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AP19:099

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2019
CONTACT:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575

Secretary of State Alex Padilla Statement on No Party Preference Voter Notifications and Allegations of DMV Errors

SACRAMENTO, CA - The following statement is from California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

“Elections officials across California work hard to make sure every voter is registered accurately. In a presidential primary election, a voter’s political party preference determines which presidential candidates they can vote for. As Secretary of State, I want every voter to have the opportunity to cast a ballot for their preferred presidential candidate. That’s why my office offers tools such as HowToVoteForPresident.sos.ca.gov. Every Californian, regardless of their party or how they registered, should verify their voter registration status at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov. And any eligible voter needing to register to vote or update their registration can do so easily at registertovote.ca.gov.”

“Despite recent claims, there is no widespread glitch with the California Motor Voter program changing voters’ party affiliation. It is important to note that every voter registration at the DMV requires the voter to select their political party preference, review their selection, and attest to its accuracy. Since the launch of the Motor Voter program in April 2018, the Secretary of State’s office has worked with the DMV to continuously improve the registration experience for voters. In January 2019, the political party preference screens used in Motor Voter were updated to help voters better understand how they were registering.”

“Assigning blame for alleged mass voter registration errors without evidence is irresponsible and undermines public confidence in our elections. If a voter believes there may be an issue with their registration, they should contact the Secretary of State or their county elections office to research their voter registration history. In nearly every case, there is a reasonable explanation for any changes to a voter’s registration record.”

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