Elections

Cheri Provancha, center, denies Christopher Rickman access to the polling place at the old Sears building on November 3, 2020. He was told the shirt’s wording violated federal electioneering law. Photo by Ron Holman, Visalia Times Delta

Elections

Retired colonel keeps the peace at Tulare County polling place

CalMatters talked to volunteer poll workers and full-time staff members in the aftermath of November’s contentious election to see how their work differed from past elections. Poll worker Cheri Provancha of Tulare County used her military experience to keep things orderly at the polling place.

By

Lewis Griswold

• December 4, 2020

Elections

Subdued mood and happy moments at rural Shasta polls

CalMatters talked to volunteer poll workers and full-time staff members in the aftermath of November’s contentious election to see how their work differed from past elections. Poll worker Jeannette Logue of Shasta County described the mood as “very serious.”

By

Lewis Griswold

• December 4, 2020

Elections

Between band gigs, he worked for democracy at home

CalMatters talked to volunteer poll workers and full-time staff members in the aftermath of November’s contentious election to see how their job differed from past elections. San Diego elections staffer Andrew Pates said his job motivation was “to work on the truth.”

By

Michael Lozano

• December 4, 2020

"Simple. Secure. Trustworthy. Counted." A sign reads in Spanish encouraging voters to vote by mail Off I-5 on November 3, 2020. Photo by Clara Mokri for CalMatters

Elections

How election officials fought fiction with fact

Pet videos populate Facebook all the time, but one posted during this frenzied election season stood out: A service dog named Maggie Magoo had voted by mail in Santa Cruz, its owner said. Not just that, the owner claimed Maggie was registered to vote using her microchip number as a social security number. The story, […]

By

Freddy Brewster

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Katie Licari

• December 2, 2020

Jackie Bustamante and her son Peter, 8, prepare to vote at San Francisco Voting Center on Nov. 8, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Elections

How California moved to the future of voting during a pandemic

Fifty-four counties responded to a CalMatters election survey and many attributed the smooth election to new vote centers with savvy technology. Yet as Sacramento politicians say they want to make vote-by-mail permanent and expand vote centers, some counties are balking at costs and lack necessary infrastructure.

By

Michael Lozano

• December 1, 2020

Elections

Research topics to expand as California passes stem cell measure

By narrowly approving Proposition 14, California voters will infuse researchers with billions more in funding to study some areas that don’t even involve stem cells.

By

Barbara Feder Ostrov

• November 24, 2020

Dozens of volunteers extract ballots at the sports complex in Martinez on Oct. 31, 2020. By Halloween, Contra Costa County had already received more ballots than the total number in the March primary. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Elections

How California reached historic voter turnout despite pandemic, distrust

Californians faced the naysayers and voted in historic numbers this election. CalMatters interviewed 54 of 58 county registrars and found the mail vote experiment saw few glitches, little drama and might provide a blueprint for future elections across the country.

By

Lewis Griswold

• November 24, 2020

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla OK'd the controversial Vote Safe California contract to a firm with ties to fellow Democrat Joe Biden's presidential campaign. AP Photo/Eric Risberg

Politics

Will state stick ‘Team Biden’ firm with $35 million tab after Yee balks at Padilla vote contract?

Documents obtained by CalMatters reveal a behind-the-scenes look at a controversial no-bid contract — and a showdown between two of California's most ambitious politicians.

By

Emily Hoeven

• November 23, 2020

Alice Huffman has resigned as president of the California State Conference of the NAACP, after controversy over the fact that she collected millions in fees from corporate interests as her organization sided with them on state ballot measures. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

Politics

California NAACP leader resigns amid conflict-of-interest backlash

Alice Huffman was paid millions by corporate ballot measure campaigns that her historic civil rights organization endorsed, while many Black leaders took opposing positions.

By

Laurel Rosenhall

• November 20, 2020

Elections

Legislature campaigns: Did big political spenders get what they paid for?

You can’t always get what you want, but for special interests in California politics, spending $34 million sure does help. That’s the amount of unrestricted political spending that industries and unions with regular business in the capitol pumped into Legislative races across the state this year. As CalMatters reported before Election Day, the oil industry, […]

By

Ben Christopher

• November 20, 2020