CVF in the News

Technology Works Behind the Scenes to Keep US Mail-in Voting Secure

By Michelle Quinn, Voice of America, July 27, 2020

Excerpts:

It’s going to be a record year for voting by mail in the U.S. election and that has raised security concerns about each step of the process.

But election officials say they have systems in place to make voting by mail a success even as health concerns about voting during the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing states to expand their current vote-by-mail options.

“Somewhere between 90 million and 105 million ballots might come through the mail,” said Eddie Perez, global director of technology development at the OSET Institute, a nonprofit election technology organization. “If what we're seeing in other primary elections is any guide, it's probably safe to estimate that somewhere between 65% and 75% of all ballots cast in the November election might come by mail.”

The 100-day countdown

By Foon Rhee, Sacramento News & Review, July 27, 2020

Excerpts:

It’s now less than 100 days to the Nov. 3 election, and for it to go off smoothly, mail balloting must absolutely succeed.

Millions more voters across America will be casting mail ballots in 2020 than in 2016 so they can avoid crowded polling places during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under a new state law, every registered voter in California will receive a mail ballot, with postage prepaid.

So on Monday, the state’s chief elections officer launched a Vote Safe California campaign to urge residents to make sure they’re registered by the Oct. 19 deadline, and then to vote by mail or vote in person before Election Day.

With U.S. Postal Service on the Ropes, Is Vote-by-Mail Safe?

By Wilson Walker, KPIX, July 24, 2020

Wilson Walker takes a look at the potential collision course between the disintegrating capabilities of the post office and an inevitable influx of vote-by-mail ballots in the November election.

Watch: How To Prepare To Vote-By-Mail In California This Election

By Chris Nichols, CapRadio, July 24, 2020

Excerpts:

There are more than 100 days until Election Day. But with major changes ahead for how Californians will vote and a lot of misinformation floating around, elections expert Kim Alexander believes people should get prepared now.

That’s because by early October all counties will be required to send vote-by-mail ballots to the state’s 20 million active registered voters. And, Alexander said, elections officials will finalize mailing addresses as early as Labor Day.

More Than 100,000 Mail-In Ballots Were Rejected in CA Primary

By KQED News Staff, KQED, July 15, 2020

More than 100,000 mail-in ballots sent in by Californian voters in the March presidential primary were rejected. This news comes as California moves forward with plans to send mail in ballots to every voter in the state to use in the November election because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Guest: Kim Alexander, President, California Voter Foundation

(last segment in this podcast, about 8 minutes in) (Full Audio)

San Francisco’s big mail-ballot problem: Too many voters send them in late

By John Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle, July 15, 2020

Excerpts:

San Francisco voters were the second-worst in the state when it came to turning in their mail ballots on time for the March primary election.

More than 9,100 city voters saw their ballots go uncounted either because they weren’t postmarked by the March 3 election day or didn’t arrive in the mail by the March 6 deadline, according to a new study by the California secretary of state.

Statewide, late ballots counted for more than 70% of rejected mail-in votes.

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“If a ballot comes in late, you just can’t accept it,” Artnz said. “That’s why our message in the fall will tell people that if it’s close to election day, don’t use the mailbox, but turn the ballot in at one of our 588 polling places spread across the city.”

San Francisco’s big mail-ballot problem: Too many voters send them in late

By John Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle, July 15, 2020

Excerpts:

San Francisco voters were the second-worst in the state when it came to turning in their mail ballots on time for the March primary election.

Statewide, late ballots counted for more than 70% of rejected mail-in votes.

“When people voted late, a lot of them put their ballots in that big blue (mail) box on election day, not realizing that they wouldn’t be picked up on time,” said John Arntz, San Francisco’s elections chief.

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CA Non-Profit Assisting Voters with Vote by Mail Process Receives $25 Thousand Donation

By Melissa Culross, KCBS, July 12, 2020

A non-profit that works to improve the election process in the Golden State is $25,000 richer this weekend.

And KCBS Radio reporter Melissa Culross tells us the California Voter Foundation will be using that money to help people cast their ballots in November. (Full Audio)

California rejected 100K mail-in ballots because of mistakes

By Michael R. Blood, AP News, July 12, 2020

Excerpts:

More than 100,000 mail-in ballots were rejected by California election officials during the March presidential primary, according to data obtained by The Associated Press that highlights a glaring gap in the state’s effort to ensure every vote is counted.

With the coronavirus pandemic raging, California is part of a growing number of states increasing mail-in balloting to avoid crowds at polling places. President Donald Trump is among those questioning the integrity of vote-by-mail elections while supporters say they are just as reliable as polling places and offer greater flexibility for voters.

But while polling places include workers who can assist people who have questions about filling out ballots, a voter doesn’t have support at home and so problems can arise.

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Interview: Legitimacy of mail-in voting

By Sonseeahray Tonsall, Fox 40, June 30, 2020

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that one in four votes was cast by mail in 2018, a practice that’s been on the rise steadily since 1996.

One expert at Loyola Law School who has studied the mail-in process between 2000 and 2014 has found just 31 instances of voter fraud over a period when more than one billion votes were cast.

Kim Alexander, the founder and president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation, spoke to Sonseeahray about the mail-in situation in the Golden State

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