO MORE NVR
AGENCIES. EXPANDING MOBILE
VOTING, WHOSE SUCCESS HAS BEEN
DEMONSTRATED BY L. A COUNTY. AND
DEAN LOGAN. EXPANDING THE USE OF
BALLOT TRACKS AND, AS MENTIONED
BY KENYA, ONGOING FUNDING FOR
VOTER EDUCATION. DESPITE ALL OUR
SUCCESSES AND BRINGING DOWN
LEGAL BARRIERS OF THE PAST
DECADE, CALIFORNIA HAS YET TO
ADDRESS THE OTHER REASONS.
ELIGIBLE VOTERS DON'T VOTE. THE
REASONS BEHIND VOTER TURNOUT ARE
COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT TO
UNDERSTAND. IF ANY OF US TRULY
UNDERSTOOD HOW TO TURN OFF
VOTERS. WE'VE BEEN MAKING A
FORTUNE AS CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS.
LET'S LOOK AT THE 2020
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THAT YEAR,
WE SAW THE HIGHEST VOTER TURNOUT
IN ANY PRESIDENT. ELECTION
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN TERMS
OF SHEER NUMBERS. IN THE HIGHEST
PERCENTAGE SINCE 1960.
CALIFORNIA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
25 YEARS, BEAT THE NATIONAL
AVERAGE IN TURN OUT. WHICH ALSO
HAPPENED TO COINCIDE WITH THE
SAME YEAR WE SPENT $35 MILLION
EDUCATING VOTERS ABOUT HOW AND
WHEN TO VOTE. WE CAN GUESS WHY
THERE WAS SUCH A SPIKE THE
AMOUNT OF MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA
ATTENTION THE MONEY SPENT BY
CAMPAIGNS, ENGAGING VOTERS AND
THE ENERGY BOTH CANDIDATES
BROUGHT TO THEIR SUPPORTERS. THE
2020 ELECTION WAS ALSO THE MOST
EXPENSIVE ELECTION IN TERMS OF
CANADA'S SPENDING $14 BILLION
BUT DESPITE THE SUCCESSIVE
TURNOUT, DESPITE ALL THE MONEY
SPENT, DESPITE THE ENERGY AND
MOTIVATION OF SO MANY VOTERS 80
MILLION ELIGIBLE AMERICANS DID
NOT VOTE. 80 MILLION, INCLUDING
7 MILLION CALIFORNIANS. LET'S
CELEBRATE OUR ACHIEVEMENT BUT
RECOGNIZE THERE'S STILL MUCH
WORK TO BE DONE. 30 SECONDS, 30
SECONDS. SO WHAT ARE THE VOTERS
TELLING US NOW? IF YOU LOOK AT
SURVEYS OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T
VOTE, THERE'S KIND OF TWO
BUCKETS. THERE'S THE YOU KNOW,
THE I'LL SAY THE LEGAL REASONS
THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO VOTE.
AND THEN THERE'S THE WHAT ARE
CALLED MOTIVATIONAL REASONS,
RIGHT? AND ONE OF THE SURVEYS
DONE AFTER 2020 ELECTION, ABOUT
ONE THIRD OF VOTERS DECIDED TO
LEGAL REASON. TWO THIRDS OF
VOTERS CITED MOTIVATIONAL REASON
THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED. DIDN'T
LIKE THE CANDIDATES. THEY DIDN'T
THINK THEIR VOTE MADE A
DIFFERENCE. SO THE VOTERS ARE
TELLING US THAT SOMETHING IS
WRONG. SOMETHING IS BROKEN. AND
SO MORE IS NEEDED TO BE DONE.
THIS IS THE NEXT CHAPTER AND
EXPANDING THE ELECTORATE AND
ENCOURAGING VOTING RESEARCH
DISCUSSION COLLABORATION MUST GO
INTO IDENTIFYING POLICIES AND
EFFORTS TO REACH OUR CITIZENS
WHO ARE NOT PARTICIPATING. MAYBE
A CIVIC EDUCATION, SOCIAL MEDIA
OR MORE ENGAGEMENT IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. AH TO TURN OUT AND
CLOSE THOSE GAPS. IF WE CAN PUT
THE SAME EFFORT INTO RESORT AND
RESOURCES INTO MODERNIZING OUR
ELECTIONS AND HOW THEY'RE RUN,
WE CAN SURELY SOLVE THE PROBLEM
OF DISENGAGEMENT FROM OUR VOTE
FROM VOTING. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH BENDING. OKAY, DEAN
LOGAN. NEXT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR
PELLERIN AND VICE CHAIR LACKEY.
IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE. THANK YOU
FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING TODAY
ON SUCH A TIMELY AND IMPORTANT
TOPIC. I AM DEAN LOGAN. I'M THE
REGISTRAR QUARTER COUNTY CLERK
FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY. AS
ARTICULATED IN YOUR HEARING
OVERVIEW AND IN THE OPENING
TESTIMONY THIS AFTERNOON,
CALIFORNIA HAS ESTABLISHED A
STRONG FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT
FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS TO
ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE VOTER
REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION
AND TO SUPPORT A VOTER CENTERED
APPROACH TO WHEN WHERE AND HOW
ELECTIONS ARE ADMINISTERED. WE
KNOW, AND THE DATA SHOWS THAT
STRUCTURE AND POLICY ALONE WILL
NOT BRIDGE THE GAPS BEING
DISCUSSED TODAY. VOTER
PARTICIPATION STEMS FROM THE
INTRINSIC MOTIVATION INFLUENCED
BY MORE THAN THE TIME PLACE AND
EQUIPMENT USED FOR VOTING. IT
RELIES ON CIVIC EDUCATION,
TRUSTED MESSENGERS, PASSENGER
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATIONS, TRANSPARENCY AND
CONSISTENCY. AND IT'S ERODED BY
CYNICISM, LACK OF ACCESS,
CONFUSION AND CONTROVERSY. OUR
ROLE AS ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS
JUST TO ENSURE THAT ONCE THAT
MOTIVATION IS ACHIEVED, THERE
ARE NO BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION
AND THAT WE DELIVER A VOTING
EXPERIENCE THAT CONVEYS THE
SIGNIFICANCE AND THE POWER OF
THE VOTE. AS I'M SURE YOU ARE
AWARE THE NATURE, INTEGRITY AND
STRUCTURE OF OUR ELECTORAL
PROCESS ARE UNDER TREMENDOUS
SCRUTINY AS WE NAVIGATE
POLITICAL DISCOURSE RESPOND TO
THE CONTINUING AFTER EFFECTS OF
A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, SECURE
AGAINST CYBERATTACKS RESPOND TO
MISS DIS AND AL INFORMATION AND
EMBRACE THE CHANGING NEEDS OF
OUR ELECTORATE. THE ROLE OF
ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS, AND THE
EXPECTATIONS PLACED UPON THEM
ARE MORE VISIBLE, DEMANDING AND
THREATENED THAN AT ANY TIME IN
RECENT HISTORY. THAT SAID. I
BELIEVE IT IS THE STRENGTH OF
THE STATUTORY FOUNDATION
ESTABLISHED BY THIS LEGISLATIVE
BODY THAT ENSURES OUR ABILITY TO
RESPOND AND FOCUS EFFORTS AND
RESOURCES ON PROGRAMS AND
ACTIVITIES THAT PROVIDE ACCESS
TO VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING
FOR ALL WHO ARE ELIGIBLE IN
CALIFORNIA. LOS ANGELES COUNTY
IS THE LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE
SELECTION JURISDICTION IN THE
COUNTRY WITH OVER 10 MILLION
VOTERS ARE 10 MILLION RESIDENTS
AND 5.6 MILLION REGISTERED
VOTERS FROM A WIDE RANGE OF
BACKGROUNDS, CULTURES AND
COMMUNITIES. WE SERVE AN
ELECTORATE WITH LARGE
POPULATIONS OF NON OR LIMITED
ENGLISH SPEAKERS, VOTERS WITH
DISABILITIES AND COMMUNITIES AND
LARGE DENSE URBAN CENTERS AS
WELL AS THOSE IN RURAL,
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED AREAS.
OVER A DECADE AGO, WE EMBARKED
ON AN UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT TO
DESIGN ENGINEER MANUFACTURER AND
IMPLEMENT THE FIRST PUBLICLY
OWNED VOTING SYSTEM IN THE
UNITED STATES AND INITIATIVE WE
IDENTIFIED AS VOTING SOLUTIONS
FOR ALL PEOPLE. THROUGH THAT
EFFORT, WE REIMAGINE THE VOTING
EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMED THE
COMMERCIAL VOTING SYSTEMS
MARKETPLACE AND STRETCH THE
REINS OF OUR REGULATORY
ENVIRONMENT BY SETTING A NEW
STANDARD FOR VOTING SYSTEM
DESIGN THAT PRIORITIZES
USABILITY, SECURITY AND
ACCESSIBILITY. MOST VOTERS IN
LOS ANGELES COUNTY TODAY USE A
VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT, BUT HOW
THEY INTERACT WITH THAT RESOURCE
DIFFERS ACROSS DEMOGRAPHICS. SO
THE NEED FOR OPTIONS AND
CUSTOMIZATION ARE CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT. THE AVAILABILITY OF
SECURE DROP BOXES, BALLOT
TRACKING TOOLS AND SIGNATURE
VERIFICATION APPLICATIONS ARE
EXAMPLES. WE OFFER VOTE CENTERS
WERE ANY VOTER IN THE COUNTY CAN
VOTE IN PERSON FOR UP TO 10 DAYS
AT ANY LOCATION AND WHERE VOTERS
CAN ACCESS A BROAD RANGE OF
ACCESSIBLE SERVICES THAT OFFER
AN INDEPENDENT, SECURE AND
PRIVATE VOTING EXPERIENCE, AND
THEY PROVIDE CUSTOMIZABLE
LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE THROUGH OUR
AUDIO BALLOT AND MULTILINGUAL
BALLOT DISPLAY OPTIONS. WE ALSO
OPERATE MOBILE VOTE CENTERS AND
FLEX VOTE CENTERS TO COMPLEMENT
TRADITIONAL VOTING LOCATIONS.
MOBILE VOTE CENTERS ARE DEPLOYED
IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS SUCH AS
SPORTING EVENTS, COMMUNITY
EVENTS, COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND
EMPLOYMENT CENTERS. FLEX VOTE
CENTERS ARE SIMILAR, BUT SMALLER
AND THEY'RE USED TO BRING VOTING
SERVICES DIRECTLY TO
HISTORICALLY VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES SUCH AS LANGUAGE.
MINORITIES JUSTICE INVOLVED
INDIVIDUALS, SENIORS, PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES. AND
GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED VOTERS.
OUR MOBILE AND FLEX VOTE CENTERS
RELY ON THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS
TO IDENTIFY AND SERVE THEIR
COMMUNITIES. LOS ANGELES COUNTY
ALSO SUPPORTS A COMPREHENSIVE
VOTER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
CAMPAIGN TO ACCOMMODATE AND
ENGAGE VOTERS IN THEIR PREFERRED
LANGUAGE. OUR VOTER EDUCATION
AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS ARE
DESIGNED WITH A COMMITMENT TO
END LANGUAGE SUPPORT. THE
DEPARTMENT, CRAFTS AND
IMPLEMENTS AN INCLUSIVE PROGRAM
BUILT ON MAXIMIZING EVERY DOLLAR
SPENT AND UTILIZING IMPACT
TACTICS THROUGH PAID ADVERTISING
, COMMUNITY BASED OUTREACH AND
PARTNERSHIPS WITH HYPER LOCAL
AND ETHNIC NEWS MEDIA. TODAY OUR
VOTING SYSTEMS IN LOS ANGELES
COUNTY OR COMPREHENSIVE,
SCALABLE AND COMPONENT BASED
COVERING ALL ELEMENTS OF THE
VOTING ABOUT COUNTY PROCESS, BUT
MAINTAINING THOSE SYSTEMS AND
SUPPORTING THE ASSOCIATED
SERVICES REQUIRES CONSISTENT,
ONGOING AND RELIABLE FUNDING.
EFFICIENCIES GAINED IN
AUTOMATING THE VOTER
REGISTRATION PROCESS IN
CALIFORNIA HAVE ALLOWED US TO
REDIRECT RESOURCES PREVIOUSLY
USED TO MANUALLY PROCESS VOTER
REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS AND TO
USE THOSE FOR ENHANCED VOTER
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
AND THE INFUSION OF STATE AND
FEDERAL FUNDING IN 2020 2020 TO
HELP SIGNIFICANTLY WITH
VISIBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND
SECURITY. THE LOSS OF THAT
FUNDING LEADING INTO THE 2024
ELECTION CYCLE PUTS AT RISK THE
SUCCESSES ACHIEVED BY THE POLICY
AND STRUCTURAL FOUNDATION THAT
WAS ESTABLISHED BY THIS
LEGISLATIVE BODY. AS A FIELD OF
PROFESSIONALS. PROFESSIONALS IN
ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION. WE ARE
INTERESTED TO FACILITATE VOTERS,
ACCESS AND ABILITY TO CAST A
VOTE AND HAVE A CONFIDENCE IN
THAT VOTES IMPACT, BUT THE
PROCESS THE OUTCOMES AND
LEGITIMACY OF ELECTIONS DO NOT
BELONG TO US. RATHER THEY BELONG
TO THE VOTERS WHOM THOSE SYSTEMS
GIVE VOICE INFLUENCE AND POWER.
WE MUST NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF
THAT. 30 SECONDS. THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING
AND FOR RAISING AWARENESS AROUND
THE COMPLEXITY, IMPORTANCE OF
VOTER PARTICIPATION AND
SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT FOR ELECTION
ADMINISTRATION IN CALIFORNIA.
THANK YOU, MR LOGAN. THAT WAS
GREAT AND WILL NOW TURN TO OUR
REGISTER VOTERS IN SHASTA
COUNTY, CATHY DARLING. THANK YOU
, MADAM CHAIR. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR, HONORABLE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AND VOTERS. MY
NAME IS KATHY DARLING ALAN. I AM
THE FIVE TIMES ELECTED COUNTY
CLERK AND REGISTRAR VOTERS IN
SHASTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. I'M
ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD FOR
THE CALIFORNIA VOTER FOUNDATION,
A NONPROFIT THAT HAS WORKED ON
BEHALF OF ALL CALIFORNIA VOTERS
FOR OVER 25 YEARS HERE IN
SACRAMENTO. IT IS MY GREAT HONOR
TO SERVE THE VOTERS OF THE GREAT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, MY
COMMUNITY AND TO BE WITH YOU ALL
HERE TODAY. UNLIKE OTHER
TESTIMONY, YOU MAY HEAR TODAY MY
PERSPECTIVE IS NOT FOCUSED ON
CLOSING THE GAPS AND
PARTICIPATION BASED ON
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, BUT
RATHER ON THE EXPANDING GAP IN
PARTICIPATION THAT CAN BE
DIRECTLY TIED TO MIS AND
DISINFORMATION, WHICH IS
INTERFERING WITH THE RIGHTS OF
VOTERS IN CALIFORNIA TO BOTH
REGISTER AND CAST VOTES. THIS IS
A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM THAT I SEE
IN MY COMMUNITY, AND I BELIEVE
IT IS OCCURRING IN OTHER RURAL
COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA. CHESTER
COUNTY HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS
QUITE A LOT THIS YEAR, MAINLY
DUE TO A SERIES OF ADVISED
DECISIONS MADE BY OUR BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS. IN JANUARY, THEY
VOTED TO TERMINATE THE VOTING
SYSTEM CONTRACT HELD BY THE
COUNTY SOON AFTER THEY BEGAN TO
ADVOCATE FOR A HAND COUNT SCHEME
THAT THEY STATED WOULD ADDRESS
THE CONCERNS THEY HAD. LATER
THIS YEAR, THEY MADE DECISIONS
QUESTIONABLE ENOUGH AND IN OTHER
SECTORS AT A SACRAMENTO BEE
EDITORIAL RECENTLY CALLED FOR
THE STATE TO TAKE OVER
GOVERNANCE OF THE COUNTY IN
ORDER TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS.
THERE ARE ONGOING ACTIVE EFFORTS
IN OUR COUNTY THAT HAVE THE
EFFECT OF DISCOURAGING VOTERS
FROM SHOWING UP. THESE EFFORTS
COME FROM MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY
THEY ARE ALSO COMING FROM INSIDE
OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, AND
THEY INVOLVE CHAOTIC BOARD
MEETINGS AND MULTIPLE STATEMENTS
BY THE CHAIR OF OUR BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS DIRECTLY TO THE
MEDIA. MOST RECENTLY, HE TOLD
THE NATIONAL MEDIA OUTLET THAT
FRAUD HAS BEEN PRESIDENT CHESTER
COUNTY ELECTIONS FOR DECADES.
THIS IS, OF COURSE, A
CATEGORICALLY FALSE ALLEGATION.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE'S HARDLY
ALONE AND ADVANCING THIS FALSE
NARRATIVE. I BELIEVE IT IS A
COORDINATED ATTACK TO CONTINUE
THE VERY EFFECTIVE, RELENTLESS
NEGATIVE MESSAGING THAT
CONTINUES TO UNDERMINE EVERY
VOTER'S CONFIDENCE IN THE
PROCESS ACROSS THE NATION. I
BELIEVE THAT DELIBERATELY
SPREADING FALSE INFORMATION
ABOUT ELECTIONS AND HOW THEY ARE
CONDUCTED IN CALIFORNIA IS A
DANGEROUS AND DESTRUCTIVE EFFORT
TO DISSUADE ALL VOTERS FROM
HAVING THEIR VOICES HEARD.
VOTERS ARE HEARING THIS MESSAGE
FROM CANDIDATES AND ELECTED
OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS IN
CALIFORNIA'S RURAL COMMUNITIES
FROM PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ALL
THE WAY DOWN TO SCHOOL BOARD. IT
IS PAST TIME THAT CALIFORNIA'S
ELECTED OFFICIALS STAND UP AND
CALL OUT THESE EFFORTS IN A
NONPARTISAN AND MEASURED WAY SO
THAT ALL VOTERS CAN CAST THEIR
VOTE WITH CONFIDENCE. ARMED WITH
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT LOCAL
ELECTION OFFICIALS AROUND
CALIFORNIA AND THE COUNTRY ARE
READY TO FACILITATE AND
ADMINISTER ELECTIONS DURING THE
24 CYCLE. WE ARE READY TO DO SO
WITH STAFFS OF AMAZING PUBLIC
SERVANTS BEHIND US WHO ARE READY
AND WILLING TO DEFEND THE
PROCESS AND EVERY VOTE CAST.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY STAND AT
THE READY TO SERVE EVERY VOTER
IN CALIFORNIA. WE ALSO NEED THE
HELP AND THE SUPPORT OF THE
LEGISLATURE TO CONTINUE TO DO
THIS WORK, ESPECIALLY IN THE
INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS
ENVIRONMENT. WE ARE WORKING IN.
LATE LAST WEEK, I HAD LINE STAFF
ORDERING AND RESEARCHING HOW TO
USE NARCAN IN ORDER TO SAFELY
PROCESS POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED
MAIL THAT CONTAINED BALLOTS. WE
ARE SQUARELY IN HARM'S WAY.
WITHOUT REASONABLE COMPENSATION
TIME TO COMPLETE, EFFECTIVE
TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE TO
SUPPORTERS STAFF. MY OFFICE HAS
BEEN FIGHTING THIS FIGHT FOR THE
PAST THREE YEARS SINCE 2020 THE
FALSE ALLEGATIONS OF A RIGGED
GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER OF
THAT YEAR. MORE RECENTLY, WE
HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF LYING,
COMMITTING FRAUD AND ASSORTED
OTHER CRIMES BY OTHER ELECTED
LEADERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
JUST AS WE SEE AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL. THERE IS NO TRUTH TO
THESE ALLEGATIONS. NO CRIMINAL
CHARGES, NO DATA. NO PROOF IS
PRESENTED. BUT THE TACTIC OF
REPEATING THE SAME FALSE
INFORMATION SEEMS TO BE WORKING
AND DISGRACING VOTERS FROM
SHOWING UP TO VOTE. THE GOAL
SEEMS TO BE TO DISSUADE VOTERS
FROM CASTING THEIR BALLOTS,
THEIR TRUST AND THE RESULTS AND
THEIR TRUST IN DEMOCRACY. EITHER
WAY GOVERNANCE AND MY
CONSTITUENTS SUFFER. ANOTHER
CONTRIBUTING FACTOR THAT RESULTS
IN REDUCED VOTER PARTICIPATION
IS THE OVERLY COMPLEX NATURE OF
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IN
CALIFORNIA. THIS MAKES IT HARDER
TO TALK ABOUT AND MAKES IT
HARDER FOR NEW VOTERS TO KNOW
ALL THE NUANCES, NUANCES AND
LAYERS OF REQUIREMENTS INVOLVED
IN CASTING A BALLOT. WE TRY TO
FACILITATE THIS FOR VOTERS BY
MAILING EACH ONE A BALLOT, BUT
VOTERS HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND EVEN IF THE DETAIL THEY ARE
WONDERING ABOUT IS INCLUDED IN
THE VOTER INFORMATION GUIDE WE
SENT TO VOTERS. THEY MAY NOT
FIND IT. I DO NOT PRETEND TO
HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THIS DILEMMA.
BUT FAILING TO UNDERSTAND HOW
EVERYTHING WORKS CAN BE A
BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION FOR ALL
CALIFORNIA VOTERS. WHILE WE'VE
BEEN GOING THROUGH A CHALLENGING
PERIOD IN SHASTA COUNTY, WE HAVE
FELT VERY HELPFUL SUPPORT FROM
WITHIN THE ELECTION COMMUNITY. A
LETTER WAS SENT TO OUR BOARD
FROM A GROUP OF ADVOCATE
ORGANIZATIONS, MANY OF WHOM ARE
REPRESENTED HERE TODAY BY FOCUS
ON THE AGENDA. WE ARE SO
GRATEFUL FOR THEIR ATTENTION AND
ADVOCACY. THE SEPARATE LETTER
AND SUPPORT FROM SECRETARY OF
STATE DOCTOR SHIRLEY WEBER WAS
SO VERY HELPFUL AND APPRECIATED
AS WELL. SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE
WE'RE ALONE ON AN ISLAND
PROTECTING THE VOTERS IN SHASTA
COUNTY. IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD DAY
WHEN WE WERE REMINDED THAT WE
ARE NOT ALONE IN THAT EFFORT.
WHATEVER THE REASON, RURAL
COUNTY SEEMED TO BE SEEING A
LARGER PREVALENCE OF THIS KIND
OF MANIPULATION OF THE PUBLIC
AND DISCOURAGEMENT OF VOTER
PARTICIPATION. THE SIZE OF THESE
COUNTIES ALSO MEANS WE NEED MORE
SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. WE JUST
DON'T HAVE THE DEPTH OF STAFF
AND EXPERIENCE THAT LARGER
COUNTIES MAY HAVE. VOTERS IN
EVERY COUNTY IN CALIFORNIA NEED
THE SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATURE,
AND I'M EXTREMELY EXTREMELY
GRATEFUL THAT OUR VOTERS ARE
PROTECTED BY 8969. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOU
YOUR WORK AND BEING ON THE FRONT
LINES OF THIS WAR ON DEMOCRACY,
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME AND YOUR COMMENTS TODAY, I
WOULD THINK WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON
TO OUR NEXT PANEL. SO OUR NEXT
PANEL IS UNDERSTANDING
CALIFORNIA'S VOTER PARTICIPATION
GAP AND RECENT RESEARCH THAT HAS
BEEN DONE AND WE HAVE WITH US
TODAY. MINDY ROMERO, WHO IS THE
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE
CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. WHERE SHALL I FIT
RIGHT RIGHT THERE, FRONT AND
CENTER. YOU LIKE TO LOOK AT? YOU
HAVE A SCREEN THAT YOU'RE OKAY,
YOU HAVE A CLICK. THAT'S A GOOD
QUESTION. I ASK YOU TO QUICK,
OKAY? THIS IS GONNA BE
CHALLENGING FOR MY EYES, BUT I
CAN DO IT.
GO AHEAD. GET STARTED. GREAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HELLO,
EVERYONE, UM AH, CHAIR
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S PELLERIN
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, NICOLE THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE
TODAY. I WILL GO AHEAD AND JUMP
IN BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT TO COVER
IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. SO
YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, WE ARE HERE
TODAY TO TALK ABOUT VOTER
PARTICIPATION GAPS, AND I'M
GONNA SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED AND
ON THE RESEARCH THE DATA WHAT WE
KNOW FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE AND
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW FROM A DATA
PERSPECTIVE. NEXT SLIDE. SO
SPOILER ALERT. NO SURPRISE TO
ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM, BUT THE
ESSENTIAL PUNCHLINE RIGHT?
BOTTOM LINE OF MY TALK TODAY IS
THAT WE DON'T HAVE A
REPRESENTATIVE. VOTING
ELECTORATE IN CALIFORNIA AND
HERE I MEAN, SPECIFICALLY,
NUMERICALLY REPRESENTED. SO UM,
THE PIE OF ACTUAL VOTERS, THOSE
CASTING A BALLOT. AT ANY GIVEN
IN ANY GIVEN ELECTION, WHETHER
IT'S HIGH TURNOUT, LOW TURNOUT
MIDTERM GENERAL PRIMARY. WE KNOW
THAT THE DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF
THAT PIE OF VOTERS DOES NOT LOOK
LIKE THE DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, TOTAL
POPULATION OR ITS ELIGIBLE VOTER
POPULATION. IT IS ALWAYS OLDER,
WEALTHIER, WHITER. NEXT SLIDE.
OKAY SO WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK
ABOUT FIRST IS A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT DATA CHALLENGES, SO THERE
ARE LIMITATIONS IN THE DATA
SOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE
TO US IN OUR STATE AND THAT YOU
KNOW VERY MUCH SO IMPACT. JUST
WHAT WE FULLY UNDERSTAND WE DO
NOT HAVE A FULLY INCLUSIVE
UNDERSTANDING OF JUST HOW DEEP
UM THE DISPARITIES ARE IN
PARTICIPATION BECAUSE WE DON'T
HAVE EVERYONE'S DATA. RIGHT
REPRESENTED, UM WE'LL TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. AND THEN
I'LL TALK ABOUT FROM WHAT WE DO
KNOW IN TERMS OF RESEARCH AND
DATA, THE CURRENT REGISTRATION
AND TURNOUT DISPARITIES IN THE
STATE AND THEN A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT ACTUAL VOTER
REPRESENTATION. THAT COMPARISON
OF SHARE TO POPULATION NEXT,
PLEASE SLOW ME DOWN A LITTLE BIT
HERE WITHOUT THE CLICKER. UM SO
JUST FOCUSING IN ON, UM, RACE OF
NECESSITY, LARGELY JUST BECAUSE
OF TIME TODAY, SO I'M
MULTIRACIAL DEMOCRACY, A
REPRESENTATIVE. DEMOCRACY OR
VOTING ELECTORATE REQUIRES
INCLUSIVE AND RELIABLE DATA. SO
DATA SOURCES AS I MENTIONED ARE
LIMITED TO MAIN DATA SOURCES
THAT WE USE THAT ARE AVAILABLE
TO ANYONE. UM IT'S THE CURRENT
POPULATION SURVEY, WHICH IS A
PRODUCT OF THE U. S CENSUS. IT'S
NOVEMBER SUPPLEMENT IT IS SO AS
IT SAYS IT'S A SURVEY, SO IT'S
LIMITED IN TERMS OF ITS SAMPLE
SIZE, SO WE CANNOT USE IT
ESSENTIALLY, FOR THE MOST PART
BELOW A STATE LEVEL. SO IF YOU
WANT TO DO ANALYSIS AT A COUNTY
LEVEL OF PRECINCT LEVEL A
JURISDICTION LEVEL, YOU'RE NOT
ABLE TO USE THE CURRENT
POPULATION SURVEY DATA AND AT
WHATEVER LEVEL UM IT IS HAS
SIGNIFICANT MYTHOLOGICAL
CHALLENGES IS IN IDENTIFYING
VOTERS OF COLOR, UM, IN
CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THE NATION
. IT IS A VIABLE UM, WELL USED
SOURCE FOR CONSISTENTLY APPLIED
METHODS OVER TIME TO COMPARE
CALIFORNIA DATA TO OTHER STATES,
FOR INSTANCE. BUT IT HAS
CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF VOTERS OF
COLOR. AND CERTAINLY AGAIN IF
YOU WANT TO DO ANYTHING WITH SUB
STATE, WHAT DO YOU USE? MOST
RESEARCHERS WILL USE THE
CALIFORNIA VOTER FILE AND THAT'S
THE 22 MILLION. OR SO REGISTERED
VOTER FILE THAT WE'RE FAMILIAR
WITH. UM, WE ARE. WE ARE ABLE TO
DO A SUB STATE ANALYSIS BUT
IDENTIFYING RACE IN THE CITY IN
THE CALIFORNIA VOTER FILE IS
CHALLENGING. UM AND THAT MEANS
THAT WE HAVE A LIMITED SET OF
RESEARCH RIGHT AVAILABLE DATA
AND RESEARCH THAT'S AVAILABLE TO
US. OKAY? OKAY SO, UM, IT IS NOT
ONLY CAN WE USE IT AS SUB STATE
LEVEL BECAUSE IT'S THE ACTUAL
VOTER FILE RIGHT PEOPLE DOWN TO
THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, BUT IT'S
THE ONLY DATA SOURCE THAT
PROVIDES A PERSON'S VOTING
BEHAVIOR, THEIR HISTORY THEIR
BALLOT TYPE, WHETHER THEIR
BALLOT WHETHER THEY CAST A VOTE
BY MAIL OR IN PERSON IF IT WAS
REJECTED FOR WHAT REASONS, SO
THERE'S A RICH AMOUNT OF DATA
THAT WE NEED THE VOTER FILE FOR
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED THE RACE
OF THE CITY, THOUGH, IS
DIFFICULT. SO WHY IS THAT? SO UM
CALIFORNIA ARE NOT REQUIRED TO,
UM, SUBMIT THE RACER OF THE CITY
WHEN THEY REGISTERED TO VOTE.
IT'S A VIOLENT WERE A VOLUNTARY
STATE. THEY CAN VOLUNTEER THAT
INFORMATION ONLY ABOUT 28% OF
OUR VOTER FILE IN CALIFORNIA HAS
A RECORD THAT SOMEBODY HAS
VOLUNTEERED IN TERMS OF THEIR
RACE, ETHNICITY. IT USED TO BE A
LOT LESS NOW WITH 28% BUT IT'S
NOWHERE NEAR RIGHT WHAT WE
NEEDED TO BE, AND THAT 28% AND
THERE'S REASONS WHY WE'VE
INCREASED OVER RECENT YEARS, BUT
LARGELY THAT 28% IS NOT
REPRESENTATIVE. IT'S NOT A
REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE, FOR
INSTANCE, AND THERE ARE
DIFFERENCES IN THAT POPULATION
COMPARED TO EVERYONE ELSE. SO
FOR INSTANCE, VOTER TURNOUT
RIGHT THROUGH A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT, UM, THAT POPULATION
SKEWS YOUNGER. IT'S
OVERWHELMINGLY REGISTERED
THROUGH ONLINE VOTER
REGISTRATION. SO FOR A VARIETY
OF REASONS, SO I WON'T GET INTO
FULLY TODAY THAT POPULATION IS
NOT ENOUGH RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO
SPEAK. RIGHT ABOUT THE REST OF
THE POPULATION IN CALIFORNIA, SO
RESEARCHERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH
OTHER METHODS. MOST COMMON
METHODS THAT WE USED TO IDENTIFY
RACE OF THIS CITY THAT WE'RE
USING IMPUTATION. IT'S
ESSENTIALLY STATISTICALLY
GUESSING. A RESEARCHER WILL TELL
YOU THIS, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO
WITH PROBABILITY, CHIEF ESTIMATE
, RIGHT? THE LIKELIHOOD OF
SOMEBODY'S RACER, ETHNICITY
RIGHT AND SIGN IT TO THEM IN THE
VOTER FILE. NEXT, PLEASE. UM HOW
DO WE DO THAT? WE DO THAT
THROUGH BATHING, GENERALLY
SPEAKING THROUGH BAZIAN METHODS,
DIFFERENT TWEAKS ON THAT B. I S
G AND SO FORTH, BUT ESSENTIALLY,
WE'RE USING TWO MAIN FORMS. ONE
IS OR TWO MAIN STEPS. ONE IS TO
IDENTIFY THROUGH SURNAME
MATCHING AND THE OTHER IS TO USE
CENSUS POPULATION DATA DOWN TO
THE CENSUS TRACKER CENSUS BLOCK
LEVEL. SO THE PROPORTION OF
ERASURE ETHNICITY IN A GIVEN
POPULATION, SO THIS IS PRETTY
RELIABLE FOR LATINOS LITTLE LESS
RELIABLE FOR ASIAN AMERICANS,
BUT COMMONLY USED IT IS
INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING FOR BLACK
VOTERS FOR ASIAN AMERICAN SUB
GROUPS AND OTHER GROUPS IN
CALIFORNIA, AND WHY BLACK VOTERS
, BLACK VOTERS ARE VERY LARGE
NUMBER ABOUT 1.8 MILLION
ELIGIBLE VOTERS. BUT
PROPORTIONATELY SMALL, UM, ONLY
ABOUT 6.5% OF THE POPULATION.
AND VERY DISTRIBUTED SO OUT OF
OUR 9000 CENSUS TRACTS. ONLY
ABOUT 45 OF THEM ACTUALLY HAVE A
MAJORITY BLACK BLACK POPULATION,
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO USE THEIR
NAME MATCHING FOR THE MOST PART
FOR THE BLACK POPULATION. IF YOU
USE GEO, SOME FORM OF GEO
CODING, BATHING, UM, MODELING
PREDICTING PREDICTIONS YOU ARE
THEN NOW, UM, USING CENSUS DATA
WHERE YOU HAVE AN
OVERWHELMINGLY, UM UH, SITUATION
WHERE, UM, IF YOU TRY TO PREDICT
BASED ON THE POPULATION
DISTRIBUTION, YOU'RE GOING TO
PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF MYTHS
ALLOCATION, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHY
WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF DATA FOR
BLACK VOTERS. IT IS POSSIBLE IN
SOME AREAS IN THE STATE. UM
WHERE THE POPULATION IS HIGHER.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO YOU TO
IDENTIFY BLACK VOTERS DEPENDING
ON AND USE IT COMFORTABLY AND
CONFIDENTLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT
YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. RESEARCH
WISE OR CAMPAIGN WISE. BUT FOR A
LOT OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS, IT'S
WE WANT TO HOPEFULLY DO NO HARM
AS RESEARCHERS AND DON'T WE
DON'T WANT TO MISS IDENTIFY IF
THAT MAKES SENSE, THE SAME THING
FOR ASIAN AMERICAN SUBGROUPS AND
THEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT AN
INCLUSIVE ELECTORATE SO
BASICALLY ALL OTHER SMALLER SIZE
IF YOU WILL, POPULATION GROUPS
INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING RIGHT TO
IDENTIFY NEXT OKAY, SO THAT
BEING SAID, LET'S TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE DO HAVE
AND WHAT WE KNOW SO REGISTRATION
RATES HERE. I'M GOING TO USE THE
VOTER FILE. CALIFORNIA VOTER
FILE. OKAY SO WHAT WAS THE
REGISTRATION RATE WILL ASK THE
COMMITTEE HERE IN CALIFORNIA IS
2022 GENERAL ELECTION AND
REGISTRATION RATE IS, OF COURSE,
THE PERCENT OF THOSE WHO ARE
ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER ADULT
CITIZENS WHO WERE ACTUALLY
REGISTERED. I SEE YOU LOOKING
AHEAD ON YOUR NOTES ANYONE?
YEAH. FOR TIME I'LL CUT TO IT 83
POINT HAVE YOU GOT IT? YEAH,
EXACTLY 83.3% VERY SIMILAR TO
THE RATE TODAY, RIGHT? NEXT
LINE. BUT WE LOOK AT RACE OF THE
THREE JUST BREAKING IT DOWN
RIGHT HERE WITH THE DATA THAT WE
DO HAVE YOU CAN YOU CAN'T SEE IN
THE BACK SO IT'LL FOOL ME DOWN A
LITTLE BIT. I APOLOGIZE. BUT UM,
THE BLUE BAR IS ASIAN AMERICAN,
THE RED BARS LATINO BLUE BAR,
SAYS 71 ALMOST 72% REGISTRATION
RATE AND LATINO IS ABOUT 71%
REGISTRATION RATE, UM, SO
SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE 83%
FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. WE HAVE SEEN
INCREASED REGISTRATION RATES IN
THE LAST DECADE IN CALIFORNIA,
RIGHT GOOD NEWS MUCH CELEBRATED.
EVERYONE HAS INCREASED AGAIN FOR
THE DATA THAT WE HAVE THE
POPULATIONS THAT WE KNOW OF
EVERYONE'S INCREASED IN TERMS OF
THE REGISTRATION RATES, BUT THE
GAPS THE DISPARITIES ACROSS
GROUPS HAVE REMAINED LARGELY THE
SAME, VERY CLOSE, VERY SIMILAR,
SO EVERYONE'S INCREASED, BUT THE
GAPS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE SAME.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I HOPE SO.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. BY AGE.
THE EXCEPTION IS FOR YOUNG
VOTERS FOR AGES. 18 TO 24 YEAR
OLD VOTERS THEY HAVE GAINED ON
OLDER VOTERS A LITTLE BIT, SO
IT'S STILL MUCH LOWER. YOU CAN'T
SEE IN THE BACK, BUT THAT'S
ABOUT 69. I CAN'T SEE MY OWN
EYES. UM UM, BUT MUCH LOWER. THE
BLUE BAR IS MUCH LOWER THAN
THOSE THOSE. EACH OF THOSE BARS
REPRESENTS AN AGE GROUP. UM THE
GAP HAS NARROWED A LITTLE BIT
BETWEEN OLD AND YOUNG OVER THE
LAST DECADE. THAT'S GOOD NEWS,
BUT STILL QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY
LOWER NEXT, PLEASE. OKAY NOW
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TURNOUT.
SO THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO MEASURE
TURN OUT HOW YOU DEFINE IT
REALLY MATTERS, SO THERE'S
REGISTERED VOTER TURNOUT, AND
THEN THERE'S ELIGIBLE VOTER
TURNOUT. REGISTERED VOTER
TURNOUT IS PERCENT OF THOSE WHO
ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE WHO
ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO VOTE IN A
GIVEN ELECTION. ELIGIBLE VOTER
TURNOUT IS A DIFFERENT
DENOMINATOR. IT'S THE PERCENT OF
THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
ADULT CITIZENS, LARGELY WHO
TURNED OUT TO VOTE, WHETHER
THEY'RE REGISTERED OR NOT. UM
REGISTERED VOTER TURNOUT, YOU'LL
SEE, OF COURSE, ELECTION
OFFICIALS REPORT THAT A LOT
MEDIA WILL REPORT THAT A LOT. UM
BUT BECAUSE OF THOSE JUST WELL
FOR MANY REASONS, BUT PROBABLY
FIRST AMONG THEM. BECAUSE OF
THOSE REGISTRATION DISPARITIES
THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT. WE
REALLY URGE PEOPLE TO USE
WHEREVER POSSIBLE ELIGIBLE VOTER
TURNOUT. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN
REPRESENTATION, BE INTERESTED IN
GAPS RIGHT ACROSS GROUPS. FOR
EXAMPLE, YOU COULD HAVE A HIGH
REGISTERED VOTER TURNOUT RATE BY
A PARTICULAR GROUP IN A IN A
GIVEN COMMUNITY, BUT THEIR
REGISTRATION RATE WAS REALLY LOW
, SO ACTUALLY NOT THAT MANY HIGH
REGISTERED VOTER TURNOUT RIGHT,
BUT THE REGISTRATION IS REALLY
LOW, SO ACTUALLY NOT THAT MANY
PEOPLE ARE VOTING. THEY REALLY
WANT TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF
CAPACITY AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
ENGAGED AND INVOLVED. YOU LOOK
AT ELIGIBLE VOTER TURNOUT. OKAY
HERE'S SOME TURNOUT NUMBERS, AND
I'M CALLING THEM PRELIMINARY
JUST BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WAITING
ON SOME TRADITIONAL POPULATION
UPDATED POPULATION DATA. UM BUT
THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY SIMILAR.
NEXT, PLEASE. SORRY. I FEEL SO
RUDE. JUST POINTING AT YOU. YEAH
YEAH, RIGHT. YOU'LL FORGIVE ME.
UM, WHAT WAS ELEGANT? WHAT WAS
THE ELIGIBLE VOTER TURNOUT?
AGAIN THAT'S A PERCENT IN
CALIFORNIA. 2022 GENERAL
ELECTION ANYONE? YOU CAN CHEAT.
CRAZY. YES EXCELLENT. PLEASE SHE
BEAT YOU. UM OKAY, SO 42.3% NOW
WHAT I'M SHOWING YOU IS JUST
OVER TIME. SO ON THE FAR RIGHT
OF THAT SAME NUMBER THAT THE
2022 IN THE GREEN AND THE GREEN
BAR 2022 GENERAL ELECTION 42.3%
WHEN I WANT TO SHOW YOU IS IN
THE GENERAL, IT'S ALREADY BEEN
MENTIONED RIGHT? WE HAD THE
HIGHEST TURNOUT IN THE 2020
GENERAL ELECTION THAT WE SAW IN
DECADES IN THIS STATE, RIGHT?
FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT
DIRECTOR SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED.
UM BUT WE WANT TO COMPARE
COMPARABLE ELECTIONS. MIDTERMS
MIDTERMS PRESIDENTIAL TO
PRESIDENTIAL. THE MIDTERMS ARE
ALWAYS LOWER THAN PRESIDENTIAL,
AND YOU CAN SEE QUITE A GOOD
SIZE DROP OFF FROM THE 2018
MIDTERM FROM 47 ALMOST 48% IN
THE BACK, OF COURSE, DOWN TO
42.3% NEXT, PLEASE. NOW WE'RE
GOING TO FOCUS. STAY NOW. BACK
ON THE 2022 GENERAL ELECTION ON
THE FAR RIGHT IS THAT 42.3% THAT
I MENTIONED IN GOLD NOW? AND
LET'S LOOK AT WHAT IT IS FOR
ASIAN, AMERICAN AND LATINO MUCH
LOWER, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT 33
23% RIGHT. THAT'S THE BLUE AND
THE RED MUCH LOWER, SO 10 20%
POINTS LOWER THAN THE OVERALL
TURNOUT RATE, ELIGIBLE VOTER
TURNOUT RATE. AND IF I BROKE
THAT OUT FOR EVERYBODY WHO WAS
NON LATINO, NON ASIAN, WHICH IN
OUR STATE IS LARGELY WHITE. IT'S
MUCH HIGHER AT LEAST 10 10%
POINTS HIGHER NEXT, PLEASE. OKAY
NOW. I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU
DON'T LOOK AT THE NUMBERS TOO
CLOSELY, BUT YOU CAN'T SEE THEM
ANYWAY. SO THIS IS THE POINT OF
THIS SLIDE IS TO GIVE YOU A
SENSE OF JUST GOING BACK A FEW
ELECTIONS OF THE DISPARITY
STORY. SO BEAR WITH ME ON THE
RIGHT OR THE NUMBERS. I JUST
SHOWED YOU 2022 GENERAL ELECTION
, THE BLUE, THE RED AND THE GOLD
HIGHLIGHTED THEIR CONSISTENCY IS
A 42.3% RIGHT? WHAT I'M SHOWING
YOU LEFT OF THAT ARE THE SAME
NUMBERS FOR LATINO, ASIAN
AMERICAN, THE AND THE TOTAL
POPULATION BUT FOR 2016 2018
2020. AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS
EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS DIFFER
SOME THIS DID THE DISPARITY
STORY IS VERY SIMILAR. IT IS
ENTRENCHED. I COULD GO BACK 20
YEARS I COULD GO BACK 30 YEARS
IF I HAD THE DATA 40 YEARS AND
SO FORTH. UM LATINO, ASIAN
AMERICAN. WE KNOW OTHER GROUPS
AS WELL. BUT CONSISTENTLY WITH
THESE DATA, WE CAN SHOW UM MUCH
LOWER TURNOUT, REGARDLESS OF THE
TYPE OF ELECTION NEXT, PLEASE.
AND FOUR TIME JUST REALLY
QUICKLY. THIS IS REALLY TO HAVE
IN YOUR PACKETS. COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. UM IT'S JUST TO
EMPHASIZE THESE ARE STATE LEVEL
NUMBERS, BUT AGAIN VARIATION
ACROSS THE STATE MUCH LOWER
TURNOUT. THIS IS FOR THE TOTAL
POPULATION ELIGIBLE VOTER
TURNOUT IN THE 2022 GENERAL
ELECTION. UM SAME ELECTION.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT MUCH LOWER
TURNOUT IN THAT ORANGE IN THE IN
THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND SOUTHERN
PARTS OF THE STATE, SOME
NORTHERN PARTS OF THE STATE. THE
SAME SCALE. NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
THE LOWEST TURNOUT CATEGORY. FOR
LATINOS. THIS IS A LATINO
ELIGIBLE TURNOUT RATE IN EACH
COUNTY ACROSS THE STATE. IT'S
ALL RED. THAT'S THE LOWEST
CATEGORY AGAIN. IF YOU COULD SEE
THIS AS A BIGGER NEXT, PLEASE
FOR TIME. SAME THING FOR ASIAN
AMERICANS. ELIGIBLE VOTER
TURNOUT RATE AGAIN THE LOWEST OR
THE SECOND LOWEST CATEGORY RIGHT
NEXT, PLEASE. OKAY NOW, LET'S
TALK ABOUT BLACK VOTER TURN DOWN
AS WE HAVE IT FROM THE CURRENT
POPULATION SURVEY, SO I TALKED
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES IDENTIFYING
BLACK VOTERS FOR RESEARCH
PURPOSES. SOME OF IT IS
CERTAINLY APPROPRIATE FOR SOME
RESEARCH QUESTIONS. UM SOME OF
THE SOME OF THE TYPES OF
ANALYSIS THAT IS DONE, UM FOR
OUTREACH AND MOBILIZATION
CAMPAIGN WORK, BUT FOR RESEARCH
PURPOSES, REALLY CHALLENGING,
RIGHT, UM, TO RELIABLY IDENTIFY
BLACK VOTERS OUT OF THE VOTER
FILE, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
DISTINCTION IS CLEAR. UM BUT WE
CAN USE THE CURRENT POPULATION.
SURVEY DATA FROM THE CENSUS THAT
I MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT UH, THERE'S
A SURVEY. IT'S NOT THE SAMPLE
SIZE ISN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR A BOAT
WITH SUB STATE ANALYSIS, BUT AT
LEAST WE HAVE CALIFORNIA WE CAN
COMPARE CALIFORNIA ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, BUT IT HAS METHOD
LOGICAL ISSUES. AND SO WE ALWAYS
CAUTION PEOPLE WHEN YOU LOOK AT
IT TO KNOW THAT THE NUMBERS
MIGHT NOT BE QUITE RIGHT RIGHT
FOR VOTERS OF COLOR, BUT IT'S
STILL DATA THAT WE CAN TALK
ABOUT AND COMPARE NEXT, PLEASE.
SO UM, HERE JUST TO EMPHASIZE
THE TURNOUT GAP USING THIS DATA
SOURCE YOU CAN VERY COMMONLY
USED. UM THE TURNOUT GAP IS
SIGNIFICANT BETWEEN BLACK AND
WHITE VOTERS. IT'S BEEN WIDENING
IN CALIFORNIA. SO, ACCORDING TO
THE CPS CURRENT POPULATION
SURVEY DATA IN THE 2020 GENERAL
ELECTION 64% OF BLACK ELIGIBLE
VOTERS AGAIN, THIS ADULT
CITIZENS CAST A BALLOT 64. BUT
THEIR NUMBER FOR WHITENING
VOTERS WITH 74.5% SO THAT'S A
10.5% POINT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
WHITE AND BLACK IN THE 2020.
GENERAL ELECTION. AND AGAIN
INCREASED OVER THE LAST FEW
ELECTIONS. THIS THIS CHART HERE
IS JUST VISUALIZING WHAT I
SHOWED YOU. SO THE GREEN IS
WHITE. THAT'S AT 74.5% THIS IS
THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION THAT
LIGHT BLUE AT THE END ON THE FAR
LEFT IS BLACK 64 SO AGAIN 10%
POINT RIGHT GAP AND THEN TO SHOW
YOU BY THIS MEASURE, RIGHT
LATINO AND ASIAN AMERICAN ALSO
LOWER NEXT, PLEASE. AND THEN
2022 AGAINST SIMILAR STORY IN
THE SENSE THAT THE GAP BETWEEN
WHITE AND BLACK AND HERE SORRY.
THE COLORS I THINK MIGHT CHANGE
A LITTLE BIT. BLACK IS RED.
WHITE IS GREEN AND FOR THE 2022
A MIDTERM YEAR, 43 RIGHT TO 62,
RIGHT. IT'S STILL ALMOST 20%
POINT GAP THERE IN A MIDTERM. UM
WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASIAN
AMERICAN, BLACK AND LATINO.
THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR HERE FOR A
MIDTERM, RIGHT. AND WHENEVER YOU
LOOK AT DATA WHEN WE DO HAVE
DATA FOR BLACK VOTERS, IT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT. TO UNDERSTAND
THE DIFFERENCES ACROSS ELECTION
TYPE. SO SOMETIMES BLACK VOTERS
CAN HAVE HIGHER TURNOUT. THE
GAPS CAN BE SMALLER IN IT. IT
SOMETIMES IN A VERY OVER,
GENERALIZING RIGHT NOW IN A
PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION,
BUT THE GAPS WILL BE LARGER IN A
MIDTERM. ELECTION OR PRIMARY OR
SPECIAL ELECTION, SO IF YOU'RE
LOOKING AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
TRENDS AND IN TURN OUT FOR BLACK
VOTERS, THE TYPE OF ELECTION
MATTERS EVEN MORE. THAT MAKES
SENSE. HOPEFULLY, THAT MAKES
SENSE NEXT, PLEASE. OKAY? FOUR
TIME I WON'T COVER THIS, BUT WE
DID PUT OUT A REPORT LAST YEAR,
UM, LOOKING USING THE VOTER FILE
AND LOOKING AT BLACK COMMUNITIES
BECAUSE WE FELT THE DATA THERE
AGAIN, HIGHER POPULATION MORE
RELIABLE, RIGHT AND IDENTIFYING
BLACK VOTERS THROUGH THOSE
AMBITION. MODELING UM AND IT IT
HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THOSE
DISTINCTIONS THAT WE TALKED
ABOUT IN TERMS OF DIFFERENCES IN
BLACK COMMUNITIES, HAVING HIGHER
TURNOUT IN SOME CASES AND WHITE
VOTERS AND SO FORTH, SO I WANT
TO TALK ABOUT IT NOW, BUT IF
YOU'RE INTERESTED, GO TO OUR
WEBSITE AGAIN. DETAILS REALLY
MATTER HERE. THE NEXT ONE,
PLEASE. I KNOW I'M TAKING LONGER
THAN I'M SUPPOSED TO NEXT,
PLEASE. OKAY REPRESENTATION SO
JUST REALLY QUICKLY TO TALKING
ABOUT THE PIE OF ACTUAL VOTERS
VERSUS THE PIE OF THE
POPULATION. NEXT, PLEASE. ON THE
LEFT JUST LOOKING FOR LATINO
ASIAN AMERICAN REALLY QUICKLY ON
THE LEFT. WE HAVE NUMBERS FOR
ASIAN AMERICANS. THE BLUE BAR
SAYS THAT 13.7% IN THE 2022
GENERAL ELECTION. UM 13.7% OF
THE ELIGIBLE VOTER ADULT CITIZEN
POPULATION, UM, WITH ASIAN
AMERICAN, BUT BECAUSE OF THOSE
DISPARITIES IN TURN OUT THAT I
DISCUSSED, RIGHT IT MEANS THAT
YOU HAVE GAPS IN TURN OUT MEANS
THAT YOU HAVE GAPS IN
REPRESENTATION IN ACTUAL SHARE
OF THE VOTE VERSUS SHARE OF THE
POPULATION. SO IN THIS CASE
13.7% OF THE, UH, THE SORRY THE
ELIGIBLE VOTER POPULATION IS
ASIAN AMERICAN, BUT ONLY 10.5.
OF THE ACTUAL VOTERS CASTING A
BALLOT IN THE 2022 GENERAL
ELECTION IS ASIAN IS SORRY, IS
ASIAN AMERICAN, SO THERE'S A GAP
THERE, RIGHT? NUMERICALLY
REPRESENTED. IT SHOULD BE ABOUT
THE SAME. YOU MIGHT WANT TO SAY
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO SEE IT
HIGHER, BUT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT
THE THING TO BE NUMERICALLY
REPRESENTED. WE HAVE A GAP FOR
LATINOS, EVEN LARGER 31% OF THE
ELIGIBLE VOTER POPULATION IN THE
STATE WITH LATINO IN THAT
ELECTION, 2022. BUT ONLY 17. OF
ACTUAL VOTERS CASTING A BALLOT
RIGHT, SO IT'S SIGNIFICANT
DISPARITY STORY A SIGNIFICANT
REPRESENTATION DIFFERENCE RIGHT
NEXT, PLEASE. SO WHY SO LOW? I
KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE, UH,
PANELS LATER TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
THIS. I'M JUST GOING TO PLAY
SOME BULLET POINTS. AND THEN BE
DONE AND YOU CAN'T READ THEM
ANYWAY. UM SO AGAIN FOR TIME
JUST DISPARITIES REGISTRATION AS
I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED
DISPARITIES AND SIGNIFICANT
DISPARITIES AND OUTREACH AND
MOBILIZATION THAT AT PRESENT, WE
HAVE LOTS OF DATA THAT TELLS US
THAT, UM VOTERS OF COLOR YOUNG
VOTERS, VOTERS THAT ARE JUST
JUST HAVE LOWER TURNOUT. RATES
RIGHT HISTORICALLY ARE MUCH LESS
LIKELY TO GET CONTACTED BY A
CAMPAIGN. OR A CANDIDATE OR EVEN
ELECTION OFFICIALS RIGHT FROM
OUR VARIETY OF REASONS, HISTORIC
AND CURRENT DISCONNECTION FROM
THE POLITICAL PROCESS
DEMOGRAPHICS WE OFTEN SEE A
COMPOUNDING WHERE WE SEE, UM,
GROUPS THAT ARE IN, UM VOTERS OF
COLOR, FOR INSTANCE, CAN FIND
THEMSELVES IN MULTIPLE
CATEGORIES THAT PREDICT LOWER
TURNOUT. RIGHT LOWER INCOME OF
COLOR AND SO FORTH RENTERS AND
YOU HAVE A COMPOUNDING EFFECT
THAT CAN MAKE IT EVEN MORE
CHALLENGING. AND, OF COURSE,
TURNOUT IS LOWER AND EVEN IN
PRIMARIES, BUT WHAT I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE HERE FOR YOU KNOW,
JAMES PUT IT REALLY WELL EARLIER
IS WE HAVE TO STILL MAKE IT EVEN
EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, BUT
WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE PEOPLE WANT
TO VOTE. IT'S THE MOTIVATION
QUESTION, BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT
TO EMPHASIZE IF I MAY. IS WHEN
WE SAY MOTIVATIONAL ALMOST
SOUNDS LIKE LIKE PEOPLE, NOT
CARING, RIGHT LIKE APATHY. WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT THESE NUMBERS OR
LOOK, IF YOU LOOK AT THESE
NUMBERS LATER, PLEASE KNOW THIS
IS NOT ABOUT RIGHT. THIS
HISTORIC ENTRENCHMENT OF
DISPARITIES ISN'T A STORY OF
GROUPS BEING APATHETIC OR NOT
CARING. IT'S A STORY OF COURSE
OF OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM
HISTORICALLY, AND CURRENTLY
TODAY THAT HAS NOT SUPPORTED
THESE GROUPS RIGHT AND MADE IT
HARDER TO VOTE AND ALSO MAKE
MAKE IT HARDER TO SELL THE
IMPORTANCE OF VOTING. UM
INCLUDING IT RIGHT? NOT GETTING
THE OUTREACH AND MOBILIZATION
RIGHT? THAT HELPS MAKE THAT
CONNECTION, SO IT'S NOT ABOUT
APATHY. UM, AND IT REALLY IS
BOTH ELEMENTS RIGHT IN
SUPPORTING VOTERS TO CHANGE SOME
OF THESE NUMBERS TO REALLY
EVENTUALLY HOPEFULLY SEE A
REPRESENTATIVE ELECTORATE. AND
THERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH
TIME I HAVE LEFT IN THE Q AND A
PROPORTION BUT I THANK YOU FOR
THIS WAS AMAZING. AND YOUR
POWERPOINT HAS A LOT OF GREAT
DATA, AND I JUST ASK THE COAL IF
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE'LL POST
THAT ON THE ELECTIONS WEBSITE AS
WELL. ELECTIONS COMMITTEE SO
YES, I DO HAVE A QUESTION. SO
OUR OUR RECENT POLICY CHANGES
HERE IN CALIFORNIA HAVE GREATLY
TRANSFORMED CALIFORNIA'S
ELECTIONS AND HOW PEOPLE
PARTICIPATE. UM BUT IT'S HARD TO
MEASURE THE EFFECTS OF THESE
POLICY CHANGES, AND I'M JUST
WINNING BASED ON YOUR RESEARCH.
ARE THERE ANY RECENT REFORMS
THAT HAVE HAD A MEASURABLE
EFFECT ON PARTICIPATION OVERALL
ON THE PARTICIPATION GAPS? VOTE
BY MAIL? UM SOME RESEARCH THAT
WE'VE DONE THROUGH MY CENTER AND
THEN OFTEN PARTNERSHIP WITH ERIC
MACGYVER, THE PUBLIC POLICY
INSTITUTE, CALIFORNIA WE'VE
IDENTIFIED IN CALIFORNIA AND
NATIONWIDE CALIFORNIA'S VERSION,
UNIVERSAL VOTE BY MAIL,
AUTOMATICALLY MAILING EVERYBODY
A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT. UM WE
FOUND AT LEAST IN 2020 FOR SURE
THAT, UM 3% POINT INCREASE. THAT
MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A LOT. BUT IN
IN, UM AND RESEARCH ON VOTER
TURNOUT, 3% POINTS IS ACTUALLY
QUITE SUBSTANTIAL. UM YEAH.
GOOD. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
FOR THE SPEAKER. MR LUCKY I
DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I
JUST HAVE, UM HAVE SOME
PERSPECTIVE THAT I THINK IT'S
WORTHY OF THOUGHT THAT, UM YOU
KNOW THE REASON PEOPLE VOTE ON
ISSUES AND THE REASON THEY DON'T
VOTE ON ISSUES. IT'S OFTEN HARD
TO DETERMINE YEAH. I THINK THAT
DATA IS VALUABLE, BUT IT CAN
ALSO BE MISLEADING. SO IT
DEPENDS ON WHAT WE DO WITH THAT
DATA AND HOW WE INTERPRET THE
DATA. AND I THINK THAT YOUR
PERSPECTIVE AS WELL TAKEN BUT I
THINK THAT THERE MAY BE SOME
SEASONING IN THERE. AND SOME, UH
SOME DEBATABLE. UH CONCLUSIONS
THAT WERE DRAWN WAS ALL I HAVE
TO SAY. I'M GIVING YOU 10
MINUTES, OF COURSE, AND THERE'S
THE NUANCE DOES MATTER VERY MUCH
SO, BUT THE NUANCE TYPICALLY
THOUGH, JUST HELPS US, YOU KNOW,
AND MORE COMPLETE CONVERSATION
AND MORE COMPLETE STUDY THOSE
SORTS OF THINGS. UM ALLOW US TO
BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY THESE
NUMBERS ARE AS LOW AS THEY ARE.
WHITE DISPARITIES ARE
ENTRENCHED. UM BUT TODAY WAS
OBVIOUSLY QUICK, AND I
APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND
YOU HAVE A GREAT WEBSITE AS
WELL. THAT HAS ALL THE DATA
YOU'VE COLLECTED AT ALL THE
RESEARCH YOU'VE DONE OVER THE
YEARS, RIGHT? YES AND THE
DRAFTING. WE ALSO HAVE A DATA
TOOL ON OUR WEBSITE THAT WE'VE
MAPPED EVERY INCH OF CALIFORNIA
EVERY COUNTY DOWN TO THE
PRECINCT. CENSUS TRACK LEVEL.
YOU CAN LOOK AT TURNOUT. YOU CAN
LOOK AT VOTE BY MAIL RATES. YOU
CAN LOOK AT POPULATION
INFORMATION LIMITED ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY, DISABILITY
POPULATION, UM, ALL SORTS OF
DATA TO HELP WITH UNDERSTANDING
COMMUNITIES, UNDERSTANDING PAST
TRENDS AND HISTORY. HOPEFULLY
USED FOR NON PARTISAN OUTREACH
AND MOBILIZATION EFFORTS BY
ELECTION OFFICIALS AS WELL AS
COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND IT ALSO
GIVES SUGGESTIONS ON EQUITABLE
SIGHTING OF VOTING LOCATIONS.
GREAT AND I BELIEVE THAT'S IN
OUR HEARING OVERVIEW THAT WAS
PREPARED AND POSTED ON OUR WEB.
DON'T KNOW THAT LINK IS THERE,
BUT I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE. OKAY
WELL, WE'LL MAKE SURE OKAY,
THANK YOU NOT PROMOTING THE
CYCLE AND, UH. MINDY ROMERO WAS
SO HELPFUL TO HAVE A SLIDE ON
QUESTIONS. BECAUSE I FORGOT THAT
PART IN OUR LAST PANEL, SO I'M
GOING TO BRING THEM BACK UP TO
ASK A FEW QUESTIONS OF THEM.
LITTLE RUSTY, YOU KNOW? SO WE'RE
GOING TO BRING JAMES SCHWAB LIKE
KENYA. JORDAN'S DEAN LOGAN AND
CATHY DARLING ALAN BACK TO THE
MICROPHONES. WE HAVE A FEW
QUESTIONS FOR YOU KNOW YOU
ALMOST ALMOST. YEAH. YOU KNOW ME
, SO LET ME START WITH THE KENYA
. UM SO WITH THE 2024 ELECTION
CYCLE FAST APPROACHING, WHAT ARE
THE SECRETARY STATEWIDE
STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING OUR
VOTER PARTICIPATION GAPS? I'M SO
GLAD YOU ASKED HER SALARY, SO
THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE AS THEY
ALLUDE TO EARLIER HAS ENGAGED IN
A MULTI PRONGED APPROACH. UM
FIRST, WE HAVE BEGAN TO FORM
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH
THROUGH OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
AND TRYING TO CONNECT AS YOU
HEARD, JAMES SAY EARLIER. OUR
COMMUNITIES, THOSE WHO REACH
THEM AND TALK TO THEM EVERY
SINGLE DAY THROUGH THE CBOS AND
COMMUNITIES WERE PARTNERS WITH
OUR COUNTY PARTNERS, SO WE BEGAN
TO CREATE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, UM IN TERMS OF AMPLIFYING
MESSAGES AROUND THE OPTIONS FOR
VOTING. UM AND HAVING THEM
VOLUNTEER WITH COUNTIES TO COME
AND SUPPORT THE COUNTY OUTREACH
EFFORTS AGAIN. THE IDEA IS TO
CONNECT THE COMMUNITIES WITH THE
COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS AND
THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT PIECES YOU
HEARD, KATHY DARLING SAID
EARLIER ABOUT MESSAGING AGAINST
MISINFORMATION AND
DISINFORMATION. UM GIOKOS
ZURICH. I THINK HE STEPPED OUT.
BUT HE'S OUR COMMUNICATION
SPECIALS. AND WE HAVE A ROBUST,
UM, MISINFORMATION AND
DISINFORMATION AND
MISINFORMATION COMMUNICATION
PROGRAM GOING ON RIGHT NOW. ON
TOP OF THAT OUR CHIEF OF
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION IS
JANELLE JACKSON, AND SHE'S
ENGAGED AND A MULTIPRONGED
APPROACH FOR PARTNERING WITH
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO PUT
ON EVENTS AROUND THE STATE TO
ENCOURAGE EDUCATION AROUND
BALLOT MEASURES. HOW TO VOTE. UM
AND THEN ALSO HELP US WITH OUR
SOCIAL MEDIA TOOL KITS TO GET
THOSE OUT TO COUNTIES AND TO
VOTERS. AND THE VOLUNTEERS. UM
ALL OF THIS IS BEING DONE
WITHOUT FUNDING. SO AS YOU HEARD
ME SAY, EARLIER, WITH BINDING,
WE COULD DO SO MUCH MORE ARE
COUNTIES ARE IN PARTICULAR NEED
OF TRYING TO GET FUNDING TO
PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS. AND I DO WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT 21 BRILLIANT PORTON
FACTOR. THERE ARE SEVERAL
COUNTIES AROUND THE STATE NAPA
COUNTY ORANGE COUNTY CEMETERY.
OH COUNTY CLASS CENTER, CLARE
COUNTY. WHO ARE SHOWING US THAT
WHEN YOU PARTNER WITH
COMMUNITIES ORGANIZATIONS TO DO
THE OUTREACH, UM YOU ACTUALLY
ARE REACHING THOSE COMMUNITIES
FAR BETTER THAN THE COUNTY COULD
DO ON ITS OWN. YEAH I THINK IT'S
A MODEL WORK PANEL THAT LATER.
YEAH OKAY, SO LET'S JUST SOME OF
THE THINGS WE'RE DOING. I COULD
GO ON MORE, BUT WE HAVE A FULL
LINE PLAN THAT WE ACTUALLY AS A
AS A STRATEGIC PLANNER AS A
POLICY PERSON. WE WOULD NEVER
PUT OUT A PLAN WITHOUT FIRST
CONSULTING WITH THE PUBLIC, SO
WE'RE ENGAGED RIGHT NOW AND
STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS ON OUR PLAN
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
ENCOMPASSING AND THINKING ABOUT
ALL THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES
AROUND THE STATE, SO YOU WILL
SEE THAT COME OUT A LITTLE MORE
TOWARDS THE END OF DECEMBER, BUT
RIGHT NOW WE'RE HAVING
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS
TO DISCUSS WHAT THE STRATEGIES
ARE AND HOW WE MAKE THEM BETTER.
FABULOUS. THANK YOU. SURE. AND
THEN MR SHAUB STATE HAS
OCCASIONALLY PROVIDED FUNDING
FOR VOTER EDUCATION OUTREACH
ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY WHEN
THERE HAVE BEEN CONCERNS THAT
CHANGES TO ELECTORAL PROCESSES
CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT VOTER
PARTICIPATION. CAN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
FUNDING FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE IN
WORKING IN THE SECRETARY OF
STATE'S OFFICE? TOUCHED UPON A
LITTLE BIT IN OUR IN MY TALKING
POINTS WAS IN, YOU KNOW, 2020.
WE FACED THE PANDEMIC, UM AND
GOING INTO NOVEMBER. A LOT OF US
WERE VERY, VERY CONCERNED THAT
YOU KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO RUN
OUR ELECTIONS AND HOW WE WOULD
MAKE SURE VOTERS WOULD HAVE A
FAIR AND EQUAL ACCESS DURING A
DURING A PANDEMIC. AND ONE OF
THE CONSENSUS IDEAS THAT CAME
OUT OF THE COLLABORATIVE
APPROACH OF WORKING WITH
ELECTION OFFICIALS. STAFF IN THE
LEGISLATURE. COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS WAS THE NEED TO
MAKE SOME IMPORTANT CHANGES, BUT
ALSO TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT
THOSE CHANGES. AND SO THE
LEGISLATURE GOING TO NOVEMBER
APPROPRIATE $35 MILLION FOR
VOTER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
AND IT WAS NONPARTISAN. IT WAS
JUST STRAIGHT. HOW WHEN AND
WHERE TO VOTE, RIGHT. ALL THE
NEW OPTIONS THAT WERE AVAILABLE
TO YOU, UH, GOING INTO THIS
PANDEMIC ELECTION? UM AND LOW
AND BEHOLD. AH IT WAS ONE OF THE
HIGHEST THE HIGHEST TURNOUT IN
CALIFORNIA. UM AND WE BEAT THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN 25 YEARS. I THINK THAT
NONPARTISAN, UM PUBLIC EDUCATION
CAMPAIGN HAD A LOT TO DO WITH
THAT. IT WAS IN LANGUAGE. I
FORGET HOW MANY LANGUAGES WE DID
IT IN, BUT IN LANGUAGE WE
PARTNERED WITH ELECTION
OFFICIALS WE PARTNERED WITH IN
LANGUAGE ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE
SURE THE TRANSLATIONS RIGHT TO
MAKE SURE WE WERE CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE MESSAGING. AND UM, I
THINK YOU CAN SEE THE EFFECTS OF
THAT GIVEN NOVEMBER. 2020 COULD
HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IN TERMS OF
TURNOUT, GIVEN THE PANDEMIC,
GIVEN THE LOSS OF POINT PLACE IS
GIVEN THE LOSS OF ELECTION
WORKERS BUT END UP BEING A
POSITIVE AND I THINK THAT'S A
TESTAMENT TO WHAT YOU CAN DO
WITH SMARTLY APPROPRIATED AND
SMARTLY USED PUBLIC EDUCATION
FUNDING. I COULD NOT AGREE MORE.
I WAS COUNTY CLERK AND SANTA
CRUZ COUNTY DURING THAT YEAR AND
UM, AND WAS THRILLED TO GET
MONEY TO LIKE. IT'S LIKE A
PURCHASE OF VOTE MOBILE AND
PROVIDING THAT MOBILE VOTING
REALLY WAS A GAME CHANGER,
ESPECIALLY IN 2020, BUT PEOPLE
LOVE IT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM SO THEN A QUESTION FOR DEAN
LOGAN AND CATHY, DARLING ALAN.
WHAT PROGRAMS DOES YOUR OFFICE
HAVE IN PLACE FOR CONDUCTING
VOTER OUTREACH AND ENCOURAGING
GREATER VOTER PARTICIPATION. AND
HOW DO YOU QUANTIFY THE SUCCESS
OF THOSE PROGRAMS? SORRY IF MY
ANSWER IS REALLY BRIEF, WE
REALLY HAVE A VERY LIMITED UM,
OUTREACH PROGRAM BECAUSE WE
DON'T HAVE DEDICATED FUNDING TO
OUTRAGE. UM I'LL NEVER FORGET
HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE
LINCOLN OLD FROM MARIN COUNTY
WHO IS LONG RETIRED, AND SHE
SHARED WITH ME THAT THEY HAD A
LINE ITEM IN THEIR BUDGET. THAT
WAS $10,000 FOR OUTREACH. WHAT'S
THAT? NOT SOMETHING I HAD NOT
HEARD OF. THIS IS MANY YEARS
AGO, BUT UM, WE WERE THRILLED IN
2020 TO BE ABLE TO PUT GET OUT.
THE VOTE MESSAGING IS IN BUS
SHELTERS AND, UM, IN ALL KINDS
OF OTHER VENUES THAT WE HAD
NEVER BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO DO
THAT KIND OF, UM, SUPPORT FOR
VOTERS BEFORE AND SO I WOULD
DEFINITELY LOVE TO HEAR MORE
ABOUT THE INTRO. DEAN HAS A VERY
ROBUST PROGRAM. THAT'S ONGOING,
BUT IT'S A IT'S NOT SOMETHING AS
SMALLER COUNTY LIKE SHASTA HAS
THE EXTRA MONEY FOR ACCOUNTING
LIKE YOURS. YOU HAVE 112,000
REGISTERED VOTE 112,000
REGISTERED VOTERS, RIGHT. AND
WHAT WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE A
VOTER EDUCATION PROGRAM WOULD
COST YOUR COUNTY? WELL UM, WE
COULD DO A LOT WITH $50,000 A
YEAR WE COULD DO A WHOLE LOT
WITH $250,000 A YEAR. UM WE HAVE
NOT HAD AN OFF YEAR OR A YEAR
WITHOUT AN ELECTION SINCE 2000
AND I THINK 13. UM IN 2019, FOR
EXAMPLE. WE HAD FOUR SPECIAL
ELECTIONS, SO IT YOU KNOW, IT'S
A NOT AN OFF YEAR KIND OF A
SITUATION FOR OUR COUNTY AND I
THINK MOST COUNTIES IN
CALIFORNIA ANYMORE. AND WOULD
YOU AGREE THAT, UM, HAVING
ONGOING VOTER EDUCATION OUTREACH
IS ESSENTIAL? NOT JUST WHEN
THERE'S A BIG ELECTION, SO I
THINK THAT, UM, SUSTAINABLE
MAINTENANCE FUNDING THAT IS
DEPENDABLE IS ESSENTIAL. THE
GRANTS IN 2020 WERE WONDERFUL,
BUT THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY A ONE
OFF AND WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WITH
REGULAR MAINTENANCE FUNDING, WE
COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE BUY A
BOAT MOBILE. WE DON'T HAVE A
VEHICLE TO PULL OF AUTOMOBILES
SO WE WOULDN'T EVER PURCHASE ONE
TODAY. BUT IF WE KNEW THAT WE
HAD GRANT MONEY COMING YEAR
AFTER YEAR, UM LARGER PURCHASES
LIKE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING
THAT WE COULD BUILD INTO OUR
BUDGET AND PLAN FOR GREAT. THANK
YOU. OKAY DEAN. YOUR TURN. YEAH
THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, AND I
THINK THAT WE ARE FORTUNATE IN
IN L, A COUNTY AND THAT WE DO
HAVE RESOURCES DEDICATED TO
THIS. I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE OF
THE SIZE AND DIVERSITY OF OUR
ELECTORATE THAT THAT WE SIMPLY
COULD NOT EVEN MEET THE MINIMUM.
COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS WITH
THINGS LIKE THE VOTING RIGHTS
ACT FOR LANGUAGE, ACCESS AND
ACCESSIBILITY WITHOUT THAT, BUT
I WILL ALSO POINT OUT THAT THAT
IS EVEN WITH THE FUNDING THAT WE
HAVE. IT'S PROPORTIONAL, YOU
KNOW, WITH 5.6 MILLION
REGISTERED VOTERS SPREAD OVER A
LARGE COUNTY THAT, UM, MONEY
ALONE WON'T WON'T DO THE JOB WE
HAVE TO. WE HAVE TO RELY ON
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS ARE
ADVISORY COMMITTEES. WE DON'T
HAVE ENOUGH EYES AND EARS AND
FEED ON THE GROUND TO DO THAT,
WITHOUT WITHOUT THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS, I'LL HIGHLIGHT A
COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THAT WE'RE
DOING, UM IN 2024. THEY EXPAND
ON THINGS THAT WE DID IN 2020
2022. WE HAVE A FREE THE VOTE
PROGRAM, WHICH IS A
MULTIDISCIPLINARY GROUP THAT
WORKS WITH JUSTICE AGENCIES TO
ENSURE THAT JUSTICE INVOLVED
INDIVIDUALS KNOW THEIR RIGHTS AS
VOTERS AND THAT THEY CAN GET
REGISTERED AND PARTICIPATE. FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN 2024, WE WILL
HAVE IN PERSON VOTES CENTERS AT
EVERY ONE OF OUR COUNTY JAIL
FACILITIES AND PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE WITH THE WITH THE SHERIFF
AND THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. WE
PILOTED THAT IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS, AND THIS TIME WILL BE AT
AT EVERY ONE OF THE FACILITIES
WERE PARTICIPATING IN A VET THE
VOTE PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE WHERE
WE'RE REACHING OUT TO VETERANS,
AND THAT'S TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO
CONTINUE THEIR SERVICE AS
ELECTION WORKERS, BUT IT'S ALSO
BUILT AROUND A NARRATIVE THAT
THAT THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF
PUBLIC TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN
VETERANS, AND THAT THAT THEIR
PRESENCE IN A VOTE CENTER
CONVEYS THE LEGITIMACY AND THE
AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS
. UM AND THEN, FINALLY, I'LL
JUST EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON OUR
MOBILE AND FLEX VOTE VOTE CENTER
PROGRAMS I THAT'S A RELATIVELY
NEW PROGRAM WE STARTED IN 2020
EXPANDED IN 2022. I THINK OVER
TIME. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT
IS STARTING TO MAKE A DENT IN
THOSE UNDERREPRESENTED
POPULATIONS, NOT NOT BY A HUGE
PROPORTIONS. BUT WHAT WE ARE
SEEING IS THAT WHEN WE MEET
PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT WHEN WE
GO OUT TO A GEOGRAPHICALLY
ISOLATED LOCATION IN THE
NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY THAT
OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
EASILY ACCESS AND IN PERSON
VOTES CENTER. PEOPLE SHOW UP AND
VOTE WHEN WE DO A PARTNERSHIP
WITH ULTIMATE MEDICAL CENTERS,
AND WE HAVE SENIORS WHO ARE
THERE TAKING CARE OF THEIR
PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND THEN THEY
CAN GO OUT INTO THE PARKING LOT
AND EXERCISE THEIR CIVIC HEALTH.
UM THEY DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S
THERE AND IT'S NOT WASN'T
NECESSARILY EVEN PART OF THEIR
PLAN FOR THE DAY. BUT THE FACT
THAT IT'S THEIR INVISIBLE
ENCOURAGES THAT LEVEL OF
PARTICIPATION, SO I THINK THOSE
ARE THE THINGS THAT, UM THAT
WILL BEGIN TO BRIDGE THESE GAPS
AND DO THAT FROM THE STRUCTURAL
SIDE, AND AS I SAID EARLIER, WE
NEED TO MEET THAT WITH THE WITH
THE INTRINSIC MOTIVATIONAL SIDE
AS WELL. OKAY? THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BACK.
OKAY OKAY. YES. OKAY WE ARE NOW
GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT
PANEL. WHICH IS, UM, ENSURING
COMPLETE AND ACCURATE VOTER
REGISTRATION ROLLS, AND WE'RE
GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT
CALIFORNIA'S EXPERIENCE WITH
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION AND
PERSPECTIVES OF THE CALIFORNIA'S
NEW MOTOR VOTER TASK FORCE. SO
ON THIS PANEL, WE HAVE SUSAN
LAPSLEY, WHO IS THE DEPUTY
SECRETARY OF STATE. HELP AMERICA
VOTE ACT DIRECTOR AND COUNSEL
FOR CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF
STATE SHIRLEY AND WEBER. AND WE
HAVE BRITNEY HOW I SEALS DON'T
STONECIPHER. I JUST KNOW IT'S
BRITNEY. BRITNEY STONE, CYPRESS
STAFF ATTORNEY FOR THE DEMOCRACY
AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM
VALUE OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
ROSLYN GOLD, OUR CHIEF PUBLIC
POLICY OFFICER WITH NALEO
EDUCATIONAL FUND, AND NEIL, OR
BIYANI POLICY AND RESEARCH
DIRECTOR INSTITUTE FOR
RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT. SO HAVE
YOU PICKED AN ORDER OF OH,
SWEETIE ROCK PAPER, SCISSORS.
YEAH, THAT COULD WORK. I'LL GO.
YOU'LL GO FIRST. I HAVE YOU
LISTED FIRST. WE'LL START WITH
SUSAN LAPSLEY. THANK YOU MUST BE
MY HANDS. RIGHT LOOK TOUGH,
RIGHT, SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBER BLACKIE WHEN HE COMES
BACK AND JOINS US AGAIN, LIVE
HAPPENS TO US, RIGHT? WE HAVE A
CHILD THAT TURNS 18. WE HAVE A
LOVED ONE THAT PASSES AWAY. WE
TAKE A NEW JOB IN A DIFFERENT
CITY IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE
STATE, OR WE HAVE AN AGING
PARENT THAT MOVES IN WITH THIS
LIFE HAPPENS. BUT ALL OF THOSE
ARE INSTANCES THAT THAT AFFECT
VOTER REGISTRATION. AND WITH IN
CALIFORNIA WITH OVER 22 MILLION
REGISTERED VOTERS. IT HAPPENS A
LOT SO HAVING AN ACCURATE UM AND
LET'S MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND
LISTS TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF
THOSE LIFE EVENTS WHEN LIFE
HAPPENS ARE TRACKED, AND CHANGES
ARE ABLE TO BE MADE AS
ESSENTIAL. IN CALIFORNIA.
THERE'S WELL ACROSS THE NATION.
THERE'S REALLY TWO LEADING, UM
ACTS AND LEGISLATION ON THE
FEDERAL LEVEL THAT THAT REALLY
AFFECT THIS ONE IS THE NATIONAL
VOTER REGISTRATION ACT OF 1993
GONNA TAKE THAT SECOND. THE
SECOND ONE IS THE HOT IS THE
HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT, WHICH OF
2002 WHICH MADAM CHAIR YOU WERE
VERY AH, AWARE OF, AND WE'RE ON
THE GROUND FLOOR OF IMPLEMENTING
THAT, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE HARBA
FIRST. SO FOR THOSE WHO DON'T
KNOW, HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF
2002, OR HAVE A WE REFER TO IT.
IT HAD SWEEPING CHANGES ON THE
ELECTION PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY, AND THERE WAS ALSO
FUNDING THAT WENT WITH IT, WHICH
WAS THE FIRST TIME EVER THERE
WAS NEVER MONEY THAT WENT WITH
THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION
ACT OF 1993. BUT THERE WAS WITH
HABA. BUT IT REQUIRED SWEEPING
CHANGES TO VOTING TECHNOLOGY
ACCESSIBILITY LIST MAINTENANCE
AND VOTER REGISTRATION. SO PART
OF THAT AND A KEY COMPONENT OF
IT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIST
MAINTENANCE IS A REQUIREMENT TO
HAVE A STATEWIDE VOTER
REGISTRATION DATABASE AT THE
TIME IN CALIFORNIA. WE HAD ONE,
BUT IT WASN'T ALL THE COUNTIES
WEREN'T CONNECTED. IT WASN'T IN
REAL TIME AND IT DIDN'T MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS OF, HOWEVER. UM AND
THE INTENT OF HARVEST, SO THE
STATE WORKED DILIGENTLY ON IT IN
2016. WE IMPLEMENTED VOCAL,
WHICH IS THE STATE COMPLIANT,
UM, STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION
DATABASE, SO I'LL REFER TO VOTE
CAL. UM WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIST
MAINTENANCE THROUGH THIS
PROCESS, SO UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE
WAY THAT VOCAL IS IMPLEMENTED,
IT IS ACTUALLY OUR STATEWIDE
LIST. IT IS THE OFFICIAL LIST
FOR THE STATE FOR ALL ELECTIONS.
HOWEVER THE COUNTIES OR THE
BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THE
COUNTIES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE
DOING ALL THE LEGWORK. THEY
REALLY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE
DOING THE WORK PERIOD, SO THEY
ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ACCEPTING
AND MAKING THESE CHANGES.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE
REVIEWING THE RECORDS AND THEIR
PASSPORT. WE PASSED. DATA FROM
THE COUNTY IS UP TO US AND US
DOWN TO THE COUNTIES. WE
RECEIVED DATA FROM OTHER
AGENCIES. SO VERY RARELY SAY
LISTEN THIS RIGHT, BUT WHEN
CONGRESS UM PAST HAVE A THEY IN
THEIR WISDOM, THEY ACTUALLY LEFT
A LOT OF DISCRETION TO THE
STATES, THEY REALIZED OH, GOSH.
WE HAVE 50 STATES AND 50
DIFFERENT WAYS OF HAVING AS
STATE AGENCIES AND RECORD FLOW
AND THAT KIND OF THING, SO THEY
LEFT THE DISCRETION TO THE TO
THE STATES AND IN CALIFORNIA
WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED VOEPEL, WE
DID A LOT OF GREAT THINGS, WHICH
IS A SYSTEM THAT IS IN NEAR REAL
TIME. UM AND WE CONNECTED WITH
SEVERAL DIFFERENT AGENCIES SO AT
THE STATE LEVEL EVERY NEW AND
UPDATED REGISTRATION IS CHECKED
AGAINST A MYRIAD OF DIFFERENT
DATA POINTS, INCLUDING DEATH
RECORDS FROM THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
RECORDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
MOTOR VEHICLES RECORDS FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION'S
REHABILITATION AS WELL AS A
CHANGE OF ADDRESS CHANGE
CHANGES. SO CDCR, THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND
REHABILITATION THEY SEND THEIR
FELON LIST TO US AND WE CHECK
EVERY NEW AND UPDATED
REGISTRATION AGAINST THE FELON
LIST. CD PH, UM, LIKEWISE, WE
GET DEATH RECORDS ON ANY
DECEDENT. I CAN SAY THIS RIGHT?
ANY DISSIDENTS 16 YEARS OF AGE
OR OLDER THAT HAVE DIED IN
CALIFORNIA AS WELL AS OUTSIDE OF
CALIFORNIA. UM GOING BACK TO
1970. SO IT IS AN EXTENSIVE
DATABASE OF DEATH. IT'S WE
JOKINGLY CALL IT THE DATABASE OF
DEATH. UM FOR THAT THAT ASPECT,
BUT EVERY NEW AND UPDATED
REGISTRATION IS RUN AGAINST THAT
TO LOOK FOR MATCHES. LIKEWISE
DNB FICATION THAT HAPPENS AGAIN
WITH EVERY NEW AND UPDATED
REGISTRATION. WE SEND THE
INFORMATION OVER TO DUBKE
DOESN'T ID VERIFICATION OF IT.
IN SOME INSTANCES, THEY WILL
SEND IT TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION IF NEEDED. IF
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH, UH,
INFORMATION ON THEIR SIDE AND
WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REAL
IDEA THOSE INSTANCES TO MY
KNOWLEDGE HAVE GONE DOWN
DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE OF REAL I
D. UM E. D D S. THIS ONE'S A
LITTLE ODD BECAUSE EVERYONE
THINKS WELL, ET DE. WHAT DOES
THAT HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT A
REGISTRATION E D D IS ACTUALLY
THE CONTRACTING AGENCY WITHIN
THE STATE, AND THERE'S ONLY ONE
FOR EACH STATE TO GET NATIONAL
CHANGE OF ADDRESS INFORMATION,
SO WE SHARE INFORMATION AND
AGAIN FOR ANY NEW AND UPDATED
REGISTRATION. WE CHECK AGAINST E
D. D TO SEE IF THERE ARE CHANGE
OF ADDRESS, UM, RECORDS ON FILE.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS THE DMV
CHANGE OF ADDRESS. SO OBVIOUSLY,
THERE'S CHANGE OF ADDRESS
NOTIFICATIONS THAT HAPPENED
THROUGH DMV. THOSE STILL HAPPEN
THROUGH THROUGH DMV AS WELL. ON
A DAILY BASIS. THAT FLOW OF
INFORMATION IS ABOUT 30,000. WE
CALL HIM MESSAGES BETWEEN THE
OUR OFFICE AND THE COUNTIES AND
BACK UP AGAIN, THE WAY THAT IT
WORKS FOR ANY NEW AND UPDATED
REGISTRATION, WHERE THE RENTER
ALL THOSE DATABASES, AND IF
THERE'S A MATCH, THEN WE SEND IT
TO THE COUNTY AND SAY, HEY,
COUNTY WHEN GAIL WAS THERE,
HAGEL, YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR AND
YOUR STAFF NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THIS THIS RECORD WE FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE OF THE STATE. IT
LOOKS LIKE IT'S A MATCH. SO THEN
THE COUNTY WILL LOOK AT IT AND
SAY YES, IT IS OR NO, IT'S NOT
SO AGAIN WHEN I SAY THAT THE
COUNTY'S DO THE BULK LOAD OF
WORK, THEY REALLY ARE DOING THAT
WORK AND 30 SECONDS SHOOT. I
DIDN'T EVEN GET TO THE NEW, MORE
NEW MOTOR VOTER. SO THEN THE
OTHER PIECES IS DUPLICATION,
RIGHT? SO IF THERE'S A DUPLICATE
VOTER REGISTRATION, UM, THAT IS
ALSO CHECKED. THE OTHER PIECE OF
LEGISLATION IS THE OR THE
NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT.
UM THAT PUT PARAMETERS AROUND
REGISTRATION, BUT CALIFORNIA
WENT A STEP FURTHER AS WE ALL
KNOW, AND DID THE NEW MOTOR
VOTER, UM AT AND THAT I'M SURE
THAT LADIES UP HERE WE'LL TALK
EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THE IMPACT
THAT THAT HAS HAD ON CALIFORNIA
AND ACCURACY OF OUR ROLES JUST
BY WAY OF NOTE OVER 46 MILLION
TRANSACTIONS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE
WE IMPLEMENTED NEW MOTOR VOTER.
UM, THAT MEANS MORE ACTIVE, MORE
ACCURATE ROLES BECAUSE THOSE
CHANGES ARE BEING MADE IN REAL
TIME WHEN LIFE HAPPENS RATHER
THAN TWO MONTHS, THREE MONTHS,
FOUR MONTHS, SIX MONTHS AFTER
THOSE LIFE EVENTS HAPPEN, SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
WHO'S NEXT? ROSLYN. UM HI. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR PELLERIN AND
AGAIN WHEN VICE CHAIR LUCKY
JOINS US. UM FIRST OF ALL, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO TESTIFY. ALSO JUST WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF
THE COMMITTED MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO ARE JOINING US FOR
THIS HEARING TODAY. I'M ROSALIND
GOLD. I'M CHIEF PUBLIC POLICY
OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF LATINO ELECTED
AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS THAN
ALLOW EDUCATIONAL FUND. WE'RE
NONPARTISAN, NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION, AND WE HAVE MORE
THAN THREE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE
WITH WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE
LATINO COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA
ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORK,
WHETHER IT'S NONPARTISAN VOTER
ENGAGEMENT, MOBILIZING LATINOS
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CENSUS.
NATURALIZATION UH, AS WELL AS
POLICY RESEARCH, AND, UM, A
POLICY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS TO
REALLY MOBILIZE LATINOS TO
BECOME FULL PARTICIPANTS IN THE
AMERICAN POLITICAL PROCESS. AND
SO IF WE THINK ABOUT VOTER
REGISTRATION, WE THINK ABOUT THE
LATINO POPULATION. I THINK A
GOOD STARTING POINT IS FIRST
JUST TO TAKE A MINUTE. TO
REALIZE THAT LATINOS ARE
CALIFORNIA'S LARGEST POPULATION
GROUP. 40% OF CALIFORNIANS ARE
LATINO. SO IF YOU DO NOT HAVE
FULL AND PROPORTIONATE
PARTICIPATION BY LATINOS IN THE
ELECTORAL PROCESS, YOU DO NOT
HAVE A TRULY RESPONSIBLE,
INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY. UM NOW, IF
YOU LOOK AT DATA ABOUT THE
PARTICIPATION GAP, AND BY THE
WAY, DR ROMERO I KNOW THAT YOU
SAID THERE ARE LIMITATIONS ON
CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY CPS
DATA, BUT THE NUMBERS MAY BE
DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I'M GOING TO
TALK ABOUT FROM WHAT YOU GET
FROM THE VOTER FILE THAT TELLS
THE SAME STORY. SO THIS IS A
STORY THAT IT TELLS ABOUT THE
LATINO COMMUNITY. WHICH IS THAT
IF YOU LOOK AT NOVEMBER, 2020
YOU LOOK AT THE VOTER
REGISTRATION RATE THE RATE OF
LATINO CITIZEN VOTING AGE
POPULATION THAT WAS ANOTHER
ELIGIBLE VOTERS THAT WERE
REGISTERED. 60% OF THE LATINO
CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION
WAS REGISTERED COMPARED TO 78.2%
OF THE NON HISPANIC WHITE
POPULATION THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT
REGISTRATION GAP. UM, IF YOU
LOOK AT TURNOUT RATES OF
REGISTERED LATINOS AND NON
HISPANIC WHITES OF THOSE WHO ARE
ACTUALLY REGISTERED, THE GAPS
ARE MUCH SMALLER. AND UM,
GENERALLY WHAT WE SEE GENERALLY,
THE LACK OF FULL VOTER
REGISTRATION IN THE LATINO
COMMUNITY IS A CRUCIAL AND MAJOR
ELEMENT FOR WHY YOU DO NOT HAVE,
UM, LATINO PARTICIPATION IN THE
STATES DEMOCRACY. SO UM, OUR
ORGANIZATION WAS INVOLVED IN THE
DIALOGUES THAT LED TO THE
ADOPTION OF THE NEW MOTOR VOTER
ACT AS WELL AS THE
IMPLEMENTATION AND ALSO, I AM A
MEMBER OF THE SECRETARY OF
STATE'S MOTIVE VOTER TASK FORCE,
AND SO WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO
SEE DATA FROM THE CENTER FROM
INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY THAT SHOWS
THE ROLE OF OUR NEW MOTOR VOTER.
I'M GONNA CALL IT C N M V. IN
ADDRESSING THE PARTICIPATION GAP
, ACCORDING TO A STUDY FROM C I,
D, UM BASICALLY C N M V WAS THE
SINGLE MOST COMMON METHOD OF
VOTER REGISTRATION SINCE IT'S
SINCE IT WAS ADOPTED ABOUT 43.5%
OF NEW REGISTRANTS DID IT
THROUGH THE C N M V WITH 58.7%
OF RE REGISTRANTS, AND THIS IS
PARTICULARLY THE CASE THAT IT
HAS BECOME THE SINGLE MOST
COMMON METHOD OF REGISTRATION.
FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR,
PARTICULARLY LATINOS, AS WELL AS
18 TO 24 YEAR OLDS, UM, AND THE
C I D RESEARCH ACTUALLY SUGGESTS
THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT CN MV
IS CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASING
VOTER REGISTRATION RATES. UM SO,
UM, YOU KNOW ANOTHER ANOTHER
PIECE OF DATA IS THAT, UM AGAIN
IF WE LOOK AT THE LATINO
POPULATION THAT YOU HAD, UM,
SNAPSHOT FROM 2020 YOU HAD ABOUT
24% OF LATINOS, UM, REGISTER
THROUGH CNN VÆ COMPARED TO
BEFORE CNN VÆ, WHERE PEOPLE
WOULD REGISTER AT THE DMV. THE
ONLY 1. OF LATINOS REGISTERED AT
THE D. M V, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW
THIS IS CONTRIBUTING TO CLOSING
THE PARTICIPATION RATES. NOW ONE
OF MY COLLEAGUES IS GOING TO BE
TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT
COULD BE DONE TO IMPROVE CNN VÆ
WAYS IT CAN BE EXPANDED. UM AND
WE THINK AND SOME QUESTIONS WE
NEED TO ANSWER AND I THINK THESE
ARE ALL IMPORTANT, BUT I JUST
WANT TO SAY THAT UM THE THEME
THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM OTHER
PEOPLE. I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO
BECAUSE CNN V IS A CRUCIAL
ELEMENT, BUT IT CANNOT CLOSE THE
GAP ALONE. OKAY WE NEED IN THIS
STATE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT
IN VOTER EDUCATION, NONPARTISAN
VOTER MOBILIZATION FOR
UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES AND
ALL CALIFORNIANS TO GET TO A
TRULY REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.
THAT PROGRAM AND THAT INVESTMENT
HAS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN
THE SECRETARY OF STATE ELECTION
OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. THE MEDIA UM AND
OTHER PARTNERS, RIGHT? UM WE
HAVE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT MOTIVATION TO VOTE, RIGHT?
WELL, OUR RESEARCH WITH THE
LATINO POPULATION. INDICATES
THAT THERE'S A LARGE SEGMENT OF
LATINOS WHO DO NOT VOTE BECAUSE
THEY LACK BASIC INFORMATION.
THAT'S WHAT OUR CALLS TO OUR
HOTLINE SHOW THAT THEY'RE JUST
BIG INFORMATION GAP. BUT THERE'S
ALSO A GROUP OF LATINOS WHO FEEL
THAT VOTING WON'T CHANGE
ANYTHING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
VOTING WON'T AFFECT WHAT KIND OF
, UH OF TRAFFIC CONTROL THEY
HAVE OR WHETHER THEY GET BETTER
SEWAGE AND SEWER. UM UM YOU KNOW
, INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEIR
COMMUNITIES. IT WON'T CHANGE THE
EDUCATION FOR THEIR KIDS. SO
MANY SECONDS GONNA END HERE
UNTIL WE CAN HAVE MOTOR. SORRY
UNTIL WE CAN HAVE UM, VOTER, UM,
MOBILIZATION AND PARTNERSHIPS
AND INVESTMENTS THAT HELP REACH
THE MOST DISENGAGED MEMBERS OF
ALL OF OUR UNDERREPRESENTED
POPULATIONS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
CLOSE THE PARTICIPATION GAP.
THOSE KINDS OF CAMPAIGNS CAN
TAKE THAT ENERGY AND TRANSLATE
IT. Tð REGISTRATION AT C N M V
AND HELP US A TREE OF A MORE
TRULY REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
IN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH GOING WITH
BRITTNEY NEXT, OKAY. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN BRITTANY
STONECIPHER VALUE OF NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA AND GOES FAST AS I
CAN. A C L U NORTH HOW HAS A
LONG HISTORY OF WORKING ON
VOTING REGISTRATION
IMPLEMENTATION AT THE DMV GOING
BACK 30 YEARS TO THE NATIONAL
VOTER REGISTRATION ACT? UM TO
SKIP THE QUOTE THAT ROSALIND
ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED, BUT ANOTHER
IMPORTANT NUMBER THAT I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT IS 4.6 MILLION, WHICH,
ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY OF
STATE IS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE BUT
UNREGISTERED IN CALIFORNIA AS OF
LAST MONTH. WHICH IS ABOUT ONE
IN SIX CALIFORNIANS. AND AS
WE'VE HEARD THAT A
DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS ARE BIPAC, LOWER
INCOME YOUTH PEOPLE,
DISABILITIES AND OR HAVE LIMITED
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, UM SO WE
CAN AND MUST DO BETTER TO CLOSE
THESE GAPS AND A VR AUTOMATIC
VOTER REGISTRATION CAN BE A
POWERFUL TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX TO
DO THAT, SO I'M GONNA WALK US
THROUGH A FEW WAYS THAT WE CAN
IMPROVE AND EXPAND OUR EXISTING
A VR PROGRAM AND THEN ALSO TRY
TO BRING IT TO ADDITIONAL SOCIAL
SERVICES AGENCIES SO HE CAN
REACH MORE UNDERREPRESENTED
VOTERS. LOOKS LIKE PLEASE SO
FIRST, LET'S LOOK AT WHO THE
CURRENT A V R SYSTEM IS WORKING
FOR AND I'LL DESCRIBE THIS A
LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU
CAN'T SEE IT AND WHERE THERE IS
STILL POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS DATA FROM
THE RECENTLY RELEASED 2022
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NEW MOTOR
VOTER TASK FORCE. IT SHOWS THAT
IN 2020 TO 53% THAT'S THE TEAL
SEGMENT ON THE RIGHT OF ELIGIBLE
INDIVIDUALS WHO COMPLETED A
COVERED TRANSACTION ENDED UP
REGISTERING OR UPDATING THE
REGISTRATION, WHICH AMOUNTED TO
ALMOST 4. MILLION REGISTRATIONS
WERE UPDATES IN 2022. OH, IT
ALSO SHOWS THE GREEN WEDGE, UM,
THAT OF ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO
OPTED OUT. ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF
THEM ALREADY HAD A CURRENT VOTER
REGISTRATION RECORD, MEANING
THAT THEY OPTED OUT BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T NEED TO USE THE PROGRAM.
ONLY ABOUT 14% OF ELIGIBLE
INDIVIDUALS WHO COMPLETED A
COVERED, UM, TRY TRANSACTION IN
2022 OPTED OUT DESPITE BEING
UNREGISTERED OR HAVING AN
OUTDATED REGISTRATION, AND
THAT'S THE RED WEDGE. YET
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE
PROGRAM ESSENTIALLY HAD AN 86%
SUCCESS RATE LAST YEAR, WE'RE
OBVIOUSLY STILL MISSING FOLKS
BECAUSE OF THE SCALE OF OUR D M
B THAT 14% STILL TRANSLATES TO
OVER A MILLION MISSED DMV IN
2022 ALONE, AND WHEN WE ZOOM IN
EVEN FURTHER JUST TO LOOK AT THE
RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF
ELIGIBLE BUT UNREGISTERED
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE STILL USING
THE DMV, WE FIND THAT ABOUT HALF
OF THEM ARE OPTING OUT. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THE BIG
QUESTION THAT YOU CAN'T SEE ANY
OF THESE WORDS, PROBABLY. BUT
THE BIG QUESTION IS, WHO ARE
THESE POTENTIAL VOTERS THAT ARE
OPTING OUT UNDER THE CURRENT A.
V R SYSTEM AND WHY SO
FRUSTRATINGLY HERE. WE JUST
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DATA FOR
ANYONE TO KNOW FOR SURE, BUT WE
CAN MAKE SOME EDUCATED GUESSES.
THE MOST COMMON FEEDBACK THAT WE
HEAR ABOUT THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS
THAT THE LANGUAGE OF THE OPT OUT
SCREEN, WHICH IS ONLY SHOWN TO
ELIGIBLE VOTERS IS CONFUSING.
I'LL SHOW YOU THE NEXT GROUP THE
LANGUAGE ON THE NEXT SCREEN, AND
I'LL DESCRIBE IT SO YOU CAN KNOW
WHAT IT SAYS. ANOTHER REASON MAY
BE THAT.
PERSONALLY I HAVE A FAMILY
MEMBER WHO ABSTAINS FROM VOTING
AS A FORM OF PROTEST. DESPITE MY
BEST EFFORTS, UM AND FINALLY, OF
COURSE, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING
TO BE ELIGIBLE VOTERS WHO SIMPLY
DO NOT REGISTER AND THEY OPT OUT
BECAUSE THEY'RE BUSY OR
DISTRACTED AND WANT TO GET THE
DMV VISIT OVER WITH AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. SO THERE ARE STEPS WE
CAN TAKE RIGHT NOW TO
DRAMATICALLY REDUCE OPT OUTS TO
THE FIRST TWO REASONS AND THAT'S
WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD FOCUS
OUR ATTENTION. FIRST THINGS CAN
GET A LOT MORE COMPLICATED WHEN
WE START WITH THE LAST TWO
REASONS ON THAT LIST, BUT BEFORE
I TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO
IMPROVE AND EXPAND OUR A V R
MODEL FIRST, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
HAVE SOME CONTEXT. UM, NUMBER
ONE ANY SUCCESSFUL. A VR
IMPLEMENTATION IS ABOUT DETAILS,
WHICH STATE AND WHICH AGENCY ARE
REALLY CRITICAL QUESTIONS IN
CALIFORNIA. AN IMPORTANT
CONSIDERATION IS THE NUMBER OF
NONCITIZENS SERVED AT THE DMV
AND ENSURING THAT WE DON'T PUT
THESE CALIFORNIANS IN A POSITION
WHERE AN AGE HE MIGHT
ACCIDENTALLY REGISTER THEM TO
VOTE. ALSO WE SHOULD CONSIDER
HOW TO CONTENT WHETHER WE SHOULD
CONCENTRATE OUR FUTURE FOCUS ON
THE DMV CAMPAIGNED TO OTHER
PUBLIC AGENCIES. WHAT ABOUT 10%
OF DRIVERS DON'T HAVE LICENSES
AND WE KNOW THAT CALIFORNIANS
WHO DON'T HAVE LICENSES ARE
STATISTICALLY MORE LIKELY TO BE
THE UNDERREPRESENTED VOTERS THAT
WERE MOST TRYING TO REACH. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO, WITH ALL THAT
BACKGROUND HERE, TWO MAJOR WAYS
THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
ELIGIBLE BUT UNREGISTERED PEOPLE
WHO ARE INADVERTENTLY OPTING OUT
OF THE DMV'S CURRENT SYSTEM.
FIRST WE CAN IMPROVE THE
READABILITY OF THE FORMS,
ESPECIALLY THE OPT OUT SCREEN.
SO WHAT THESE OPT OUT SCREENS
SHOW IS ON THE LEFT SIDE. WE
HAVE THE CURRENT LANGUAGE, WHICH
SAYS, WHICH BEST DESCRIBES YOU
AND THEN HAS THREE KIND OF
EXISTENTIAL ANSWERS. I WANT TO
REGISTER TO VOTE I'M REGISTERED,
AND I WANT TO UPDATE MY
REGISTRATION TO SEPARATE OPTIONS
THAT REQUIRE YOU TO KNOW WHETHER
YOU REGISTERED BUT LEAD TO THE
SAME OUTCOME. UM OR I DON'T WANT
TO REGISTER OR UPDATE MY
REGISTRATION. THIS TRIPS PEOPLE
UP. IT'S UM UNNECESSARILY LONG.
AND SO WE'RE CONSOLIDATING IT TO
ANSWERS AND MAKING THE PROMPT
EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THE PROMPT
WILL BE. WE WILL USE YOUR
INFORMATION TO REGISTER YOU TO
VOTE OR UPDATE YOUR
REGISTRATION. AND THEN YES. DO
THAT, OR NO, DON'T DO THAT. UM
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CIVIC
DESIGN EXPERTS HAVE RECOMMENDED
FOR A LONG TIME. AND SO
SWITCHING FROM THE CLUNKY
LANGUAGE TO THE MORE STREAMLINED
LANGUAGE SHOULD BE IN PLACE IN
2024, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED
TO SEE WHAT KIND OF CHANGE THIS
CAN MAKE. UM, SECOND, WE CAN
ADDRESS SOME OF THE PROBLEM OF
VOTERS OPTING OUT WHEN THEY
MISTAKENLY THINK THEY HAVE A
CURRENT REGISTRATION BY BUILDING
A WIDGET INTO THE CURRENT A VR
SYSTEM THAT SHOWS DNB. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. 30 SECONDS. SO
FINALLY, JUST TO WRAP THIS UP.
WE SHOULD ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW
WE CAN BRING THE SUCCESSES OF
THE CURRENT A VR PROGRAM AT THE
DMV TO SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCIES
THAT WE KNOW ARE SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED TO REACH
UNDERREPRESENTED AND LOW INCOME
PEOPLE. UM SO THE PRIME
CANDIDATE FOR THIS IS COVERED
CALIFORNIA AND MEDICAL, WHICH IS
SERVICES AGENCIES THAT ARE
ALREADY SERVING MILLIONS OF
UNDERREPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS,
AND WE COULD EASILY INTEGRATE
THE QUESTION INTO THEIR EXISTING
FORMS. MASSACHUSETTS HAS A
SIMILAR SYSTEM AT THEIR MASS
HEALTH, AND THEY'VE SEEN IN OVER
500% VOTER REGISTRATION
INCREASED THROUGH THAT AGENCY
SIMPLY IMPLEMENTING THIS KIND OF
A VR MODEL. SO JUST TO SUM IT UP
A LOT AT YOU, BUT I'M GOING TO
CLOSE WITH BALANCE, A BALANCE OF
OPTIMISM AND CAUTION THAT A VR
IS WONDERFUL. BUT AGAIN, THE
DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS SO WE CAN
HAVE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THE
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE
RIGHT APPROACH AND REASONABLE
MINDS MAY DIFFER. BUT THE
POTENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE
MODELS REQUIRES A CLOSE CONTEXT.
SPECIFIC LOOK AT THE DETAILS. SO
THAT ANYONE PLEASE FEEL TO REACH
OUT TO ME FOR DATA. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. WE'LL
NOW MOVE ON TO NEIL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. CHAIR, PILLAR AND
MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME
IS NEARLY BIRYANI ON THE POLICY
AND RESEARCH DIRECTOR AT THE
INSTITUTE FOR RESPONSIVE
GOVERNMENT. WHERE A NONPARTISAN
ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS STATE
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE GOVERNMENT
ACCESSIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY.
ONE OF OUR CORE AREAS. WORK IS
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION. I
PERSONALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN THE
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF A VR AND 16 STATES. AND I'VE
SEEN FIRSTHAND THE FEATURES THAT
MAKE AN A V R SYSTEM MAXIMALLY
ACCESSIBLE, EFFICIENT AND
SECURE. NOTABLY CALIFORNIA WAS
THE SECOND STATE TO ADOPT A VR
IN 2015. AND SINCE THEN, 21 MORE
STATES AND WASHINGTON D. C HAVE
FOLLOWED THIS MODEL AND ADOPTED
A VR, EACH MAKING IMPROVEMENTS
ALONG THE WAY, WHILE
CALIFORNIA'S A VR SYSTEM HAS
MADE GREAT STRIDES,
INCORPORATING IMPROVEMENTS FROM
OTHER STATES CAN MAKE CALIFORNIA
SYSTEM EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE. THE
FIRST AREA WHERE OTHER STATES
HAVE IMPROVED IS PROTECTIONS FOR
NON CITIZENS. UNLIKE MOST AP, R
STATES, CALIFORNIA DOES NOT
AUTOMATICALLY FILTER OUT CLEAR
NONCITIZENS LIKE GREEN CARD
HOLDERS. EVEN IF A NONCITIZEN
PROVIDES CLEAR PROOF OF
INELIGIBILITY AS PART OF THEIR
LICENSE TRANSACTION, THEY'RE
STILL OFFERED THE MOTOR VOTER
OPPORTUNITY. THE ONUS IS ON
NONCITIZENS TO AFFIRMATIVELY
INDICATE NON CITIZENSHIP AND OPT
OUT OF MOTOR VOTER. UNDER THE
SYSTEM, A NON CITIZEN WHO IS
MOMENTARILY CONFUSED, CAN
UNINTENTIONALLY INDICATES
CITIZENSHIP AND REGISTER TO VOTE
. THIS MISTAKE CARRIES SERIOUS
CONSEQUENCES UNDER FEDERAL LAW
AND CAN RESULT IN DENIAL OF
NATURALIZATION APPLICATION OR
EVEN DEPORTATION. SUCH ERRORS BY
NONCITIZENS ARE UNFORTUNATELY,
NOT JUST HYPOTHETICAL PRESS
REPORTS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND
IMMIGRATION LAWYERS HAVE ALL
FLAGGED A NON CITIZENS WHO'VE
MADE EXACTLY THIS MISTAKE.
RECOGNIZING THIS RISK OTHER
STATES HAVE FIXED THIS ISSUE IN
THE MAJORITY OF A VR STATES IF A
LICENSE APPLICANT PROVIDES CLEAR
PROOF OF AN ELIGIBILITY LIKE A
GREEN CARD. THE SYSTEM IS HARD
CODED TO AUTOMATICALLY FILTER
THEM OUT OF ANY REGISTRATION
OPPORTUNITY. THERE'S STILL DRINK
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES THE
SAFETY OF A VR SYSTEMS AND
PROTECTS NONCITIZENS FROM AN
UNINTENTIONAL CLAIM OF NONSENSE.
THE CLAIM OF CITIZENSHIP SECOND
DATA FROM OTHER STATES SHOWS
THAT CALIFORNIA'S A VR SYSTEM
COULD BE REGISTERING MORE
ELIGIBLE PEOPLE, AS MISS
STONECIPHER MENTIONED CURRENTLY
55% OF UNREGISTERED ELIGIBLE
PEOPLE OPT OUT OF VOTER
REGISTRATION DURING THE MOTOR
VOTER TRANSACTION. THAT RATE IS
SIMILARLY HIGH FOR YOUNG VOTERS
GETTING THEIR FIRST LICENSE. 46%
OF 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS DECLINED
PREREGISTRATION AT THE DMV. BE
THESE DECLINATION RATES ARE
SURPRISINGLY HIGH, BUT THE
REASONS BEHIND THEM OR NOT,
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
FINDS THAT MANY PEOPLE
UNNECESSARILY DECLINED
REGISTRATION BECAUSE THEY'RE IN
A RUSH TO FINISH THE DMV FORM OR
BECAUSE THEY INCORRECTLY BELIEVE
THAT THERE ARE ALREADY
REGISTERED TO VOTE OR BECAUSE
THEY HAVE A PAST FELONY
CONVICTION AND ARE UNSURE OF
THEIR AND INTELLIGENT. THEY'RE
UNSURE OF THEIR ELIGIBILITY OR
FRANKLY, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE
THEY'LL GET JURY DUTY. IF THEY
REGISTER TO VOTE, WHICH IS NOT
TRUE. THEY'LL GET JURY DUTY IF
THEY'RE GETTING A DRIVER'S
LICENSE. HMM RESULT AS AS WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT IS 4.6 MILLION
ELIGIBLE UNREGISTERED PEOPLE IN
CALIFORNIA, OR ONE IN SIX
ELIGIBLE CALIFORNIANS NOT
REGISTERED TO VOTE. A LOT OF
THESE PEOPLE ARE DAMASCUS.
MILLIONS MORE PEOPLE COULD BE
REGISTERED TO VOTE THROUGH THE
DMV. BUT DUE TO THE EASE OF
OPTING OUT UNDER THE CURRENT
SYSTEM, THEY AREN'T TO REGISTER
MORE PEOPLE THROUGH A VR NINE
STATES IN WASHINGTON, D C HAVE
MADE VOTER REGISTRATION, THE
STRONG DEFAULT FOR CLEARLY
ELIGIBLE PEOPLE. IN THESE STATES
WHEN A D M V CUSTOMER PROVIDES
PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY, INCLUDING
CITIZENSHIP AS PART OF THEIR
LICENSE TRANSACTION, THEY JUST
GET AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED TO
VOTE. ELECTION OFFICIALS SEND
THEM A LETTER INFORMING THEM OF
THEIR REGISTRATION AND PROVIDING
A PREPAID MAILER THAT THEY CAN
USE TO DECLINE IF THEY WISH.
THESE SYSTEMS HAVE DECLINATION
RATES BELOW 5. IN THESE STATES,
ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO TRULY DO NOT
WANT TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE
LIKE MISS STONECIPHER'S RELATIVE
TAKE THE EXTRA STEP OF RETURNING
THAT MAILER AND SAYING
AFFIRMATIVELY REMOVED ME. ALL
OTHER CLEARLY ELIGIBLE DNB
CUSTOMERS ARE REGISTERED TO
VOTE. BY CONTRAST, CALIFORNIA'S
A VR SYSTEM LEAVES OUT MILLIONS
OF CLEARLY ELIGIBLE PEOPLE WHO
COULD BE REGISTERED THROUGH A
MORE STREAMLINED PROCESS.
FINALLY OTHER STATES HAVE SHOWN
THAT CALIFORNIA'S A VR SYSTEM
COULD BE UPDATING MORE VOTER
REGISTRATION RECORDS UNDER
CALIFORNIA SYSTEM 2.7 MILLION
REGISTERED VOTERS A YEAR DECLINE
THE OPTION TO UPDATE THEIR VOTER
RECORD AT THE DMV. WHILE MANY OF
THESE VOTERS DON'T NEED AN
ADDRESS UPDATE, MANY OBVIOUSLY
DO. IT'S NOT HARD TO BELIEVE
PEOPLE DECLINED THE OPTION TO
UPDATE BECAUSE THEY INCORRECTLY
BELIEVE THAT THEIR REGISTRATION
IS CURRENT. OR BECAUSE THEY'RE
SIMPLY IN A RUSH. STANFORD
UNIVERSITY STUDY OF COLORADO
FOUND THAT ONE IN THREE
REGISTERED VOTERS WHO DECLINED
AN UPDATE AT THE D M V ACTUALLY
HAD AN OUT OF DATE VOTER
REGISTRATION RECORD. APPLYING
THAT DATA TO CALIFORNIA MEANS
THE MOTOR VOTER COULD BE MISSING
900,000 ADDITIONAL ADDRESS
UPDATE EACH YEAR. RECOGNIZING
THE OPPORTUNITY INCREASE THE
ACCURACY OF VOTER ROLLS. NINE
STATES HAVE ADOPTED A FULLY
AUTOMATIC UPDATE PROCESS WHERE
THE ADDRESS OR REGISTERED VOTER
PROVIDES FOR A LICENSE IS
AUTOMATICALLY USED TO UPDATE
THEIR VOTER RECORD ELECTION
OFFICIALS. MALE VOTERS NOTICE OF
THE UPDATE ALONG WITH A PREPAID
MAILER THAT CAN BE USED FOR ANY
CORRECTIONS. THIS SYSTEM ENSURES
THAT AS MUCH INFORMATION AS
POSSIBLE FROM.
CALIFORNIA PIONEERED ER IN 2015.
BUT SINCE THEN OTHER STATES HAVE
IMPROVED ON THIS MODEL. BY
INCORPORATING BEST PRACTICES
DEVELOPED BY OTHER STATES,
CALIFORNIA CAN INCREASE
REGISTRATION RATES SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPROVED THE ACCURACY OF VOTER
ROLLS AND BETTER PROTECT
NONCITIZENS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY. I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. MY COLLEAGUE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S BENNETT. IT'S A
ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ENTERING
THE ROOM, AND I KNOW YOU JUST
WALKED IN. BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO
SAY A FEW WORDS OR JUST CATCH
YOUR BREATH? OKAY, OKAY. SO
WE'RE ON. THANK YOU. YEAH. YEAH.
OKAY. PERFECT. UM SO LET'S SEE A
FEW QUESTIONS HERE. UM BASED ON
YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW
MOTOR VOTER, ARE THERE WAYS IN
WHICH THE STATE CAN BUILD OR
IMPROVE UPON THE NEW MOTOR VOTER
PROGRAM? YOU'RE LOOKING RIGHT AT
ME. SO I ASSUME THAT QUESTION IS
DIRECTED TO ME, MADAM. YOU'RE A
GOOD START FOR SURE. UM YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT, UM, WHAT WE
HEARD ARE SOME SOME IMPROVEMENTS
THAT THE LANGUAGE IS ONE THAT
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. THE
LANGUAGE HAS CHANGED. I THINK
PROBABLY FOUR TIMES AND WE
IMPLEMENTED RIGHT AND THEN
LANGUAGE IS ALWAYS TOUGH, BUT
THE TASK FORCE HAS HAS WORKED ON
AS MR NEVER SAID THAT THAT THERE
IS SOME LANGUAGE THAT WE'VE ALL
AGREED ON AND THAT I THINK GIVEN
BEST PRACTICES WOULD WILL MAKE A
REAL GOOD CHANGE AT THE DMV.
THAT'LL MAKE IT MORE CLEAR. I
KNOW I HAVE CHILDREN, AND I KNOW
WHEN THEY WENT TO PREREGISTER.
THEY LOOKED AND THEY DON'T EVEN
KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, MOM, SO
IT'S CONFUSING. AND THOSE ARE IF
THEY'RE CONFUSED MANY, MANY,
MANY, MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE
CONFUSED. I THINK THAT WILL GO A
LONG WAYS. THE PLAIN LANGUAGE.
SURE. YES, SOMEONE ELSE HAS
SOMETHING BAD. UM I WAS JUST
GONNA ADD. I DON'T KNOW THAT
THIS WILL MAKE THE PROCESS MORE
STREAMLINED, BUT TO MINDY'S
POINTS EARLIER, THERE ARE OTHER
SOURCES OF REGISTRATION IN
CALIFORNIA THAT GIVES PEOPLE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE RACE AND
ETHNICITY. DATA LIKE COVER. THAT
QUESTION IS NOT BUILT INTO THE
NEW MOTOR VOTER QUESTIONS RIGHT
NOW, SO THE TASK FORCE HAS BEEN
HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
WHETHER TO INCLUDE THAT AND
BALANCING THE DATA COLLECTION
VERSUS MAKING THE FORMS OF
STREAMLINED AS POSSIBLE, BUT I
THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY
HELPFUL DATA TO HAVE THE MORE
DATA THE BETTER. I MENTIONED
THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY
GOOD DATA ABOUT WHY PEOPLE ARE
OPTING OUT. UM THAT'S REALLY
HARD INFORMATION TOGETHER
TOGETHER, BUT TO THE DEGREE THAT
WE CAN DO MORE RESEARCH ON THAT
AREA THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY
HELPFUL. UM AND I REALIZED THIS
ISN'T DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE
CNN V. BUT IF WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH
PEOPLE WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO
REGISTER TO VOTE, I THINK ONE OF
THE OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK
AT IS WHEN PEOPLE BECOME U. S
CITIZENS WHEN THEY NATURALIZED,
MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS ROBUST
VOTER REGISTRATION OPPORTUNITIES
, WHETHER THEY, UM NATURAL EYES,
AND IT'S DONE IN A COURT
CEREMONY OR WHETHER THEY'RE
NATURALIZED IN THE UNITED
STATES, CITIZENSHIP AND
IMMIGRATION SERVICES ADMINISTER.
RATE OF CEREMONIES. THAT RIGHT
AFTER THAT, THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO
REGISTER. NOW THERE ARE U S. C I
S THE CITIZENSHIP AND
IMMIGRATION SERVICES HAS
POLICIES THAT HAS SET FORTH TO
TRY TO ENCOURAGE THIS, BUT WE
FEEL THAT CALIFORNIA COULD DO
SOME NUDGING OF THE AGENCY AND
SAY, HEY, ARE YOU MAKING THIS
HAPPEN AT EVERY NATURALIZATION
CEREMONY AND TALK TO THE COURTS?
THE FEDERAL COURTS AS WELL, HEY,
YOU KNOW AGAIN, YOU TALK ABOUT
WHEN PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO GET
REGISTERED. AFTER YOU GETS ONE
AND THE NEW CITIZEN, YOU REALLY
HAVE THAT FEELING OF WANTING TO
PARTICIPATE. HAVE ATTENDED MANY
OF THOSE CEREMONIES MYSELF DOING
VOTER REGISTRATION, AND IT'S A
GREAT TIME TO GET PEOPLE
ENGAGED. SO THANK YOU. UM YOU
KNOW, I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION FOR
MADAM CHAIR. CAN I JUST SAY FOR
THE RECORD THAT WE ARE NOT GOING
TO ENDORSE OR SUPPORT THE CIA
AND THEN MAYBE A VIDEO? I CAN'T
EVEN SAY IT. ROSALIND WITH THE
ACRONYM C. A N C A N MMBG. FOR
THE ACRONYM FOR CALIFORNIA TO
MANY LETTERS, ROSALIND, I HAVE
TO PUT OUR FOOT DOWN. WE'RE NOT
SAYING THAT ENDORSE THAT ACRONYM
. I'M NOT GONNA FIGHT OVER
ACRONYMS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT
ACRONYM DO YOU ENDORSE? VR BR BR
IS WHAT I JUST COMES OFF EASIER.
YEAH OK, YEAH, BUT THAT'S CAN I
BLAME THE CENTER FOR INCLUDING
EXCUSE ME. CAN I LAY
RESPONSIBILITY ON THE CENTER FOR
INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY? JUST
BECAUSE THAT WAS THE TERM THAT
WAS IN THEIR REPORT. SORRY MADAM
CHAIR I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW,
GIVING DATA FROM THE REPORT,
BUT, UM YOU KNOW, WE CAN AGREE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME
THING. THE SAME JOURNEY IN THE
SAME GOAL. I HAVE A NO ACRONYM
RULE OF MY OFFICE. ISN'T I NEVER
HAVE I SPENT SO MUCH TIME FIGURE
OUT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR NEIL. UH,
YOU BIRYANI. SO YOU SAID THAT
NINE STATES HAVE PLUS D. C HAVE
THE BACK END AUTUMN AUTOMATIC
VOTER REGISTRATION. I'M CURIOUS
HOW THAT'S TRANSLATED INTO
TURNOUT, SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF
STUDIES ON TURNOUT ONE ACTUALLY
BY PROFESSOR ROMERO AND ERIC
MCGHEE AND CHARLOTTE HILL THAT
FINDS THAT STATES THAT HAVE SORT
OF THIS THIS BACK END SYSTEM
WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE CLEARLY
ELIGIBLE OR JUST AUTOMATICALLY
REGISTERED AND SENT A LETTER AND
I BELIEVE THAT DEFINING FROM
THAT IS THAT THERE'S DOUBLE THE
TURNOUT EFFECT. UM IN TERMS OF
THE ELIGIBLE VOTER POPULATION
FROM A BACKEND SYSTEM VERSUS THE
FRONT END SYSTEM. THERE'S ALSO A
PAPER BY ELLEN, SAL JOHN AND
PAUL GRONKE, WHERE ACADEMICS AT
LEWIS AND CLARK COLLEGE AND REED
COLLEGE IN OREGON, AND THEY FIND
A SIMILAR DOUBLE EFFECT OF
TURNOUT ON ELIGIBLE VOTERS.
ELIGIBLE TURNOUT EFFECT FROM A
BACKEND SYSTEM VERSUS SORT OF A
AND OPT OUT SYSTEM AT THE POINT
OF THE TRANSACTION. AND THAT
MAKES SENSE WHEN YOU REGISTER
MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE THAT MAKES
IT EASIER FOR CAMPAIGNS FOR
ELECTION OFFICIALS TO DO THE
KIND OF OUTREACH. IT'S A LOT
EASIER TO TURN SOMEBODY OUT
WHO'S ALREADY ON THE ROLES AS
OPPOSED TO SORT OF TURNING
SOMEBODY OUT WHO'S NOT ON THE
ROLES WHO HAS TO BE REGISTERED
AND THEN TURN OUT. AND THERE
WOULD BE A WAY FOR SOMEONE TO.
WELL, I'M JUST CURIOUS SO THEY
WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO TAKE AN
ACTION AFTER THEIR VISIT. TO
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S BENNETT. DO YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? JUST OKAY.
YEAH JUST BRIEFLY RESPOND TO
THAT. I SAID IN MY COMMENTS THAT
YOU KNOW REASONABLE MINDS MAY
DIFFER ABOUT THIS THERE. THIS IS
AN AREA WHERE THERE IS
CONFLICTING DATA. I JUST WANT TO
ADDRESS THE ARTICLE THAT YOU
MENTIONED THAT HAS MINDY ON IT.
THAT'S IT HAS DRAFT ON IT. IT'S
NOT FORMALLY PUBLISHED, AND MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT THAT
WASN'T A FORMERLY PUBLISHED
PIECE OF RESEARCH. AND IT'S
STILL ONGOING. SO I THINK THAT
WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHICH
DATA WERE CITING AND REALLY
DIGGING DEEP. THERE'S A BRENNAN
CENTER STUDY THAT WAS THE ONLY
PUBLISHED MULTI STATE STUDY
LOOKING AT DIFFERENT MODELS, AND
IT FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO
NOTABLE DIFFERENCE WHEN LOOKING
AT ALL THE DIFFERENT MODELS AND
WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT IS LIKE
THERE IS ONE BACK END AND THERE
WAS ONE FRONT END. IT'S A BIG
CONSTELLATION OF DIFFERENT
MODELS. SO COLORADO IS OFTEN
USED THE CONSPIRATOR AS A
COMPARISON BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY
STATE THAT SWITCH FROM FRONT END
TO BACK END. UM BUT THAT STATE
DID NOT IMPLEMENT FRONT AND
REMOTELY IN THE SAME WAY AS
CALIFORNIA AND IMPLEMENTED IT IN
A ROLLED OUT LOCATION BY
LOCATION, INCREMENTALLY
DIFFERENT TRANSACTIONS. THAT IS
VERY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IN
DIFFERENT ORDERS. SO UM, I THINK
WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK AS I SAID
BEFORE REALLY CLOSELY AT THE
DETAILS AND REALLY CLOSELY AT
THE DATA AND AGAIN. IT WAS LIKE
BEFORE. YOU KNOW WE CAN READ
DIFFERENT THINGS FROM THE DATA,
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
HAVE A BIG PICTURE AND A
COHESIVE IMAGE OF WHAT'S
AVAILABLE. I IMAGINE CALIFORNIA
IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER
STATES HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS.
AND PLUS WE HAVE OUR, UM NO
PARTY PREFERENCE, CROSSOVER AND
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES THAT
FURTHER COMPLICATE THINGS AS
WELL. YEAH OKAY. AND ANYTHING
ELSE FROM ANY OF YOU HERE? JUST
ADD THAT THE PAPER BY HIMSELF,
JOHN AND PAUL GRONKE IS
PUBLISHED. THAT SHOWS DOUBLE THE
TURNOUT EFFECT, AND THERE'S A
SEPARATE STUDY. UM WAS TWO
STUDIES ACTUALLY WON BY
ACADEMICS AT STANFORD AND
ANOTHER BY THE NEXT GEN POLICY
INSTITUTE THAT SHOWS THE
INCREASE IN REGISTRATION THAT
OCCURRED IN COLORADO WHEN THEY
SWITCHED FROM SORT OF A FRONT
END SYSTEM TO A BACK END SYSTEM.
BUT I WANT TO NOTE THAT THE IDEA
IS THAT MISS STONECIPHER
MENTIONED AND SORT OF IN TERMS
OF THAT, THAT WIDGET THAT SORT
OF SORTS REGISTERED AND
UNREGISTERED PEOPLE INTO
DIFFERENT WORKFLOWS AT THE TIME
OF THE TRANSACTION IS A IS ALSO
A GOOD IDEA THAT WE WOULD
SUPPORT AS WELL. AND I JUST WANT
TO CLARIFY THAT WASN'T MY
SUGGESTION. MY SUGGESTION WAS
SIMPLY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO
PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR VOTER
REGISTRATION STATUS, NOT TO SORT
THEM INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
I THINK THAT SHOULD IS IMPORTANT
TO LEAVE THAT CHOICE TO THE
VOTER. I CAN IMAGINE THAT
VOTERS, UM. WILLINGNESS AND
WANTING TO VOTE REALLY HINGES ON
THEIR AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE IN
OUR SYSTEM, SO WE REALLY WANT TO
MOTIVATE THEM AND GIVE THEM GOOD
REASONS WHY IT'S SO CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT THAT THEY DO HAVE A
VOICE. SO THANK YOU. ALL. OKAY
THANKS. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR
NEXT PANEL. AND THAT ONE WOULD
BE ADDITIONAL TOOLS FOR MANAGING
CALIFORNIA'S VOTER REGISTRATION
ROLLS. AND WE HAVE WITH US TODAY
. SHANE HAMLIN, WHO'S THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION
INFORMATION CENTER.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND YOU
MAY BEGIN AFTERNOON SHARE
PELLERIN, MEMBER OF THE
COMMITTEE, ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
BENNETT. THANK YOU FOR THE
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN
THIS DISCUSSION TODAY. UM THANK
YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT
CHAIR OF ERIC BEING A PASSIONATE
ADVOCATE FOR ERIC AND FOR YOUR
SPONSORSHIP OF ASSEMBLY BILL
1206 LAST SESSION. MY NAME IS
SHANE HAMLIN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF ERIC, ANOTHER
ACRONYM. THAT MEANS THE
ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION
INFORMATION CENTER. NOT ENTIRELY
CLEAR IN THAT NAME WHAT WE DO,
BUT I WILL EXPLAIN THAT. ERIC IS
A 501 C THREE NONPROFIT
MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION
COMPRISED OF STATE ELECTION
OFFICIALS FROM 24 STATES AND THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. OUR
MISSION IS TO HELP ELECTION
OFFICIALS MAINTAIN MORE ACCURATE
VOTER ROLLS, AS WELL AS TO
PROVIDE VOTER REGISTRATION
INFORMATION TO ALL ELIGIBLE
CITIZENS. THAT IS A BALANCED
MISSION THAT FOCUSES BOTH ON
ACCURACY AND ACCESS AS WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT TODAY. WE ARE A
MEMBER LED ORGANIZATION FUNDED
AND GOVERNED BY OUR MEMBERS
THROUGH THE PAYMENT OF ANNUAL
DUES. I THINK SUSAN'S FRAMED IT
QUITE NICELY IN TERMS OF THIS
PART OF THE DISCUSSION TODAY.
LIFE HAPPENS. PEOPLE MOVE FOR
ALL KINDS OF REASONS. UPDATING
THEIR REGISTRATION IS USUALLY
NOT EVEN ON THEIR LIST.
SOMETIMES IT IS, BUT IT'S AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE LIST. PEOPLE DIE.
PEOPLE BECOME OF AGE, AND ALL OF
THOSE THINGS MAKE IT DIFFICULT
TO MAINTAIN AND KEEP UP TO DATE,
ACCURATE VOTER ROLLS. THAT IS
WHY ERIC WAS CREATED BY ELECTION
OFFICIALS WITH HELP FROM THE FEW
CHARITABLE TRUST OVER 10 YEARS
AGO. ACCURATE VOTER ROLLS,
THOUGH, HAVE OTHER BENEFITS, AND
THERE WAS WERE ALLUDED TO HERE
TODAY THEY IMPROVE THE VOTING
EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY FOR NEW
VOTERS. IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR
BALLOT BECAUSE THE ELECTION
OFFICIAL HAS THE WRONG ADDRESS,
AND YOU HAVE TO CHASE DOWN YOUR
BALLOT, YOU MIGHT NOT BE AS
LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE AGAIN IN
THE NEXT ELECTION. THAT'S ALSO
WASTED MONEY FOR THE COUNTY
ELECTION. OFFICIAL. AND THE LAST
TIME I CHECKED ACOSTA BETWEEN A
DOLLAR $15.75 TO MAIL A BALLOT
AND SINCE 88% OF THE VOTERS IN
CALIFORNIA VOTE BY MAIL, THERE
ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT
ACHIEVEMENTS OR EXCUSE ME
EFFICIENCIES TO BE ACHIEVED BY
ENSURING ACCURATE AND COMPLETE
UP TO DATE VOTER ROLLS. ALSO
ACCURATE VOTER ROLLS ARE
IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF
DEMONSTRATING TO THE PUBLIC THAT
YOU AS A AS AN ELECTIONS
ADMINISTRATION COMMUNITY ARE
DOING ALL YOU CAN TO PROTECT THE
INTEGRITY AND ACCURACY OF THE
PROCESS. VOTERS CARE ABOUT THE
PROCESS BEING FAIR AND ACCURATE.
THEY CARE ABOUT INTEGRITY, AND
WHEN YOU CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT
YOU'RE USING ALL THE TOOLS
AVAILABLE TO YOU TO KEEP THOSE
RECORDS UP TO DATE AND ENSURE
SECURITY AND INTEGRITY IN THE
PROCESS, YOU CAN HELP CONVEY
THAT MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE, IN
FACT PROTECTING THE PROCESS. AND
THEN, THIRDLY ACCURATE ROLES
HELP WITH ENFRANCHISEMENT AGAIN.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO HAVING A
GOOD POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH
THE VOTING PROCESS, BUT ALSO
JUST ENSURING THROUGH ALL
AVAILABLE MEANS AND TOOLS THAT
YOUR VOTERS RECORDS ARE UP TO
DATE. YOU'RE HELPING TO ENSURE
THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROCESS. SO SINCE 2012 ERIC HAS
IDENTIFIED 40 MILLION IN OUT OF
DATA, INACCURATE RECORDS FOR OUR
MEMBERS, AND THESE STATS ARE ON
OUR WEBSITE. THAT'S 12.5 MILLION
VOTERS WHO HAVE MOVED FROM ONE
ERIC MEMBER STATE TO ANOTHER
ABOUT 26 VOTE MILLION VOTERS WHO
MOVED WITHIN AND ERIC STATE. AND
A LITTLE OVER A MILLION
DUPLICATE REGISTRATIONS AND
ABOUT 600,000 DECEASED VOTERS.
ON THE ACCESS SIDE WE'VE
IDENTIFIED OVER 60 MILLION
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT
REGISTERED BUT APPEARED TO BE
ELIGIBLE. SO HOW DO WE? HOW DOES
ALL THIS WORK ARE MEMBERS
SECURELY SUBMIT VOTER
REGISTRATION AND MOTOR VEHICLE
DATA TO ERIC. WE ALSO ARE
CERTIFIED TO RECEIVE OFFICIAL
DEATH DATA FROM THE UNITED
STATES THAT SOCIAL SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION AND WE SUBSCRIBE
TO OFFICIAL CHANGE OF ADDRESS
DATA FROM THE POSTAL SERVICE
USING THESE FOUR DATASETS, WE
PROVIDE OUR MEMBERS WITH REPORTS
TODAY THAT IDENTIFY INACCURATE,
NOT A DATE, VOTER REGISTRATION
RECORDS IN STATE AND CROSS STATE
MOVED ADDRESSES. DECEASED VOTERS
AND INDIVIDUALS WHO APPEAR TO BE
ELIGIBLE BUT ARE NOT YET
REGISTERED. WE CAN ALSO IDENTIFY
CASES OF POSSIBLE ILLEGAL VOTING
THROUGH ONE OF OUR SPECIAL
REPORTS. IN COMPLIANCE WITH
FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS. ARE
MEMBERS USE THESE REPORTS TO
CONTACT VOTERS FOR THE PURPOSES
OF UPDATING THEIR RECORD TO
REMOVE INELIGIBLE VOTERS AND
DECEASED VOTERS FROM THE ROLLS,
AND THEY ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO
CONTACT LIKELY ELIGIBLE, BUT NOT
YET REGISTERED INDIVIDUALS
PROVIDING INFORMATION ON HOW TO
REGISTER AS WELL AS THE
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. IF
CALIFORNIA WERE TO JOIN ERIC
BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR
CURRENT MEMBERS, WE ESTIMATE
YOUR FIRST REPORTS WOULD
IDENTIFY A ABOUT 2 MILLION OUT
OF DATE RECORDS. INCLUDING THE
LARGEST NUMBER 1.3 MILLION
VOTERS, WHO HAVE A MORE RECENT
ADDRESS IN THE DMV. THEN WHAT'S
ON THEIR VOTER FILE? SO THESE
ARE IN STATE UPDATES. AND I KNOW
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF DATA ON
YOUR A V R AND I DO THINK THAT
THAT WILL PLAY INTO AS I SAID.
THESE ARE ESTIMATES, BUT I DO
THINK ERIC COMPLEMENTS A VR
SYSTEMS WE HAVE WE HAVE. I THINK
NINE OR 10 OF OUR MEMBERS ARE A
VR STATES. AND WE CONTINUE TO
IDENTIFY. PEOPLE WHO HAVE MOVED
THAT WE'RE NOT CAUGHT IN A VR.
NOW OUR DATA TENDS TO BE
DEPENDING ON WHEN THE STATE
REQUESTS REPORT BEHIND THE A V R
PROCESS, BUT WE ARE STILL
IDENTIFYING GAPS. WHERE WE
REALLY ADD VALUE FOR STATES THAT
HAVE A V R AND HAVE ROBUST LIST
MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS LIKE THE
ONES THAT SUSAN DESCRIBED. AND
YOU'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS TODAY.
IS IN THE CROSS STATE MOVES.
BECAUSE WE HAVE DRIVER'S
LICENSING DATA FROM 25 OTHER
STATES, AND THAT IS THE PRIMARY
SOURCE THAT IDENTIFIES AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS MOVED THAT
COUPLED WITH THE NEW VOTER
REGISTRATION IN THAT STATE. AND
OF COURSE WE HAVE N C O A DATA
AND DATA IS GREAT. YOU ALREADY
USE IT. BUT I CONTEND, AND I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE RESEARCH ON
THIS THAT OVER TIME, THE UTILITY
OF ENCODE DATA IS GOING TO GO
DOWN AS FEWER PEOPLE. FILE A
CHANGE OF ADDRESS WITH THE
POSTAL SERVICE, AND INSTEAD THEY
JUST GO ONLINE AND DIRECTLY
UPDATE THEIR ADDRESS WITH THEIR
CREDITORS AND, OF COURSE, THEIR
FRIENDS AND FAMILY THROUGH TEXT.
I DO THINK OF CALIFORNIA JOINED,
UM ERIC WOULD BE A SECURE COST
EFFECTIVE RESOURCE FOR THE
SECRETARY OF STATE AND 58 COUNTY
ELECTION OFFICES TO USE TO
IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF
CALIFORNIA'S VOTER ROLLS AND
PROVIDE VOTER REGISTRATION
INFORMATION TO THAT 4.6 MILLION,
UH, ESTIMATED 4.6 MILLION
UNREGISTERED INDIVIDUALS. ERIC
WOULD BUILD ON THE PROGRESS THAT
YOUR STATE HAS MADE OVER THE
LAST 10 PLUS YEARS TO IMPROVE
THE STATE ELECTIONS, ECOSYSTEM,
IMPROVE PARTICIPATION, AND WHILE
IT IS VERY ELUSIVE TO IMPROVE
THAT VOTER PARTICIPATION AND
TURNOUT, ERIC MEMBERSHIP CAN
HELP IN THE FOUNDATION OF
ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION AND
PROVIDE ANOTHER SET OF TOOLS IN
THE TOOLBOX TO BOTH IMPROVE
PARTICIPATION THROUGH THE
ELIGIBLE BUT ON REGISTERED
MAILING BUT ALSO THE ACCURACY OF
THE VOTER ROLLS. HAPPY TO
ANSWERING QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
THE QUESTION. ABSOLUTELY. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. WHAT DOES IT COST
TO JOIN ERIC? WHAT WOULD IT
COST? THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA?
SO ERIC HAS A ONE TIME
MEMBERSHIP FEE OF 25,000. AND
THEN OUR DUES ARE CALCULATED
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STATES
AND ERIC AND THE CITIZEN VOTING
AGE POPULATION. AND WHEN I WAS
HERE BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE AND
BEFORE THE PUBLIC ARE THE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PRIVACY
COMMITTEE IN THE SPRING, AND WE
HAD A DIFFERENT MEMBERSHIP
NUMBER. THAT ESTIMATE WAS FOR
THE ANNUAL DUES WAS AROUND
200,000. AND WHAT CAN YOU TELL
ME A YEAR? SORRY. YEAH WHAT CAN
YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE RECENT WE
HAVE A NUMBER OF STATES PULLING
OUT OF ERIC AND IT STRIKES ME
THAT IT'S MOSTLY PEOPLE THAT ARE
UNDER PRESSURE FROM PEOPLE WHO
ARE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR
ELECTION INTEGRITY, BUT ACTUALLY
, IT FEELS BACKWARDS TO PULL OUT
OF ERIC, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF YOUR ROLES
, BUT HOW MANY STATES HAVE
GOTTEN OUT? AH AND HOW MANY
STATES ARE IN NOW? AND ARE THERE
MAJOR STATES THAT ARE IN BESIDES
CALIFORNIA? SURE SO WORKING
BACKWARDS? I THINK SO. WE'VE
LOST NINE STATES THIS YEAR. ALL
STATES, LED BY REPUBLICAN CHIEF
ELECTION OFFICIALS. THE TWO
LARGEST STATES THAT WE LOST WERE
TEXAS AND FLORIDA. AND I THINK
THAT YOU SORT OF ANSWERED THE
FIRST QUESTION IN THE WAY THAT
YOU ASKED IT AS TO WHY THEY
LEFT. I MEAN, I CAN TALK ABOUT
THE PROCESS AND I CAN TALK ABOUT
THE REQUESTS THAT WERE MADE OF
THE MEMBERSHIP IN THE PROCESS.
WE FOLLOWED TO REVIEW AND
ANALYZE THE REQUEST FOR REFORMS
TO OUR FUNDAMENTAL MEMBERSHIP
AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS AROUND
REPORTS AND SO ON. AND I THINK
THAT THE OH, I THINK THERE WERE
SOME STATES THAT WANTED MORE
FLEXIBILITY, PARTICULARLY ON
THAT ELIGIBLE BUT UNREGISTERED
MAILING. UM BUT I ALSO THINK
THERE WERE OTHER FORCES AND
FACTORS AT PLAY. UH SO HOW MANY
STATES ARE IN THE 25 MEMBERS 24
STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA. ALL OF CALIFORNIA'S
NEIGHBORS ARE IN ERIC. SO WE HAD
33 BEFORE. YEAH, YEAH. PEAK WE
HAD ACTUALLY 34. YEAH. AND THEN
WE LOST. WE'VE LOST 19. THANK
YOU. WE ARE ACTIVELY RECRUITING
STILL. AND I THINK MY YOU KNOW
MY PERSPECTIVE IS TÌM. TÌM
HELPS. AND THOSE STATES THAT
LEFT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. THE
DYNAMICS ON THE GROUND ARE GOING
TO BE DIFFERENT, AND I SAID I
WILL. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO
THOSE STATES AT ANY TIME. ABOUT
COMING BACK INTO ERIC. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. SO, UM. SO AS
YOU SAID MANY STATES ARE PART OF
ERIC. AND DO YOU BELIEVE THAT
ERIC HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL TO
TOOL TO ENSURE THOSE VOTER ROLLS
ARE ACCURATE? I DO, AND I CAN
SPEAK TO SINCE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT RESEARCH TODAY A LITTLE
BIT. I CAN POINT TO TWO OLDER
STUDIES, ALTHOUGH AGAIN NEW
RESEARCH IS NEEDED FIRST ON THE
LIST OF MAINTENANCE SIDE IN 2014
AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF LIST
MAINTENANCE REPORTS WITH THE
FIRST EARLY EARLY MEMBER STATES
OF ERIC THERE WAS INDEPENDENT
RESEARCH THAT DONE DONE THAT
COULD THAT DID DEMONSTRATE THAT
ERIC APPEARED TO HAVE INCREASED
THE ACCURACY OF VOTER ROLLS AND
I CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE STAFF
WITH THE LINK TO THAT PAPER.
FROM THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE
INSTITUTE AND THEN MORE RECENTLY
IN TWENTIES ON THE ON THE
OUTREACH SIDE IN 2016, DR LISA
BRIAN UP AT CALIFORNIA STATE,
FRESNO, AND DR MICHAEL HAMNER AT
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BELIEVE,
DID I UH, PROJECT WITH
PENNSYLVANIA TO ANALYZE THEIR
2016 ELIGIBLE BUT ON REGISTERED
MAILING AND THAT PUBLISHED PAPER
FOUND A STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN VOTER REGISTRATION.
THOSE WHO RECEIVED A POSTCARD
REGISTERED AT HIGHER RATES THAN
THOSE WHO DID NOT. AND THEN I
BELIEVE IT HAS A FOLLOW UP
COMPONENT ON TURNOUT, BUT I'M
I'M NOT SURE IT'S BEEN A WHILE
SINCE I'VE LOOKED AT IT. DO YOU
HAVE ANY DATA AROUND REDUCING
THE VOTER PARTICIPATION GAPS? WE
DON'T ACCEPT UNLESS, OF COURSE
IT IS IN THAT PAPER THAT I JUST
MENTIONED THAT'S A THE HARD ONE
TO ANALYZE. UM WE CAN LOOK AT
LIKE HOW WE MEANING ERIC STAFF
WHO ARE NOT EXPERTS IN THIS NONE
OF US ARE OUR RESEARCHERS. THE
THREE OF US THAT WORK AT ERIC,
BUT WE CAN HELP OUR STATE SORT
OF FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE
RESPONSE RATE AND THAT PAPER BY
BRYANT HAS SOME OF THAT, AS WELL
AS SOME OTHER. THERE HAS BEEN
OTHER RESEARCH ON THE ELIGIBLE
RUNNERS FROM MAILING THAT I CAN
SHARE WE KNOW FROM OUR ARE SORT
OF BACK OF THE ENVELOPE. POOR
MAN ANALYSIS, NON ACADEMIC
ANALYSIS THAT THE RESPONSE RATE
TO THE EBU VARIES BETWEEN SEVEN
AND 14% AND I DON'T KNOW WHY IT
VARIES SO MUCH THAT WE WOULD
LOVE TO DIG INTO THAT. BUT SOME
STATES GET A 7% RESPONSE RATE
AND OTHERS HAVE SEEN AS HIGH AS
A 14% RESPONSE RATE TO THAT
ELIGIBLE, BUT ON REGISTERED
MAILING JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS
THAT CALIFORNIA'S PARTICIPATION
AND ERIC WOULD HAVE? FOUR
ELECTIONS NATIONWIDE. SURE I
DON'T THINK THIS IS A BIG SECRET
THAT CALIFORNIA IF YOU HAVE 22
MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS I KEEP
HEARING THIS STAT THAT I THINK
WHAT IS IT ONE IN 34, OR MAYBE
EVEN SMALLER NUMBER DRIVERS ARE
IN CALIFORNIA. NO DOUBT THAT
CALIFORNIA'S VOTER RECORDS AND.
AT 34 MEMBERS AND INCLUDED
FLORIDA AND TEXAS. BUT WE ARE I
THINK, AND I CONTINUE TO GROW
AGAIN, SO THERE'S VALUE FOR
CALIFORNIA BUT CERTAINLY YES
VALUE TO THE OTHER MEMBERS
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE
IN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION TODAY.
THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO
OUR NEXT PANEL, AND THAT'S
STRATEGIES FOR CLOSING VOTER
PARTICIPATION GAPS AND WE'RE
GOING TO HEAR FROM COUNTY
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS. CIVIC
EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE JESSE SALINAS WITH
YELLOW COUNTY ASSESSOR CORP
RECORDER CHIEF ELECTION OFFICIAL
AT RYAN RONCO. I SAW YOU OUT IN
THE HALL. THERE YOU ARE. PLASTER
COUNTY CLERK. RECORDER REGISTRAR
OF VOTERS SO MANY TITLES AND
EVELYN MENDEZ, PUBLIC AND
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS MANAGER FOR
THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA OFFICE
OF THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS, SO
IF YOU COULD COME ON UP, AND
LET'S SAY IF YOU CAN KEEP YOUR
COMMENTS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE
MINUTES HELLO, CHAIR PELLERIN
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. JESSE
SALINAS. I'M YOLO COUNTIES
REGISTER OF VOTERS WERE A FEW
OTHER HATS. BUT I'M HERE AS A
REGISTER OF VOTERS TODAY AND
JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW ABOUT THE
GENESIS OF OUR WORK. THE
STRATEGIES WE'VE APPLIED IN YOLO
COUNTY AND KIND OF THE OUTCOMES
THAT WE'VE HAD TO DATE AND WHAT
WE ANTICIPATE HIS NEXT STEPS. SO
FIRST OF ALL, WHEN I WAS SWORN
INTO OFFICE IN 2016, I WAS VERY
DATA DRIVEN. I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN
AND I HEARD SOME OF THE
PRESENTATIONS, AND IN FACT, DR
MINDY ROMERO HAS TALKED ABOUT IN
TERMS OF THOSE 18 TO 24 YEAR
OLDS AND HOW THEY ARE JUST
SIMPLY NOT TURNING OUT IN THE
WAY THAT WE HAD HOPED AND THE
CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE SO AND WE,
OF COURSE, ALSO KNOW THAT THE
PRESIDENTIAL HIGH WATERMARK, YOU
KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS A HIGH WATER
MARK AND THAT WE DROP OFF AFTER
THAT. AND OF COURSE, THE DOWN
BALLOT ISSUES, SO THERE WERE
MULTIPLE ITEMS THAT WE WANT TO
BE ABLE TO TACKLE IN YOLO COUNTY
, SO WE DID A TWO PHASED
APPROACH AND STRATEGY. THE FIRST
WAS TO ENGAGE U C. DAVIS AND WE
I MET WITH CHANCELLOR MAY AND I
SAID CHANCELLOR MAKING WE DO A
VIDEO TOGETHER TO PROMOTE
REGISTRATION AND VOTING, HE
SAID. ABSOLUTELY, AND THE RESULT
OF THAT. WHEREAS WE DID A VIDEO
AND IT WENT REALLY WELL, THE
STUDENTS SAID. THAT'S GREAT, BUT
WE CAN DO BETTER. SO IN 2020,
THEY LED THE CHARGE AND MADE
THEIR VIDEO MUCH BETTER THAN
OURS. AND SO WHAT ARE THE
RESULTS OF THAT SO IN AS A
RESULT OF THAT ENGAGEMENT AT UC
DAVIS, THE U. C. DAVIS WON A
NATIONAL AWARD COMPETING AGAINST
THREE OTHER 100 UNIVERSITIES AS
HAVING THE HIGHEST VOTER
INCREASED TURNOUT BETWEEN 2016
AND 2020. SO NUMBER ONE CHECK
MARK. WE DID THAT, AND WE
CONTINUE TO DO THAT WONDERFUL
RELATIONSHIP WITH UC DAVIS. WE
ALSO DECIDED THAT NO MORE NEEDS
TO BE DONE IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS
BECAUSE WE REALIZED OUR
DEMOCRACY IS AT THREAT. AND IF
WE DON'T REALLY ENGAGE OUR YOUNG
PEOPLE IN A POSITIVE WAY, WE'RE
GOING TO START TO LOSE THEM. SO
WE STARTED SAYING, OKAY, WHAT
CAN WE DO? FIRST WE RAN SOME
MOCK ELECTIONS, AND THAT WAS A
TREMENDOUS HIT AT THE HIGH
SCHOOLS. BUT WE ALSO ESTABLISHED
SOMETHING KNOWN AS A YOUTH
EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT AND THAT
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT BRINGS
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS
THE COUNTY TO ENGAGE WITH
ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE DO A MOCK
ELECTION. WE TEACH THEM ABOUT
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WE ALLOW
THEM TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES THEY
CARE ABOUT, AND THE STUDENTS
LOVE IT. IT'S 100 STUDENTS WE
BRING ACROSS THE COUNTY AND THEY
MEET WITH OVER 20 LOCAL ELECTED
OFFICIALS. AND WHILE WE'RE
PARTNERING, WE'VE JUST GOT AN
OFFICIAL PARTNER WITH UC DAVIS.
SO WE'RE NOW GOING TAKING
STUDENTS TO CAMPUS AND GETTING
THE SCHOOLS ACTUALLY BUSSING.
THE STUDENTS THERE WHICH IS
FANTASTIC. OUR GOAL IS TO GO
FROM 100 TO 200 THE NEXT SESSION
AND WHAT WE DID IS WE WANT TO
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
ELECTIONS OFFICIAL AWARD IN 2019
CALLED THE GUARDIAN AWARD. SO
ANOTHER HOME RUN AND ONE OF THE
THINGS WE DO IN YOUR COUNTY. WE
ALWAYS DO PRE AND POST SURVEYS
AND I HAVE DATA THAT SHOWS KIND
OF BEFORE AND AFTER. I CAN
ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ON THAT
THE KIND OF RESULTS WERE READY
SEEING JUST BASED ON THAT. AND
THEN THE NEXT STEP, THOUGH, IS I
SAID, OKAY, I'M ONLY TOUCHING
100 STUDENTS. HOW DO I IMPACT
EVERY SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
, AND THE IDEA WAS TO DEVELOP A
CURRICULUM. HOW DO WE DO IT THAT
WE REALLY TEACH ABOUT LOCAL
GOVERNMENT BECAUSE MOST FOLKS
DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND HOW TO UTILIZE
IT. WE ALSO AREN'T TEACHING
ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING
AND HOW WE CAN ENGAGE THEM. PLUS
WE KNEW MEDIA LITERACY, A LOT OF
MISINFORMATION OUT THERE. SO HOW
CAN WE DO THAT? SO I BROUGHT
TOGETHER PARTNERS WITH THE
COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION. U C.
DAVIS IN THEIR CURRICULUM
EXPERTS THAT THE U. S HISTORY
AND SOCIAL SCIENCE GROUP AND
THEY BROUGHT TOGETHER SOME OTHER
FOLKS AND WHAT WE DID IS WE
DEVELOPED A PROTOTYPE
CURRICULUM. AND THAT PROTOTYPE
CURRICULUM WITH THANKS TO
FUNDING FROM THE MCCLATCHY JAMES
B. MCCLATCHY FOUNDATION WAS ABLE
TO HELP US CREATE THREE MODULES,
ONE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT
WAS DESIGNED AND WORKED ON BY A
TEACHER LOCALLY AND YOU AT WEST
SACRAMENTO WITH THE U. C DAVIS
CURRICULUM EXPERTS AND THE OTHER
ONE WAS ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND
VOTING, AND THAT WAS DONE WITH
UC RIVERSIDE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
UC RIVERSIDE. THE THIRD MODULE
WAS MEDIA LITERACY, AND THAT WAS
TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION.
HOW DO YOU CROSS REFERENCE IT
AND THAT WAS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH US HERE, IRVINE AND U C.
SANTA CRUZ. SO YOU TALK ABOUT A
REAL COALITION AND COLLABORATIVE
EFFORT. THIS IS REALLY
REFLECTIVE OF THAT. SO WHAT'S
BEEN THE DIFFERENCE? SO WE DID
IS WE PILOT IT AND THIS PAST
SEPTEMBER, HAD ALL THE STUDENTS
AND I SAID, LET'S LET'S TEST OUT
ONE OF THE UNITS, AND IT WAS A
UNIT ON TRIBAL GOVERNANCE. YOU
ASK MOST PEOPLE WHAT IS THE HECK
IS THAT TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY,
GOVERNANCE? THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
MOST OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS
NO IDEA, SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A
SESSION AND THERE WAS A 5 TO 10
MINUTE SESSION. WE DID A PRE
IMPOSED QUESTIONNAIRE OF THAT
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRE
AND THE POST WAS A 40 X INCREASE
OF UNDERSTANDING. WE THEN HAD A
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN YOLO COUNTY AND THE
TRIBE THERE, AND WE WENT THROUGH
THIS AGREEMENT. WE HAD A
DISCUSSION AT THE TABLE. THE
DIFFERENCE PRE IMPOSED 35 X
UNDERSTANDING AND WE HAD A PHD
STUDENT ACTUALLY GO THROUGH AND
GRADE THESE RESULTS, SO IT'S
ACTUALLY AN EDUCATOR THAT'S
GOING THROUGH AND SAYING THESE
ARE PASSING RESULTS. HUGE
PROBABLY EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY,
IS AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION.
WE HAD ACTUALLY CUT IT OFF
BECAUSE WE JUST GAVE 40 MINUTES
FOR THIS DISCUSSION. IT WENT ON
FOR AN EXTRA 10 MINUTES AND I
HAD TO SHUT IT DOWN BECAUSE WE
HAD TO MOVE ON IN OUR AGENDA.
STUDENTS WERE SO ENGAGED AND I
SHARE WITH YOU BECAUSE THAT IS
THE SECRET. FORMULA WE NEED OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE ENGAGED ABOUT
ISSUES THEY CARE ABOUT AND GIVE
THEM A VOICE. SO THAT'S THE
FIRST PART. THE SECOND PART IS
OVERALL. ARE WE HAVING A
DIFFERENCE? YES, WE ARE. IF I
LOOK AT THE ELECTION INSIGHTS
WEBSITE, AND ACTUALLY I WAS
HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH
PROFESSOR HIS NAME IS JUSTIN
GRIMMER OVER AT STANFORD
UNIVERSITY AT THE HOOVER
INSTITUTE, AND I WAS SHARING
WITH THEM SOME OF THE THINGS
WE'RE DOING LOCALLY AND HE GOES.
OH, THAT MAKES SENSE. AND I GO.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? HE
GOES WELL CUT. TAKE A LOOK AT MY
WEBSITE, AND IT SHOWS ALL OF THE
DATA FREE BETWEEN 2016 AND 2020.
HE PLOTS OUT ALL THE TURNOUT,
AND HE DOES IT BY AGE GROUP. SO
IF YOU LOOK AT THE 18 TO 25 YEAR
OLDS, WE ARE OFF THE CHARTS. WE
ARE HIGH ABOVE. THE STATEWIDE
AVERAGE AND HE GOES SO WITH ALL
THE STUFF YOU'RE DOING IS
STARTING TO ADD UP AND IT GAVE
ME A CHILL BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA
THAT THAT DATA EXISTED IN TO GET
SOME VERIFICATION. SO THIS
MULTIPRONGED APPROACH IS WORKING
. SO WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? SO
FOR US? WE HAVE THREE STEPS. ONE
IS WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE
DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF THE
CURRICULUM IN YOLO COUNTY. OUR
GOAL IS TO TEST IT OUT IN 2024.
THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE IN 2025
WITH THE AID OF THE LEGISLATURE
TO FIND SOME COUNTIES THAT WOULD
BE INTERESTED IN PILING AND I'VE
SHARED THE CURRICULUM. JUST THE
PIECE THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY AND
I HAVE A NUMBER OF REGISTERED
JUST SAID I'D LIKE TO TRY THAT,
AND THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST TO
BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO HOPEFULLY
WITH THE LEGISLATURE, WE CAN
START TO PILOT THIS IN 2025 AND
START TO LOOK AT IT AND GIVE AN
EXAMPLE OF SECONDS AND THEN IF
IT WERE SUCCESSFUL, THEN TAKE IT
TO THE REST OF THE STATE. MY
HOPE IS THIS WILL BE A NATIONAL
MODEL, AND I REALLY WANT TO MAKE
ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROMOTING OUR
DEMOCRACY TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE,
SO THEY FEEL ENGAGED AND READY
TO PARTICIPATE WITH THAT. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. UM ARE
WE GETTING MOVE ON TO EVELYN. IS
THAT SOUND GOOD? OK EVELYN
MENDEZ, REPUBLICAN LEGISLATIVE
AFFAIRS MANAGER AT THE SANTA
CLARA COUNTY REGISTER VOTERS. I
WORKED HAVE BEEN WORKING THERE
FOR FOUR YEARS NOW, BUT BEFORE
THAT, I WORKED AT THE SECRETARY
OF STATE'S OFFICE, SO I HAVE
CLOSE TO 30. YEARS OF ELECTIONS
EXPERIENCE. I LOVE THAT YOU GOT
THE GROUP OF US AT THE END
BECAUSE THIS IS THE ENTHUSIASTIC
GROUP THAT WANTS TO SHARE ALL OF
THE EXCITING THINGS. I DON'T
KNOW HOW FIVE MINUTES IS GOING
TO BE ENOUGH, BUT WE'LL TRY. BUT
I LIKE THAT. JESSE TALKED ABOUT
18 TO 24 YEAR OLDS BECAUSE FOR
OUR COUNTY THAT'S WHO WE WANT
INVOLVED IN HELPING US GET THE
WORD OUT, AND WE DON'T USE THE
1824 YEAR OLDS JUST TO SAY YOU
GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT AREN'T
REGISTERING TO VOTE. YOU GUYS
ARE THE ONES THAT AREN'T VOTING
IN OUR OFFICE. WE USE THEM TO
HELP US PROMOTE. SO I TALKED TO
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM THAT
WORKS IN OUR OFFICE AND THEY
GIVE US THE IDEAS. THEY TELL US
WHY PEOPLE AREN'T LISTENING.
THEY TELL US WHAT WILL WORK.
THEY TELL US EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA
PLATFORM THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING
AT AND NOT LOOKING AT. SO IN OUR
OFFICE. WE GET ALL OF THE WE
HAVE STANFORD AND SAN JOSE STATE
AND A LOT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES
WERE VERY WE HAVE A VERY GOOD
PARTNERSHIP WITH BOTH OF THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS. STANFORD VOTES
SAN JOSE STATE VOTES SJS YOU
VOTES EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM
AS SOON AS WE HAVE AN EVENT
WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ANYTHING
THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. WE
HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM TO
BUILD HAVE A CLASS THAT THEY'RE
TRYING TO DO. TO FIGURE OUT WAYS
THAT THEY CAN HELP THE ELECTIONS
COMMUNITY AND I KNOW THERE ARE A
LOT OF NEIGHBORING COUNTIES THAT
GO TO STANFORD. INCLUDING YOU
KNOW A LOT OF NEIGHBORING
COUNTIES THAT GO TO GET
INFORMATION FROM THEM, BUT EVEN
THEIR MEDIA GROUP THERE ARE
CONSTANTLY WANTING TO SEE
ELECTIONS AND SEE HOW THEY CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO GETTING THE WORD
OUT. THEIR CAMERA CREW. WAS THAT
OUR SPECIAL ELECTION ALL DAY ON
TUESDAY, JUST TRYING TO GET THE
INSIDE SCOOP ON HOW THE PROCESS
WORKS AND TO WATCH EVERYTHING
BEHIND THE SCENES. UM SPEAKING
OF PARTNERSHIPS, WE DO HAVE A
LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH ALL THE
LOCAL THAT THE 40 NINERS OR ANY
OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR AREA
. AWESOME WAY TO GET THE WORD
OUT. THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT
TO BE PART OF VOTING. THEY WANT
TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE A VOTE
CENTER. YOU CAN USE THIS AS A
VOTE CENTER. EVEN IF IT'S DURING
A FOOTBALL SEASON, YOU KNOW, SO,
UM, WE LIKE TO USE PARTNERSHIPS
LIKE THAT. AND I KNOW A LOT OF
PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT FUNDING, BUT
WE ARE VERY CREATIVE WITH USING.
I THINK THE SECRETARY OF STATE
MENTIONED THAT THAT WE WILL
FIGURE IT OUT FUNDING OR NOT. WE
WILL FIND STUDENTS THAT WANT
INTERNSHIPS FOR FREE BECAUSE
THEY WANT EXPERIENCE. WE WILL
FIND LIBRARIES THAT NEED A
BOOKMARK. SO WE'LL MAKE A
BOOKMARK. WE'LL FIND DIFFERENT
WAYS TO REACH OUT INTO THE
COMMUNITY. I MEAN, FUNDING OR
NOT, I MEAN, WE HAVE A MILLION
VOTERS. OF COURSE, WE'RE TRYING
TO REACH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF
THEM. BUT WHENEVER WE HAVE
PARTNERSHIPS, WE GIVE THEM EVERY
OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF IT
OR LACK OF AT COMMITTEE. WE
INVITE THEM TO OUR OUTREACH
EVENTS SO THEY CAN HELP US
RECRUIT MEMBERS SO THEY CAN HELP
GET THE WORD OUT VOTING
EXCESSIVELY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
AND THE LANGUAGE ACRONYM ACRONYM
ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEES. YES
SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM I KNOW
THERE'S FRIENDS HERE, AND HE'S
ON OUR BLACK AND DECK. SO, UM HI
BACK, AND WE ALSO HAVE A VOTER
EDUCATION OUTREACH OUTREACH
COALITION RVS, AND IT IS MADE UP
OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT GET
TOGETHER AND, UM, CONTRIBUTE TO
THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN
GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. UM IN
OUR COUNTY. WE LIKE TO SAY WE
USE PLAIN TRADE PLANES, TRAINS
AND AUTOMOBILES TO GET THE WORD
OUT BECAUSE WE WERE LIKE, LET'S
WRAP A TRAIN. LET'S GET AN
AIRPLANE FLOATING OVER THE ALL
THE COUNTIES. UM IT'S WE EVEN
USED SHOPPING CARTS. SO WE HAD
ADVERTISEMENTS ON SHOPPING
CARDS. DURING COVID. WE SAID,
HOW ARE PEOPLE? WHAT ARE PEOPLE
STILL DOING? THEY'RE STILL
GETTING GAS, AND THEY'RE STILL
GOING TO GROCERY STORES. SO WE
GOT ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE GAS
STATION. UM MEDIA TV ON THE GAS
STATION ADS. THEY WERE STILL
GOING TO THE STORES. THEY HAD TO
BUY FOOD. SO WE WERE GETTING
THEM ON THE GROCERY CARDS. THE
GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE
IN OUR OFFICE IS THAT WE HAVE
MEMBERS. I MEAN, STAFF IN OUR
OFFICE THAT SPEAK LANGUAGES ALL
THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. WE HAVE
14 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES IN OUR
COUNTY, AND WE HAVE ON STAFF TO
HELP US TRANSLATE EVERY SINGLE
THING THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE WE
HAVE HOW TO VIDEOS SUBTITLED IN
ALL OF THE LANGUAGES. WE DID A
FLYERS IN BRAILLE TO REACH THOSE
VOTERS THAT YOU KNOW, ARE UNABLE
TO SEE. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE,
UM OUR HOW TO VIDEOS ARE ALSO AN
SL. SO ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE
CAN, EVEN FOR OUR MEDIA DAY WE
INVITED, UM THEM TO DO A SL
DURING THE PRESENTATION, SO
PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING HOW TO
USE THE EQUIPMENT EVEN DURING
OUR MEDIA. I MEAN, DURING OUR
MEDIA DAY, WE HAD OUR UM, VOTE
CENTER. EQUIPMENT SO PEOPLE
COULD TRY IT. THE MEMBERS OF THE
DISABILITY COMMUNITY CAME OUT
AND HELPED US OUR LACK, AND HVAC
MEMBERS WERE THERE TO HELP
DEMONSTRATE HOW EASY THE
EQUIPMENT WAS TO USE. SO I MEAN,
JUST USING ALL THE COMMUNITY
PARTNERS ANYWAY, THAT WE CAN TO
HELP GET THE WORD OUT. HELPS US
A LOT. WE HAVE, UM UM, DIGITAL
BILLBOARDS. WE DID A LOCAL VOTER
REGISTRATION ACT, WHICH REACHED
OUT LIKE JESSE SAID TO THE YOUNG
VOTERS THAT THAT WE NEED TO GET
PRE REGISTERED TO VOTE TO THE
VOTERS THAT ARE UNHAPPY. HOUSED
THAT DON'T KNOW YOU COULD STILL
REGISTER TO VOTE. IF YOU'RE
UNHAPPY, HOUSED AND THEN TO OUR
VOTERS THAT WERE FORMERLY
INCARCERATED JUST SO THEY KNOW
WHERE TO GET THE RESOURCES THAT
THEY COULD STILL REGISTER TO
VOTE, AND THEY CAN KNOW THEIR
VOTING OPTIONS. SO A LOT OF GOOD
IDEAS COMING FROM OUR OFFICE. A
LOT OF THEM. THEY DO COME FROM
OUR YOUNG 18 TO 24 4 YEAR OLDS
THAT WORK IN OUR OFFICE. THEY'RE
VERY ACTIVE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA
30 SECONDS. OKAY THERE'S WE HAVE
A LOT TO SAY. HERE WE HAVE A LOT
TO IT'S OKAY. NO BUT, UM, JUST
GETTING HELP USING EVERY
PARTNERSHIP THAT WE CAN TO GET
THE WORD OUT. ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIPS. I THINK
WE USED THE LAST ELECTION. WE
WORKED WITH THE SECOND HARVEST
FOOD BANK AND THEY I MEAN, THIS
IS A FOOD BANK, AND THEY'RE
WANTING TO GET THE WORD OUT
ABOUT REGISTERING TO VOTE TO
THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE I
MEAN ABOUT THEY WE HAVE A WE PUT
A FLYER TOGETHER THAT WAS IN
SPANISH AND ENGLISH. WE
PARTNERED WITH ALL THE COUNTIES
AROUND US OVER 120,000 MAILERS.
THAT WENT OUT TO THEM. THEY
INVITED US TO GO HELP PEOPLE
REGISTERED TO VOTE AND TO HELP
AT THE FOOD BANK IN THE AREAS
THAT WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO
TARGET. SO THAT WAS A REALLY
GOOD PARTNERSHIP THAT WE DO THAT
WE DID WITH THEM AND SAY, MATEO,
BUT THANK YOU. FABULOUS I LOVE
YOUR ENTHUSIASM. OKAY WE'LL NEXT
HEAR FROM RYAN. ROCCO THANKS FOR
BEING HERE. THANK YOU. CHAIR
PELLERIN. SUBWAY MEMBER, BENNETT
. UH THANKS FOR THIS INVITATION.
RYAN ROCCO, PLASTIC COUNTY CLERK
RECORDER. REGISTRAR OF VOTERS.
YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S MOUTHFUL. UH,
WE LOVE TO BRAG ABOUT HER
NUMBERS, RIGHT? SO LET ME BRAG A
LITTLE BIT. PLASTIC COUNTY
CURRENTLY RANKS FIRST AMONG
COUNTIES IN THE STATE FOR THE
PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS
WHO ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE. SO
WHILE IT'S NOT A COMPETITION IN
ANY WAY, WE ARE PROUD TO REPORT
THAT 94.2% OF OUR ELIGIBLE
VOTERS ARE REGISTERED, ACCORDING
TO THE FIGURES THAT WERE JUST
PUBLISHED BY THE SECRETARY OF
STATE'S OFFICE. WHEN WE'RE NOT
FIRST IN A STATE WHERE OFTEN
SECOND AND IT'S QUITE AN
ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR A COUNTY
THAT'S GROWING AS FAST AS
PLASTER AS PLASTER IS ALSO
BLESSED WITH AN ACTIVE
ELECTORATE IN THE NOVEMBER 2020
PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION.
PLASTERS TURNOUT WAS 88.3% AND
THAT NUMBER IS NOT AN OUTLIER.
WE ARE HISTORICALLY 10 TO 15%
POINTS ABOVE THE STATEWIDE
AVERAGE. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING,
THEN? THAT'S TRANSLATING INTO
ALL OF THIS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT,
AND I CAN'T POINT TO ONE THING,
UNFORTUNATELY, BUT BECAUSE OF
TIME, I'M GOING TO NARROW IT
DOWN TO, UH, AGAIN THIS IDEA
ABOUT YOUTH AND TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT, UM, OUR HIGH SCHOOL
OUTREACH PROGRAM. UM FIRST OFF.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT VOTER
REGISTRATION PROGRAMS THAT I
DON'T REALLY LIKE VOTER
REGISTRATION PROGRAMS SET. THE
SOLE PURPOSE IS JUST TO REGISTER
. VOTERS THINK IT'S
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. I THINK IT'S
INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE
PEOPLE WHO NEVER PLANNED TO VOTE
ON THE VOTER ROLLS, ESPECIALLY
WHEN WE MUST NOW SEND THEM VOTE
BY MAIL BALLOTS, VOTER
INFORMATION GUIDES AND OTHER
MANDATORY MAILINGS DEMANDED BY
VERY WELL MEANING THE
LEGISLATURE, OF COURSE, BUT IN
ORDER TO PROMOTE LIFELONG
PARTICIPATION. WE INVEST OUR
TIME IN A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF
OUR COUNTY BUDGET IN A ROBUST
HIGH SCHOOL VOTER OUTREACH
PROGRAM. IF I HAD TO CHOOSE ONE
THING THAT I WOULD SAY THAT
MAKES PLASTIC COUNTIES DIFFERENT
, UM OUR PARTICIPATION AND OUR
ENGAGEMENT. IT WOULD BE THIS
PROGRAM. WHILE MANY COUNTIES
HAVE SCHOOL OUTREACH PROGRAMS.
WHAT MAKES THIS PROGRAM UNIQUE
IS WE VISIT EVERY PUBLIC HIGH
SCHOOL IN OUR COUNTY, ALL 25 OF
THEM, INCLUDING THE CONTINUATION
HIGH SCHOOLS. WE SPEAK TO EVERY
SENIOR CLASS IN THE CLASSROOM
LEVEL AND NOT IN ASSEMBLIES. AND
WHILE WE REGISTER OR WE RE
REGISTER OR WE PREREGISTER THE
YOUTH TO VOTE. WE ALSO
CONCENTRATE ON WHAT IT MEANS TO
BE AN ACTIVE INFORMED VOTER. WE
EXPLAIN WHEN THEY WILL GET THEIR
VOTER INFORMATION GUIDES AND
WHAT THOSE ARE USED FOR. WE
TEACH THEM THAT VOTING IS LIKE
STUDYING FOR A TEST AND NOT TO
GUESS BUT TO SKIP RACES OR EVEN
WHOLE ELECTIONS IF YOU DIDN'T DO
YOUR HOMEWORK. WE BRING
POLITICALLY POLITICAL PARTY
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE CLASS TO
EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS TO BELONG
TO A PARTY. UH WHILE THEY
CERTAINLY HEARD OF WHAT A
REPUBLICAN IS OR WHAT A DEMOCRAT
IS, MAYBE THEY'VE NEVER REALLY
TALKED TO ONE, AND THEY
CERTAINLY LIKELY HAVE NOT SPOKEN
TO A MEMBER OF THE LIBERTARIAN
PARTY OR THE PEACE AND FREEDOM
PARTY. SO HAVING THAT
OPPORTUNITY EXPANDS THEIR MINDS
AND PLANTS, SEEDS, FINALLY WELL,
WHEN MY PREDECESSOR STARTED THIS
PROGRAM BACK IN 1995. HE FOUND
THE NUMBER. ONE REASON YOUTH DID
NOT VOTE WAS THAT THEY DIDN'T
KNOW HOW. AND THEY DIDN'T WANT
TO BE EMBARRASSED TO HAVE TO ASK
FOR HELP. SO WE BRING OUR VOTING
EQUIPMENT AND BLANK MOCK BALLOTS
WITH US SO THAT IT WILL
DEMYSTIFY THE VOTING PROCESS.
WHAT MAKES THIS PROGRAM
DIFFERENT AND SUCCESSFUL IS THAT
WE CONCENTRATE OUR MESSAGE ON
WHY VOTING IS RELEVANT IN THEIR
LIVES, AND IT PRODUCES RESULTS.
LAST MEANINGFUL REPORT I SAW ON
THIS KIND OF COUNTY LEVEL YOUTH
PARTICIPATION WAS DR ROMERO'S
REPORT WHEN SHE WAS THE FOUNDER
AND PROJECT DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
PROJECT. BACK IN 2013. SHE
ANALYZED THE YOUTH TURNOUT IN
THE 2012 ELECTION. AND IN THAT
REPORT, IT SHOWED THAT PLASTIC
COUNTY'S 18 TO 24 YEAR OLDS WERE
ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN VOTING
SOMEWHERE IN THE 40 TO 57%
RANGE. SHE DIDN'T ACTUALLY NAME
COUNTIES SPECIFICALLY IN THAT
REPORT. SINCE MY TIME IS SHORT,
LET ME ALSO MENTION WE DO HAVE
OTHER OUTREACH PROGRAMS. WE
OBVIOUSLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME
WITH SENIOR OUTREACH. WE UH I'M
THE COUNTY RECORDER, SO I SEND
NOTICES WITH PROPERTY NEEDS WHEN
PEOPLE ARE MOVING INTO THE
COUNTY TO LET THEM KNOW IT'S
TIME TO REGISTER. AND WE TAKE
THE TIME TO EXPLAIN VOTING
SAFEGUARDS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE
ELECTION INTEGRITY QUESTIONS AND
THERE ARE MANY IN PLASTIC COUNTY
THAT DO AND FINALLY I WANT TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO PLASTER
COUNTIES. AMAZING ACTIVE LOCAL
POLITICAL PARTIES ARE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
ARE UH, THAT REAL HEAVY LIFTERS
WHEN IT COMES TO REGISTERING
VOTERS IN OUR AREA, THEY GO TO
THE SHOPPING MALLS. THEY GO TO
THE FESTIVALS AND FAIRS. THEY
KNOCKED DOOR TO DOOR AND THEY'RE
REGISTERING PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.
THEY DESERVE A LOT OF THAT
CREDIT FOR OUR PARTICIPATION.
PACIFIC PARTICIPATION WE HAVE SO
IN CLOSING IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
MORE CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN
CALIFORNIA, I WOULD ENCOURAGE
YOU TO FUND COUNTIES WITH
OUTREACH MONEY FOR ROBUST HIGH
SCHOOL OUTREACH PROGRAMS. IT'S
BEEN SAID THAT WHERE YOUR WHERE
YOUR MONEY IS, YOUR HEART WILL
BE ALSO, IF THAT'S THE CASE, I
IMPLORE THE STATE TO INVEST IN
OUR YOUTH, SO THEY LEARN HOW TO
BE ENGAGED, INFORMED AND
LIFELONG VOTERS. IF WE PLANT
THOSE SEEDS AT A YOUNG AGE, THEY
WILL BEAR FRUIT. I PROMISE YOU
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. FABULOUS. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS? LIKE TO MAKE ONE
COMMENT, AND THAT IS IT. MAKES
COMMON SENSE TO ME THAT REACHING
OUT TO YOUNG PEOPLE, HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS, EARLY COLLEGE STUDENTS
IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY. WE HAVE
TO JUST THINK OF SOMEBODY WHO'S
40 YEARS OLD. THE IDEA OF
ACTUALLY GETTING A MINDSET
CHANGE FOR THEM. IT'S JUST MUCH
MORE DIFFICULT THAN THAN
SOMEBODY WHEN THEY'RE IN THAT
FORMATION STAGE, AND
PARTICULARLY WHEN THIS IS THEIR
FIRST OPPORTUNITIES TO START TO
VOTE, SO I THINK YOU GUYS ARE ON
THE SOMETHING AND IT WAS FOR ME
UPLIFTING TO HEAR THE SUCCESSES
THAT YOU'RE HAVING. SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. YEAH I
WOULD ECHO THAT. AND I'M SUPER
EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK YOU'RE
DOING AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE
NOT JUST DOING IT 30 DAYS BEFORE
AN ELECTION. YOU'RE DOING IT
YEAR ROUND AND YOU KNOW, HAVING
SOME SUSTAINABLE ONGOING FUNDING
TO DO THIS IMPORTANT WORK IS,
YOU KNOW, JUST CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT, UM AND YOU KNOW, IT
WAS INTERESTING AS FAR AS YOU'RE
TELLING THE KIDS THAT THINK OF
IT AS STUDYING FOR A TEST
BECAUSE IF OUR TURNOUT WERE A
GRADE ON A TEST, YOU KNOW WE'D
BE AT A SOLID B AND SOME
ELECTIONS AND IN SOME ELECTIONS
WOULD BE FAILING. SO UM,
INCREASING TURNOUT IS JUST
IMPERATIVE. SO I REALLY ADMIRE
THE WORK YOU DO. UM AND
UTILIZING ALL THE DIFFERENT
VENUES THAT YOU HAVE, UM, I WANT
TO PUT A CALL OUT TO TAYLOR
SWIFT, BECAUSE IF YOU CAN GET
OUT HERE PROMOTING THE VOTE, I
THINK THAT MIGHT BE OUR ANSWER
TO INCREASE TURNOUT. JUST A
THOUGHT, UM YEAH. SO UM, YEAH.
WE HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES HERE,
SO I JUST WANT TO JUST, UH, YOU
KNOW, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THE DIRECT EFFORTS TO
BRIDGE THAT GAP AND PROGRAMS
SPECIFICALLY TIED TO THAT, AND I
KNOW PLANTING THOSE SEEDS EARLY
IS SUPER IMPORTANT, BUT DO YOU
HAVE ANY OTHER KINDS OF PROGRAMS
TO HELP WITH THAT? BRIDGING THAT
VOTER PARTICIPATION GAP WE'RE
HEARING ABOUT? YOU'RE TURNING TO
ME FANTASTIC LOOKING FOR YOU. UM
YEAH, WE DEFINITELY DO. I LIKE I
MENTIONED WE HAVE A SENIOR
OUTREACH PROGRAM. IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT NOT TO LOSE THE
SENIORS AS WELL. SENIOR CITIZENS
TEND TO MOVE QUITE A BIT,
ESPECIALLY IN PLASTER COUNTY. WE
HAVE A VERY HIGH SENIOR
POPULATION IS VERY, VERY LARGE
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SUN CITY
RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES AND A LOT
OF GREAT WEATHER YEAR ROUND IN
PLASTER. SO UH, SO WE VERY
SIMILAR TO THE HIGH SCHOOL
OUTREACH PROGRAM. WE GO TO THE
COMMUNITIES AND TALK ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF BEING A REGISTERED
VOTER. MAKE SURE THAT THEIR
INFORMATION IS UP TO DATE, BUT A
LOT OF TIMES THESE SENIORS DON'T
KNOW THAT THEY CAN SKIP A RACE.
THEY DON'T KNOW THAT IF THEY
DON'T VOTE THAT THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO BE REMOVED FROM THE
ROLLS SO THAT EDUCATION PIECE IS
STILL CRITICALLY IMPORTANT,
IMPORTANT EVEN AT THAT AGE. BUT
I WAS GOING TO SAY SO. WE ARE
ACTUALLY EMBARKING WITH THE
HOSTAGE IN YOUR FUND TO HAVE
SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND I'VE
GOT THE COUNTY TO MATCH THE
DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR ON THAT, SO
WE'RE GOING TO PILOT SOME WORK
AND THE MARCH ELECTION WITH THE
HOPE OF GOING FOR A PART TWO FOR
THE GENERAL ELECTION AND THE WAY
WE'VE DONE IT IS WE'VE BROUGHT
IN OUR GIS MAPPING FOLKS SO WE
CAN START TO IDENTIFY. I REFER
TO THEM AS COLD SPOTS IN TERMS
OF NOT ONLY REGISTRATION BUT
VOTER TURNOUT, SO WE HAVE THOSE
DATA POINTS TO BE ABLE TO
IDENTIFY THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE CROSS REFERENCE THAT WITH
CENSUS INFORMATION SO WE CAN
KNOW THESE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT
WE NEED TO DO A MORE FOCUSED
OUTREACH EFFORT ON AND WE'RE
WORKING WITH A NONPROFIT, SO
IT'S NONPROFITS THAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT TO HELP US GET THE
WORD OUT AND ENCOURAGE VOTER
TURNOUT TO FOCUS HIS VOTER
TURNOUT BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE
THOSE NUMBERS INCREASE OVER
TIME. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT
THAT PROJECT AND WE WANT TO SEE
HOW IT GOES IN MARCH WITH THE
IDEA OF DOING EVEN MORE COME
NOVEMBER, AND SO I'M
APPRECIATIVE OF THE BOARD
WILLING TO DO THAT MATCH FOR
THAT INITIAL SET, AND THEN HOSS
HAS ALREADY PUT SOME ADDITIONAL
FUNDS OUT THERE. SO IF WE SHOW
THAT TRACK RECORD, WE CAN GO
BACK TO THE BOARD AND SAY, LOOK
AT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO, BUT
IT'S LOOKING AT THE DATA RIGHT
LOOKING TO SEE WHERE THOSE COLD
SPOTS AS I CALLED HIM, AND IT
WAS A FUNNY WE HAD A
CONVERSATION AND PEOPLE REFER TO
IT AS COLD SPOTS, AND I'M LIKE,
OKAY, THAT'S MY TERMINOLOGY, SO
IT DOESN'T IT'S NOT REALLY A
TECHNICAL TERM PER SE, BUT IT
IS. YOU KNOW WHERE YOU SEE
PEOPLE THAT ARE TURNING OUT THE
WAY THEY SHOULD. SO WE'RE DOING
SOME AGGRESSIVE WORK WITH THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY AND NON PROFITS
ON THAT. AND ONE OF THE ONE OF
THE THINGS I WANTED TO TOUCH ON
HIS BRIDGING, HE SAID. BRIDGING
THE GAPS IN OUR COUNTY,
ESPECIALLY THERE ARE A LOT OF
VOTERS THAT DON'T FEEL
COMFORTABLE AND DON'T KNOW AND
DON'T WANT TO SPEAK OUT BECAUSE
THEY DON'T ENGLISH ISN'T THEIR
FIRST LANGUAGE OR VOTER LANGUAGE
. WORKSHOPS ARE AMAZING, AND
PEOPLE ACTUALLY COME TO THEM AND
LISTEN AND TUNE IN BECAUSE THEY
WANT TO HEAR THE MATERIALS. IN
THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE
FAMILIAR WITH OR IN THE GULAG.
YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO HEAR
SOMEONE SPEAKING TO IT, AND THEY
WANT TO KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
TALKING ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WORK
IN OUR OFFICE. SO IF YOU HAVE A
QUESTION, YOU COME TO OUR
OFFICE. YOU COULD SPEAK TO THEM
IN THAT LANGUAGE. SO OUR VOTER
LANGUAGE WORKSHOPS WORK VERY
WELL IN THAT WAY, AND WE DO
FACEBOOK LIVE IN THAT LANGUAGE,
SO THAT ALSO HELPS GET THAT. GET
THE VOTER FEELING MORE
COMFORTABLE IF ENGLISH ISN'T
THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE. WELL THANK
YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I
REALLY AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE
PROGRAMS WERE DOING AND FOLLOW
YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO LEARN. SO
THANKS AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
OKAY OUR NEXT PANEL, WE'RE GONNA
BE MOVING TO IMPROVING LANGUAGE
ACCESS AND WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE
HERE TODAY. DEANNA KITAMURA,
WHO'S THE PROGRAM MANAGER AND
SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY FOR VOTING
RIGHTS. ASIAN AMERICANS
ADVANCING JUSTICE, ASIAN LAW AND
WE HAVE PEDRO HERNANDEZ LEGAL
AND POLICY DIRECTOR, CALIFORNIA
COMMON CAUSE SO GREAT TO SEE YOU
BOTH HERE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE
FIVE MINUTES EACH, PLEASE. GOOD
AFTERNOON AGAIN. I'M DEANNA QUÊ
TOMORROW AND I LEAD THE VOTING
RIGHTS PROJECT AT ASIAN
AMERICANS ADVANCING JUSTICE
ASIAN LAW CAUCUS ASIAN LAW
CAUCUS THAT IS THE NATION'S
FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN LEGAL AND
CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION. PEDRO
HERNANDEZ AND I ARE PART OF A
STATEWIDE COALITION CALLED THE
CALIFORNIA LANGUAGE ACCESS
WORKGROUP. WE RECENTLY RELEASED
A REPORT AH, THAT INCLUDES A
ROADMAP FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS IN
CALIFORNIA, AND WE HAVE COPIES
FOR YOU. NOW I WANT TO FOCUS ON
A HANDFUL OF POINTS TODAY. THE
FIRST IS THE NEED FOR LANGUAGE
ASSISTANCE FOR MANY ASIAN
AMERICAN VOTERS. ASIAN AMERICANS
MAKE UP NEARLY 14% OF ADULT
CITIZENS IN CALIFORNIA. WE ARE
THE FASTEST GROWING RACIAL GROUP
IN THE STATE AMONG U. S.
CITIZENS IN CALIFORNIA ABOUT 32%
OF ASIAN AMERICANS SPEAK ENGLISH
. LESS THAN VERY WELL. NOW THAT
NUMBER VARIES WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE DIFFERENT ASIAN ETHNIC
GROUPS, THE HIGHEST LIMITED
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY RATE IS
AMONG VIETNAMESE AMERICANS AT
52. CAMBODIAN CHINESE KOREAN AND
ONE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
PROFICIENCY RATES RANGE BETWEEN
37 AND 40. THERE IS CLEARLY A
NEED FOR LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE.
CURRENTLY THERE ARE FEDERAL AND
STATE REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE
LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE WHEN
LANGUAGE GROUPS HIT DIFFERENT
POPULATION THRESHOLD UNDER
FEDERAL LAW WHEN A COMMUNITY
REACHES WHAT IS A RELATIVELY
HIGH COUNTY THRESHOLD, THE
COUNTY IS OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE
COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE
ASSISTANCE. THAT MEANS THEY NEED
TO PROVIDE TRANSLATED ELECTION
MATERIALS. THEY NEED TO HAVE
BILINGUAL POLL WORKERS AND THEY
NEED TO DO IN LANGUAGE OUTREACH
NOW UNDER STATE LAW. WE HAVE A
MUCH LOWER THRESHOLD THAT'S
TARGETED AT THE PRECINCT LEVEL,
BUT IT IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE IN
TERMS OF THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS
PROVIDED. VOTERS GET A
TRANSLATED SAMPLE BALLAD. IT IS
NOT VOTE HERBAL. IT'S JUST A
REFERENCE. SOME COUNTIES DO AN
EXCELLENT JOB GOING BEYOND
WHAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW. THEY
EITHER DO THIS BY VOLUNTARILY
COVERING ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES OR
PROVIDING VOTE HERBAL TRANSLATED
BALLOTS. FOR EXAMPLE, L A COUNTY
WE HEARD FROM DEAN LOGAN COUNTY
PROVIDES ADDITIONAL, UH THEY
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES.
THEY PROVIDE POTABLE BALLOTS FOR
ALL THEIR COVERED LANGUAGES, AND
THEY HAVE THEM AVAILABLE FOR ALL
THEIR VOTERS. IN OTHER WORDS,
THE ACCESS TO THE TRANSLATED
BALLOTS IS NOT LIMITED TO VOTERS
LIVING IN ITS SPECIFIC PRECINCT,
AND THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE
VOTE CENTERS ARE NOT PRECINCT
BASED. NOW YOU MAY BE WONDERING
HOW DOES LANGUAGE ACCESS RELATE
TO TODAY'S TOPIC OF VOTER
TURNOUT AND PARTICIPATION? WHEN
STANDING AGO STARTED PROVIDING
COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE SERVICES.
UNDER FEDERAL LAW. PHOTO
REGISTRATION ROSE BY MORE THAN
20% FOR FILIPINO AMERICANS AND
BY ALMOST 40% FOR VIETNAMESE
AMERICANS, AND THE BENEFITS HAVE
BEEN CONFIRMED BY A NATIONAL
STUDY IN 2015 PROFESSORS, FRAGA
AND MURDER. SETH PUBLISHED A
STUDY AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO
INTO THE DETAILS. BUT THE BOTTOM
LINE IS THAT WHERE THEY HAVE
COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE
ASSISTANCE. THEY SAW VOTER
REGISTRATION BY INCREASE IN THE
LATINO COMMUNITY BY 15% AND
VOTER TURNOUT INCREASED BY ABOUT
15 TO 18% IN ASIAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES, SO THERE IS A LINK
BETWEEN LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE AND
HIGHER TURNOUT. WERE CO SPONSORS
OF A B 884, AUTHORED BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S LU█N CERVANTES,
AND IF IT PASSES, IT WOULD
PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE
ASSISTANCE AND MORE LANGUAGES
FOR THE LARGE LANGUAGE GROUPS IN
CALIFORNIA AND TRANSLATED
NOTABLE BALLOT, SINCE, UH, FOR
SMALLER GROUPS. WE BELIEVE THIS
WILL IMPROVE TURNOUT AND THE
VOTING EXPERIENCE. NOW THE LAST
POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS A POINT
THAT OTHERS HAVE MADE AND THAT
IS THE NEED FOR OUTREACH AND
EDUCATION. AND WHAT I WANT TO
STRESS IS THAT OUR CHIN
EDUCATION SHOULD BE IN LANGUAGES
USED BY VOTERS. I USED. MY
ORGANIZATION HAS A SISTER IN
AFFILIATE IN LOS ANGELES, AND I
WORKED AT THAT AFFILIATE FOR
ALMOST A DECADE, AND I HAD
COLLEAGUES AT THAT TIME THAT RAN
A GET OUT THE BOAT PROJECT. AND
THAT WAS TARGETING ASIAN
AMERICAN AMERICAN LOW PROPENSITY
VOTERS. THEY MY COLLEAGUES
PARTNERED WITH COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS,
AND THEY MADE CALLS IN OVER A
DOZEN LANGUAGES. AND SOMETIMES
THE VOTERS WOULD SAY THAT WAS A
VERY FIRST TIME ANYONE EVER
REACHED OUT TO THEM REGARDING
ANY ELECTION ISSUE. AND MY
COLLEAGUE. I DON'T REMEMBER THE
STATISTICS. BUT MY COLLEAGUES
WOULD TELL ME THAT THEY DID SEE
AN INCREASE IN VOTER TURNOUT
AMONG THE PEOPLE THAT THEY
REACHED OUT TO SO THE LESSON IS
THAT WHEN CAMPAIGNS ARE ONLY
REACHING OUT TO HIGH PROPENSITY
VOTERS AND ONLY IN ENGLISH, IT'S
REALLY UP TO THE COUNTIES AND UP
TO COMMUNITY GROUPS TO DO THE
OUTREACH TO OTHERS. THE
CALIFORNIA LANGUAGE ACCESS
WORKGROUP THAT I MENTIONED HELD
LISTENING SESSIONS IN SIX
LANGUAGES AND WE HEARD FROM
PARTICIPANTS A REAL DESIRE FOR
MORE INFORMATION IN TERMS OF THE
VOTING PROCESS AND WHAT WAS ON
THE BALLOT. AND SO I'M GONNA END
BY JUST SAYING THAT COUNTIES AND
COMMUNITY GROUPS NEED FUNDING TO
BE ABLE TO CONDUCT ROBUST
OUTREACH TO DISENFRANCHISED
GROUPS, INCLUDING IN IN LANGUAGE
OUTREACH TO VOTERS WHO SPEAK
OTHER LANGUAGES. IT MAKES A
DIFFERENCE WHEN WE REACH VOTERS
WHERE THEY'RE AT THANK YOU SO
MUCH. YEAH. PEDRO, PLEASE. THANK
YOU, DEANNA. UM AND THANK YOU.
CHAIR PELLERIN FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY HERE TO ENGAGE WITH
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE US ON THIS
IMPORTANT VOTER ISSUE. MY NAME
IS HEATHER HERNANDEZ. I AM THE
LEGAL AND POLICY DIRECTOR OF
CALIFORNIA COMMON CAUSE
CURRENTLY I SERVE ON THE STATE
LANGUAGE ACCESS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. AND SINCE 2001 I HAVE
BEEN PART OF THE CALIFORNIA
LANGUAGE ACCESS WORKGROUP, WHICH
IS A COLLABORATION OF 12TH
RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. UM I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT, I GUESS ANOTHER FACT
TO ADD TO THE LIST OF FACTS
TODAY, WHICH IS, UM, ACCORDING
TO THE U. S CENSUS BUREAU,
CALIFORNIA, HOME TO 6.5 MILLION
INDIVIDUALS OVER THE AGE OF FIVE
WHO ARE LIMITED ENGLISH
PROFICIENT LANGUAGE BARRIERS ARE
A KEY FACTOR TO DRIVING THESE
DISPARITIES, ACCORDING TO A 2020
CENSUS SURVEY ON VOTING AND
REGISTRATION. LATINOS AND ASIAN
AMERICANS ARE MORE LIKELY THAN
ALL OTHER VOTERS TO CITE
DIFFICULTY WITH ENGLISH AS THE
MAIN REASON FOR NOT REGISTERING
TO VOTE. UM, IN SEPTEMBER OF
THIS YEAR, OUR GROUP THAT
CALIFORNIA ASSETS WORKGROUP
PUBLISHED A ROADMAP HIGHLIGHTING
A PATH FOR ENSURING THAT ALL
VOTERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY CAN
VOTE FAIRLY AND EQUALLY AND THE
ROADMAP FIGHTS FOR OVER REACHING
GOAL OVERARCHING GOALS. THEY'RE
NOT OVERREACHING THERE.
OVERARCHING FOR CALIFORNIA. WE
BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER
IN YOUR DELIBERATION. UM IN
NORTH, THE CALIFORNIA SHOULD
FIRST BUILD THE NATION'S FIRST
MOTEL LINGUAL ELECTION SYSTEM BY
TRANSLATING ALL ELECTION
MATERIALS AND EXPAND THE
LANGUAGES THAT RECEIVE
ASSISTANCE TO SERVE MORE, UM, TO
SERVE MORE VOTERS. SETH
STATEWIDE STANDARDS TO IMPROVE
AND EXPAND THE DECIMATION OF IN
LANGUAGE RESOURCES. THIRD
ALLOCATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
FUNDING TO COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL ELECTION
OFFICES SO THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY
AND CONSISTENTLY HELP OR
CALIFORNIANS CAST A BALLOT AND
FOURTH MANDATE REPORTING. ON
COUNTY LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES
AND WORK WITH STATE OFFICIALS TO
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT LANGUAGE
ACCESS LAW ENFORCEMENT
MECHANISMS. DURING THE TIME I
WILL FOCUS MY COMMENTS ON THE
FIRST THREE. HOWEVER I WE
BROUGHT AS THE NSAID COPIES OF
OUR REPORT FOR YOU TO HAVE IN
THE PUBLIC AND ACCESS THE REPORT
VIA A BENTLEY LINK. SO IT'S B I
T E DOT L Y FORWARD SLASH CALA
BALLOT REPORT. UM FIRST, WHICH
IS THE MOST PRESSING AND WITHIN
REACH, I THINK FOR THE STATE IS
TO MODERNIZE THE LANGUAGE
SERVICES THE STATE PROVIDES.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT UNDERSTAND? IS
THAT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT,
WHICH IS A FEDERAL LAW ONLY
APPLIES TO SPANISH ASIAN
LANGUAGES. NATIVE AMERICAN AND
NATIVE ALASKAN LANGUAGES IN 2019
AND APPELLATE COURT LIMITED
CALIFORNIA STATUTE TO THE SAME
LANGUAGES. CATEGORIES AS FEDERAL
LAW. THIS MEANS THAT GROWING
IMMIGRANT REFUGEE COMMUNITIES IN
CALIFORNIA SPEAK ARABIC,
ARMENIAN, SOMALI, UKRAINIAN AND
A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER LANGUAGES
DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO LANGUAGE
ASSISTANT UNDER FEDERAL STATE
LAW. A HANDFUL OF COUNTIES
VOLUNTARILY PROVIDE LANGUAGE
ASSISTANCE IN ADDITIONAL
LANGUAGES, BUT IT'S NOT REQUIRED
UNDER STATE LAW. CURRENTLY, THE
STATE LEADS THE COUNTRY WITH THE
LARGEST MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH
AMERICAN POPULATIONS. YET OTHER
STATES ARE MOVING AHEAD OF
CALIFORNIA BY INCLUDING LANGUAGE
IS NOT COVERED BY FEDERAL LAW.
OREGON OFFERS TRANSLATED
MATERIALS IN ARABIC AND SOMALI
BUT ALSO IN FRENCH AND UKRAINIAN
WASHINGTON STATE HAS BEGUN TO
OFFER IN LANGUAGE, POTABLE
BALLOTS AND SOMALI MICHIGAN
OFFERS REGISTRATION FORMS IN
VERTEBRAL BALLOTS IN ARABIC. AND
THESE IN LANGUAGE BALLOTS THAT
ARE OFFERED IN MICHIGAN ARE
OFFERED ON THE SAME VOTING
EQUIPMENT CURRENTLY AND USED IN
CALIFORNIA. NOTABLY OTHER
CALIFORNIA AGENCIES, INCLUDING
THE EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT, PROVIDE MORE
LANGUAGE SERVICES THAN OUR
ELECTION OFFICIALS IN TERMS OF
THE NUMBER OF LANGUAGES THEY
SERVE. UM TO ADDRESS THESE
CONCERNS THE STATE LANGUAGE
ACCESS LAWS SHOULD REFLECT THE
DIVERSITY OF THE STATE. I'LL
MOVE ON TO MY NEXT POINT HERE,
WHICH IS THERE NEEDS TO BE
STATEWIDE STANDARDS FOR THE
DECIMATION OF IN LANGUAGE
INFORMATION. UNFORTUNATELY
ACCESS TO ACCURATE INFORMATION
REMAINS IN CRISIS, A 2020 LIVING
LAB REPORT SUGGESTED THAT
LANGUAGE SPANISH LANGUAGE MEDIA
OFFERED A LITTLE OR NO RESPONSE
TO MISINFORMATION, WHICH ALLOWS
CONSPIRACY THEORIES TO SPREAD
AND ACCORDING TO REPORT BY THE
PIE, YEAH, ABOUT A CHINESE FACT
CHECK INSIDE. THERE IS ALSO
INCREASING ELECTION FRAUD AND
MISINFORMATION AND
DISINFORMATION AMONG CHINESE
AMERICANS, WHO ARE THE LARGEST
COMMUNITY ASIAN COMMUNITY IN THE
COUNTRY. TO ADDRESS THIS
ELECTION OFFICIALS. YOU KNOW, WE
WANT TO SEE BETTER DESIGN OF
ELECTION COMMUNICATIONS AND
SERVICES WITH LIMITED ENGLISH
PROFICIENT VOTERS IN MIND,
INCLUDING PROMINENTLY FLAGGING
IN LANGUAGE INFORMATION AT ALL
TOUCHPOINTS BETWEEN ELECTION
OFFICES AND VOTERS PUBLICIZING
IN LANGUAGE SERVICES, MAKING IT
EASIER FOR VOTERS TO REQUEST
TRANSLATED MATERIALS AND
PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP INFORM AND
SHARE THIS INFORMATION. UM WE
ALSO AT THE END AND NOTED, ARE
LISTENING SESSIONS AND WHAT WE
ALSO LEARNED FROM THOSE
LISTENING SESSIONS IS THAT MANY
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT
VOTERS CANNOT ACCESS ASSISTANCE
WHEN THEY NEED TO CAST A BALLOT.
AND THIS. THIS IS KIND OF ONE
THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT
TO NOTICE THAT MANY RESIDENTS IN
THE STATE LIVE IN WHAT ARE
CONSIDERED LINGUISTICALLY
ISOLATED HOUSEHOLDS. THESE ARE
HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE NO
INDIVIDUALS. 14 YEARS OF AGE OF
OLDER WHO SPEAK ENGLISH VERY
WELL. UM THE STATE'S OWN
CALIFORNIA ENVIRO SCREEN REPORT
HIGHLIGHTED LINGUISTIC ISOLATION
AT THE FACTOR IN INCREASING
VULNERABLE VULNERABILITY TO
POLLUTANTS BUT ALSO NOTED THAT
THIS IT'S ALSO IMPACTING
PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE,
TYPICALLY IN ACCESS INFORMATION
AND SERVICES. 20 SECONDS. YEAH.
YEAH 21 SECONDS. PLEASE WRAP IT
UP. I ALSO WANT TO KNOW THAT
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND
OF FURTHER STRENGTHENING THE
LANGUAGE ACCESS ADVISORY
COMMITTEES, BOTH AT THE STATE
AND LOCAL LEVEL. UM, I THINK
CALIFORNIA HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR
THE NATION. AND I THINK WE NEED
TO HAVE THE STATE HOLD THIS
TRUTH TO POWER AND ENSURE THAT
LANGUAGE ACCESS IS A PRIORITY
FOR THE STATE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. DO YOU KNOW IF
ALL COUNTIES HAVE A LANGUAGE
ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE NOW?
IF THERE ARE VOTERS CHOICE AT
COUNTY THEN REQUIREMENT, BUT
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COUNTIES
THAT HAVE VOLUNTARILY OR HOW TO
PRE EXISTING LAND AS WELL. OKAY,
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE THE
MAIN THINGS THAT A COUNTY
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS CAN DO TO
ENSURE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS?
BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE YOU SAID
THAT LOS ANGELES PROVIDES VOTING
BALLOTS AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES NOW 19. 19 YEAH, SO
AND I KNOW SANTA CLARA COUNTY
ALSO HAS LIKE 15, PLUS LANGUAGES
THAT YOU'RE DOING, UM AND
PROVIDING STAFF AND PEOPLE WHO
ARE ON STAFF WHO SPEAK ALL THOSE
LANGUAGES. WHAT OTHER TOOLS AND
THINGS CAN PEOPLE DO LIKE,
ESPECIALLY FOR THE COUNTY THAT
SMALLER LIKE SHASTA? WELL HAVING
AN OUTREACH PERSON IS REALLY A
FANTASTIC IDEA. BUT WE
UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PLACE LIKE
CHATHAM MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO
THAT. BUT THEY CAN PARTNER WITH
ORGANIZATIONS TO UNDERSTAND
WHERE COMMUNITIES LIVE, WHERE
THEY GO, HOW THEY CAN DO
OUTREACH TO THEM, AND THAT'S ONE
OF THE PURPOSES OF THE LACK IS
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT KIND
OF RESOURCE TO THE COUNTY
OFFICIALS. YEAH, THERE'S ALSO,
UH, WE'VE SEEN OTHER LOCAL
GOVERNMENT KIND OF DO
INTERGOVERNMENTAL SURVEYS TO
FIND OUT LIKE WHAT ARE THE TOUCH
POINTS AND WHAT COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE BEEN INTERFACING IN WHICH
LANGUAGES LANGUAGE NEEDS TO HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFYING AS WELL. UM SO
THERE ARE WAYS TO KIND OF
ASSESS. WHICH LANGUAGES BUT, YOU
KNOW, THE STATE DOES PROVIDE A
LIST OF LANGUAGES. HOW DO YOU
CAN WE BRING MORE PEOPLE IN? I
THINK THAT REALLY COMES DOWN TO
HAVING TRUSTED VOICES. IN HAVING
, UM THESE TRUSTED VOICES ALSO
HELP INFORM THE INFORMATION THAT
IS PASSED ALONG TO THE COMMUNITY
AS WELL, MEANING IT WOULD BE
MORE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE AS
WELL. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME
TODAY. I WISH WE HAD MORE. BUT
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR
LAST PANEL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH
MONEY. SHOULD I LEAVE? WELL,
WE'LL TAKE SOME HERE AND THEN
YOU CAN PUT THEM SOMEWHERE WHERE
PEOPLE CAN GATHER. YEAH YES,
ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. THANK
YOU. YES OKAY. OKAY AND WE'RE
NOW ON TO OUR OUR LAST PANEL
BEFORE PUBLIC TESTIMONY, AND
THAT ONE IS ON ENGAGING
COMMUNITIES AND IMPROVING
PARTICIPATION. PERSPECTIVES OF
THE COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. SO WE HAVE
KRISTEN NUMBERS WHO'S THE POLICY
AND CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR
CALIFORNIA BLACK POWER NETWORK.
FRED NEESON, MANAGING ATTORNEY
FOR VOTING RIGHTS PRACTICE
GROUP. DISABILITY RIGHTS,
CALIFORNIA. VERONICA CARRIZALEZ.
THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT OF
POLICY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS.
CALIFORNIA CALLS GOOD TO SEE YOU
AGAIN. AND ALEJANDRA RAMIREZ
KARATE BOARD MEMBER LEAGUE OF
WOMEN, VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA COME
ON UP. I THINK BOTH CHAIRS
COMING YAHOO! MERRILEES. OKAY?
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
TODAY AND WE'RE GONNA ALLOW FOUR
MINUTES EACH OF THAT'S OKAY. AND
THEN WE'LL GET INTO SOME
QUESTIONS. SO DO YOU HAVE AN
ORDER YOU WANT TO START WITH OR
JUST GO WITH WHAT WE HAVE ON THE
AGENDA. KRISTEN START WITH
KRISTIN. THANK YOU FOR INVITING
ME TO THIS PANEL. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KRISTEN
NUMBERS ON THE POLICY AND
CAMPAIGN MANAGER WITH THE
CALIFORNIA BLACK POWER NETWORK
TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE
BACKGROUND ABOUT OUR
ORGANIZATION. WE ARE A COALITION
OF 35 BLACK LED BLACK SERVING
ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. WE REPRESENT 10 DIFFERENT
COUNTIES ACROSS THE BAY. CENTRAL
VALLEY IN AN EMPIRE, LOS ANGELES
AND SAN DIEGO. UM AND WE ENGAGE
IN POLICY ADVOCACY AS WELL AS
YEAR ROUND VOTER ENGAGEMENT WITH
SIGNIFICANT FOCUS ON REACHING
THE HARDEST TO REACH VOTERS,
INCLUDING SYSTEM IMPACTED VOTERS
, FOLKS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS, YOUNG VOTERS, LOW
INCOME AND BLACK IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES ARE MEMBERS RUN
VOTER REGISTRATION PROGRAMS, AND
WE'VE CONTACTED HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF VOTERS AND
RESIDENTS AS A PARTNER WITH THE
STATE DOING CENSUS OUTREACH AND
THROUGH OUR OWN YEAR ROUND CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS THROUGH THIS
WEEK. WORK ON THE GROUND WITH
OTHER ENGAGEMENT AND SERVICE,
PROVIDING ORGANIZATIONS. WE'VE
REALLY GAINED A DEEPER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE BARRIERS
FACING IMPACT AND VOTE VOTERS.
AND THEN THE OVERVIEW THAT YOU
PROVIDED FOR THIS HEARING. WE
CAN SEE THE MANY STRIDES THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS MADE AND
IMPROVING OUR ELECTION VOTER
REGISTRATION PROCESSES BUT TO
IMPROVE THESE VOTER GAPS THAT
STILL WORRYING, WE REALLY HAVE
TO MOVE TOWARD A SPACE AND PUSH
FORWARD BILLS THAT HAVE THE MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN MIND.
SO SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT ARE
STILL FACING VOTERS AND
ESPECIALLY BLACK VOTERS ARE LACK
OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE VOTING
PROCESS IS DUE TO GAPS AND
OUTREACH, VOTER REGISTRATION.
DISTRUST OF SOME OF THE UPDATED
PROCESSES AND LIMITED LANGUAGE
ACCESS. SO WHEN IT COMES TO
VOTER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH,
MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO EXPAND
THE OUTREACH TO HARD TO REACH
VOTERS AND FOR BLACK VOTERS, IN
PARTICULAR, MORE NEEDS TO BE
DONE TO IMPROVE VOTER DATA AND
THE ABILITY OF ORGANIZATIONS
DEFINED BLACK VOTERS USING
OUTREACH AND TURF CUTTING TOOLS
LIKE PD I BLACK VOTERS ARE THE
MOST IMPACTED ACROSS ISSUE AREAS
, WHICH MAKES OUR COMMUNITIES
ONE OF THE HARDEST TO REACH.
MORE THAN HALF OF THE BLACK
POPULATION IN CALIFORNIA IS
EXPERIENCING POVERTY. WE ARE A
THIRD OF THE HOUSES POPULATION.
WE MAKE UP A SIGNIFICANT
PERCENTAGE OF THOSE INCARCERATED
ARE IMPACTED BY THE LEGAL SYSTEM
AND AS A STATE, WE ALSO HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT POPULATION OF BLACK
IMMIGRANTS. ALL OF THESE FACTORS
MAKE US HARDER TO LOCATE AND
HARDER TO REACH BECAUSE STRESSED
MESSENGERS ARE NEEDED DOOR TO
DOOR CONTACT IS MORE IMPACTFUL,
AND THERE'S GREATER DISTRUST OF
CERTAIN SYSTEMS AS A RESULT OF
HISTORIC RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
AND DISENFRANCHISEMENT. FOR
EXAMPLE, BLACK VOTERS PREFER IN
PERSON VOTING. IN 2 MILLION
BALLOTS BECAUSE THEY FEEL IT'S
MORE SECURE. THEY ALSO MAY BE
DISTRUSTFUL OF USING ONLINE
REGISTRATION SYSTEMS OR SHARING
PERSONAL INFORMATION WITH FOLKS
HOLDING REGISTRATION DRIVES. AND
SO THESE FACTORS MEAN ALSO MEAN
THAT TRADITIONAL CAMPAIGNS ARE
NOT DOING OUTREACH TO OUR
COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
CONSIDERED LIKELY VOTERS WITH
ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE
BEEN MADE TO OUR VOTING SYSTEMS
AND JUST THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE
ONUS IS REALLY ON THE STATE TO
TRULY INVEST IN FUNDING, VOTER
EDUCATION AND COLLABORATING WITH
CBOS NOT ONLY ON LIKE THE
OUTREACH ITSELF BUT ALSO ON THE
MOST EFFECTIVE MESSAGING AND
CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES TO REACH
THESE IMPACTED GROUPS LIKE
INTEGRATING SOME OF THIS
COMMUNICATION AND REGISTRATION
STRATEGY INTO SERVICE PROVISION.
UM THIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING
AND HARD TO REACH FACTORS ALSO
IMPACTS, REGISTRATION AND THE
ACCURACY OF THE VOTER FILE
INFORMATION. MANY OF THESE
CONDITIONS HAVE WORSENED SINCE
THE PANDEMIC. THE HOUSING CRISIS
IS GROWING BLACK RESIDENTS ARE
FACING GENTRIFICATION AND
DISPLACEMENT AND MOVING OUT OF
TRADITIONAL BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS
IN L. A IN THE BAY INTO AREAS
LIKE THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND IN
AN EMPIRE, AND THEY AREN'T
UPDATING THEIR REGISTRATION,
THEIR NUMBERS OR OTHER DATA
THAT'S NECESSARY TO REACH THEM.
AND THESE ARE ALSO AREAS THAT
DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE SAME
INFRASTRUCTURE AS URBAN CENTERS
LIKE THE BAYER L, A. WHERE THEY
DON'T HAVE AS MANY COMMUNITY
GROUPS DOING THIS OUTREACH WHERE
YOU KNOW THE REGISTRARS ARE
BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO
DEAL WITH GREATER POPULATIONS.
UM AND AGAIN WHEN IT COMES TO
IMPACT THE COMMUNITY, THEY FACE
SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS AND
REGISTRATION AS WELL. HOUSES
VOTERS HAVE TO NAVIGATE
REGISTRATION WITHOUT ADDRESSES
WITHOUT CONSISTENT ACCESS TO
COMPUTERS, PHONES OR OTHER
TECHNOLOGY NEEDED TO REGISTER
AND 2020 DISENFRANCHISED. WE RE
ENFRANCHISED THOUSANDS OF VOTERS
THROUGH PACK 17, BUT MANY OF
THOSE ELIGIBLE TRES ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE. VOTERS ARE NOT SURE OF
THEIR RIGHTS AND DON'T WANT TO
RISK LEGAL COMPLICATIONS. A
RAMIFICATIONS FOR REGISTERING
RIGHT NOW, LESS THAN ONE
INFORMALLY, ONE IN FOUR FORMERLY
INCARCERATED PEOPLE ARE
REGISTERED TO VOTE. AND SO WE
NEED POLICIES THAT FURTHER
AUTOMATE OUR REGISTRATION
SYSTEMS LIKE SB 299, WHICH
REMOVES CONFUSION AND THE NEED
FOR VOTERS TO TAKE MORE STEPS TO
EVEN GET IN THE DOOR OF THIS
PROCESS. LASTLY, THERE ALSO
UNMET LANGUAGE NEEDS, ESPECIALLY
FOR BLACK IMMIGRANT VOTERS WHO
SPEAK LANGUAGES THAT ARE NOT
TRADITIONALLY INCLUDED IN THOSE
THAT ARE TRANSLATED WHICH I
THINK WAS REFLECTED IN THE LAST
PRESENTATION AS WELL. UM IN 2019
62% OF BLACK IMMIGRANTS SPOKE A
LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AT
HOME, AND THIS AMOUNTS TO
THOUSANDS OF VOTERS ACROSS THE
STREET ACROSS THE STATE, BUT
VERY RARELY ARE VOTING MATERIALS
OFFERED IN AFRICAN LANGUAGES.
CLOSING PHOTOGRAPHS REALLY
REQUIRES THAT WE INVEST IN
EDUCATION THAT WE SUPPORT
POLICIES THAT MAKE IT EASIER FOR
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES LIKE OUR
HOUSES. FOLKS ARE IMPACTED
FOLKS. BLACK IMMIGRANTS FORMERLY
INCARCERATED FOLKS TO ACCESS
THESE PROCESSES, WHILE VOTERS
REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF
THESE PROCESSES, THERE ARE
BARRIERS TO THOSE COMMUNITIES.
HE'S IN TERMS OF ACCESSING THIS
EDUCATION IN TERMS OF ACCESSING
THE MATERIALS IN TERMS OF EVEN
HAVING THE TECHNOLOGY OR THINGS
LIKE THAT TO RESPOND. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE
IT. OKAY? WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
MOVE ON TO FRED NEESON, AND YOU
ALSO HAVE A POWER POINT WITH
WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TODAY AS
WELL. YES, YEAH. BIÂU. IT'S A
MOMENT. HMM MOVIE UMBRIDGE DEED
A. WOW. MM THE. MM MY NAME WOULD
NEED UM. ROOM MANGY DEED? MM
HMM. RIGHT? WORD GROUP THERE. Dð
BèC. WAIT. OH, MORE. UM, UM UM.
WOW WELL, OKAY. DO YOU IN? BèC.
BèC KIN. BEING FIVE. AND. YEAH
THEY KNOW. BOOM, RIGHT? AND.
VERY GOOD. UM SO. UM ONE BLUE.
UM. HEY YOU ALONE BèC Ó. D¯ÚI
MY WE HAVE. ALERT ROOM. UM
INVOLVING A IS, UH, GÒM D IS
REALLY MM. WHOA, WHOA! OH NO
BLUES. MEMBER. LOOK AT ME. I'M
HMM. MM, REALLY. ONE. OH, AND
HEY, OH, LOVE. WHOA, WHOA MM.
BOOM. WILL ADVISE MM. YUMMY. MM.
THAT WOULD DO BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
I IN, UM WORRY BèC. UM HAVE FUN.
AGREE. ROOM UH WHOA. BLACK BLUE
IT OVER. MM. OH BOY. WHOA MAN,
GOOD, CLIVE. I'M REACHING NEWS.
THAT'S WAS A FULHAM BOOM. UM UM,
UM, UM BELOW BOOM. HMM WHAT YOU
MM. RIGHT WHY? I MEAN, THE
MYSTERIOUS THEY RIGHT? OH Ó. UH
YEAH. IS MY. KHÔNG. OH BOO. UH,
OH, BABY, UM BèC. MM. OH, BOOM.
MM THE MUI DO NOT KNOW. ABOUT
WHAT THE BILL. BOOM UM. BèC Ó.
MM HMM. MM BRO. MOVIE. YOU'RE NO
WAY. MOVE THAT THE MORE THE
BUTTERMILK IS WHOA! YEAH. HMM.
HMM THAT'S THE BOOT THEM. UH HUH
HUH UH. VÚI THE BOOBERY. NO I
MEAN EVEN KNOW BELOW ABOUT MORE.
GIVE US BOY. UH BE VOTE THE
YEAH. 11 MORE MINUTE. NO LOW.
LOW. WORLD. DO YOU WON'T LOWER.
MOVE BOYS PULL. THE BABY'S A.
YEAH. MM HMM. DID YOU, UH, LOAN
ME? MORE. MM. HMM WHOA! LITTLE
BOOK BOOT. IS THAT MOVIE? BOOM?
MM. MM UH, YES, MA'AM, ILL. UM
MY, UH, MY BOOB DAY A. AH, I
MEAN, AH, YEAH. NO WHAT Ó. MM
MM MM MM MM MM. ROOM BOOM. IN
ROOM. OH, OH, UM HMM. MM. AND.
MHM ALWAYS BE M O THE ROOM BOOM.
THE VOTE. MM HMM. THE LOT NÓI.
YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANKS FOR
SUBMITTING YOUR COMMENTS IN
WRITING WILL HAVE THOSE POSTED
ON OUR WEBSITE. THANK YOU. WE'LL
NOW MOVE ON TO VERONICA. THANK
YOU. CHAIR MADAM CHAIR AND
PALLOR IN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY. UM MY
NAME IS VERONICA CARRIZALEZ AND
I REPRESENT CALIFORNIA CALLS,
WHICH IS A STATEWIDE ALLIANCE OF
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
DOING OUTREACH TO NEW AND LOW
PROPENSITY VOTERS, MOSTLY LOW
INCOME VOTERS OF COLOR. ACROSS
THE STATE, RIGHT, SO PART OF OUR
GOAL IS TO INCREASE VOTER
PARTICIPATION OF THE COMMUNITIES
MOST IMPACTED SO THAT THEY CAN
HAVE A SAY ON POLICY ISSUES
AFFECTING THEIR COMMUNITIES.
TODAY WE'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT
VOTING REFORMS THAT HAVE BEEN
PASSED WITH THE INTENT TO MAKE
VOTING EASIER. BUT EVEN WITH THE
VOTING REFORMS, WE'RE STILL
SEEING VOTER PARTICIPATION. GAPS
RIGHT? WE'RE STILL SEEING VOTER
PARTICIPATION GAPS FOR LOW
INCOME VOTERS FOR BLACK VOTERS.
LATINO VOTERS, UM AND ÁP, AYE,
VOTERS AND VOTERS WITH
DISABILITIES. RIGHT FRED? UM SO,
UH, NOT TO MENTION THE 4.6
MILLION VOTERS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE
TO VOTE, UM AND NOT REGISTERED
TO VOTE, AND THESE PEOPLE ARE
PREDOMINANTLY PEOPLE OF COLOR
IMMIGRANTS. RENTERS AND LOW
INCOME. SOMETIMES. WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT LOW VOTER PARTICIPATION
RATES. I HEAR LEGISLATORS. AND I
EVEN HEAR SOME ADVOCATES SAY,
WELL, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT
WE CAN DO. WE'VE MADE IT EASIER
FOR VOTERS TO VOTE, BUT THEY
JUST DON'T WANT TO VOTE. VOTERS
DON'T CARE. I'VE EVEN HEARD THAT
IT'S VOTERS INDIVIDUAL CHOICE IF
THEY WANT TO REGISTER TO VOTE,
SO THEY CHOOSE NOT TO REGISTER
WHILE THEY MADE THAT CHOICE. I
WANT TO JUST RAISE SOME CONCERNS
WITH THESE ARGUMENTS BECAUSE
THESE ARGUMENTS MAKE IT SEEM
LIKE THE LOW PARTICIPATION, UM,
THAT WE SEE AND OUR DEMOCRACY IS
SOLELY AN INDIVIDUAL CHOICE. UM
AND THEY IGNORE SOME OF THE
LARGELY, UH, CHALLENGES THAT LOW
INCOME COMMUNITY SPACE RIGHT LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES FACE ISSUES
RELATED TO POVERTY, UM, REGIONS
AND LOS ANGELES AND THE BAY AREA
ARE FACING EVICTION. TSUNAMIS
RIGHT. VOTERS ARE MOVING FROM
ONE REGION TO ANOTHER REGION TO
THE INLAND REGIONS. THEY'RE
MOVING IN WITH FAMILY VOTER
INFORMATION, DOES NOT BEING
UPDATED BECAUSE VOTERS ARE JUST
TRYING TO SURVIVE. AH THESE
STATEMENTS IGNORE VOTERS
DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT. THERE'S
A LOT OF MISINFORMATION. UM I
ALWAYS WORRY WHEN FAMILY MEMBERS
SAY I GOT THE INFORMATION ON
TIKTOK BECAUSE I'M LIKE, OH, NO,
IT WAS PROBABLY WRONG. SO YOU
KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF
MISINFORMATION AND THERE'S
HISTORIC BARRIERS RIGHT TO CIVIC
PARTICIPATION THAT HAS PREVENTED
SOME COMMUNITIES FROM VOTING.
VOTERS ARE NOT UNDERSTANDING THE
ELECTION CHANGES OR THEIR RIGHTS
SO SIMILAR TO WHAT FRED
MENTIONED AROUND THE DISABILITY
COMMUNITY. NOT THAT THE
COMMUNITY THAT'S DISABLED, NOT
UNDERSTANDING THE CHANGES. WHEN
WE TALK TO VOTERS ON THE DOORS
WERE FINDING THAT VOTERS DON'T
UNDERSTAND HOW TO VOTE. THEY
DON'T KNOW THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND
THE CHANGES. THEY DON'T KNOW
WHERE THEIR POLLING LOCATIONS
ARE. THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS
CIVIC DESSERTS, RIGHT? WE HAVE
REGIONS IN THE STATE WITH WHERE
VOTERS ARE NOT BEING CONTACTED
BY MAJOR CAMPAIGNS OR WHERE
THERE IS NO MOVEMENT
INFRASTRUCTURE RIGHT THAT WE
THAT CAN CONNECT VOTERS TO THE
ELECTION PROCESS. AND I GUESS
THE FINAL CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE
IS THE GROWING INFLUENCE. OF
CORPORATE INTEREST AND CORPORATE
MONEY IN OUR ELECTIONS, THEY'RE
USING THE INITIATIVE PROCESS AND
THEY'RE USING THE REFERENDUM
PROCESS TO OVERTURN LAWS THAT
WERE INTENDED TO PROTECT LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES, AND THEY'RE
USING THEIR MONEY TO MISINFORMED
VOTERS AND ATTACK OUR DEMOCRACY.
SO THE END RESULT IS THAT THE
PEOPLE MOST IMPACTED ARE LESS
LIKELY TO HAVE A SAY AND LESS
LIKELY TO BE REPRESENTED. AND
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE MORE
AND MORE CONSEQUENTIAL POLICY
ISSUES ARE BEING DETERMINED ON
THE BALLOT ISSUES THAT VOTERS
CARE ABOUT, LIKE FUNDING FOR
EDUCATION FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, EXPANDING VOTING RIGHTS
. ALL THESE ISSUES ARE ON THE
BALLOT, AND THESE ARE ISSUES
THAT WHEN WE TALK TO VOTERS THEY
CARE ABOUT THEY WANT TO HAVE A
SAY. SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
SOLUTIONS SO THE FIRST SOLUTION
IS CREATING A PATH TO 100% VOTER
REGISTRATION. THAT'S THE FIRST
STEP, LET'S MAKE IT EASIER FOR
PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE BY PASSING
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING WE CAN
DO. THE NEXT SOLUTION, PARTNER
WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN YOUR
REGION THAT DO VOTER OUTREACH
RIGHT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MINE.
CALIFORNIA CALLS A MILLION
VOTERS PROJECT. WE TALKED TO
ONE. WE'VE TALKED TO 1.8 MILLION
INDIVIDUAL, LOW PROPENSITY
VOTERS SINCE 2030 SECONDS. UM
WE'VE SEEN A 5 TO 10. PERCENT
VOTER TURNOUT INCREASE FOR BLACK
LATINO ÁP I IN YOUNG VOTERS WHEN
WE WHEN WE TALKED TO THEM
BECAUSE WE'RE USING TRUSTED
MESSENGERS AND BECAUSE THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE
OUTRAGE THEY KNOW THE TERRAIN,
BOTH PHYSICALLY AND POLITICALLY,
UM AND THEY'RE ABLE TO INFORM
THEM ON HOW TO VOTE. UM AND
LASTLY, UM, I THINK WE WANT WE
WANT TO SEE MORE FUNDING FOR
VOTER OUTREACH, RIGHT? WE NEED
TO SOUND THE ALARM ON THE CRISIS
THAT WE HAVE ON OUR DEMOCRACY
AND TREAT THE CRISIS THE SAME
WAY THAT WE TREATED THE PANDEMIC
, RIGHT. WE DID MASSIVELY
INVESTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND
WE DID A MASSIVE GET OUT THE
VACCINE EFFORT. LET'S DO THE
SAME WITH VOTING. LET'S
RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A CRISIS IN
OUR DEMOCRACY AND LET'S INVEST
SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A TRULY
AUTHENTIC DEMOCRACY IN
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, AND THEN LAST, BUT NOT
LEAST SPEAKER ALEJANDRA RAMIREZ
KARATE. GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK
YOU, TARA PELLER, AND MY NAME IS
ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ SATURDAY. SHE
HEARD A ARE MY PREFERRED
PRONOUNS AND I AM IMPORTANT
MEMBER WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN,
VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA AND THE
LEGAL WOMEN VOTERS PROVIDES
RESOURCES TO CLOSE THE
PARTICIPATION GAP AND ENSURE
VOTER ENGAGEMENT IS MORE
INFORMED AND MORE REPRESENTATIVE
OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSITY WERE
VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DURING THIS
HEARING AND TO DISCUSS THE VOTER
PARTICIPATION GAP IN. I WANTED
TO SHARE AN ANECDOTE FROM
SOMEONE WHO'S WORKED A MANY
YEARS TOO CLOSE TO
PARTICIPATION. GAP AND SOMEONE
WHO SEES MYSELF AND MY FAMILY
REPRESENTED IN OUR NUMBERS WE
DISCUSSED TODAY I GREW UP
UNDOCUMENTED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR
OVER 25 YEARS WORKING TO CLOSE
THE VOTER PARTICIPATION GAP, BUT
I WAS NEVER ABLE TO FULLY TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF BEING PART OF THAT
DEMOCRACY AND A FULL WAY AND I
WAS FINALLY ABLE TO ADJUST MY
STUDIES A MOMENT. FIRST TIME
LAST YEAR, THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION WILL BE THE FIRST TIME
I GET TO VOTE FOR OUR PRESIDENT,
SO I WANTED TO THANK ALL THE
FOLKS IN THIS ROOM WHO ARE
DEDICATED TO DOING THAT WORK.
THANK YOU AND AS OTHER PANELISTS
HAVE STATED, DESPITE SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS, WE KNOW RACIAL
DISPARITIES CONTINUE TO PERSIST
IN VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING
. WE'VE HEARD IT TIME AND TIME
AGAIN. 4.6 MILLION ELIGIBLE
VOTERS ARE MISSING FROM THE
ROLLS IN 2020 VOTER TURNOUT
RATES FOR ELIGIBLE ASIAN
AMERICAN, BLACK AND LATINO
CALIFORNIANS WERE BETWEEN 11 TO
20% POINTS LOWER THAN THOSE OF
WHITE CALIFORNIANS. AND WE'VE
ALL SEEN NUMBERS. WE ALL KNOW
THE DATA. AND AS UH, HAS BEEN
DISCUSSED ALSO THE MANY BARRIERS
OF INCOME COMPANIES FACE I
WANTED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THE
SYSTEMATIC, INTENTIONAL APPROACH
TO LEAVE OUR COMMUNITIES OUT OF
OUR DEMOCRACY. IT'S NOT APATHY.
IT'S STRUCTURAL RACISM. I WANTED
TO NOTE THE STIGMA THAT COMES
WITH BEING LABELED A LOW
PROPENSITY VOTER. MANY FOLKS
DON'T WORK BECAUSE THEY DON'T
CARE. THEY MAY NOT WORK BECAUSE
THEY THINK THEIR GOVERNMENT
DOESN'T CARE. WE NEED TO BRIDGE
AND ADDRESS THAT AND SO, WITH
THIS IN MIND, THE IMPORTANT WORK
THE LEAGUE IS DOING TO CALL THE
PART. THE VOTER PARTICIPATION
GAP INCLUDES CANADA, FORUMS AND
BORDER GUIDES THAT PROVIDE
SUBSTANCE COMING FROM CANADA IS
TO CONNECT THEM TO EVERYDAY
COMMUNITIES, HELPING TO REDUCE
THAT DISTRUST IN GOVERNMENT. WE
TALKED ABOUT LOCAL LEAGUES RUN
THESE CANDIDATE FORUMS ACROSS
CALIFORNIA TO TRY TO HELP MAKE
THAT CONNECTION. THE EASY VOTER
GUIDES THAT WE DID, UH, PELHAM
IS A PROJECT THAT CONTINUES TO
PRODUCE THAT GOOD, PLAIN
LANGUAGE ACCESSIBLE MESSAGING
THAT GOES OUT TO VOTERS. IT'S
AVAILABLE IN FIVE LANGUAGES.
ENGLISH, SPANISH, CHINESE,
VIETNAMESE AND KOREAN. WE WORKED
WITH TRUSTED CBOS ON THE GROUND
COMMUNITIES ORGANIZATIONS TO
DISSEMINATE THAT EASY VOTER
GUIDE. AND ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE
OF REACHING VOTERS IS AS WE ARE
NOW APPEAR APPEAR NETWORKING IN
2020. THE LEAGUE RAN A YOUTH
GOTV PROGRAM, AND WE REACH 4
MILLION AGAIN THAT WORD LOW
PROPENSITY. THE YOUTH VOTERS ARE
FOLKS WHO ARE LESS LIKELY TO
PARTICIPATE. AND ALTHOUGH WE'VE
DONE A LOT TO CLOSE THE BORDER,
PARTICIPATE PARTICIPATION GAP,
BUT WE HAVEN'T TRIED TO DO IS TO
CONSISTENTLY AND ACTIVELY FUN
THESE CULTURALLY LINGUISTICALLY
COMBAT, COMPETENT EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH BY THESE TRUSTED
MESSENGERS, SO WE SAW THAT THAT
WORKING WELL WITH THE 2020
CENSUS, THE STATE INVESTED
$187.2 MILLION AND THAT WAS
FUNNY THAT WAS USED BY THESE
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
CALIFORNIA HAD AN EXCELLENT
RESPONSE RATE, INCLUDING AND IN
MANY PARTICULARLY HARD TO COUNT
CENSUS TRACTS, SO WE KNOW WE
HAVE TO RESOURCE BOTH BOTH
ELECTION OFFICES AND THE
CULTURALLY COMPETENT COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO ENGAGE
PEOPLE IN SHRINK THAT
PARTICIPATION GAP IN 2022. SO
JUST LAST YEAR, OUR COLLISION
MADE ON VOTER EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH BUDGET REQUEST, AND
THIS WAS CHAMPIONED BY A GROUP
OF LEGISLATORS LED BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AGGIE AT CURRY.
ALTHOUGH WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL,
WE'RE STARTING TO PAY THE PATH.
TO BE ABLE TO GET THESE, UH,
REQUEST FUNDED, SO WE KNOW THE
WORK IS ALREADY HAPPENING. WE
JUST NEED TO TRUST THE FOLKS WHO
ARE ALREADY ON THE GROUND AND
FUND THEM FOR THEIR WORK. LASTLY
THE LEAGUE HAS DRAFTED A
RESOLUTION TO ACHIEVE OUR
REPRESENTATIVE ELECTORATE, AND
THIS IS A RESOLUTION. WE'RE
TRYING TO GET INTRODUCED EARLY
NEXT SESSION TO HELP WITH
EDUCATING LEGISLATORS AND THE
PUBLIC AND SET THE STAGE FOR
NEXT STEPS. AND WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE AS ALWAYS ADVOCATING
FOR RESOURCES NEEDED TO CLOSE
THE BORDER PARTICIPATION GAP
AGAIN TO TRUSTED MESSENGERS ARE
ALREADY DOING THE WORK. WE JUST
NEED TO FUND THEIR WORK, TRUST
THEIR VOICES AND EXPERIENCE AND
WE'RE ALL INTO EXPAND DEMOCRACY
FOR ALL, PARTICULARLY FOR
HISTORICALLY DISENFRANCHISED
COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING,
UM AH, LET'S SEE, UM JUST ONE
QUESTION THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE
TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY ARE THEIR
ELECTION REFORMS THAT HAVE
WIDENED PARTICIPATION GAPS FOR
CERTAIN UNDERREPRESENTED
COMMUNITIES. MAYBE I'LL START.
UM, I THINK YES, I THINK
ALLOWING VOTERS TO VOTE ON
MULTIPLE DAYS AND TO REGISTER TO
VOTE. SAME DAY HAS MADE A
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE,
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE DO NEED
MORE INVESTMENT IN THIS OUTREACH
EVEN IF FOLKS AREN'T REGISTERED,
EVEN IF THEY'RE AT A POLLING
LOCATION THAT IS NEW TO THEM.
THEN THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO
REGISTER AND ALSO JUST SPEAKING
ABOUT IMPACTED COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE LIKE FOCUSED ON SURVIVAL. IT
ALSO HELPS THEM TO BE ABLE TO
GET CHILDCARE TO BE ABLE TO
ACTUALLY MAKE THE TIME TO VOTE,
SO I THINK THAT THOSE HAVE BEEN
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. YOUR
QUESTION WAS IF THERE WERE
REFORMS THAT WIDEN VOTER
PARTICIPATION GAPS, SO MADE IT
WORSE. I THOUGHT YOU MET CLOSE
THEM. EITHER YEAH, I THINK WE'RE
PROBABLY MORE INTERESTED IN
REDUCED. SORRY I WAS REDUCED THE
VOTER BRINGING REFORMS THAT CAN
THAT YOU THINK REALLY HIT TO
REDUCE OUR VOTER PARTICIPATION
GAPS AND, YES, SAME DAY
REGISTRATION IS A KEY. YEAH.
SAME DAY. VOTER REGISTRATION, I
THINK IS GOOD VOTE BY MAIL.
RIGHT IN 2020. WE SAW A BIG
INCREASE IN VOTER PARTICIPATION
BECAUSE OF VOTE BY MAIL. UM SO I
THINK I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD
THING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO
THAT, UM AND THEN FRED. WE'RE
GOING TO SHARE SOMETHING AS
WELL. OH YES, THEY UH HUH. BOOM
BLOW BY GO BUOYS. NO. MADE IN
10. OH, MM. ME. THE EU WILL DENG
LOW. BABY GATE LIVE. BUT NOW
WELL, WE DID IN. MM THE Ó. YEAH
THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION TOOLS
WE HAVE TO VOTERS TO CURE THAT
EITHER UNSIGNED VOTER BALLOT
ENVELOPE OR A SIGNATURE. THAT
DOESN'T COMPARE. YEAH ABSOLUTELY
MAD, ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT HAPPENED
ON THE GROUND WITH LOCAL
REGISTRARS. SO WANTED TO SHOUT
OUT DEAN LOGAN AND L. A IN THE
ROLLOUT OF THE VOTE CENTER
MODELS AND PARTNERING WITH, FOR
EXAMPLE, THE L. A LEAGUE OF
WOMEN VOTERS. ENTRUSTED CBS TO
HELP INFORM THE PLACEMENT OF THE
VOTE CENTERS. AND AS WE HAVE
IMPLEMENTED THAT FROM THEN ON
BEING ABLE TO TROUBLESHOOT
THROUGH ANY EXISTING PROBLEMS
THAT MAY ARISE, SO JUST THE
STRENGTH OF THOSE PARTNERSHIPS
WITH THE REGISTRARS THANK YOU
ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION. I WISH WE COULD
TALK ABOUT THIS FOR DAYS, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY WE WANT TO GET TO
SOME PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND, UH SO
I DID WANT TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW
30 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC
TESTIMONIES THAT WE WILL GO A
LITTLE BIT BEYOND FIVE O'CLOCK.
OKAY AND SO, MY NOTES. SO AS FAR
AS PUBLIC TESTIMONIES TO GO AS A
REMINDER, WE GOT 30 MINUTES,
STARTING WITH MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO ARE HERE IN THE ROOM.
EACH PERSON WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE
IF YOU CAN MAKE IT SHORTER,
PLEASE, TO MAKE YOUR REMARKS. IF
YOUR POINT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE
BY ANOTHER SPEAKER, PLEASE JUST
STATE, YOUR NAME ORGANIZATION
AND A ME TOO. MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO ARE UNABLE TO
PARTICIPATE DURING THIS PART OF
THE AGENDA OR HAVE LENGTHIER
THOUGHTS TO SHARE WITH THE
COMMITTEE ARE ENCOURAGED TO
SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY, WHICH
WILL BECOME PART OF THE OFFICIAL
RECORD OF THE HEARING AND AGAIN
IF YOU WISH TO TESTIFY BY PHONE,
THE COLIN NUMBER IS 877. CAN WE
HAVE IT? QUIET, PLEASE? HERE?
WHAT HASH, PLEASE. PHONE NUMBER
IS 87769. AND THE ACCESS CODE IS
131543. AGAIN WE'LL START WITH
THE FOLKS HERE IN THE ROOM, YOU
MAY BEGIN. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY
NAME IS SAMUEL TROY. AND I'M A
PARTY FELLOW FROM ALLIANCE SAN
DIEGO. OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD
COLLECTIVE POWER, AND IT'S
CREATING INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY.
ORGANIZATION IS FOUNDED AND LED
BY AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER. AND WE
ARE FIRM IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS
OF IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS AND
CAMPAIGNS AND HAVE ASSISTED
THOUSANDS OF ELIGIBLE IMMIGRANTS
IN THEIR NATIONAL DECISION
PROCESS AND MOBILIZING THEM TO
EXERCISE THEIR NEWFOUND RIGHT AS
VOTERS. WHEN WE JOINED THE
CALIFORNIA GRASSROOTS DEMOCRATIC
DEMOCRACY COALITION. FIRST
QUESTION WE LOOKED INTO WAS HOW
TO UPGRADE TO THE SAFE AUTOMATIC
VOTER REGISTRATION OR SAVOR
SYSTEM. WHAT IMPACT NONCITIZENS.
WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THE
CURRENT SYSTEM CREATES MORE RISK
FOR NON CITIZENS. JUST DURING
THE MOST RECENT ELECTION CYCLE.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OVER A DOZEN
NONCITIZENS BEING ERRONEOUSLY
REGISTERED. WE BELIEVE SAVER AS
DEMONSTRATED IN NINE OTHER
STATES BETTER PROTECTS
NONCITIZENS FROM ERROR AND
BRIDGES. THE GAP WE ARE PROUD OF
OUR DEMOCRACY IN CALIFORNIA, AND
WE CAN AND MUST WORK TOWARDS
100% VOTED THIS RATE. WHICH
SITUATION? TIME'S UP. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. PATRICIA MON, DRAGON
REGIONAL POLICY MANAGER FOR LION
SAN DIEGO. WE CONVENE THE SAN
DIEGO IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
CONSORTIUM, A COALITION OF 50
ORGANIZATIONS ADVOCATING AND
ASSISTING IMMIGRANTS AND
REFUGEES IN OUR REGION. WE ALSO
CONVENE THE SOUTHERN BORDERS
COMMUNITY COALITION HAVE A LEGAL
RIGHTS DEPARTMENT THAT DOES
NATURALIZATION SERVICES AND WE
RUN WE RAN A COVID IMMIGRANT
RELIEF FUND WE TALK TO AND WORK
WITH IMMIGRANTS ON A DAILY BASIS
AND ACTIVELY ENCOUNTER
NONCITIZENS WHO CHECKED THE
WRONG BOX BY MISTAKE. HERE'S A
STATEMENT OF ONE OF THOSE
NATURALISM SHOULD CLIENTS. I
WENT TO THE DMV TO RENEW MY
CALIFORNIA I D. AS I WAS FILLING
OUT THE FORMS I ACCIDENTALLY
CHECKED ON THE BOX THAT ASKS IF
YOU WANT TO REGISTER TO VOTE. I
DID NOT INTEND TO DO THIS. THERE
IS A LOT OF WORDS IN THERE AND
I'M VERY LIMITED IN MY ENGLISH
LANGUAGE, SO I FILLED OUT THE
FORM ENTIRELY. THINKING IT WAS
ONLY TO GET MY NEW I D. I
FINISHED AND SUBMITTED THE FORMS
NOT KNOWING I ACCIDENTALLY HAD
REGISTERED TO VOTE. HE WAS NEVER
MY INTENTION TO REGISTER TO VOTE
TIME. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE
SUPPORT SB 299. THANK YOU. NEXT
SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
PELLERIN. IT'S BEEN A LENGTH OF
HEARING, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR
OPENNESS TO HEARING US OUT. UM
SO I'M MARGINAL UPON AND THE
PRESIDENT OF STUPID CYPRESS
COLLEGE ASSOCIATE STUDENTS,
WHICH IS CYPRESS COLLEGE STUDENT
GOVERNMENT. I'M SPEAKING HERE
TODAY TO OFFER STUDENT
PERSPECTIVE ON WHY SECURE
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION
COULD HELP US ALL STUDENTS
ACROSS ALL CALIFORNIA MY FIRST
TIME GOING TO VOTE. I WAS TURNED
DOWN BY POLL WORKERS BECAUSE I
HADN'T REGISTERED TO VOTE
DESPITE THINKING I ALREADY DID.
SO MY FIRST YEAR I HAD A VOTER
REGISTRATION BOOTH TO ENSURE
THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO OTHERS.
I PLANNED FOR WEEKS AND DROVE
FOR TWO HOURS THERE AND BACK TO
THE
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS
. FAST FORWARD. THIS YEAR, WHEN
I WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF OUR
STUDENT GOVERNMENT, I WAS GIVEN
THE PLATFORM AND FUNDING TO HOST
ANOTHER VOTER REGISTRATION
BOOTH, BUT THIS TIME WITH MUCH
MORE SUCCESS. AND JUST TWO HOURS
REGISTERED OVER 300 STUDENTS.
WELL, IT MAY SEEM LIKE A MASSIVE
STEP FORWARD. IT'S A DROP IN THE
LATE COMPARED TO WHAT S P 299
COULD DO FOR OUR STUDENTS AND
THE FUTURE OF THE STATE BY
EXTENSION. SO AS A STUDENT, I
HUMBLY COME HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT. HOW STUDENTS CAN BE
MORE ENGAGED IN OUR POLITICS.
HOW CAN STUDENTS CAN BE MORE
ENGAGED IN POLITICS FROM THE
KENYAN VOTE OR KNOW IF THEY ARE
NOT EVEN REGISTERED? SUPPORTING?
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. I AM KATHLEEN WYNNE
ASSOCIATED STUDENTS SENATOR HERE
TO REPRESENT MY PEERS AND
SUPPORT SB 299. THROUGHOUT THIS
HEARING. I HAVE BEEN NOTED THAT
MANY OF YOU, SUCH AS KATHY BILL
BENNETT HAVE REALIZED THE
IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH
ORGANIZATIONS. THIS SEPTEMBER, I
NOTICED THE INTRODUCTION OF
ASSEMBLY BUILT SIX TIMES, WHICH
I ALSO SAW WAS ALSO SPONSORED BY
PELLERIN. UM SO A B 610
AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERED
STUDENTS FOR FREE PUBLIC
TRANSLATE, ACCORDING TO CLIMATE
SURVEY, 50% OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE
STUDENTS BASED ON INSECURITY
WITH ONE OF THEIR BASIC NEEDS. I
HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT
STATISTIC, HOWEVER, 8610
IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSES THOSE
ISSUES BY MAKING IT SO IT
AUTOMATICALLY REGISTER STUDENTS
TO VOTE ARE NOT ABOUT SORRY
PUBLIC TRANSIT, BUT AS WE 299
FOR THAT SAME PURPOSE, BUT IT
GIVES A STUDENT THE CHANCE. FOR
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION,
AND IT GIVES THEM A BETTER
OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE THROUGH
BETTER ACCESS. STUDENTS ARE THE
CHANCE TO CHANGE OUR FUTURE AND
LEGISLATION AND SENATE BILL 299
PROVIDES THAT CHANCE TO BE GIVEN
AGAIN. I GENUINELY URGED THE
CHAIR TO SUPPORT SENSIBILITY IN
ANY TIME. THANK YOU. HELLO HELLO
. MY NAME IS JOSE RAMON NOTICE,
AND I'M FORMERLY INCARCERATED
SPENT 16 LAST 16 YEARS OF MY
LIFE BEHIND BARS FOR A CRIME
THAT I WAS NOT GUILTY OF. UH
WHILE IN THAT TIME I GOT TO WORK
WITH, IRONICALLY, WITH THE A C O
U OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ON
UNLOCK THE VOTE. I WORKED WITH
THEM AND HELPING OTHER
INCARCERATED FOLKS UNDERSTAND
THEIR RIGHTS AND HOW THEY COULD
VOTE. AH, IT WAS A NIGHTMARE.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE IN
SUPPORT OF SECURE OUT AMERICA.
REGISTER FOR VOTER REGISTRY
BECAUSE FOR ALL INCARCERATED
PEOPLE AND EVERYONE, UH YOU GOT
TO A POINT WHERE WE HAD TO
SMUGGLE FORMS IN. THERE WAS A
LOT OF MISINFORMATION GOING ON
ABOUT WHO COULD VOTE WHO CANNOT
VOTE. UH THE FORMS REQUIRE THAT
YOU USE A BLUE OR BLACK INK TO
FILL OUT AND MAIL TO THE VOTERS
OFFICE. WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT. NOT
IN MY COUNTY. WE HAD UH, GOLF
SIZED PENCILS. SO UH, JUST BEING
ABLE TO EXERCISE SOMETHING THAT
IS A TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. THIS IS NOT A HEARING
ON SB 299. SO UM, YEAH, BUT YES.
YOUR COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR. PELLER INDOOR
AROSE WITH THE LEGAL WOMEN
VOTERS IN CALIFORNIA AND THE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR THERE. YOU KNOW,
CLOSING THE PARTICIPATION GAP IS
SIMPLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST
DEMOCRACY PROBLEMS WE'VE GOT IN
CALIFORNIA TODAY. WE'VE PASSED A
LOT OF LAWS DESIGNED TO REMOVE
IMPEDIMENTS AND TO INCREASE
TURNOUT. SOME IMPEDIMENTS STILL
EXISTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE
REPARATIONS TASK FORCE
SPECIFICALLY CALLS FOR INCREASED
EFFORTS TO RESTORE THE VOTING
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
COMPLETING PRISON SENTENCES AND
TO PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS TO
THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY
INCARCERATED IN JAILS OR RE
ENTERING THE COMMUNITY. BUT EVEN
AND WE CAN MAKE PROGRESS ON THAT
BY GETTING A CEO FOR ON THE
BALLOT, WHICH WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE
WHO ARE CURRENTLY INCARCERATED
TO VOTE BY BUILDING VOTER
REGISTRATION INTO THE DIVISION
OF ADULT PAROLE PROCESSES, UM
AND BY MAKING IT EASIER FOR
PEOPLE IN JAILS TO EXERCISE
THEIR RIGHT TO REGISTER AND TO
VOTE AS L A IS DOING WITH THEIR
VOTE VOTE MOBILE VOTE CENTERS.
BUT EVEN ONCE WE'VE REMOVED ALL
THESE IMPEDIMENTS, IT'S
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO RESOURCE
CULTURALLY COMPETENT, COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO ENGAGE
PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE AND USE THE
POWER OF THEIR VOTE TIME. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. YOU GUYS
ARE GOOD GETTING AS MUCH IN
THERE IN A MINUTE AFTERNOON
SHARON PARALLELING ALEJANDRO
RAMOS THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING
PUBLIC COMMENT NOW IN MY
CAPACITY AS POLICY DIRECTOR FOR
OC ACTION AND OC ACTION IS A
PILOT NEXT LABOR ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE PROFESSOR ALLIANCE IN
ORANGE COUNTY RESPONSIBLE FOR
COLLECTIVE COMMUNITY POWER
BUILDING IN THE REGION AND
NEARLY 20% OF ELIGIBLE ORDERS IN
CALIFORNIA ARE NOT REGISTERED,
AND THEY'RE LARGELY PEOPLE OF
COLOR. AND AGAIN, WE MADE GREAT
STRIDES TOWARDS MAKING IT EASIER
FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, BUT WE ARE
MISSING FOUR POINT NEARLY 4.7
MILLION ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN
ORANGE COUNTY. 60% OF ELIGIBLE
VOTERS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, BUT
ONLY 43% OF THE ELECTORATE ARE
PEOPLE OF COLOR ACROSS THE
COUNTY. MORE THAN 355,000
ELIGIBLE VOTERS ARE NOT
REGISTERED TO VOTE EFFECTIVELY
EXCLUDED THEM FROM OUR DEMOCRACY
AND SECURE A VR WOULD HELP CLOSE
THAT VOTER PARTICIPATION GAP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HI MY NAME
IS MAGGIE TIE I'M THE STATE
POLITICAL DIRECTOR OF THE ASIAN
PACIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK,
WHERE WE MOBILIZE 30,000 ASIAN
AMERICAN VOTERS STATEWIDE TO
FIGHT FOR WORKING CLASS
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE,
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR MOST
IMPACTED BY CORPORATE POLLUTERS.
WE ARE OVERWHELMINGLY PART OF
THE 4.7 MILLION LEFT OUT OF
ELECTIONS THAT LIMITS OUR
PARTICIPATION IN DEMOCRACY TO
CLEAN UP OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS.
OUR COMMUNITIES IN THE BAY AREA
AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DEMAND
AUTOMATIC ACCESS TO THEIR RIGHT
TO VOTE IN ORDER TO ELECT
LAWMAKERS FROM OUR COMMUNITIES
WHO CAN MOVE ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICIES THAT ENSURE WE LIVE IN
NEIGHBORHOODS FREE FROM TOXIC
WASTE, CHEMICALS AND POLLUTION.
I URGE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS CHAIR
PELLERIN AND THE STATE
LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT SECURE
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION, SB
299 AND TO RECLAIM OUR
DEMOCRACY. THANK YOU. JUST DO
THIS. HELLO MY NAME IS KAYLA
SATO AND I'M WITH ORANGE COUNTY
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. SO ONE OF
THE ORDER WAS MENTIONED EARLIER
BEFORE UNDER COMING BEFORE THAT,
AS AN EJ ORDINARY TEND TO WORK
WITH LOW INCOME IMMIGRANTS OF
COLOR. SINCE THEY'RE THE PEOPLE
MOST IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL
TOXINS AND POLLUTION. THEY ALSO
TEND TO BE A POPULATION THAT CAN
VOTE BUT ISN'T REGISTERED TO
VOTE BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW
THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE. PASSING
SB 299 WOULD HELP US INCREASE
VOTER PARTICIPATION AND DJ
ACTION AS A RESULT. HELP MY
COMMUNITY BY MOVING SP 299
FORWARD. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR. PELLERIN. MY
NAME IS LICENSEE. CHOW. ALSO
WITH CALIFORNIA CALLS. UM SO
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO REALLY URGE
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO
INVEST IN RECURRING STATE
FUNDING FOR VOTER EDUCATION,
OUTREACH AND REALLY TO WORK WITH
TRUSTED MESSENGERS OUT IN THE
FIELD, DOING THIS WORK TO BE
ABLE TO CLOSE THE PARTICIPATION
GAP. UM WHILE WE TACKLE THE
PARTICIPATION GAP, WE REALLY
MUST WORK TO REMOVE OTHER
BARRIERS TO REGISTRATION.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S 4.6 MILLION
PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA WHO ARE
ELIGIBLE AND UNREGISTERED AND WE
KNOW THAT THOSE ARE OUR MOST
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHEN
POOR AND WORKING CLASS
COMMUNITIES ARE STRUGGLING TO
PAY RENT, PAY FOR GAS. UM,
OFTENTIMES WE NEED TO MAKE IT
EASIER FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE.
WE NEED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR
THEM TO REGISTER TO VOTE TO
PARTICIPATE IN OUR ELECTORATE.
AND SO BILLS LIKE SP 299 WOULD
REALLY HELP. UM, MAKE THAT ONE.
MOVE US FORWARD IN THAT
DIRECTION. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM
PELLERIN AND MEMBERS OF THE
ELECTIONS COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
ANDREW BOLTON FROM CYPRESS
COLLEGE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS
REPRESENTING THE ACTION GROWING
UP IN A NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSE,
WHERE I WITNESSED FIRSTHAND
UNDERREPRESENTATION OF NATIVE
AMERICAN VALUES IN THE
GOVERNMENT, OFTEN OVERLOOKING
POLICY MAKING, I SAW THE NEGLECT
OF NATIVE AMERICAN VALUES AND
PRIORITIES THROUGH THE SYSTEM
BUILT INITIALLY TO OPPRESS THEM.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL
CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES
, 34% OF ALL VOTING AGE NATIVE
AMERICANS NATION WHETHER OR NOT
REGISTERED ABOUT THOUGH THROUGH
THE PASSAGE OF SB 299,
CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICAN
VOTERS WILL AUTOMATICALLY HAVE A
VOICE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE FOR THE
COMMUNITY'S IRISH ASSEMBLY
ELECTIONS CHAIR PILLAR IN IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT SB
299 AND SECURE AUTOMATICALLY
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION TO
RECLAIM OUR DEMOCRACY. THANK
YOU. EXCUSE ME. GOOD EVENING OR
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
THANK YOU TO YOU AND THE REST OF
THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO
OUTLOOK IN THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR
A DIALOGUE. MY NAME IS NATALIA
KING. I'M THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR
CATALYST, CALIFORNIA. UM AND
CATALYST HAS A LONG THOUGHT TO
INCREASE THE POLITICAL POWER OF
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THEY'RE
MARGINALIZED IDENTITIES. UM I
ALSO WANT TO UPLIFT THE AGAIN
THE NOTES THAT OC ACTION AND
CALIFORNIA CAUSES MADE ECHOING
ARE THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS
AND THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS HERE. UM AND DESPITE
MANY STEPS THAT'S TAKEN TO MAKE
VOTER REGISTRATION, SIMPLE AND
ACCESSIBLE REGISTRATION REMAINS
A CRITICAL BARRIER, PREVENTING
MILLIONS OF CALIFORNIA FROM
HEARING THEIR VOICES IN OUR
ELECTIONS. SO THIS CONVERSATION
IS VERY MUCH NEEDED. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING THESE
CONVERSATIONS AND PUSHING FOR SB
299. THIS IS ONE OF THE
SUPPORTERS FOR THAT ALLEGED
PIECE OF LEGISLATION, BUT THIS
UPGRADE WILL ULTIMATELY
REGISTERED. MORE ELIGIBLE
CALIFORNIANS UPDATE EXISTING
REGISTRATIONS AND BETTER PROTECT
NON TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. HI ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
PELLERIN. MY NAME IS NINA LONG.
UM AND I'M A POLICY COORDINATOR
WITH A P I S FOR CIVIC
EMPOWERMENT OR BY FORCE. UM, WE
WORK YEAR ROUND ON THE PHONES,
KNOCKING ON DOORS WITH SOME OF
THE LOWEST PROPENSITY API
COMMUNITIES AND WHAT WE'RE
SEEING OUT IN THE FIELD REFLECTS
WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN DR RAMIREZ
DATA THAT OUR CURRENT VOTER
REGISTRATION SYSTEM IS LEAVING
ASIAN AMERICANS BEHIND. WE CAN'T
ABIDE BY A STATUS QUO THAT SEES
OUR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR MOST IMPACTED BY OUR
POLICIES, BUT HAVING THE LEAST
POLITICAL POWER IN THIS SYSTEM,
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TO SUPPORT
SB 299 OR SECURE AUTOMATIC VOTER
REGISTRATION. THERE'S NOTHING
THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPERCHARGE
OUR VOTER OUTREACH EFFORTS MORE
THAN ENSURING THAT EVERY
ELIGIBLE VOTER IS REGISTERED.
THANK YOU. HELLO MY NAME IS
BRIAN MOLINA. I'M THE
LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR
CALIFORNIA CALLS I CARE ABOUT
UPGRADING CALIFORNIA'S VOTER
REGISTRATION SYSTEM BECAUSE I
WANT THE PEOPLE WHO VOTE IN
CALIFORNIA TO LOOK LIKE THE
PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE IN
CALIFORNIA. THE 4.6 MILLION
ELIGIBLE, BUT UNREGISTERED
VOTERS ARE MAINLY PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND PARTICULARLY THOSE IN
THE LATINO COMMUNITY. FOLKS FROM
COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE LIVED THE
LIFE AND DEATH CONSEQUENCES OF
POLICIES PASSING THIS VERY
BUILDING EVERY DAY. WE DEAL WITH
THE VIOLENCE, THE POVERTY,
UNDERFUNDED SCHOOLS, CLINICS,
LACK OF UPWARD MOBILITY IN
HOUSING FOR FAR TOO LONG VOICES
FROM COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE HAVE
BEEN SILENCED. SB 299 IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US THAT
VOICE AND, UH, THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS,
CHRISTOPHER SANCHEZ, THE WESTERN
CENTER LAW AND POVERTY. ONE ECHO
THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES
WHO HAVE DISCUSSED THE SECURE
AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION AND
OFFER OUR SUPPORT AND THAT BUT
ALSO THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE THAT
THE WESTERN CENTER HAS, AS
RELATES TO AN HOUSE CALIFORNIANS
. UNFORTUNATELY WE KNOW THAT A
LOT OF CALIFORNIANS ARE
CURRENTLY UNSTABLE. DON'T HAVE A
MAILING DRE MAILING ADDRESS
THAT'S RELIABLE, WHICH WOULD
ACTUALLY PREVENT THEM FROM BEING
ABLE TO ACCESS OUR ARE TO BE
ABLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE. WE
THINK THAT AN HOUSED WE'VE SEEN
AS INCREASINGLY WANTED TO
PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS. WE'VE
SEEN THAT DURING THE RECALL AND
OTHER IMPORTANT ELECTIONS, AND
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS THIS
ELECTION IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL
BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN SO MANY
PEOPLE BE DISPLACED BEYOND
HOUSED, UM AND NOT HAVE A
RELIABLE MAILING ADDRESS, AND SO
THEREFORE WE WOULD JUST ASK
THAT, UM, FUNDING ALSO BE LOOKED
INTO EDUCATING COUNTY REGISTERS
AND THEIR VOLUNTEERS ON HOW TO
INTERACT WITH INDIVIDUALS WERE
ON HOUSE. HELLO BRITNEY
STONECIPHER FROM A C L U OF
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AGAIN. I
JUST WANTED TO THANK HER WOMAN,
PELLERIN FOR HAVING THIS ROBUST
CONVERSATION AND BRINGING IN
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS. I
KNOW THAT WE CAN DISAGREE ABOUT
WHETHER FRONT END OR BACK END IS
THE RIGHT APPROACH THE SAFEST
APPROACH, BUT I WANTED TO ADD
ONE MORE POTENTIAL SOLUTION THAT
WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT TODAY
FOR CLOSING REGISTRATION GAPS,
WHICH IS, UH, ENFORCING AND VR,
A COMPLIANCE AND DESIGNATIONS TO
ITS FULLEST EXTENT WE HAVE MANY
NPR AGES AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA
RIGHT NOW. NOT ALL OF THEM ARE
DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO
DO UNDER THE NBR. A. THERE'S
ALSO ADDITIONAL AGENCIES AND
CURRENT, INCLUDING CRIMINAL
LEGAL AGENCIES, LIKE DAPO JAILS
AND PROBATION APARTMENTS, WHICH
WE COULD DESIGNATE AS NPR
AGENCIES AND REQUIRE THEM TO
OFFER UM STREAMLINED VOTER
REGISTRATION OPPORTUNITIES
DURING EXISTING COVERED
TRANSACTIONS, AND WE CAN ALSO
FIND NBR AGENTS AGENCIES TO DO
THAT WORK. THANK YOU. HI I'M
GOING TO TRY AND TALK REALLY
SLOW BECAUSE MAYBE YOU NEED A
BREAK. MY NAME IS SHARON DELENN
TO I'M A VOTING RIGHTS ADVOCATE
IN MICHIGAN, BUT I MOVED TO
CALIFORNIA TWO YEARS AGO. ONE
WE'VE PASSED A VR THROUGH 2018
BALLOT INITIATIVE, AND OUR
DECLINATION RATE IS MUCH LOWER
THAN YOURS IS RIGHT NOW. BUT IN
ADDITION TO THAT WE JUST SENT TO
GOVERNOR WHITMER SAVER BELT, UM,
THAT WILL EXTEND AUTOMATIC VOTER
REGISTRATION TO THE DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTIONS AND MEDICAID
AGENCIES. THESE WERE LARGELY
SUPPORTED BY ALL THE SAME KINDS
OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS
AND COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT YOU
SEE BEHIND ME, SO I HOPE YOU
WILL JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON AND
FOLLOW WITH US ON THIS JOURNEY.
THANK YOU. HI GOOD AFTERNOON,
TIM VALDERRAMA WITH THE VITAMIN
GROUP ON BEHALF OF NEXT GEN.
CALIFORNIA WANNA THANK YOU FOR
HAVING THE HEARING TODAY? I MEAN
, IT GETS LOST. SOMETIMES THE
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THE 4.6 MILLION ELIGIBLE
BUT UNREGISTERED VOTERS TO JUST
TO PUT THAT INTO CONTEXT THAT'S
ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA. RIGHT? SO WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND THIS POLICY POLICIES THAT WE
PUT FORTH TODAY AFFECT REAL
LIVES. UM, I ALSO WANT TO JUST
SAY THAT UM, AS MR YOU BIRYANI
TALKED ABOUT NEXT, GEN DID DO
SOME POLICY RESEARCH ON THIS AND
LOOKED AT AT COLORADO. I WANTED
TO REALLY COMPARE THEIR FRONT
END SYSTEM TO THE BACK END
SYSTEM, AND THEY SAW 74%
INCREASE IN REGISTRATION AND
THAT STATE SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU ON POLICIES
THAT OTHER STATES HAVE PUSHED
FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN
COME TOGETHER WITH A REASONABLE
SOLUTION. THANK YOU. GREETINGS
AND GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
VICTOR. BY THAT IS I AM HERE
WITH THE RESILIENCE.
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS
. IN THIS BILL IS IMPORTANT. ONE
STEP IN RE, UH, REFINING,
ENHANCING THE INTEGRITY OF
CALIFORNIA'S VOTER REGISTRATION
PROCESS. BRAZILIAN ORANGE
COUNTY. AH IT ALIGNS WITH OUR
RESILIENCE.
ORANGE-COUNTY-REGISTER-TOO-SOON-COUNTY-VOTE-CENTERS
. ENSURING THAT VOTER
REGISTRATION ISN'T ACCURATE AND
ACCESSIBLE TO ALL WHILE
MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF
ELECTIONS HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THEY KEEP
COMING, OKAY? GOOD EVENING
CHAIR. PELLERIN MY NAME IS JESUS
REMAINS JUNIOR STUDENT TRUSTEES.
CYPRESS COLLEGE. HE WAS
ASSOCIATE STUDENTS OF CYPRESS
COLLEGE AND AS WELL HERE TO
REPRESENT I'M JUST HERE TO SEE
ME TO MY PRESIDENT. ARGENTINA
OPEN MY SENATOR CASTING THE WIND
AND MY THE SENATOR ANDREW
BALDWIN, AND I STRONGLY URGE
THAT YOU PLEASE SUPPORT SENATE
BILL 299. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S OF CHAIR
PARLIAMENT FOR HOSTING THIS
INFORMATIONAL HEARING MEANT FOR
YOUR GRACIOUSNESS FOR EXTENDING
PUBLIC COMMENT. MY NAME IS
JACKIE WU AND I'M, A FORMER
ELECTION OFFICIAL FROM ORANGE
COUNTY, THE FIFTH LARGEST VOTING
JURISDICTION IN THE COUNTRY
UNDER THEN REGISTER NEIL KELLY,
WHO HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP DURING
TODAY'S, UM HEARING. UM
SPECIFICALLY, I'D LIKE TO TALK
ABOUT. IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL THAT
WE'VE EXPANDED ON SO MANY
ELECTION REFORMS. SPECIFICALLY
SAME DAY VOTER REGISTRATION
REALLY CHANGED THE GAME INSTEAD
OF EVERYONE COMING TO ONE
ELECTIONS OFFICE FOR SAME DAY
VOTER REGISTRATION. YOU CAN NOW
GO TO ANY VOTE CENTER IF IT WAS
A V C A COUNTY. HOWEVER AFTER
THAT TRANSITION WHEN WE STILL
HAD SAME DAY VOTER REGISTRATION,
WE NOW SAW LONG LINES FOR SAME
DAY VOTER REGISTRATION. WHICH
CAUSED HOURS AND HOURS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND UNTOLD
NUMBERS OF VOTERS WHO SAW THE
LINE AND TURNED AROUND INSTEAD,
INSTEAD OF CASTING A BALLOT OR
REGISTERING TO VOTE. WE HAVE
WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AND
CALIFORNIA TIME. THANK YOU. I'LL
KEEP MY COMMENT. BREATHE. MY
NAME IS JONATHAN PIGMENTS WAS
COMING, JP I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF ORANGE COUNTY ACTION
AND A MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA
GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY COALITION,
REPRESENTING OVER 140% 148, PLUS
ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT OF SB
+299 SECURE AUTOMATIC VOTER
REGISTRATION. WE HAVE TALKED A
LOT TODAY ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO
BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY BELIEVE BE
ABLE TO TRUST AND BELIEVE IN THE
FAITH OF TRUSTED MESSENGERS
ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
TO BE ABLE TO BEST INFORM WHAT
IT MEANT MEANS TO BE ABLE TO
BEST INFORM AH, THE BEST
STRENGTHEN THE ELECTORATE IN
FRANCHISE. OUR COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE ARE LEFT OUT OF THEM ARE
DEMOCRACY. THIS TRUSTED
MESSENGER OF MANY, MANY FOLKS
FLU EARLY IN THE MORNING, UH,
FROM 350, MILES AWAY 400 MILES
AWAY TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE TO BE
ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT. SO WE
ASKED THAT THE COMMITTEE
ACTUALLY FOLLOWS THE SAME.
PLEASE SUPPORT SB 299,
ESPECIALLY AS WE GO INTO THE NEW
YEAR. THANK YOU. SO LET ME JUST
NOW CHECK WITH THE MODERATOR TO
SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY ON OUR
PHONE LINES FOR ANY ADDITIONAL
PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE'RE CHECKING
. AND WE HAVE NO ONE ON THE
PHONE LINES. AT THIS TIME.
EVERYBODY FLEW HERE. THIS IS
FABULOUS. UM OKAY, SO AND SO
WE'RE ON TIME, SO I JUST WANT TO
THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED
IN TODAY'S HEARING, INCLUDING
ALL OF OUR EXPERT WITNESSES. THE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO
TESTIFIED DURING OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT, PERIOD AND REALLY,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE
TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO FLY UP
TO SACRAMENTO AND TO HAVE YOUR
VOICE BE HEARD, AND THE MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE WHO WERE ABLE
TO PARTICIPATE, UM YOU KNOW, I
HEAR THE MESSAGE. WE DEFINITELY
WANT TO MEET VOTERS WHERE THEY
ARE. WE'RE LOOKING FOR ONGOING,
SUSTAINABLE FUNDING. TRUSTED
MESSENGERS ARE KEY AND BUILDING
THOSE PARTNERSHIPS WITH
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
COUNTY REGISTRARS OF VOTERS
ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE.
IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED TO
ENSURE. THERE IS MUCH STILL TO
BE DONE TO BRIDGE THE GAP WITH
THE GROUPS THAT ARE HELPING US
TO DO THAT, THANKS TO THE
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
PARTICIPATING AND THANK YOU ALL
FOR BEING HERE TODAY. HAVE A
GREAT EVENING. AND WITH THAT
WE'RE JARRED. THANK YOU.