Secretary Of State

The appointments of Alex Padilla and Shirley Weber point to the value for voters to be able to see themselves in their elected officials.

As California’s Secretary of State prepares to take a new job as U.S. Senator, he’s not going to let a politically charged $35 million invoice get in the way of a smooth promotion. In a press conference Wednesday, Alex Padilla assured reporters that the multimillion-dollar tab his office owes to SKDKnickerbocker, a Biden-affiliated PR shop, […]

In choosing a new U.S. senator and a new secretary of state, Gov. Gavin Newsom could shape Democratic politics for years to come.

California voters are as diverse as its geography, from mountain ranges to valley farmland to forests and beaches. So a look at official voting results released this month shows notable differences in who turned out, how we voted, and where we voted. More than half of California’s record 17.8 million ballots cast came from just […]

Editor’s note: Votebeat analyzed state and local voting data, using U.S. census data for context, to examine which voting blocs and counties drove the record ballots cast in the general election. Here is how we did the analysis. Statewide data on ballots cast, registered voters and voter turnout were obtained from the California Secretary of […]

California’s decision to mail a ballot to every registered voter resulted in record ballots cast in the general election — but it was poor and diverse communities that fueled the increases.

California's politicians are playing musical chairs as Gov. Gavin Newsom mulls appointments to high-profile offices.

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.

Good morning, California. It’s Friday, November 6. Industry vs. Legislature The fate of four ballot measures — including what would be the largest change to California’s property tax structure in more than 40 years — hangs in the balance of 4.5 million uncounted votes, according to an estimate released Thursday evening by Secretary of State […]

California still must count 4.5 million ballots, a bigger job than what it faced two days after the election in 2016.