Press Release
April 17, 2020
CONTACT: [email protected] | Jennifer Molina – 323.939.6791
OAKLAND – The California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) submitted a set of recommendations for Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Governor Gavin Newsom to ensure voters’ safety ahead of the November 2020 General Election. In the letter, CLCV displays a set of recommendations to ensure every Californian voter has the ability to safely cast their vote amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
“At a time when our democracy is facing unprecedented challenges, our response to maintain and expand access to democracy must also be unprecedented,” said Mary Creasman CEO of the California League of Conservation Voters. “As a response to COVID-19, any decisions to make adjustments for the November 2020 General Election must be guided by the principle of ensuring that everyone who is eligible to vote and wants to vote, can do so safely. State officials have the opportunity to strengthen and protect our democracy, we hope they lean into this.”
Black, Indigenous, and voters of Color, low-income voters, voters with disabilities, young voters, housing insecure voters have all been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and are most at risk of disenfranchisement if enhancements are not made to elections process ahead of the November election. In the letter, CLCV further calls for State and Counties to take swift steps now to allow time to implement protections to the November 2020 Election and collaborate to find solutions for potential barriers.
CLCV calls for the following common-sense elements that can be implemented to maintain the integrity of our elections while ensuring all Californians can vote safely:
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Every registered voter should receive a mail-in ballot: We need to reduce the number of people who need to vote in-person in order to maintain safe levels of traffic at voting locations. Every registered voter receiving a ballot by mail (with the proper education to encourage vote by mail for those who are able) is the single best way to achieve that goal.
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Opportunities for in-person voting should be expanded, not reduced: We believe it will actually be safer to increase the number of in-person voting locations to disperse crowds and maintain safe levels of traffic throughout the election. The higher number of locations will reduce the amount of voters per site, especially for a Presidential Election with historically higher rates of voter participation. Ballot drop boxes should be provided in addition to in-person voting locations, not instead of. We oppose relaxation of the required number of in-person voting locations per number of voter as mandated by existing election code.
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Accommodations for voters with disabilities and language access need to be prioritized at in-person voting locations, and accommodations should be made for first time voters, provisional voters, and voters who otherwise require additional support to complete their ballot.
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Increase public education to help voters understand any new adjustments to opportunities for voting: The hope of increasing vote-by-mail will require additional education for those who will be receiving their ballot in the mail for the very first time. There will also be the need to increase education and support for voters who need language and/or ability accommodations. Additionally, there will be a need to educate voters about safe voting practices and locations for in-person voting. Many voters’ longstanding voting locations may change or adjust, so a robust effort must be made to ensure all voters understand how they can vote safely, especially if there are any last minute adjustments made
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At minimum, $250 million in additional dedicated resources (amounting to $10 per registered voter) available for County Clerks & Elections Officials to make adjustments needed to ensure a safe election and for increased resources for both statewide and local level public education and outreach.
A copy of the letter can be found here.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.
