LOS ANGELES – March 3, 2020.  California Common Cause believes nothing should stand between eligible voters and the ballot box. During this Presidential Primary Election 2020, Common Cause staff and volunteers have been observing vote centers across the state since early voting began on February 22.

By the end of Super Tuesday, nearly 40 poll monitors will have observed more than 100 polling places and vote centers in Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. Common Cause poll monitors are observing the transition from polling places to vote centers, which offer county-wide voting and 10 days of early voting in addition to Election Day.

Statement by Kathay Feng, Interim Executive Director, California Common Cause
“Every American deserves to take part in democracy and exercise their right to vote without barriers. In this Presidential Primary Election, many sweeping changes to make voting more convenient are taking place across the state. And it’s crucial that voters are informed and know their options. Common Cause and our poll monitors are there to observe this transition.”

Passed in 2016, the Voter’s Choice Act modernizes elections in California by giving voters more flexibility and choice in casting their ballots by:

• Mailing every voter a Vote-by-Mail ballot (except in Los Angeles county)
• Expanding in-person early voting to 10 days
• Allowing voters to cast a ballot at any vote center within their county

Counties that have chosen to operate their elections under the Voter’s Choice Act in 2020 are Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Madera, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Tuolumne counties.  

Key changes across the state of California

• In Los Angeles County, the new VSAP (Voting Solutions for All People) program rolled out, introducing vote centers as well as new touchscreen Ballot Marking Devices (BMDs) that allow voters to mark and cast their ballot in 13 languages. 
• 15 out of 58 California counties, accounting for half the state’s voters, are participating in the Voter’s Choice Act. This means that vote centers and early voting were introduced. All registered voters were mailed a vote-by-mail ballot (except for Los Angeles County).  
• Statewide Vote-by-Mail ballots are pre-paid for the first time.
• Same-day registration is now offered at all polling places & vote centers, allowing voters to register for the first time or make changes to their registration, including address and party preference changes. 

Super Tuesday Media Interviews 
On Super Tuesday, Common Cause poll monitors will be observing vote centers in San Jose, Pomona, Long Beach, Carson, Wilmington, South Gate, Huntington Park, Chinatown, East Los Angeles, Monterey Park, El Monte and San Diego. 

Kathay Feng, interim executive director of California Common Cause will be available for interviews to share our observations in the field as well as our voting rights expertise. Contact Linda Owens at Lowens@commoncause.org 929-245-1500.

Voters with problems or questions can call these Election Protection toll-free hotlines to speak to a nonpartisan trained volunteer in their language:

English: 866-OUR-VOTE
Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA
Arabic: 844-YALLA-US
Asian languages: 888-API-VOTE
Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali/Bangla.
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