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For Planning Purposes
February 20, 2020
Contact:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575

MEDIA ADVISORY

Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo to Host Town Hall to Discuss Election Security, Vote Centers and the U.S. Census

SAN JOSE, CA – Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18) will be joined by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-19) as they host a town hall on Thursday, February 20 at San Jose State University (SJSU) to discuss election security, the U.S. Census, and Vote Centers, which will replace traditional polling places in Santa Clara County starting with the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary. They will be joined by San Jose State University President Mary Papazian. This is one in a series of town halls hosted by Secretary Padilla, focusing on changes coming to California’s elections.

Prior to the town hall, Assemblymember Ash Kalra will join them for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the anticipated opening of a new Santa Clara County Vote Center at SJSU’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at 1:45 p.m. Local elections officials will preview functionality—including voting equipment—and services of the new Vote Center, which will officially open on February 22nd and will serve as a polling location through Election Day.

Santa Clara County will be transitioning to the Voter’s Choice Act for the Presidential Primary on March 3, 2020. Under this modern election model, every registered voter will automatically receive their ballot by mail and have options for how to return their ballot: by mail, to any ballot drop box in the county, or at any vote center in the county convenient to them.

In preparation for the U.S. Census, the Secretary of State’s office has created fact sheets for 25 Hard-to-Reach California Counties. A portion of Congresswoman Eshoo’s district encompasses San Mateo County, one of California’s Hard-to-Reach counties. You can view the fact sheet for San Mateo County here.

*Media interested in attending should RSVP to sos.press@sos.ca.gov

What:

Election Security, U.S. Census and Vote Centers Town Hall

Who:

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla
Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren
San Jose University President Mary Papazian
Assemblymember Ash Kalra (ribbon cutting only)

When:

Thursday, February 20, 2020
Vote Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony & Press Conference - 1:45 p.m.
Town Hall Meeting - 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Where:

San Jose State University
Ribbon Cutting and Press Conference:
First floor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library
150 E San Fernando St
San Jose, CA 95192

Election Security Town Hall:
Hammer Theatre
101 Paseo de San Antonio (between 2^nd and 3^rd Streets)
San Jose, CA 95192

Contacts:

Secretary of State Alex Padilla
Roberto Negrete, (213) 332-2299

Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo
Michael Brady, Michael.Brady@mail.house.gov

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