by Shirley N. Weber, PhD, California Secretary of State
Californians can confidently say: California has made more significant reforms to our election laws and expanded voting rights than any other state.
The significance of this achievement is heightened as we prepare to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act next year. This landmark legislation began to undo our country’s long history of voter intimidation and suppression, and disenfranchisement of our country’s voters that too many Americans suffered at the polls for decades.
My own parents, who were sharecroppers, were denied their right to vote in the Jim Crow-era South. Before we moved to Los Angeles from Hope, Arkansas, my parents, David and Mildred Nash, were not allowed to vote. My father was an adult with six children before he registered to vote and could only exercise that constitutional right for the first time here in California.
As California Secretary of State, I do not take lightly the progress we have made over the years. My staff and I hold sacred the obligation to ensure our elections are secure, free, fair, and accessible to all. That is why, before certifying the results of this year’s election on December 13, we have taken a number of steps to ensure that every vote is counted. We have also made sure that our ballot counting process is credible and free from interference.
To meet that deadline without a hitch, California requires election officials in all 58 counties to deliver their official results by a certain date. This year, that date was December 6.
By law, every eligible voter in our state receives a vote-by-mail ballot. This ensures that every registered voter can exercise their right to vote.
Whether you dropped your ballot off at a designated drop box, voted by mail, or cast your ballot at a voting center, votes are safe and secure. And we allow voters to sign up to receive text, email, or voice call notifications about the status of their own ballots using the Where’s My Ballot? tool. To learn more or to sign up, paste this link into your web browser: https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/
The ballots of Californians who voted by mail are also protected. The United States Postal Service (USPS) partners with the State of California to make sure ballots are delivered on time. All mail-in ballots are sent First Class mail in a postage-paid envelope provided to every registered voter eligible to vote.
Election security is our first priority. That’s why my office designed and implemented a program to support that commitment. For more information, visit this link: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/election-cybersecurity
In addition, California takes preventative measures to ensure our voting technology keeps our elections secure and protects everyone’s votes.
For example, county voting systems are not connected to the internet, protecting them from cyberthreats. The state also conducts regular, rigorous testing to ensure voting systems are working optimally, and only allows access to authorized personnel.
Staff also receive training on phishing and cybersecurity.
VoteCal, the state’s centralized voter registration system, is also key. The system is updated regularly and is used as a resource for counties to verify voter signatures.
California also provides security at all counting sites and ensures ballot drop boxes are secured and monitored.
And all election processes are open to observation during specific hours.
In my role as California Secretary of State, there is nothing more important to me than defending our democracy. I am committed to safeguarding the right to vote and leading our state in upholding the highest democratic standards by implementing policies and practices that Californians and all Americans can trust and turn to for instruction and hope.
