Elections

Although California is home to the largest Native American population in the United States, voting has always been problematic. This year, the pandemic — and the state’s decision to mail ballots to every California voter — has created new issues for tribal lands, whose residents often lack traditional mailing addresses. Outreach groups, which were focused […]

 Lea este artículo en español. As the final weekend before Election Day approaches, approximately 40 percent of California’s electorate, or 8.5 million voters, have already cast their ballots—about double the number a week ago. As more in-person polling places open, experts say the state is on track to have more votes cast than ever before. One […]

Twenty-four electronic poll books to check voters in quickly: $45,000. One high-capacity letter opener to process an onslaught of mailed-in ballots faster than human hands: $34,000. Six stainless-steel ballot boxes with anti-tamper protection: $21,261. Seven kits of disinfectant and protective gear to shield poll workers and voters from Covid-19: $2,500.  These price tags, provided to […]

Yes, that political campaign text message is from a real person. At least, that’s what it says. For months, Californians have been bombarded with text messages from multiple political campaigns pleading for money and votes. But many recipients question whether these texts are sent by bots or are even legal. As with so much law […]

California’s push to expand language access in elections has run headlong into pandemic fears and record numbers of Californians voting early, from home.

After more than a decade living in the United States, Santiago Pazos thought he’d be able to vote this year for the first time. He moved to Los Angeles from Spain in 2009, got a green card and eventually started his own business. He became eligible to apply for citizenship earlier this year, and was […]

Betsy Guthrie used to lead campaign phone bank trainings in loud, crowded houses sprinkled with snacks and buzzing with energy. Not this year. Ms. Guthrie is alone in the guest bedroom of her home in Marin County, shouting into a computer while fiddling with screen share. “I don’t know how we would do this right […]

You’ve voted, or you plan to. We want to know how the process works for you.

A week before Election Day and anxiety over the postal service’s ability to ferry voters’ ballots to county election administrators on time has ratcheted up yet again. Here are the reasons the alarm bells are ringing anew: Back in May, the United States Postal Service’s top lawyer advised voters across the country to put their […]

In a stark scene of what the electoral process in California can look like in 2020, masked voters last Monday cast early ballots in an El Dorado County elections office powered by a generator after dry winds and fear of wildfires triggered an electricity shutoff. This year, thanks to back-up generators and the promise of […]