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Secretary of State Wins Best of California
Award for Online Voter Registration Application

SACRAMENTO - The Center for Digital Government presented the California Secretary of State’s online voter registration application RegisterToVote.ca.gov with its Best Application Serving the Public Award today at the 2013 Government Technology Conference West.

“My team worked at breakneck speed last year to build the California online voter registration system that made it as easy as possible for any eligible Californian to register any time from anywhere,” said Secretary of State Debra Bowen, California’s chief elections official. “This award is a wonderful recognition of that monumental accomplishment in service to the people of California.”

To build the online voter registration system, Secretary Bowen secured federal funding for the project so there was minimal cost to California taxpayers. Bowen’s staff then built a secure pipeline between the Secretary of State, the Department of Motor Vehicles and each of the 58 county elections offices, and established security procedures and policies that protect the privacy of applicants.

Within nine months of starting the project, Secretary Bowen launched online voter registration on September 19, 2012. Of the 17,792,047 Californians currently registered to vote, more than 887,437 have used the online system to register for the first time or update their voter record.

The Center for Digital Government is a research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. The Center’s Best of California Awards recognize innovative professionals and projects in California government and educational institutions.

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