Print Version (PDF)

AP20:069

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2020
CONTACT:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575

Secretary of State Alex Padilla Announces First-in-the-Nation Partnership with Drag Out The Vote

SACRAMENTO, CA – Secretary of State Alex Padilla has announced a new partnership with Drag Out The Vote, the first partnership of its kind with a Secretary of State’s office. Through this partnership, the Secretary of State’s office will work with Drag Out The Vote’s Drag Ambassador Program to disseminate accurate and timely election information.

“Every eligible voter should have the ability to cast a ballot free of barriers, and the LGBTQ+ community is no different,” said Secretary of State Alex Padilla. “As the November 3, 2020, General Election approaches, it is more important than ever to make sure that people from all walks of life are able to register to vote and cast their ballot safely by Election Day. Drag Out The Vote will work to engage the young people of California, to provide timely and accurate election information. Through the Drag Ambassador program, drag queens and kings will serve as election observers, poll workers, and advocates for election accessibility. We are proud to be the first Secretary of State in the nation to formalize this partnership.”

“Secretary Padilla is uniquely positioned to use his platform to rally communities in California to action,” says Jackie Huba, Founder and Executive Director of Drag Out The Vote. “We are proud that he is the first Secretary to partner with us, especially given that he represents the largest state in the country. Drag Out The Vote, through our own actions including our Drag Ambassador Program, will endeavor to use the art and activism of drag to increase awareness surrounding his efforts, especially in the LGBTQ+ and Queer People-Of-Color communities.”

Drag Out The Vote is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works with drag performers and activists to promote participation in our democracy through voter education, voter registration, voter activation locally and nationally. Led by fierce drag kings and queens across the nation, Drag Out The Vote advocates for increased voter access and engagement in 2020 and beyond.

###