Citing public health concerns over millions of Californians showing up at voting locations this fall, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday ordered ballots to be mailed to the state’s 20.6 million voters for the November election while imposing strict new rules for anyone who participates in person.
The decision, Newsom said, reflects the assessment from health officials that the COVID-19 pandemic will not have subsided enough to permit the election to move forward under its traditional rules. While a majority of California’s votes are now cast away from a voting place, it would be the first time in state history that every registered voter is mailed a ballot….
Newsom’s order, however, requires some in-person voting to be allowed. The governor cited the needs of disabled voters, in particular, who may require assisted technology to cast a ballot.
“We still want to have the appropriate number of physical sites for people to vote as well,” he said.