On Friday, Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to mail every registered voter a ballot for the upcoming November election. This measure will protect public health while ensuring Californians have a safe, accessible way to vote from home. California will still have open in-person polling stations for individuals who need access to in-person voting.
Gov. Newsom’s order makes California the first state in the nation to automatically send ballots to every registered voter for the general election due to the coronavirus.
Read more about Gov. Newsom’s historic executive order below and learn how Democratic governors are fighting to expand access to the ballot box at EveryStateEveryVote.com.
Los Angeles Times: California voters asked to vote by mail in November due to coronavirus fears
Citing public health concerns over millions of Californians showing up at voting locations this fall, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered ballots to be mailed to the state’s 20.6 million voters for the November election while insisting there will need to also be new rules for anyone who participates in person.
The decision makes California the first state in the nation to temporarily shift to all-mail voting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic — prompted, Newsom said, by the likelihood that public health conditions will not have improved to a level at which millions of people could show up on a single day to cast a ballot.
“There’s a lot of excitement around this November’s election in terms of making sure that you can conduct yourself in a safe way, and make sure your health is protected,” Newsom said during a midday event.
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New York Times: California to Mail All Voters Ballots for November Election
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Friday ordered ballots to be sent to the state’s 20.6 million voters for the November election, becoming the first state to alter its voting plans for the general election in response to the public health concerns wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.
While California has greatly expanded its vote-by-mail operation in past elections — roughly 65 percent of the state voted by mail in the 2018 midterm elections — the decision by the largest state in the country to greatly reduce in-person voting is a recognition by state officials that the coronavirus outbreak is unlikely to subside by the fall.
“There’s a lot of concern and anxiety around this November’s election in terms of making sure that you can conduct yourself in a safe way and to make sure that your health is protected,” Mr. Newsom said at a news conference on Friday. But, he added, “we still want to have the appropriate number of physical sites for people to vote as well.”
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Associated Press: Locked-down California sends mail-in ballots to every voter
Setting up a potential legal showdown over California’s presidential election, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the state will send every voter a mail-in ballot for the November contest, a move criticized by national Republicans as a pathway to possible large-scale abuse.
With the state still under stay-at-home orders and facing a future of unknowns from the coronavirus outbreak, the Democratic governor said sending postage-paid ballots to every registered voter was the best solution to addressing the anxiety felt by many people about gathering in large groups that are breeding grounds for the virus.
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Politico: California becomes first state to switch November election to all-mail balloting
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday made California the first state to switch its November election to all-mail balloting due to concerns over physical participation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Most Californians already live in counties that have opted into a new universal vote-by-mail law. But state leaders and elections officials have increasingly sounded the alarm about what happened in Wisconsin’s primary, where polling places saw long lines and crowds and many voters were fearful of the health risks of having to vote in person.
Citing that “concern and anxiety around this November’s election,” Newsom signed an executive order requiring counties to mail voters a ballot. He had already mandated all-mail voting for a series of special elections, including an upcoming 25th Congressional District special election Tuesday in Southern California.
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CBS News: Newsom signs executive order declaring California a vote-by-mail state
California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday signed an executive order to ensure every registered voter in the state is automatically mailed a ballot for the November presidential election. The executive order does not replace in-person voting, Newsom said during a press conference.
“Mail-in ballot is important but it’s not an exclusive substitute to physical locations,” Newsom said. He added that the state is still working to have “the appropriate number of physical sites for people to vote as well.”
Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who’s been pushing to expand vote by mail, called into Newsom’s press conference and said the executive order makes California the first state in the nation to automatically send voters their ballots ahead of the general election in response to the coronavirus.
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Vox: California becomes the first state to send all voters mail-in ballots for November election
California has become the first state to commit to automatically mailing all registered voters a ballot for the November election, a significant move as states consider how to protect both voting rights and public health during the coronavirus pandemic.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Friday requiring election officials to send mail-in ballots to every registered voter ahead of the general election, acknowledging that attempting traditional voting on a mass scale will likely still be too dangerous come November.
“Elections and the right to vote are foundational to our democracy,” Newsom said in a statement. “No Californian should be forced to risk their health in order to exercise their right to vote.”
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All registered voters in California will receive a mail-in ballot for the upcoming November election, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom announced during his daily pandemic briefing.
The state is not moving to mail-only, however, and in-person voting will remain an option.
“Mail-in voting is important, but it is not an exclusive substitute to physical locations,” Newsom said, noting that some people are simply not comfortable mailing in a ballot.
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CNBC: All California voters will be able to vote by mail in November, Newsom says
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday allowing all registered voters in the state to receive a mail-in ballot for November’s election.
The move comes as several states weigh how to carry out their remaining 2020 elections while keeping voters safe from contracting and spreading the deadly coronavirus.
“I signed an executive order,” Newsom said, “that will allow every registered voter in California to receive a mail-in ballot.”
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The Hill: Newsom orders vote-by-mail in California for November election
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Friday he has signed an executive order that requires county officials to send vote-by-mail ballots to every registered voter in the state.
Newsom said California will work with people with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness and voters who do not speak English to ensure that in-person voting is still accessible to those who need it. But he said the access to mail-in voting would ensure that Californians would be able to cast ballots safely during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The San Diego Union -Tribune: California voters asked to vote by mail in November due to coronavirus fears
Citing public health concerns over millions of Californians showing up at voting locations this fall, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered ballots to be mailed to the state’s 20.6 million voters for the November election while imposing strict new rules for anyone who participates in person.
The decision, Newsom said, reflects the assessment from health officials that the COVID-19 pandemic will not have subsided enough to permit the election to move forward under its traditional rules. While a majority of California’s votes are now cast away from a voting place, it would be the first time in state history that every registered voter is mailed a ballot.
“There’s a lot of excitement around this November’s election in terms of making sure that you can conduct yourself in a safe way, and make sure your health is protected,” Newsom said during a midday event.
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